Mother Panic #3 Review and **SPOILERS**

Mother Panic #3
"A Work in Progress, Part 3"
Writer: Jody Houser
Illustrator and Cover: Tommy Lee Edwards
Variant Cover: Mingjue Chen
Letterer: John Workman
Editor: Molly Mahan
Cover Price: $3.99
On Sale Date: February 15. 2017

When I think about it, it feels like I've known Mother Panic for so much longer than two months.  That's not a good thing or bad thing, just something that popped into my head when I typed that "#3" above.  If I were a betting man, and it's a good thing I'm not, I'd have put money on this being at least issue five.

It's no secret to visitors and listeners that I haven't been too keen on this book up to this point... let's see if third time really is the charm.




After a pair of issues where we followed a wildly unpleasant protagonist around as she connected some dots, we get an issue where she follows them to her destination... and, things are starting to become a bit more clear.

Mother Panic is able to find and rescue the children being held by Hemlsey.  Oddly enough, the children were in the company of the artist we met in the first issue.  I had actually forgotten all about her, so it was a pretty neat surprise for her to pop up here.

More of Violet's backstory is filled in, and while it's trickling in at a slow pace, I think it works.  If we are to assume, and that's one of the things I do, I'd guess this opening arc will run six-parts... at which time everything will come together.  It may make it so this is a more satisfying read in trade, but I can't hold the current publishing landscape against ol' Mother Panic.

The use of the Bat-family here was rather well done.  I have been a bit worried about how the creators would introduce one to the other, and I think the scene we get here was sort of a "best case scenario".  Batwoman being the first member to actually engage Mother Panic just feels right.  She's on Batman's radar... but not necessarily a big enough deal (or thorn in the side) for him to get involved... yet.

The fight was perhaps a step too far... maybe a bit cliche... but I understand why they did it.  From what little we know about Violet, we can posit that she is a bit impetuous, and acts on emotion.  Violence seems like a prioritized "means to an end" for her.

I'm almost scared to say this, but I didn't dislike this issue.  It feels like we're actually part of this adventure for a reason.  The previous chapters gave us questions that I wasn't at all interested in seeing answered... this issue took great strides toward correcting that.

Bits and Pieces:

Definitely a step in the right direction.  Great use of multiple timelines, which provide some much-needed insight into the behaviors of our protagonist.  Mother Panic is still almost painfully unlikable and petulant, though three issues in, I'm almost convinced that's the point.

7.0/10