Ragman #3 Review and **SPOILERS**

Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can't See

Writer: Ray Fawkes 

Artist: Inaki Miranda 

Colorist: Eva de la Cruz 

Letterer: Josh Reed 

Cover: Guillem March & Rain Beredo 

Cover Price: $2.99 

On Sale Date: December 13, 2017

**NON SPOILERS AND SCORE AT THE BOTTOM**

Once more again into the tangled and well-wrapped world of Ragman, which I imagine is sort of like being inside a house that’s been t.p.’ed. Last issue…basically one thing happened. Maybe more will happen in this issue! Have a look at my review of Ragman #3 and see!

Explain It!

Let me tell you all something: I like Etrigan the Demon. I like the Kirby version, I like Alan Moore’s iteration, I even like the rhymin’ and stealin’ Etrigan by Garth Ennis and John McRea. I like Etrigan so much, it surprises me when other people say they don’t like the character. Like, I know he’s not a Green Lantern with the fancy tights, but he looks really cool, and his motivations are always suspect, at best. Jason Blood I can do without, but Etrigan is my demonic homeboy. Here, he plays the role of a teacher to Rory, schooling him on the intricacies of the Suit of Souls—that’s the name of his rag outfit, don’tcha know. But that happens at the end of the book, let’s take a look at the beginning.

Seems there’s an endless stream of demons coming to fight Rory and get his Suit of Souls, all of them using Old English improperly. He’s able to dispatch them pretty well, but each one puts the public in danger and he’s only got so far he can go without napping. After a cautionary but supportive visit from Batwoman, one of the demons exhorts Rory to drain his soul…but Rory either can’t or won’t, for some reason. Just then, a fellow Marine named Jim Fanshawe whose arms and legs were blown off in the same freaky incident that birthed Ragman in the first place shows up to see his old military buddy…but he’s been infested by a Ragman-killing demon!

And boy, he takes Rory to task, shoving gunk in his eye sockets that burn the crap out of them. It looks like he’s going to best Rory, but then Etrigan shows up and advises that he open his Rag-Eyes, or whatever, which gives him 360 degrees of sight and the ability to wallop Fanshawe with a roundhouse kick. Fanshawe leaps on Ragman is looks about to kill him, but some more rappin’ advice from Etrigan saves the day and now it looks like Rory is enrolling in Demon School. Professor Etrigan T. Demon will be leading the class. But I hope it’s mostly lectures, because while in human form, Rory’s got no more eyeballs!

There was a lot to like in this book: a brief and unobtrusive appearance by Batwoman, an awesome villain, and, of course, Etrigan. It moved at a nice pace and filled in a lot of the blanks that the last issue did not—in fact, this issue makes the last one seem entirely superfluous. The art is terrific, and the coloring has everything looking appropriately gritty. I really have no major complaints about this issue. Good job!

Bits and Pieces:

A fast-paced action-packed romp through Gotham City and Rory's psyche--at the same time! A couple of guest-appearances and the introduction of a good, though evil, villain are well-stirred into the fray. The last issue was more of a dud, but this one has me excited.

8.5/10