Gideon Falls #3 Review

Father, Father, we don't need to escalate...

Written by Jeff Lemire
Art by Andrea Sorrentino
Colors by Dave Stewart
Letters by Steve Wands
Publisher: Image Comics
Reviewer: Andrew McAvoy


The last issue of Gideon Falls was, I think, where society got the expression "sh*t just got real!". Okay, maybe not but it could have been where that phrase originated because it was pretty, pretty good as my mate Larry once said. Will this issue curb my enthusiasm? Hopefully not, let's find out.

This book is really great. I was having a little chat with the Marvel-ous Mr. Trevitt this week and we were fan-casting the role of Father Fred. We agreed on Ed Harris (I think?), but actually, when I was reading this issue I thought maybe Robert Duvall. The art from Sorrentino just injects the character with that kind of world-weary battle hardened type Duvall plays in his Open Range era performances. In fact, I once saw Duvall play the role of an evangelical preacher in a film called The Apostle. Huh, go figure. Although, as I say, think more like Duvall in Open Range (only with fewer guns). Father Fred is a Catholic after all just like the Corleone family...ah Duvall your career keeps linking together in this paragraph...). Elsewhere Sorrentino's art and Stewart's colors deliver the excellent standards we've come to expect from the first two issues. A very intriguing collaborative style that leaves a little bit of room for the imagination to pitch in on the images. I love it.

This is also a continuation of the tight storytelling. As if it wasn't bad enough seeing patterns in the garbage (...I wonder if Rian Johnson saw patterns in the garbage as his inspiration for The Last Jedi...hmmm...would explain a lot) old Norton had his elaborate garbage collection stolen the last issue. Determined not to be caught out twice you'll never guess what he does in this issue? He only goes and booby traps his apartment like a Bond villain! Quite how he had the skill set to rig razor-sharp spikes in such a way that they would spring out of the floorboards into any idle passerby had me puzzled, but fair play to him, he's a trier is our Norton. His plan almost backfires badly when his shrink calls at the apartment and nearly triggers her own death, but after things settle down she lets Norton know of her vision of the Barn (see last issue *cue Twilight Zone music*). Dr. Xu is trying to rationalize it as a shared psychosis but she'll soon come round to Norton's way of thinking. He's the Mulder to her Scully in this series.

Bits and Pieces:

This book goes from strength to strength. I like the balanced pacing and the retention of mystery as we go along. It toys with horror but with a real-world backdrop that seems quite appealing - I can imagine myself getting comfort from Father Fred's little sermon  - he is a darling despite what the local cops think (even if he was tempted by the whiskey at the start of this issue). Bring on the next issue - this series is great.

(....Oh, Richard Jenkins! He'd be a good actor to play Father Fred too - hey Trevitt, I've thought of another one!...)

8.9/10