Infidel #3 Review

Fright Night

Written by: Pornsak Pichetshote
Art by: Aaron Campbell
Colors: Jose Villarrubia
Publisher: Image Comics
Reviewed by: Andrew McAvoy

The last issue of this series was really successful in challenging expectations formed in issue 1. I was forced to reconsider my views on the family dynamics at play and was intrigued by the way it cast aside casual assumptions that may have been formed about the racism and hate depicted. I also found that there was an interesting exploration of evil and how its stain can linger in a location after certain horrific past events. Will this issue be able to sustain that feeling of gripping tension? Let's see.


Well, the first thing to note about this issue is that it continued to push boundaries. It was particularly interesting in terms of the way in which it addressed matters of prejudice. What I liked was the way in which accusations were made in this issue between characters on the basis of expectations of racial prejudice, which were then rebutted and challenged. Assumptions which we were led into were then turned on their heads completely. This is important and is part of what feeds the sense of unease in this issue.

The art and colors in this issue by Campbell and Villarrubia, continue to underscore the disturbing nature of the events that have taken place as well as the creeping sense of peril surrounding the apartment block. The art in this issue has more of a focus on the spiritual dimension. The depiction of the urban hipsters living in the apartment block and the terror that surrounds them again keeps things gripping, the art rendering the sense of the normal and the supernatural interacting in a mysterious way.  Please note the preview art in this article is not indicative of the art in the main body of the issue but comes from a discrete segment at the start.

Bits and Pieces:

This was an issue that focused less on the momentum of plot and more on the creeping sense of suspicion, tension, and unease seeping in, which serves to heighten susceptibility to prejudice. I would argue that in some ways this book actually prompts us to look at our own prejudices and bias - do we judge the characters in a certain way or make assumptions based on their look or appearances? This book reminds us that no one is impervious to such pitfalls, but likewise that human beings can surprise you by kicking back against stereotyping. An important point to note in these difficult times.

8/10