REVIEW: ‘Snow Angels,’ Issue #3

In a frozen wasteland, what remains of humankind is hidden away in an ice-lined trench, afraid to ever leave because of the myth of the wrathful Snowman. And this is where we find our protagonists, running from this mythos-turned-real. Snow Angels #3 is a ComiXology Original written by Jeff Lemire with art by Jock and lettering by Steve Wands. After their father is attacked by a savage Trench bear, Millie and Mae are in dire straits as the deadly Snowman approaches. And despite their father pleading with them to escape, the girls stand their ground. The youngest of the sisters has a brilliant plan, taking a note from their father’s teachings she supposedly never listened to. But will it be successful? Their very lives depend on it.

Lemire is building up an interesting world for our protagonists. Small details are added here and there, often meaning little to the characters themselves but giving readers even more context. But beyond the world, the characters are also being expanded. Their father is obviously still harboring secrets, a mystery to be solved later in the series, but our understanding of Millie expands as she narrates parts of the story.

No human has been as far down the trench as our protagonists have, and Millie makes sure we know this with vigor. Millie’s taste for adventure is readily apparent through her narration, as is her willingness to prove that she is capable. This seems to have been bred as a response to the close-minded ideas of the other Trenchfolk about the worth of women, but this sour note is overshadowed by Millie’s elation.

Millie has some lovely flashbacks about their late mother and though there is a flavor of resentment, these few panels nevertheless solidify how important family is to Millie. These panels are colored with brown tones which in any other context would be visually boring, but against the icy white of the Trench, they bring an earthy warmness.

The bond our protagonists share is further enhanced through the dialogue. Millie and Mae bicker like true siblings. But despite the squabbling, the name-calling is harmless, and they show their love in small ways. The way Millie and Mae interact remind me so much of my brothers and me, it’s uncanny. It’s great to see a realistic sibling relationship (as realistic as it can be in this sci-fi setting).

Jock continues to do a solid job of bringing this icy world to life. The colorwork is subtle yet important for setting up the tone and place of each panel—the white backgrounds inundated by pale blues and greens break up the palette and the FX of the Snowman is threateningly red. The heavy lines and shadows that make up the characters make them pop against the flat background of ice and snow. And while the lines that make up Millie and Mae’s faces are rather simple, they never fail to be emotive. Their father’s face, on the other hand, is lined with deep shadows, not only giving the impression of age but also of a hard life.

Wands keeps the dialogue clean and clear. The lettering keeps this story putting along easily, never overshadowing the characters. Despite the inclusion of audible dialogue and narration from Millie, never once does the lettering become confusing.

Snow Angels #3 continues to expand not only the tale of our protagonists but adds small details about the world they live in. These world-building bread crumbs Lemire is leaving readers and the wonderful artwork by Jock will make you want to keep reading.

Snow Angels #3 is available now digitally from ComiXology.