REVIEW: ‘Unnatural: Blue Blood,’ Issue #3

Unnatural: Blue Blood #3 is published by Image Comics and written by Mirka Andolfo, with art by Andolfo and Ivan Bigarella, colors by Francesca Carotenuto, letters by Fabio Amelia, and localization by Steve Orlando. With Leslie’s dreams continuing to haunt her, the trio of her, Khal, and Shea set out to where they hope to find Shea’s lost parents and possibly some answers. But they may find more than they bargained for.

This issue opens with a harsh flashback sequence. The Unnatural series is no stranger to abusive villains, and this issue’s opening gives the reader another glimpse into the cold side of the world as it explores the past of one of its characters. While this moment is brief, it captures the antagonist’s wild, alternating mood with chilling precision. How the abuser goes from half-hearted softness to yelling, all while pushing the narrative that his mood is the victim’s fault, gets the story off to a heart-wrenching start.

From here, Unnatural: Blue Blood #3 catches us up with our protagonists as they travel across the ocean via cargo ship. I continue to love the way Andolfo writes Leslie and Khal. The way they both take turns being the sensitive or the tough one makes their relationship especially endearing to me. And while part of me wishes nothing but happiness and all the loving moments the duo can get together, I also cannot help but to cackle at how perfectly Andolfo utilizes Shea to be the proverbial bucket of cold water on their constantly charged exchanges. Shea continues to be the perfect little pistol of a supporting character for this book.

With our party arriving at its destination, Unnatural: Blue Blood #3 goes through the sort of events one expects. The locals receive our heroes with open arms and lots of friendliness, but there are a few details that give the lingering impression that something isn’t quite as it seems. While this stretch of the book plays out as one expects, it executes these moments well. Some aspects of stories have become standardized for a reason, and Andolfo manages to write these familiar moments with enough personality to keep them fun and interesting. Unnatural: Blue Blood #3 wraps up its tale with a dive back into the supernatural elements of its world. No spoilers, but this sequence crafts a wonderful and intriguing ending to the book, as Leslie finds herself being pulled deeper into the story’s mystery.

Augmenting all the narrative moments in this book is a wonderfully executed visual presentation. Both Andolfo’s and Bigarella’s lines sculpt each panel wonderfully, and Carotenuto’s colors bring a vibrant pop to the story’s look. Wrap this all up with Amelia’s appropriately expressive lettering, and you have a first-tier look for this issue.

When all is said and done, Unnatural: Blue Blood #3 manages to deliver on all the elements fans of Andolfo’s tales will expect. Humor, pain, mystery, and just the right amount of spice come together to deliver another strong chapter in this series.

Unnatural: Blue Blood #3 is available now wherever comics are sold.