After a disastrous encounter with the Tax Collector and his goons, the crew is on a time crunch to get the medical supplies Simon needs to save a life. Issue #3 has a few surprises thrown in for good measure, and there are a few character moments that feel like they’re building up to something big.

David M. Booher’s focus on the often-forgotten characters is a nice change of pace, with Jayne getting a lot of room to grow as a character here. Simon gets some attention, too, and I hope he gets more page time soon. An interesting development here is the revisiting of Zoë’s trepidation with Emma spending so much time with River. We haven’t seen this much tension between the two in a while, so I’m wondering if we’re headed for some reconciliation here. Booher’s script packs all this in along with a heist, so while this issue does seem slower, it’s the details that really matter.

Jordi Pérez’s linework is detailed as always, with some really great framing and character moments. Pérez’s ability to telegraph emotion even without words is astounding, and it shows such familiarity with the subtle nuances of the human posture. Francesco Segala and Gloria Martinelli’s colors make for a beautiful book to read. Jim Campbell keeps the proceedings easy to read as usual.

The sum-up: Issue #3 sets up some tensions, and things look to get a bit rocky for some parties.

Creative Team: David M. Booher (writer), Jordi Pérez (art), Francesco Segala, Gloria Martinelli (colorists), Jim Campbell (letterer)
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Click here to purchase.