Timala Elliott
Timala Elliott
Black Manta #3
DC Comics
Written by Chuck Brown
Art by Matthew Dow Smith
Colors by Marissa Louise
Letters by Clayton Cowles
The Rundown: Black Manta discovers something interesting in his ancestry. Later, he and Gallous the Goat battle Torrid.
The story opens in Devil Ray’s Layer where Black Manta’s enemy uses a mysterious stone and quickly realizes he is not the only one trying to access its power. In the Hamptons, Black Manta makes an unusual request of an acquaintance. Then, Gentleman Ghost transports Manta to Ancient Atlantis. There he watches the interactions of two Atlanteans and discovers something unexpected.
Meanwhile, In Themyscira, Nubia assists Torrid and tells her something interesting about the creature in her care. Soon, Torrid leaves the island to begin her search. Later, in Ethiopia, Manta and Gallous have an interesting conversation. Soon, they find themselves in an airborne confrontation with Torrid and her flying companion. Then, Manta and Gallous do something unexpected. Elsewhere, the Atlanteans discuss Devil Ray’s attack and his potential link to Black Manta.
The Story: Chuck Brown crafts a compelling third chapter in this limited series. The world of Black Manta continues to expand at an exponential rate. And while I am enjoying this tale, I can’t help but wish it would slow down. There is a ton of content delivered in this issue, including a fascinating Atlantean history and unknown links to what appears to be a goddess. Also, I find the story’s connection to Africa exciting and worth a bit of exploration. It is my opinion that Black Manta would be better served as an ongoing series. I would love to see these characters and their motivations fully fleshed out. Nevertheless, I am excited by this plotline, and am very interested in how it will eventually play out.
The Art: The illustrations in this chapter feature a classic newspaper print style. The coloring is muted and set to enhance the enhanced detailed drawings. Although limited in action, this issue does a good job with engaging the reader and showing the tension between the characters.
Black Manta #3
