Writer & Letterer: John Layman
Art: Nick Bradshaw & Len O’Grady
Publisher: IDW
Price: $4.99
Release Date: September 15, 2021
Reviewer: JR Huitt
THE HOOK:
In IDW’s Bermuda #3, writer John Layman, with the assistance of his art team of Nick Bradshaw and Len O’Grady, dropped an issue that races towards the finish line and kept this reader breathless. While this is the penultimate issue of the series, Layman continued to add to the backstory and seeded story beats that could be developed in later stories. Bermuda #3 took the oars and steered directly towards the Bermuda “Triangle” (Triangle is the name of the Island).
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HOW IT HAPPENED:
Following in the steps of the first two issues of the series, Bermuda #3 didn’t have to do a lot of heavy lifting. The earlier episodes had already established the main goal of the series; Bermuda and Doc are trying to help Bobby rescue his kidnapped sister. Now, Layman has added even more to the narrative by throwing in a prologue set in the past. This added more weight to some of the scenes as identities were revealed and motivations established.
Bermuda #3 ends with all of the parties prepared to play their parts in the conclusion. The guns are loaded, the swords are bared, the teeth are… Well, suffice to say, John Layman has many fuses to light in the concluding issue of Bermuda.
THE ART:
Nick Bradshaw, with Len O’Grady riding shotgun on colors, draws a world dripping with vibrant fauna and flora. The ocean depths of the opening scene’s encounter quickly give way to the jungles of the Island Triangle. I liked how Layman, Bradshaw, and O’Grady were able to link all of the areas from scene to scene. Sadly, there can be a very abrupt shift from location to location in some of the comics on the market; this isn’t one of them. Bradshaw’s cover for Bermuda #3, which shows the title character facing off against one of the jungle creatures grabbed my attention; I wanted to quickly figure out how the encounter turned out. The last thing that I liked in Bermuda #3 is how Bradshaw made the kids look like kids.
The only negative that I want to remark on might have been because of the review copy that IDW provided. I noticed that some of the letterings were a little faded out and more difficult to read than in other places. I’m going to pick up my copy later this week from my nearby LCS, so I’ll know for sure then.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
John Layman has created several different worlds that I have come to enjoy. While I don’t think that Bermuda #3 could stand up to some of his best work (that would be CHEW), it does prove to be an excellent tale on its own. The newly revealed backstory, as well as the timeline, for one of the main characters, means that there is an entire world of stories just waiting for Layman to reveal them. In Bermuda #3, John Layman, and his cohorts, have continued to build a world that I would love to see more of; and, considering the map that has been included in each issue, I believe there is a very real possibility of that very thing. One FINAL thought, and this is directed to Mr. Layman, if there is ever any chance that we might see a BERMUDA/POYO crossover, you can damned well believe I would be the first person in line for it.