Writer: Stephen Mooney
Art: Jethro Morales and Dinei Ribeiro
Letterer: Taylor Esposito
Publisher: Dynamite Comics
Price: $3.99
Release Date: January 26th, 2022
In Sheena: Queen of the Jungle #3, Sheena tracks the monstrous tiger that attacked her last issue and finds an unlikely ally in the process. Meanwhile, the mysteries of Cardwell Industries’ bio-dome continue to loom over her.
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The Story
Sheena (and other jungle characters like Tarzan) has always been about nature versus technology, and Sheena: Queen of the Jungle #3 continues that theme, starting off with Sheena’s total and hilarious ignoring of the Cardwell Industries’ techs, who are still communicating with her via earpiece. As they triangulate and calculate past locations of the massive tiger that attacked her last issue, she follows the animal’s tracks and scent. Guess who finds the creature first? Yep, maybe Cardwell Industries shouldn’t have plunked all those piles of cash into sophisticated satellite arrays.
During the course of the issue, Sheena encounters Beatrice, a woman proficient in voodoo as well as Native American shamanism and craftwork. Beatrice is an interesting character who thinks Sheena isn’t in touch with the natural world enough. Sheena isn’t in touch with the natural world? This is where Sheena’s background (the daughter of a rich corporation owner) comes back to haunt her, as it has so many times before.
Beatrice’s backstory is revealed, and she seems akin to Doctor Strange in a way, having an insatiable desire to learn about magic from wherever possible, including other cultures. It makes her formidable, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Dynamite didn’t spin her off into her own series eventually. Sheena and Beatrice play off each other well. This isn’t some “buddy cop” pairing like in “48 Hours”, it’s more like a duo who know each other’s secrets and respect each other not wasting time on bickering because they have a job to do. Next issue, it looks like we’ll see the pair in action, and it’s going to be pretty amazing.
The Art
Jethro Morales’ art for Sheena: Queen of the Jungle #3 shows off the lush jungle of the bio-dome in great detail. Sheena and Beatrice are drawn in contrast to each other, Beatrice seeming more Amazon-like, with an imposing build compared to Sheena’s lithe form. Beatrice’s flashbacks have a dark mysticism about them, filled with faceless villagers and tribal headgear that establish just the right mood for her character.
Final Thoughts
Sheena’s quest continues and a great new character is introduced in Sheena: Queen of the Jungle #3. There’s not much action on this issue, but the chat between the two characters is interesting, and a great set-up for what’s to come next issue.