We’re on the third issue of this sordid, sensual and nightmarish mini-series, but does the latest outing continue to build on the established narrative quality?  Read on to find out.

The official description from Image:

The black shadow of fascist darkness sprawls across France-shattered by the scarlet smears of sex and death…

…And the south coast learns there’s more to California than sunshine and surf, as twin offspring of different mothers find soulmates.

Even a monstrous succubus in all her travels, countless bodies she’s drained and killed craves companionship.  In this latest release our primary lead loses and gains a mate while continuing to spread herself across time and space.  It’s a captivating jaunt that continues the level of established quality while dealing with a slightly different perspective that’s both engrossing and disturbing.

Howard Chaykin hits the script out of the park, with a solid streak of concrete narrative control.  Each moment, no matter how depraved or off-putting is carefully plotted as it formulates the basis of this saga.  The tale touches lightly on topics of sexism, bondage, love, lust and companionship all in an effort to inform the reader of the complicated layers associated with not just this comic book but the human race in general.  Because if nothing else, this little romp is a snapshot of the human condition in its most honest but depraved moments.

Howard Chaykin handles the art and once again his style yields strong enough visuals to complement his script.  His characters are slightly deformed but realistic enough to fit into the given era, as his backgrounds tend to take center stage in some lavishly realized panels.  His pencil work is spot on and fans will be pleased with several pages that easily make the issue stand toe-to-toe with the rest.

Black Kiss II #3 is a very good comic book that will not appeal to everyone.  But with that said, if you’re willing to take a leap and give it a fair shake you might just be pleasantly surprised by the quality storytelling you find in these pages.  Recommended.

4/5