Army of Darkness #3 Review

Is space really the right setting for Ash and the Army of Darkness? Or is this a concept too much for the franchise? Read on to find out.

The official description from Dynamite:

Being hounded by the forces of darkness? Ash understands that. But being trapped on a space station 200 miles above the Earth? That’s unfamiliar territory! What would make the Deadites head into outer space? For Ash, the answer is like a kick in the family jewels! And if demonic entities weren’t bad enough, an old enemy makes a shocking return!

The notion of Deadites in space is still one that doesn’t quite sit well with me, as though the latest series of Army of Darkness has had it’s share of intriguing moments, with some being rather spectacular, it has also felt extremely over the top at times. And that’s coming from a series that stars Ash Williams. This continues into the series’ third issue, as between fighting off Deadites, saving the damsels, and facing his “evil twin,” Ash gets involved in some wacky situations.

Cullen Bunn may still have me in two minds regarding moving the saga of Ash Williams and the Army of Darkness into space, but one thing that he has captured for sure is the tempo of this magnificent franchise. Between the witty dialogue from Ash, and the menacing teasing of the Deadites, Bunn gives some entertaining interactions, with the female manned space crew adding extra comical material from Ash. Despite this, it was the addition of Evil Ash that truly won me over, with the chemistry between the two counterparts being as electric as ever.

The artwork on Army of Darkness also continues to amaze, with Larry Watts‘ energetic layouts capturing the tempo of Bunn’s script wonderfully. The artist also manages to portray the witty antics of Ash perfectly, with the character feeling more alive than ever before. Despite this, there are still some problems with the facial expressions, as they still feel a little disjointed. Nevertheless, the wonderful tone, along with Aikau Oliva‘s vibrant colours continue to captivate, being one of the starring features in this series.

Army of Darkness #3 does a fantastic job of livening things up, with it’s electric tempo being thoroughly exciting. The addition of Evil Ash also shakes things up, with the interaction between him and Ash being truly captivating.