Blossoms: 666 #3 Review

Writer: Cullen Bunn
Artist: Laura Braga
Colorist: Matt Herms
Letterer: Jack Morelli
Publisher: Archie Comics

Out of all of the Archie Comics series so far, Blossoms: 666 may be the most menacing. Cheryl and Jason Blossom always give off an evil vibe when they appear in the different Archie Horror series, and them in their own series is working so well. The characters are rooted in wickedness and this has made them perfect subjects for this story.

Blossoms: 666 #3 builds on the narrative of Jason and Cheryl’s devious plans to use everyone around them to promote themselves within their own competition. In the first two issues, we saw them manipulate a lot of people and in this issue we see them taking it further. However, we now have a whole other Blossom, Julian, in the mix who appears to be doing his own manipulating.

It’s interesting seeing this story focused so much on the Blossoms because they’ve always been side characters in all other Archie Comics and Archie Horror titles, and Cullen Bunn has really begun fleshing out these characters as they take this unfamiliar main character role. The Blossoms have always been interesting, but honestly, they’ve also always been pretty simple. Bunn has started to make them more interesting and is giving them and their family much needed depth for this series to continue to be successful.

If you’ve enjoyed the series so far, what is here in this third issue is easy to love. The problem, however, is that there isn’t a whole lot of it. For some reason, this issue just doesn’t feel as full and effective as the previous two. This may have to do with the way Bunn had to set us up to jump back in time for some interesting history that we are sure to see next month, but the issue is definitely lacking something. It serves a purpose and I can respect that, although, I had my sights set on the tension that I felt in the first two issues. The issue isn’t a bad one in the slightest, Bunn has just set up such an amazing story with this series that my expectations are extremely high for each of these issues.

The fact that I am a little disappointed with this third issue doesn’t worry me in the slightest because one of things this issue succeeded in doing is the setup for the rest of the series. I am dying to know more about this “Order” and why they’re still around. I’m also very interested in seeing more of Julian, especially in a setting that puts him among classic Riverdale characters.

Again, Laura Braga’s artwork is flawless in this third issue. There are multiple moments that made me stop and stare at her illustrations for several seconds because of how much they stuck out to me. She has truly mastered adding a sense of evil to this story that could only be done with artwork. For example, the entire scene where Cheryl talks to Veronica is visually stunning. From the way Cheryl’s face changes from good to bad, to the raven and the worms, to Veronica’s visible concern, the scene is wonderful horror comic book artwork.

Blossoms: 666 #3 may not pack the punch that the first two issues did, but it prepares us for what is to come, and the future looks pretty intense. It’s not a mind-blowing issue, but it’s an enjoyable one.