The Legend of Luther Strode #3

The Legend of Luther Strode #3 (of 6)
Writer: Justin Jordan
Artist: Tradd Moore
Colour: Felipe Sobreiro
Letters: FONOGRAFIKS
Publisher: Image Comics

“I’m a hell of a thing…”

A wise man once said ‘you either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain’. With Justin Jordan and Tradd Moore’s uber-violent Luther Strode sequel hitting its crux this month, we find Luther Strode well on his way to the dark side.

Picking up right where we left off, issue #3 finds Luther in an all-out brawl with Binder, someone who may just be stronger than our anti-hero. Add in the fact that Luther is trying to protect Petra from Binder and a ‘van full of assholes’, and you’ve got the recipe for one action packed issue. The fighting is frantic and fun, and the stakes have never been higher since this is a series where character’s rarely make it out alive.

Jordan is a clever writer, taking a seemingly simple revenge tale and making it unique. The dialogue is witty with just the right amount of Meta. The characters know how ridiculous this all is but that’s just the world they live in. We also get a little background into just who Binder is and what Luther’s role may be in the upcoming issues. Is he the legend we hope him to be? Or just another loose end that Binder has to tie up? By laying out the groundwork for an even deeper mythology, Jordan can now expand his world well beyond that of Luther which is both welcome and refreshing. It is great to see that we have moved past Petra’s whole revenge motives. After the tragic ending of The Strange Talent of Luther Strode, it is nice that Luther has even one friend. She’s also a welcome breath of comedy as Luther himself has just gotten so heavy. He needs to lighten up, but given how this issue ends, that respite of pain is a ways off.

Tradd Moore steps up his game this issue as well. The fighting, as usual, is crisp and clear. His over exaggerated style keeps the book feeling fresh and his attention to detail pushes Luther into a higher class of comic. If this book were a Hollywood block buster, it would look like it cost more than a million bucks. One particular aspect that deems mention is the style change seen in the flashbacks. Moore, and colourist Felipe Sobreiro, make the flashbacks looked as if they were quickly sketched out and coloured with pencil crayon. It gives the issue a very organic feel and adds a depth to Moore’s work previously unseen.

The Legend of Luther Strode issue #3 is all action and a great read. By introducing more mythology surrounding Luther’s strange talent, the series is opening itself up well beyond its main character. The art is outstanding and detailed and the inclusion of bonus materials makes this a must buy. Though if you are not following the story you may want to wait till this is collected for trade.