Round and round on the merry-go-round.
Creative Staff:
Story and Art: Matt Kindt
Colors: Sharlene Kindt
Letters: ?
What They Say:
Mia is trapped at the bottom of the ocean with her father’s murderer—and they must work together to repair the flooding Dept. H base. Aaron’s desperate attempt to reach the surface is their last chance at rescue, but six miles of water and the mysterious creatures that live deep in the ocean are just as dangerous as the rising water and the unknown killer inside the base.
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
As Bugs Bunny might say, “Was this trip really necessary?” Mia and Roger sit trapped in a flooded compartment, waiting and hoping that their crewmates will save them. In the previous issue they waited while Bob and Raj raced to stop the flooding and in this issue they wait for Q and Lily to free them along with Bob and Raj (whose efforts trapped them in another compartment).
As usual, Mia voices suspicions about her crewmates, giving Roger an opportunity to narrate their life stories while we watch Q and Lily go about their rescue operation. It’s a perfectly fine technique that utilizes the strengths of the comic book form, providing backstory without forsaking plot development and action. Unfortunately, it’s the exact same technique Kindt used in the previous two issues, and it definitely feels like he went to the well one too many times.
Once again, the strengths of the comic lie in the worldbuilding, character development, and art. The world and characters feel rich and alive, and the art is wonderfully rough and expressive, capturing the mood of the scene and the characters beautifully.
Also once again, the weakness of the comic lies in plot development and purpose. The events feel random, yet at the same time repetitious. The murder mystery—the inciting incident that started the whole thing—plays a secondary (perhaps tertiary) role, and the worldbuilding and character development aren’t enough to buoy the series. The strengths function like an expensive coat of paint layered on a crumbling wall—pretty, but doing nothing to support the structure.
It’s a shame, too, because I want to like this comic more than I do. Dept.H has a great deal going for it, but without a strong underlying premise, it’s just characters doing things—wandering onto the stage, acting, talking, but accomplishing nothing.
In Summary:
Dept.H is a comic that does so many things well, but ultimately stumbles where it needs to succeed the most. As much as I want to lavish praise on it like other reviewers have, it’s weak points are far too glaring and important and the strengths don’t do enough to make up for the lack. Dr. Josh gives this a…
Grade: C
Age Rating: N/A
Released By: Dark Horse Comics
Release Date: 21 December 2016
MSRP: $3.99