The Violent #3 Review

Written by: Ed Brisson

Art by: Adam Gorham

Publisher: Image Comics

Having just recently read all three issues of The Violent, I can say without a doubt that the title is an apt one—though “Self Loathing and Murder in Vancouver” has a nice ring to it, I think. Reading a story called The Violent means that you expect blood, gore, villains, crime, etc. What I wasn’t prepared for, however, was the lack of characters to root for. This is not a knock on Brisson by any means, in fact I’m fairly certain it’s by design. However, for you readers on the fence, or for those who might be off your Zoloft currently, tread lightly when choosing this series.

One devastating scene among many…

The Violent #3 offers no more sunshine or optimism than the first two installments. Mason is selfish and mean, his daughter has been shipped off to her Grandmother’s house indefinitely (with good reason), Becky is still MIA when the issue opens, and his best friend is as equally and unequivocally messed up as he is. Not a great opening arc for our protagonist. I thought that The Violent was going to be a series about crime and lowlifes caught in its alluring web, and it is to a degree, but it’s also a series about random acts of violence—both of the physical and mental variety. It is Brisson’s penchant for emotional unrest that sets The Violent apart from other series cut from the same cloth. We may not care about Mason or Becky personally, but we want what is best for their daughter. In a world of hard choices and harder answers, this emotional anchor is vital for the reader.

As the father of a young boy, the struggle is real when it comes to the near-constant worry and concern about your little one. Brisson and Gorham have done an excellent job of capturing that feeling on the printed page, but that knot in your stomach may not be enough for you to love this book. The Violent feels like a deranged trip into Vancouver’s underbelly, but I am not sure it has the legs to be an ongoing. I am going to finish this opening arc because I really do want to know Mason’s fate, and Gorham’s pencils are giving off a great Sean Phillips vibe in the best possible way, but buyer beware: The Violent is Murphy’s Law incarnate, complete with guns, drugs, and abandoned babies. I like the grim style of the book, but I’ll want something in future installments for me to look forward to besides another improvised murder or another lowlife “getting what’s coming to him.”