Crimson Reign #3 - Comic Review

The sequel to the War of the Bounty Hunters comic book crossover event continues the story of the return (and eventual fall) of the greatest crime syndicate of all time: Crimson Dawn. Crimson Reign #3, very much like the previous issue, focuses on Lady Qi’ra’s latest recruitment efforts—her goal to expose the Emperor’s secret that he is a Sith Lord and take him down along with the mighty Empire. This time, Crimson Dawn has all eyes on The Archivist, an expert on the Force (particularly on the dark side), whose adeptness to research can help the reemerging syndicate find the potential greatest ally for the cause: Jedi Master Yoda.

Charles Soule penned yet another intriguing tale that not only is essential to the larger story of Crimson Reign, but also shines the light on the mysterious character of The Archivist, first seen in the last issue of War of the Bounty Hunters and even made a cameo in fan favorite series Doctor Aphra. Formerly known as Madelin Sun, a renowned teacher and scholar obsessed with the dark side of the Force particularly focusing on the Ascendant technology, gets a full origin story in Crimson Reign #3. Soule really knocks it out of the park with this tale full of mystery as The Archivist expertly tracks down Yoda’s past journey to exile with a trip down memory lane for both prequel and original trilogy fans. The ending may not be as satisfying as the cover would entail, but it nonetheless wraps this standalone story with finesse.

The art for Crimson Reign #3 provides a cinematic experience for the readers. Artist Steve Cummings and inker Victor Olazaba elevate the story with rich and detailed panels, showcasing a variety of locales that are enhanced by the vibrant colors by Guru-eFX and letters by VC’s Travis Lanham. What really shines in this comic issue is the amazing character designs, particularly the visual evolution of The Archivist and Lady Qi’ra’s latest fashion statement with a new bright crimson outfit. The main cover for Crimson Reign #3 by Leinil Francis Yu and Sunny Gho features The Archivist beside Yoda on Dagobah, and it’s the perfect teaser for this standalone tale. The comic issue also has an incredible amount of variant covers: We have Ario Anindito and Edgar Delgado (Connecting variant), Clayton Crain (Enemies of Dawn variant), Valerio Giangiordano and Arif Prianto (Warriors of Dawn variant), Rahzzah (Knights of Ren variant), David Lopez (Sabacc Card variant), and Khoi Pham and Lee Loughridge (Syndicate variant).

Crimson Reign #3 continues the tale of the rise of the mighty crime syndicate as Lady Qi’ra is determined to assemble the best team to defeat the untouchable Emperor Palpatine. Make sure to pick up this must read Star Wars comic today!