The Dirt Beneath the Devil #3
Writer: Dan Panosian
Artist: David Ferracci
Cover Artists: Christian Ward, Dan Panosian
Colorist: Lee Loughridge
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
The Dirt Beneath the Devil #3 continues to build on Dan Panosian's brutal Western drama, maintaining a compelling balance between the series' darker themes and its character-driven storytelling. With its increasingly complicated cast taking center stage, the series continues to explore the fragile alliances and simmering tensions that make this journey so unpredictable. David Ferracci's striking artwork further strengthens the series' identity, complementing the harsh realities of the Old West with a visual style that captures both its beauty and brutality. With the end of the journey fast approaching, I'm eager to see whether Panosian can bring this dark and compelling Western to a satisfying conclusion.
Trouble Rides at Night
After Thomas Mash presumably shoots Hendido dead, June is left without not only the horse she inherited from her father but also, perhaps more importantly, her protector. The gunfire attracts a band of Natives who begin pursuing the group, hot on their trail.
Mrs. Buckley, meanwhile, is on the verge of an emotional meltdown. After finding her son August dead and blaming June for his death, she's become increasingly volatile, ready to fly into a fit of rage at the slightest inconvenience.
What exactly does this group of Natives want with our gang of misfit inheritors? Are they simply trying to protect their land, or is there another motive at play? And will Mrs. Buckley finally manage to cool her temper, or will her mouth write a check her ass can't cash, partner?
A Widow's Last Stand
Wouldn't you know it? Mrs. Buckley does, in fact, completely flip her lid, cutting promos on EVERYBODY around her. Kima gets the worst of it. Remember Kima? William Buckley's widowed mistress? Not only did she have a relationship with William, but they also had a son together, Billy. Surprisingly, though, Mrs. Buckley's resentment toward Kima isn't simply rooted in her being William's mistress. It's also fueled by her Native heritage. Convinced that Kima is somehow responsible for the group being pursued, Mrs. Buckley assumes the Natives are out to kill them all.
To "even the score" in her twisted mind, Mrs. Buckley begins assaulting Kima with a rock, leaving her son helpless to do anything but watch his mother being beaten by a woman consumed by misplaced rage. In the blink of an eye, however, an arrow pierces Mrs. Buckley. As she curses that she was right all along about the "savages" coming for them, she drops to the ground, dead.
It turns out the arrow was fired by none other than Kima's father. He and his companions weren't there to kill anyone. Rather, Mr. Buckley's will had arranged for them to escort the inheritors safely from this point onward.
With Kima and Billy riding off alongside her father, June, Temple, and Thomas are left wondering whether they'll see them again at Mr. Buckley's ranch. Or have they finally decided that all these senseless deaths along the way aren't worth whatever reward awaits them at the end of the trail?
The Words Left Unspoken
I think it's great that we get to learn a little more about Kima in this issue. We don't get to know her father by name, but his arrival gives us a little more insight into her background. More importantly, Kima finally gets a chance to speak. She's been the most low-profile of the inheritors, largely keeping to herself, presumably to avoid drawing any more attention to herself and her son than they already attract.
Billy's safety is clearly her top priority, and I suspect she's come to believe that keeping quiet is the best way to keep them both alive. That strategy almost works, too, until Mrs. Buckley's paranoia gets the better of her and she begins targeting Kima because of her race.
I can't help but wonder, though: would Kima have been more effective as a mute character? Her only real dialogue comes when she thanks her father for saving her and Billy, but there's a strange lack of verbal resistance while Mrs. Buckley is beating her. Not even a simple "Get off me!" It might seem like a bizarre nitpick, admittedly, but it's one I couldn't quite shake.
After spending so much of the series flying under the radar, this should be a defining moment for Kima. Instead, when she finally breaks her silence, there's surprisingly little to it. I wanted a little more from her first real opportunity to express herself, beyond thanking her father for rescuing them and showing her the way home. It's a small detail, but one that left me wishing the moment carried a little more weight.
Blood Moon Rising
I found it fascinating that David Ferracci draws this entire issue at night. Okay, maybe fascinating is a strong word, but it's a neat detail once you catch on to it. Whether intentional or not, there's always a sense that something terrible could happen under the cover of darkness in The Dirt Beneath the Devil, a feeling that isn't quite as prevalent during the daytime.
In fact, every death in the series so far has happened at night. Ferracci does a great job of reinforcing that sense of danger and urgency, particularly as Mr. Buckley's inheritors find themselves pursued on horseback. The darkness adds another layer of tension to an already volatile situation, making it feel as though the group is never truly safe, even when they aren't actively under attack.
Of course, the night doesn't stop Ferracci from giving us some gorgeous scenery, either. The Ozark Mountains provide a beautiful backdrop to all the mayhem, offering a striking contrast to the ugliness unfolding in the foreground. Because who doesn't enjoy admiring the mountains while contemplating whether a mentally deranged widow is about to give them brain damage with a rock? I know I do.
The End Is Nigh, Partner
The Dirt Beneath the Devil #3 is a slight step back from the previous two issues, but it still packs a punch. Mrs. Buckley's final outburst delivers a suitably ugly end to an already volatile character, while Kima's long-overdue moment in the spotlight gives us something more substantial to chew on, even if I wish her first real opportunity to speak had carried a little more weight.
With only one issue left, I'm thrilled to see what Dan Panosian has planned for the grand finale. At the same time, there's a touch of melancholy in knowing that this journey is almost over. This series has made a compelling ride out of greed and prejudice, and I'm eager to see whether the remaining inheritors make it to the ranch in one piece.