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Review: Frostbite #3

By Andy Frisk
November 27, 2016 - 22:17

Keaton, her team and her precious human cargo race across the frozen wastes, but they aren't the only ones who can keep up a furious ice road pace.

The Joshua Williamson and Jason Shawn Alexander project Frostbite from Vertigo Comics is powered by its unique take on the tired post-apocalyptic tropes and Alexander's incredible artwork, but in issue #3 the action takes an obvious cue from the recent Mad Max Fury Road film from George Miller. Protagonist Keaton and her crew, desperately trying to get their charge, the daughter of the scientist who unleashed the New Ice Age upon the world (who also holds valuable information on the major affliction of the New Ice Age, the disease "Frostbite") to a specified location encounters two motorized New Ice Age tribes on "The Thin Ice" (the no man's land they are currently traveling through). Of course, major destruction ensues. The Snow Queens and The Firemen both could use the precious heat that powers Keaton's transport and will fight to the death for it.

While the "Mad Max on Ice" action is pretty cool, it's a good thing that it appears that it will only be a major part of the story for this issue alone. While it's interesting, we've seen post-apocalyptic road rage writ large on the big (and small) screen ad nauseum at this point, so it's great that it's kept to a minimum here. Frostbite, at its heart, is a chase story, (and is about as narratively complex as one) so it was obvious that this episode was going to happen, and it does look phenomenal (have I mentioned how great Alexander's art is?). There is much more for this interesting story to explore than just post-apocalyptic road rage though. It can do better than to rehash the road warrior trope (which is something that only George Miller himself can properly inject new life into) for an extended amount of page time.

Frostbite still remains one of the best new limited series from Vertigo Comics currently running. It's definitely a top of the pile read.

Rating: 7.5 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12