Who Asked for Kevin Smith Comics? (And Blink #3 and Hell to Pay #1)

By Ian Gregory and Will Nevin

Wren learns more about her past … and what she might have to do in the future … in Blink #3, written by Christopher Sebela, drawn by Hayden Sherman, colored by Nick Filardi, lettered by Frank Cvetkovic and published by Oni Press.

Just when you think your job of tracking down 666 cursed coins from the pits of Hell is over, wouldn’t ya know something goes sideways in Hell to Pay #1, written by Charles Soule, drawn by Will Sliney, colored by Rachelle Rosenberg, lettered by Chris Crank and published by Image.

Fuck. Are we really doing this? Quick Stops #1 is written by Kevin Smith, drawn by Jeremy Simser, lettered by Andrew Thomas and published by Dark Horse.

Will Nevin: Ian, don’t you ever dare say I don’t take input on the books I make you read. Last time, you said you wanted to look at Blink #3 — low and be-damned-hold, we’re reading Blink #3. I deserve a medal. And a mug that says “World’s Best Collaborator” or some shit. (On second thought, maybe skip the mug. Kinda giving me some real Vichy France vibes.)

Ian Gregory: Oh yeah? I’ll reserve judgment on your collaborator-ness once I actually read Blink #3. I’m sure it will be fine, yeah, but I don’t want to give you any undue credit.

Will: You probably shouldn’t give me any credit until we get to the last book of the week.

Blink #3: The One in Which We Learn More Stuff

Will: We’re given the most exposition in this series — at least the most since #1 — in this issue: Blink — in whatever tortured social experiment it is/was — eventually devolved into war between two sides, the shrouded do-gooders of the “Static” and the monstrous creatures belonging to the “Signal.” Wren’s parents were of the Static and sacrificed their lives to see her safely free from Blink. She, being the only child born in Blink, is a special obsession for the man called Oz, the one who still watches on high with his network of cameras. It falls to her, now, to kill him and end whatever the hell Blink is.

Did I get all the important stuff? How much — if any — of this do you think is an allegory?

Ian: If there is an allegory here, it’s a pretty muddled one. There’s a lot to unpack: the social experiment, the Oz surveillance state, the “Static” vs. the “Signal” and Wren’s compulsion to return home to a dangerous and traumatic environment, despite all logic dictating they stay away. I don’t really want or need a clear metaphor, though, and all these themes intersect with each other in interesting ways. Like I said last week, this whole series rides on Wren’s complexities as a character, and the way they experience Blink and their past. Deciding to take on Oz is an important moment here, because Wren moves beyond being obsessed with their past and takes the first step in 20 years toward taking control of their own life.

Will: As far as the allegory goes, I’m with you — we don’t need something to beat us over the head with an idea or theme. We’ve always got more NewThink if we need that.

We’ve said so much about the art here, and it really is spectacular. My favorite part from #3 is probably one of the most restrained moments — just a page-sized view of Wren’s face as she learns what happened to both her and her parents. What resonated with you visually?

Ian: I really liked the page with the rotating art and captions, but I probably would have liked it more if I were reading a physical copy and could literally turn the page. Otherwise, I love the page where they enter the chapel with the fire (“safe” as the Statics call it). The film grain effect is really strong there, but the warmth of the fire does a great job contrasting the cool blues and greens that make up the rest of the issue.

Will: What do you figure is the course from here? Wren marches on Oz, finds some adversity in #4 (and perhaps learns additional things that have been hidden from her) and then it all wraps — maybe darkly — in #5?

Ian: I suppose so, but I don’t think it would be remiss to expect an extra twist or two, particularly because we’ve only really heard from the Statics and their history of Blink. Of course, it would make a lot of sense if Oz wasn’t really alive anymore, etc., etc. But that feels a little too predictable for what we’ve gotten so far.

Hell to Pay #1: Some High-Concept Stuff Right Here

Will: I was a big ol’ Letter 44 nerd in the dusty days of yesteryear and really got behind Charles Soule as a writer. I’ve read some of his Star Wars stuff — his Lando miniseries is spectacularly good — but nothing has quite captured me like Letter 44. In fact, Undiscovered Country — his series with Scott Synder — didn’t do anything for me *at all.* Have you read any of his books? Got any general impressions?

Ian: Look, Will, I know what website we write for. I’ve read the Soule X-Men books, and that’s about it. But I haven’t read Hot Claws Wolverine, so that’s a major gap in the readings for me.

Will: We cover X-Men books here? First I’ve heard of it.

As a first issue, I think we get a lot of exposition here: Two young lovers, having entered into something of a Faustian pact, are on a mission to retrieve 666 coins originally minted and used in Hell’s commerce before being brought to Earth and then spent to create untold misery. Just when they think they’re out, they learn they might be in this for longer than they’d hoped. It’s on the more high-concept side of things, but I thought it was fairly interesting … albeit not immediately catching.

Ian: It’s not doing anything too complex, sure, but I like the way this balances the story of our characters with establishing a wider, weirder world for them to inhabit. Nothing here really grabbed me as a super thrilling concept (except when they used the phrase “Hellcoin” and I thought this was going to be an extra-long cryptocurrency riff, only to be immediately disappointed), but it’s all very competent. Maybe that’s damning with faint praise.

Will: If this really is a 60-70 issue screed against crypto, I’m here for it. The art was … adequate? Not flashy at all? As usual, it’s unfair to review any visuals next to Blink, but this seemed especially bland.

Ian: Maybe the art was adequate, but the concepts were really strong. I loved all the shots of hell, with its towering spires and hellfire and conceptual markets, but I especially loved the establishing shot revealing that the city of demons is carried about on the back of an octopus-turtle-jellyfish-thing. That’s the kind of visual identity you need to sell a fantasy book.

Quick Stops #1: Why?

Will: This is not the Freshest Chicken of the Week. What’s the opposite of that? The Moldiest, Most Questionable Thing to Eat? My first question when Dark Horse announced Kevin Smith was coming on board to start his own imprint was, “Who will read these books?” And I think I have my answer: We will. I am vaguely aware of the Smith library (I have seen at least Dogma and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back), but this was a fuckin’ impenetrable tome of Smith wankery.

Ian: It’s me, the Young One again. I’ve seen nothing Kevin Smith and this was inscrutable from top to bottom. It’s got characters who I think I’ve seen before, like, in passing? And maybe this really hits for all the Smith-heads who really want there to be a Clerks 2 (Did Kevin Smith do Clerks? Is there already a Clerks 2?), but it meant nothing to me. Oof.

Will: Ian, I am sad to report there is already a Clerks 3, and it came out this year. But in this book, The Dark Knight Returns riffing was OK? Jeremy Simser can draw a good Ben Affleck? I’m struggling for nice things to say here.

Ian: Yeah, Simser did a good replica of the iconic Batman “fists up” pose from Dark Knight Returns, so that was neat, I suppose. But I guess I can’t buy into any series based on the psychotropic effects of weed.

Will: Why should anyone read this? Make your *best* case, Ian.

Ian: You’re Kevin Smith.

Will: But Kevin Smith wrote it?

I think I need to rest now.

Does This Smell OK?

Sound Effects Watch: I’m giving it to the technically-not-sound-effects bars of static that run through Blink. Best of all, they disappear when Wren reaches the “Safe” place, indicating the signal cannot reach that far.
Rapid fire questions:
- What do you think of “The Wizard of Oz”?
  - Will: Boring. Kinda lame. Dorothy sucks.
  - Ian: A timeless classic, probably. I haven’t seen it since I was 5. I was in a high school production of The Wiz, though!
- What’s your Faustian pact?
  - Will: I give up my soul for the ability to run like a 35-year-old forever.
  - Ian: I will give up my soul to extend my cat’s lifespan to be equal to my own.
    - Will: 🙁
- Is Kevin Smith good?
  - Will: Probably not? Seems way too up his own asshole.
  - Ian: Seeing as this issue is the sum total of my Kevin Smith exposure, I’m gonna go with no.
Casserole of the Week: Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole. Gravy+green beans+cheese+cranberry sauce seems like it’s doing too much. But you gotta do something with those leftovers, right? Might as well pile ‘em all together in a shame bowl and cram it down your food hole.
Thanksgiving leftover … tacos? No, None of that.
Much more sensible idea: leftover turkey chili.