All Against All #3 is published by Image Comics, written by Alex Paknadel and illustrated by Casper Wijngaard.
Issue #3 is available 8th February 2023 either directly from Image Comics online or from your local comic book store, digital copies will be available to download from the usual content providers.
Synopsis
The feral human known as Helpless has finally been apprehended leaving him at the mercy of the sadistic General Cov’n and his experiments. Meanwhile Director B’Tay is trapped inside the Earth-like habitat without his protective exo-suit. To survive he must go against everything he believes and rely on his species’ most startling and brutal evolutionary adaptation.
Review
In this issue we go deeper into the generated Earth-like habitat as “Helpless” has now been taken in by the operators, as they begin to work on “Helpless” they begin to assess the data they receive in the hope they can use him to progress their race. Two of the operators are missing within the biome, General Gov’n begins the search but is this all an elaborate set up by “Helpless”?.
We start the main story with a flashback as we look to a pivotal point in the lifetime of V’lmann as this is the day she gets her first body, the body itself is daunting in size in comparison to V’lmann with her almost jellyfish like form, an empty void for her to take on and evolve. We catch up with B’tay and V’lmann as they continue with their evolution journey by taking the form of different mammals as they begin to show the trajectory small relatively harmless beings right to the intergalactic warriors they are now. Bringing it back to modern time are the operators pushing “Helpless” to far? and is the term “Helpless” a bit on the deceiving side? at the end of this issue you’ll get a sense of what is coming and it’s something we all need to prepare for.
This story arc is one that for the past two issues it has been slowly growing and in this issue the story has begun to come alive and we are beginning to see the story for what it will become, anticipation is beginning to build for the remaining issues as the war begins to unfold. Alex Paknadel has a subtle tone to his writing style that seems to slowly draw you within the world and then opens up to a heart racing story that hooks you deep, it has definitely become a series I have begun to look for on release.
The illustrations from Casper Wijngaard continue to be the strength in this series as he uses his unique style to depict this unsettled world with vibrant artwork that I find hypnotic and could quite happily have a wonder around the world myself , but I’d let it settle down first I think.
Verdict
The story has begun to open up now and has evolved into a story that is got me excited to see the next issues, it looks to be an epic ending that we were waiting for could well be on the horizon. I like it when a series changes your opinion as the series moves along and that is what is happening here.
⭐⭐⭐⭐