CREED: THE NEXT ROUND #3 Review

Creed: The Next Round #3 is published by BOOM! Studios, written by LaToya Morgan and Jai Jamison and illustrated by Alitha Martinez and Wilton Santos.

Issue #3 is available 23rd August 2023 either directly from BOOM! Studios online or from your local comic book store, digital copies will be available to download from the usual content providers.

Synopsis

While Amara-with two trainers in an uneasy alliance-crosses paths with her greatest rival in the tournament circle, Adonis and Bianca face the cutthroat capitalism of the business world, where only one Creed will be the victor. The shocking new sponsor of the monumental upcoming fight only adds insult to injury as Adonis is forced to make a frustrating decision.

Review

In this issue we see Amara still desperate to prove to her legendary father the she is ready to step out the shadow and compete at the highest level just like he did and and show the world that the Creed legacy lives on, but Adonis has reservations as a father and a trainer if she is indeed ready to step into the spotlight but Amara will do this one way or another. Having stepped in to take over the training Adonis can now keep Amara under his wing and keep his sister, Artemis at arm’s length and away from his family, but as much as Adonis can deny it he and Amara will need Artemis to help Amara defeat her rival in the up coming championship, but when Adonis realises who it is that is sponsoring the championship things take a bit of a turn and questions are starting to appear over the intentions of certain people. This isn’t just about the boxing, this is about family.

I’ve said the previous reviews of the issues before this that I am fan of the Rocky/Creed series so reading this continuation of that storyline is a big enjoyment for me and thanks to the writing skills of LaToya Morgan and Jai Jamison it feels like a natural progression and evolution of the boxing legacy. From what I thought was just going to be a comic series around boxing I have been thrown into a world of family feuds and corruption that gives this story a different energy, the strongest will survive but the question is how?

The art style of the book carries on in a similar vein to the previous books but as this book has a few more flashback sections a bit of a retro style is introduced in parts and this makes the story flow fluidly between the present and past and that’s thanks mainly to the talents of Alitha Martinez and Wilton Santos coming together to supply the energy allowing the story to come alive on the pages. Dramatically dark in places and powerfully bright in others the flipping of styles matches the story perfectly allowing to be told in the way it was meant.

Special mention will need to go to A Manhanini for supplying the incredible cover artwork (shown above) showing a shadowy figure towering over the Creed family, perfectly giving the reader a taster as what is to come.

Verdict

A dark and intense story that is about to take a huge turn that will bloe this series apart, the legacy of a much loved story continues in the perfect way the Creed name is in good hands.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐