Comic Review: United States vs. Murder Inc. #3

United States vs. Murder Inc. #3

DC Comics

Writer: Brian Michael Bendis

Artist: Michael Avon Oeming and Taki Soma

Issue #3 of United States vs. Murder Inc. awkwardly shifts the series away from a standalone narrative. It’s now firmly a continuation to the original, causing all sorts of issues. Firstly, this transition isn’t smooth and a switch from a prequel to sequel can’t be done lightly. While previous issues didn’t require prior reading to understand, even the opening of issue #3 draws from the events of the first series. Readers like myself, who jumped on with this iteration of the book, will find themselves lost. This wouldn’t be an issue, except the book was accessible up until this point.

Issue #3 opens with the one-eyed president examining mangled corpses draped on lamp posts outside the White House. It’s ambiguous who’s responsible or even why this is happening. You sort of piece it together but I assume this ties into a preexisting plot thread. Once again, I have to note that this comic reveals a little too much in its gratuitous violence. The protracted, brutal duel from the previous issue at least had considerable build up and narrative context. But the lead up to this act is in a whole other series if it exists at all.

Even then, there’s a voyeuristic air to its events. The book’s realization of its titular conflict later in the issue shows this. The government’s retaliation against the organizations that undermine their control focuses a lot on the “family” part of a crime family. The story has a clear message with all the horror that fills its pages but it’s not particularly clear. A more articulated argument could help offset where the presentation fails to justify its content. As of now, the story will have you constantly asking “Was that really necessary?” Even the characters have taken a back seat to the carnage and its orchestrators, as Valentine and Rose serve purely reactive roles.

Once again the saving grace is Michael Avon Oeming’s art. It never spares the reader from any of the details but it has more restraint than the writing. The horrified but subdued responses by the characters to the chaos filling their lives are far more descriptive than anything else in the book. The unmitigated violence is lent some degree of tact through some clever use of composition and perspective. The same goes for Taki Soma’s eclectic mix of colors, which paired with the noire lighting effect of the art give it an even more unique look. United States Vs Murder Inc. is starting to go in an uncertain direction but at least the art is still top notch.