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Mirka Andolfo’s Unnatural has been a beautiful and sensual ride that has been unafraid to touch on real world issues. Despite its gorgeously crafted world and erotic nature, the Image Comics release has had an oppressive tone that at times is downright frightening. The third issue continues these themes and ends with an unexpected cliffhanger.
Andolfo’s writing has been a great balance to moving its story along yet still developing the main characters. As the series has progressed, Unnatural has continued to deal with more mysteries. However, the book is never overwhelming since all the mysteries seemed to be somehow tied together even if it is not readily apparent how. Introducing lots of plot lines into a story can be dangerous since many times the new threads may not be adequately explained or even go unresolved. Here, it’s obvious that Andolfo has a clear idea as to what she wants to do and each new revelation introduced has made the story more interesting.
One of the main plot lines in Unnatural has been Leslie’s forced entry into the reproduction program at the end of the first issue. The start of issue three is a culmination of all of the blue haired pig’s fears. Watching Leslie’s social assistant Virgil prepare Leslie for her mandatory blind date is both hilarious and disturbing. Andolfo has consistently walked the thin line between comedy and tragedy and continues to do an excellent job.
The art continues to be fantastic and the latest issue has been Andolfo’s best work in the series to date. The closing pages are especially well done with Leslie’s expressions looking almost too human. The rest of the issue is equally beautiful and the entire date between Leslie and Jones are some of the most alluring moments of the entire run.
Andolfo’s work with colors has done a great job of supplementing the world of Unnatural while also heightening Leslie’s mood. Issue #3 is no different, as it begins with a depressingly drab flashback. The date scenes are pink and red until things take a turn for the worse and the panels have more greys and green. The book ends in broad daylight but the somber shading is perfect for the shocking conclusion. Unnatural is a wonderful example of writing and art working in harmony to deliver its story.
Another important theme in Unnatural has been the strong friendship between Leslie, Derek, and Trish. From the opening issue the three have had a natural friendship displayed through their good natured joking, genuine concern, and the conversations they have shared. The strongest moments in the story have been watching the engagement between the three.
In the previous issue, Trish has begun investigating to see what she can do to help her roommate. Though she like to poke fun at Leslie, her actions prove how much she cares for her friend. Issue three shows how far her loyalty goes. As Trish continues to look for answers to try to help, she seems to find more questions. There is some great use of foreshadowing that not lets readers know that something bad may end up happening, but more subtly demonstrate the level of caring Trish has for Leslie.
Unnatural continues to tell a great story that looks incredible and will engage its readers while also scaring them due to how close to reality it is at times. Mirka Andolfo expertly mixes fear, humor, and sexuality in a great story.
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