REVIEW: 'Postal' #3 by Matt Hawkins, Bryan Edward Hill and Isaac Goodhart

I’ve been comparing Postal to a more malevolent Twin Peaks and it’s hard not to in a town of dubious characters trying to hide from shady pasts. In the middle of it all is Mark, whose Asperger’s syndrome has been an asset in separating the truth from the BS, and he’s about to uncover more than he bargained for. In comics, issue three’s can be pretty significant turning points. Sometimes the story arc can crash and burn with a false move but that’s not the case with Postal #3. Instead, Postal #3 just provided some incredible reveals and a twist that will knock your socks off.

What makes Mark such a fascinating character is that his condition isn’t used as fodder or a gimmick. If anything it gives Mark the same powers of observation and deduction that you’d find in Sherlock Holmes. You can’t help but feel empathy for his naivety, but his conclusions and bluntness is a welcomed in a town full of liars or worse. His conversation with Maggie was especially telling and revealing. As horrible as her situation is and was, Mark remained a sympathetic ear.

His relationship with his mother has always been a psychologically abusive one and in this issue it doesn’t get any better but he perseveres and again you can’t help root for him. That is why what happens to him next is especially disturbing and shocking. Someone from his past reaches out to him and he’s compelled to look to further into it. In the history of turning points, this is one that propels Postal to new heights of gripping terror and anxiety. Bryan Hill and Matt Hawkins will wreck your soul by the end of it.

As usual, Isaac Goodhart does a great job of conveying Mark’s good-natured persona with stoic expressions only to add a smile here and there. It’s endearing but heart-breaking when things turn dangerous. His use of shadows and silhouettes come heavy into play in this issue making for an eerie atmosphere especially in the final pages. Goodhart’s style is precise and clean but surprisingly adept at getting dirty when scenes call for violence and blood.

If there was hesitation to pick up Postal, issue three should convince you to add it to your pull list. It’s building something especially dark and wicked by keeping readers on their toes. Get it now!