Basilisk #3: Blood, Gore, Action! (Spoilery Comic Book Review)

If you thought the last issue of Basilisk had a lot of blood and gore, wait until you see what happens in the third issue.

New York Times bestselling horror author Cullen Bunn (Harrow County) remains the writer for Basilisk, including this issue. Jonas Scharf (Avengers of the Wasteland) also remains the artist for this horror comic book series, with Alex Guimarães and Ed Dukeshire continuing to be the colorist and letterer respectively. Jonas Scharf drew the main cover, with Rod Reis (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) and Rafael Albuquerque (BRZRKR) being responsible for the 2 variant covers. Oh, and BOOM! Studios continues to be the publisher for this comic book series too.

Basilisk #3 went on sale on August 4, 2021. You can purchase print copies at your local comic book store. Or if you’re satisfied with the digital version, you can download it from content providers like ComiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Kindle.

Warning: spoilers for Basilisk #3 below. If you have any desire to read this blood-soaked tale of horror for yourself, stop here and come back once the screaming is over.

Basilisk #3: Plot Summary

Like the previous 2 issues, Basilisk #3 starts us off with a return to Kingsly, where the Chimera first started their rampage. Except this time, it shows the aftermath of their killing spree. Specifically, it shows Hannah returning to town only to find a gruesome killing field. Said killing field also includes the body of her young daughter, Erica.

The scene in Basilisk #3 then fast-forwards to the present. We see Hannah finally setting up her ambush with Regan in an abandoned resort town. The 2 of them discuss the Chimera and how they go on killing sprees everywhere they go, killing everyone around. Only, as it turns out, they don’t kill everyone.

Cue another scene cut in Basilisk #3 where we see the Chimera gather in some kind of souvenir store in the middle of nowhere. Funnily enough, they don’t initially set out to kill anyone, although you can tell most of them are itching to. And then the cops come in. Turns out, someone did recognize them at the diner, and the cops are tracking the Chimera. To their credit, the cops show up loaded for bear. Polar bear, that is. Maybe super-mutant bear too. They give the Chimera an opportunity to surrender, but well, you know what’s going to happen.

Turns out, being surrounded by heavily armed cops and SWAT officers results in nothing for the Chimera other than a flesh wound to Jimmy-boy. Which makes sense, since their powers affect the senses and mind. The cops end up slaughtering each other. Even the cops in a hovering helicopter aren’t safe. Turns out, their powers work through metal walls and glass windows too. Or maybe the helicopter was hovering too low. In any case, soon the Chimera have neutralized almost all of the cops. And then the Chimera proceed to slaughter all of the civilians in the building as a “message” to Hannah, despite how nonsensical it is. Turns out, the murderous Chimera love slaughter so much that they look for excuses to do it.

All but one, that is. Turns out, the Chimera always leaves a survivor from each killing spree. The survivor then gets inducted into the Chimera’s cult by the leader of said cult. Or they spread the message about the attack and terrorize everyone else. Either way, the Chimera get what they want. Oh, and as it turns out, Hannah was meant to be one of those survivors. Guess the worms turns for the Chimera, but will Hannah succeed? We’ll just have to find out in the next issue of Basilisk.

Basilisk #3: The Good

If it’s a good horror story you’re looking for, Basilisk #3 continues to deliver. If you like your horror story to have lots and lots of blood and gore, you’ve come to the right comic book. Somehow, this particular issue manages to top the previous 2 in this regard. It’s even got action in this issue. It’s actually quite fitting, considering that the Chimera are basically evil X-Men. The action scene even showed that bullets do work on the Chimera, as long as you can actually hit them before they can use their powers on you, so that’s a nice plus.

Speaking of which, the characters are another high point of Basilisk #3. The story really hammers it into you that, yes, 2 of the Chimera are murderous psychopaths who look for any excuse to go on killing sprees and absolutely deserve to die. However, you do get the conflicted ones. 1 is somewhat conflicted, another is very conflicted, and it culminates in Regan, who is so conflicted that she herself believes that the Chimera all deserve to die, probably including herself. So far, it’s doing a very good job of preparing you for the final battle between them and Hannah.

Basilisk #3: The Bad

While the Chimera are definitely bad, there is nothing really bad about Basilisk #3 I can say without nitpicking. I guess I’d nitpick the tactics of those police officers. They kinda knew what they were dealing with, and they still shout demands to the Chimera to surrender before opening fire? Granted, this would be a case of morality over practicality, but still. I’d also suggest hazmat suits, noise-cancelling headphones, and other devices that block the senses and cut the person inside off from the outside world the next time the police try this again, assuming there is a next time. I have no idea if they’ll work against those sense and mind-altering powers the Chimera have, but at least they could try. It’s better than doing the same thing over and over again, and just adding to the Chimeras’ body count.

Conclusion

Basilisk #3 somehow managed to top the blood and gore of the previous issues. They even have a nice action scene on top of it. It’s all building up nicely towards the Chimeras’ final confrontation with Hannah and fellow Chimera Regan. Who will win? Well, check out the 4th issue of this horror comic book series from BOOM! Studios on September 1, 2021 to find out.

Source: BOOM! Studios