Writer: Clay Chapman
Artist: Jey Levang
Letterer: Aditya Bidikar
Publisher: Boom! Studios
Price: $3.99

Lazaretto takes the outbreak scenario and puts it on a university campus. The story focus’ on Charles and Tamra, two students on their first day of college. As the two get accustomed to college life, an unknown virus begins to circulate around the campus. Now, they’re quarantined in their dormitory with no way out or signs of a cure in sight.

This issue was excellent and ramps up the tension of the story. Chapman does a fantastic job of making you feel for the characters. Charles and Tamara are relatable, as they don’t know what to do in this situation. Seeing as there’s no way out of this, without succumbing to the virus. The virus is explained here and gives us the rundown of the symptoms. Stage three of the virus is mentioned and does appear later on in the issue. I’m wondering how the world outside the dorm is being affected by this virus. Since a few people came into contact with the infected early on in the title. We get some backstory on Tamara, and why she is attending university. It’s sad but fleshes out her character. Charles didn’t get much character development but shows his determination of escaping. The pacing is superb and builds up the other dangers in the issue

The art has a minimalistic style, and some may not like it. The style does make the symptoms affecting the students look severe. Characters look exhausted and feel as if they’re in a haze. Showing how the virus symptoms have taken over the student body. Levang captures the creeping tension of the story and illustrates it well. A few scenes are downright scary, as the next stage of the virus sets in. Little touches such as bleeding from their orifices, and losing their sanity, adds to the progression of the virus. The environments look dirty, and drawn on, because of the party from the night before. The panel layout is solid and clear with what’s going on in the issue. The color scheme is great and has this trippy feel to it.

Lazaretto #3 continues to impress and keep me intrigued on who will make it out the quarantine. With the ending of this issue, I don’t know who will make it out.

4 Charles out of 5