Review—'American Gods: The Moment of The Storm #3'— A Vigil Takes Place

We came for the fireworks and stayed for the story.

American Gods: The Moment of The Storm # 3, Writer: Neil Gaiman, P. Craig Russell Artist: Scott Hampton Colorist: Jennifer T. Lange, Scott Hampton, Cover Artist: Glenn Fabry

Shadow′s vigil was everything I imagined it would be. Tied up on the tree, nine days and nine nights in, his body suffering what no one can possibly endure, Shadow feels alive at last: this is why he holds the vigil, even if it kills him in the end.

Mr. Wednesday′s body lies beneath the tree; Horus and the Ravens are watching him from the branches, and a weird squirrel gives him water while chattering away a strange word, Ratatosk. Otherwise, he is alone.

Around him, the storm finally breaks. The gods are gathered, the battlefield at the ready. And everything, in his hallucinations, becomes crystal clear for him.

He makes his peace with his life, and sees as it is from the very beginning; he even makes peace with Laura, whom he summons for a final time.

The vigil reminds me of a tarot reading, from beginning to end. There′s the hangman, the father, the mother, the sun, the moon and the stars, and a hero′s journey if there ever was one. The symbolism feels right, making it the best issue of American Gods: Moment of the Storm so far. And that’s because Gaiman has a predilection for dramatic scenery, beautiful words and strong after-images, and that’s the reason why his comics stand out from the rest, at least for me.