Review: Dept. H Vol. 3- Decompressed

Quick Summary

Pros: The mystery is more compelling than ever. The narrative answers some questions while raising new ones, which makes for a satisfying reading experience.

Cons: The modern story is not as interesting. There is a lot less tension in the modern story.

Overall: Though this volume significantly progresses the mystery elements of this comic, it fails to capture the suspense and tension that this series did so well in the beginning. Most of the positives here come from flashbacks, which elaborate on separate backstories and establish a connection between them and the present. However, the action going on in the present isn’t that fun to witness. Those who like this series for its mystery are likely to enjoy this volume, while those who like it for the suspense will enjoy it less.

Story

Dept. H Vol. 3: Decompressed is an improvement on the previous collection, though only slightly. Within this collection, writer Matt Kindt continues to tell an incredibly compelling story about how the murder of a man in an undersea laboratory can have a huge impact on a world where pathogens pose a deadly threat to society. The mystery here is still very interesting and continues to deliver on entertainment. However, a heavy reliance of exposition through flashbacks significantly hampers the modern story. This takes tension out of the characters’ current struggle and makes non-flashback moments less enjoyable to witness. Overall, this is still a compelling book; it simply is not as entertaining as it could be.

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Decompressed places a lot of focus on answering questions that have been hanging in the background since the first volume of this series. It reveals that the world of this comic has been ravaged by biological warfare in the past, in which some of the Dept. H members had a role. It also reveals that humanity is now facing a potentially world-ending disease that has been developed in the fallout of this war. Learning this ups the scale of the book by elevating it from a standard murder-mystery to a battle for the fate of the planet. By upping the stakes in this way, Kindt introduces additional tension and suspense to almost every moment.

Learning about the state of the world and how it relates to the characters also adds to the mystery of the series as a whole. Discovering hidden elements from the past and seeing how it relates to the present is a rewarding experience that only promises to get more so as this comic continues. This discovery is also enhanced by Mia’s suggestion that the key to solving her father’s murder is in her memories of the past, making their inclusion here far more relevant.

However, Decompressed suffers when it comes to balancing flashbacks with the modern story. The flashbacks are compelling and provide answers to questions that readers have been waiting for; meanwhile the modern story does not offer as many positives. Over the course of this book, it feels as if very little has actually happened, as most of the action has occurred during flashbacks. This hampers the volume’s sense of progression and makes the reading process slightly less enjoyable.

This problem is amplified by the fact that the action in the present is more contrived than ever before. Moments that should be thrilling, such as Aaron’s near-death-experience, seem so out there that it takes away from the tension. Other moments, like the sinking of the research lab, have gone on for so long that they have a similar lack of tension. This problem is particularly unfortunate since the tension regarding the fate of the world is more present than ever before.

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Art

The most impressive aspect of the artwork in Decompressed is the structure. Matt Kindt does a terrific job in pushing the comic book platform by taking advantage of some of its more creative structural elements. This can be seen in the book’s splash pages, which are placed in key moments so that they can emphasize a specific feeling or mood. It can also been seen in Kindt’s creative approach to paneling, which goes beyond a typical comic by introducing panels that look like photographs or ripped pieces of paper. These elements make for a more enjoyable reading experience and help the book overall.

However, there are also moments where Kindt’s pencils come across as lackluster when depicting characters. In some places, exaggerated or vacant expressions end up looking strange and do not properly convey emotion. This problem is not huge but definitely does affect the overall visual quality.

Continuity

Dept. H Vol. 3: Decompressed continues the story from Dept. H Vol. 2: After the Flood (Review).

The story here continues in Dept. H Vol. 4: Lifeboat (Review).