Review: Man’s Best Friend Becomes His Worst In ‘The Magic Order 5’ #3

Devil dogs, secret orders and sleight of hand at the reader’s expense are all entraining and engaging plot points in The Magic Order 5 #3 by Mark Millar and Matteo Buffagni, with plenty more thrilling moments too. Even as late in the day as this final series, Millar still throws new characters into the mix, keeping each miniseries in this spellbinding family saga fresh. No one is safe, as we’ve seen in previous volumes, and so, as a reader, you can never relax. Especially as Cordelia only has three days to live.

Millar’s script is sharp and well-paced, with great characters, situations and dramatic set-pieces and informs Buffagni’s exceptional art. Big, bold panels are often incorporated sequentially onto larger artwork that anchors the page. It provides a more cinematic reading experience, offering close-ups and mid-shots in the panels illustrating the characters’ responses while offering more essential widescreen background details that add context and establish a more believable setting.  

Giovanna Niro colours, as ever, provide the right mood for each occasion. One such example is the flaring up of Clyde’s powers, lit up in bright, vivid greens as he realises he – as has the reader – has been the victim of a conjuring trick. Nice work, Millar. You had me fooled, hook, line and sinker.

The Magic Order 5 #3 is another jaunty and genre-twisting issue with bombastic art that helps level-up the story. And out now from Dark Horse Comics.