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Dept. H #3
Dept. H, Vol. 3: Decompressed
Confronted with a deep-sea base that is slowly imploding, Mia gets one step closer to solving the murder of her father. But things won't be that easy, as our small team of survivors but grapple with psychic jellyfish and exposure to mind-altering and potentially lethal pathogens that might just drive them insane before they can reach the surface.But even if they can survive all of this? The bigger question still remains--why aren't they allowed to surface? The events above the waterline are starting to have major consequences for those that are trapped below. Mia may have figured out who murdered her father . . . but the motivation for the crime may prove even more devastating. • Featuring content exclusive to the single issues! • From New York Times bestselling author Matt Kindt (MIND MGMT, PastAways, Superspy)! • Written and drawn by Matt Kindt. • Intricate mystery stories perfect for any fan of crime and sci-fi fiction! • Collects Dept. H issues #13-18.
168 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 30, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
February 10, 2018
This is the third of four volumes of this deep sea mystery adventure with a kind of nod to Jules Verne, whose Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and Journey to the Center of the Earth would seem to have fired Kindt’s imagination. I think Jacques Cousteau might have been in his head, too. And what about Sea Hunt with Lloyd Bridges (1958-1961)?! We get nods to space and Arctic explorers, any adventurers in this volume, as we find the motivation for Hari to set up this mission to the deepest of the deep. Adventure is the base, the human need to explore, to dream, to see new places and know new things, some of them necessary like cures for diseases. And biodiversity.
And so this volume features pages I bet he would have liked as a kid (and now), images of The Most Dangerous Creatures of the Deep (oh, okay, I’ll tell you a couple, geez, be patient! A ginormous Squid that pulls prey down to unlivable depths, Hatchetfish, Gulper Eel, but the worst, wait for it: Human Being, of course).
This is one complicated volume which feels at times like it is going so fast the wheels are coming off, a lot of it back story about Mia’s dead genius explorer Dad Hari; Mia is there to solve the murder of her father and we continue to look at every possible suspect, since this is also a mystery.
The volume features a discovery of one reason they were in deep sea, to in part explore a cure for an H virus that seems to be sweeping the planet. Contagion! There’s also fighting between crew members. A submarine and a cave; wait! There’s only have so much air and they need to leave one crew member behind! Another challenge is jellyfish that communicates through electric impulses, giant spiders, a Giant Squid. And you think you have it bad.
We get a LOT of back story about Hari and his adventurer scientist history. We get a history of a couple of Mia’s former boyfriends, one of them on this mission. And a possible betrayal by Lily? A lot of drama in this drama. I think too much, it’s kinda hard to follow, though a lot of it is in back story, since not much really happens in the present. We’re just a step closer to solving the mystery, we might have a cure for the contagion, we might figure out who Mia really is. A justification for the “too much drama” in this story is that Kindt loves pulp, he LOVES over-the-top, it makes it fun for him.
Sharlene Kindt is listed as not “just” the colorist (sorry, colorists!) but is now listed as the illustrator? I think she got a promotion, but Kindt obviously is still doing the drawing. I see others rate this lower, they are getting tired of the craziness of this maybe, and I get that, but I anxiously await the Big Finish, next volume.
And so this volume features pages I bet he would have liked as a kid (and now), images of The Most Dangerous Creatures of the Deep (oh, okay, I’ll tell you a couple, geez, be patient! A ginormous Squid that pulls prey down to unlivable depths, Hatchetfish, Gulper Eel, but the worst, wait for it: Human Being, of course).
This is one complicated volume which feels at times like it is going so fast the wheels are coming off, a lot of it back story about Mia’s dead genius explorer Dad Hari; Mia is there to solve the murder of her father and we continue to look at every possible suspect, since this is also a mystery.
The volume features a discovery of one reason they were in deep sea, to in part explore a cure for an H virus that seems to be sweeping the planet. Contagion! There’s also fighting between crew members. A submarine and a cave; wait! There’s only have so much air and they need to leave one crew member behind! Another challenge is jellyfish that communicates through electric impulses, giant spiders, a Giant Squid. And you think you have it bad.
We get a LOT of back story about Hari and his adventurer scientist history. We get a history of a couple of Mia’s former boyfriends, one of them on this mission. And a possible betrayal by Lily? A lot of drama in this drama. I think too much, it’s kinda hard to follow, though a lot of it is in back story, since not much really happens in the present. We’re just a step closer to solving the mystery, we might have a cure for the contagion, we might figure out who Mia really is. A justification for the “too much drama” in this story is that Kindt loves pulp, he LOVES over-the-top, it makes it fun for him.
Sharlene Kindt is listed as not “just” the colorist (sorry, colorists!) but is now listed as the illustrator? I think she got a promotion, but Kindt obviously is still doing the drawing. I see others rate this lower, they are getting tired of the craziness of this maybe, and I get that, but I anxiously await the Big Finish, next volume.
February 20, 2018
This volume was something of a letdown. Not much at all happens in the present. We've gotten so far away from Hari's murder anymore that I have my doubts it will ever be answered in a satisfactory manner. We gets lots of backstory and rehashed backstory, but it's told in such a disjointed fashion that it's really difficult to keep it all straight in a linear timeline. It reminds me of Lost where you would just get fed open subplot after open subplot until the point where you can't keep anything straight. Hopefully volume 4 will be more straight forward and actually answer the questions Kindt keeps opening.
Received a review copy from Dark Horse and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Received a review copy from Dark Horse and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
January 15, 2019
I don't know. This one seemed to lack some of the momentum of the previous two volumes. Some of that may be due to the amount of time that's passed since I read volume two. Thrillers become less gripping if you wait months between chapters …
Can't really talk too much about what happens in here without spoiling anything. Suffice to say that things are looking grim. And that's one doozy of a cliffhanger! Recommended!
Can't really talk too much about what happens in here without spoiling anything. Suffice to say that things are looking grim. And that's one doozy of a cliffhanger! Recommended!
September 15, 2019
Kindt ratchets up the Hitchcock-ian tension in this volume while continuing to reference Cold War era TV, film, and comics. Where so many other creators would play this premise for easy drama and cheap thrills, Kindt always opts instead for the much harder, more human route of uneasy affection, tense joy, and ambiguous payoffs.
February 6, 2018
This volume was more of a slow burn than the previous two volumes. Not a lot of action in these pages but there is definitely some good backstory. I'm amused to admit that I read this thinking that it was the final volume and the cliffhanger on the final pages left me feeling a bit let down. I felt as if I had missed something or that, in typical Kindt fashion, the answer to the mystery had been cleverly hidden and would only reveal itself upon additional readings of the series. And since I typically get graphic novels from the library, I had no easy way to go back to the earlier volumes to try to determine what I had missed. Turns out that volume 4 is the final volume (according to Dark Horse Comics), so I no longer feel let down. Rather, I'm very interested to learn how the story (actually) concludes. And there is still the possibility that Kindt has cleverly hidden the solution of the mystery and that an additional reading of the entire series will be in order.
June 2, 2018
Aha! Finally, we are getting somewhere. It's still not clear who killed Mia's father, but more and more elements of the story are falling into place.. I have high hopes that the fourth volume will wrap things up in a satisfying way.
July 31, 2018
This story was really disjointed. Whereas I felt that the last had some tension and a time limit, this did not. Anything that hinted at time running out for them seemed like it was only used to make the story weirder and less comprehensible. The only thing that did make sense were the characters' backstories. But though this eliminated a few of the suspects in Hari's murder, I kept forgetting that that was even what this book was supposed to be about. I still intend to read the next, since they are so short, I just didn't feel like this one was necessary for the story line.
May 13, 2019
Fascinating mystery thriller deep, very deep under the sea. Looking forward to reading the conclusion in the next volume.
February 21, 2018
I like his storytelling. Just getting information bit by bit, getting backstory as we go along. Its a little hard to remember who is who and what they do in between issues, but eventually I figure it out.
May 15, 2022
(Spoiler review for the series as a whole) 2.5/5
Dept.H is a mixed bag for me, equal parts enjoyable and underwhelming. This was the first Kindt story I have read (although I have MindMGNT sitting on the shelf waiting to go, too. The book is described as a murder mystery in a remote scientific station at the bottom of the ocean, which sounds rather enthralling, given the original and claustrophobic setting and limited number of suspects. The only problem with this is, for me, the whodunnit aspect of the story very quickly takes a backseat and becomes an average action thriller, albeit one rather light on the action and the thrills. The world's most brilliant scientist is found murdered at this underwater station, and the main character, Mia, is sent down to investigate. Their is a twist early on in the story about why the main protagonist wanted to investigate this crime which I wont spoil here, although it only added to the intrigue available to the writer. But everything from here on in rings rather hollow, with the main thrust of the story being to escape the station, along with a somewhat flimsy and unnecessary plot to save the world. The main impetus of the story should have been the solving of the murder. Little else needed tacking on, on top of that. The evil corporation and the world on the brink of destruction was not necessary here. It just seemed to distract the author, turning it into the run of the mill escape type scenario which it became. There are also some fantastical type creatures that needed significant explanation. They strangely come and go from the story as if they are a completely normal part of the world. it certainly left me scratching my head and wanting answers that weren't coming. The solving of the crime quickly becoming an afterthought that ambles along to an unsatisfying conclusion. I can't even remember who it was, such was the disappointing nature of it all, and I only read it a few months ago.
Kindt's art is an acquired taste and I certainly haven't learned to like it. A story such as this needed the artwork to do a gat bulk of the story telling, at least when you absorb Kindt's prose here, although Kindt's scratchy, somewhat unappealing characters do nothing to raise up the story through the pictures, but frequently drag it down. I would love to have Kindt's artistic abilities, it would make it so much easier to get my own writing out there, but a better artist would have inevitably captivated the reader so much more, giving the story greater breadth and appeal. Most of the characters were unlikeable. Again, maybe the unappealing art and direction the story took left me biased against them, but I didn't feel overly connected to, or concerned for any of them by the end. Even the main protagonist rang hollow, despite all the reasons the story threw at me to the contrary.
In summation, there is a very decent idea here, which sadly went in a direction that was not foreshadowed, nor one that I wanted. The praise littered on the back of this book is a little mystifying to me, as even if you are more forgiving of the stories direction and art than I am, when I put on my 'objective as possible pants', it really isn't anything to get that excited about. Check it out if you want, although I won't be returning to this in the future. 2.5/5
OmniBen
Dept.H is a mixed bag for me, equal parts enjoyable and underwhelming. This was the first Kindt story I have read (although I have MindMGNT sitting on the shelf waiting to go, too. The book is described as a murder mystery in a remote scientific station at the bottom of the ocean, which sounds rather enthralling, given the original and claustrophobic setting and limited number of suspects. The only problem with this is, for me, the whodunnit aspect of the story very quickly takes a backseat and becomes an average action thriller, albeit one rather light on the action and the thrills. The world's most brilliant scientist is found murdered at this underwater station, and the main character, Mia, is sent down to investigate. Their is a twist early on in the story about why the main protagonist wanted to investigate this crime which I wont spoil here, although it only added to the intrigue available to the writer. But everything from here on in rings rather hollow, with the main thrust of the story being to escape the station, along with a somewhat flimsy and unnecessary plot to save the world. The main impetus of the story should have been the solving of the murder. Little else needed tacking on, on top of that. The evil corporation and the world on the brink of destruction was not necessary here. It just seemed to distract the author, turning it into the run of the mill escape type scenario which it became. There are also some fantastical type creatures that needed significant explanation. They strangely come and go from the story as if they are a completely normal part of the world. it certainly left me scratching my head and wanting answers that weren't coming. The solving of the crime quickly becoming an afterthought that ambles along to an unsatisfying conclusion. I can't even remember who it was, such was the disappointing nature of it all, and I only read it a few months ago.
Kindt's art is an acquired taste and I certainly haven't learned to like it. A story such as this needed the artwork to do a gat bulk of the story telling, at least when you absorb Kindt's prose here, although Kindt's scratchy, somewhat unappealing characters do nothing to raise up the story through the pictures, but frequently drag it down. I would love to have Kindt's artistic abilities, it would make it so much easier to get my own writing out there, but a better artist would have inevitably captivated the reader so much more, giving the story greater breadth and appeal. Most of the characters were unlikeable. Again, maybe the unappealing art and direction the story took left me biased against them, but I didn't feel overly connected to, or concerned for any of them by the end. Even the main protagonist rang hollow, despite all the reasons the story threw at me to the contrary.
In summation, there is a very decent idea here, which sadly went in a direction that was not foreshadowed, nor one that I wanted. The praise littered on the back of this book is a little mystifying to me, as even if you are more forgiving of the stories direction and art than I am, when I put on my 'objective as possible pants', it really isn't anything to get that excited about. Check it out if you want, although I won't be returning to this in the future. 2.5/5
OmniBen
March 7, 2018
It's taken me longer to get into Dept. H than it did with Mind MGMT. Mind MGMT has a game-changing story reveal at the end of vol. 1 that had me hooked very early on in the series. Dept. H is deceiving in that the story seems small in scale in the first 2 volumes (especially 1); it could be summarized as not much more than a murder mystery taking place in an undersea base. But slowly Kindt plants a few weird seeds in the early volumes that begin to take a much more interesting shape in vol. 3. The strange madness that seems to overtake certain characters begins to be explored more and the explanation is fascinating and has really clever ties with the underwater setting. Meanwhile, on the surface, we get the first glances at the deaths caused by the mysterious virus. As these events unfold, we continue to get more backstory on the characters seen primarily through their relationship with Mia over the years. These flashbacks serve well to add depth to the characters and increase the tension and mystery surrounding the murder and the exact purpose of the research that was being conducted at the base. The way that this story is being told is unexpected to me and I really think it's shaping up to be another masterpiece by Kindt.
The art on this series has been amazing from the get go. The level of art that the Kindts (Matt and Sharlene) are producing on this series is some of my all-time favorite work in comics. Sharlene's use of water colors gives life to the undersea setting in remarkable ways and she enhances the mood and tone of the story perfectly. Matt's character designs remain familiar if you've read other of his works but his renderings of sea creatures are like something straight out of a 17th century scientific explorer's field drawings. They are amazing in their likeness to the real thing but almost more so because of the emotion that seems to resonate from the drawings. I would endlessly buy a series that was just Matt and Sharlene Kindt making images of sea creatures-that's how good this stuff is.
If you haven't checked this series out yet, I can't recommend it enough. If you read some of the early issues and lost interest, do yourself a huge favor and pick up the parts you don't have yet. I can't wait for more.
The art on this series has been amazing from the get go. The level of art that the Kindts (Matt and Sharlene) are producing on this series is some of my all-time favorite work in comics. Sharlene's use of water colors gives life to the undersea setting in remarkable ways and she enhances the mood and tone of the story perfectly. Matt's character designs remain familiar if you've read other of his works but his renderings of sea creatures are like something straight out of a 17th century scientific explorer's field drawings. They are amazing in their likeness to the real thing but almost more so because of the emotion that seems to resonate from the drawings. I would endlessly buy a series that was just Matt and Sharlene Kindt making images of sea creatures-that's how good this stuff is.
If you haven't checked this series out yet, I can't recommend it enough. If you read some of the early issues and lost interest, do yourself a huge favor and pick up the parts you don't have yet. I can't wait for more.
June 11, 2021
As a member of the crew appears to return from the dead, the book focuses on backstory while the team scrambles to reach the surface.
I feel like Matt Kindt has kind of wrote himself into a corner where, in order for the conclusion of the series to reach an emotional climax, he has to constantly flash back and give us the backstory of each character and their relationships. However, the present day story is so engaging, with the sea base collapsing and the murder mystery, that constantly going back and delaying any forward movement on the present just makes the book feel like its spinning its wheels a bit. There is an urgency that is being ignored, and it gets more palpable as each issue goes on.
In this book, we get a tiny bit of forward momentum, but 95% of the book is backstory on the characters, how they knew the murder victim, and possible motives for the murder. There was more stuff about the giant squid and giant turtle, which the crew seem oddly used to. If I saw these two massive creatures, I think I would be a little more freaked out, but maybe they have seen it before and Kindt just didn't explicitly say it out right.
Anyways, definitely a slower burn on this volume. I'm eager to see how it wraps up in the next one.
I feel like Matt Kindt has kind of wrote himself into a corner where, in order for the conclusion of the series to reach an emotional climax, he has to constantly flash back and give us the backstory of each character and their relationships. However, the present day story is so engaging, with the sea base collapsing and the murder mystery, that constantly going back and delaying any forward movement on the present just makes the book feel like its spinning its wheels a bit. There is an urgency that is being ignored, and it gets more palpable as each issue goes on.
In this book, we get a tiny bit of forward momentum, but 95% of the book is backstory on the characters, how they knew the murder victim, and possible motives for the murder. There was more stuff about the giant squid and giant turtle, which the crew seem oddly used to. If I saw these two massive creatures, I think I would be a little more freaked out, but maybe they have seen it before and Kindt just didn't explicitly say it out right.
Anyways, definitely a slower burn on this volume. I'm eager to see how it wraps up in the next one.
June 27, 2019
Matt Kindt continues to prove why we need writers like him in the comic industry. Dept. H Volume 3 continues the creative hodgepodge of problems facing the protagonists, which create a cluster of interfering scenarios to keep her mind off of her main purpose . . . who murdered her father fathoms below the sea.
Kindt's attention to every character, their histories and their possible motivations, is akin to a marvelous game of clue, which will constantly have the reader guessing who the true murderer and saboteur is. These elements, along with subtle yet creative science fiction elements truly make Dept. H a must read for science fiction and murder mystery fans alike.
Kindt's wife, Sharlene Kindt, provides the coloring for the series (as she did with Mind MGMT I believe) and it's not something to be overlooked in this series. The tight spaces, physical conflicts and the constant reminder that the characters are stranded beneath the sea, is felt and realized through her coloring technique. Truly a beautiful comic.
As with most hardcover collections published by Dark Horse, Dept. H Volumen 3 is incredibly well made with thick paper and strong binding at a great price.
Dept. H is easily one of those series that avid comic readers will suggest to their noncomic reading friends, with the hope of converting yet another nonbeliever of the medium.
Kindt's attention to every character, their histories and their possible motivations, is akin to a marvelous game of clue, which will constantly have the reader guessing who the true murderer and saboteur is. These elements, along with subtle yet creative science fiction elements truly make Dept. H a must read for science fiction and murder mystery fans alike.
Kindt's wife, Sharlene Kindt, provides the coloring for the series (as she did with Mind MGMT I believe) and it's not something to be overlooked in this series. The tight spaces, physical conflicts and the constant reminder that the characters are stranded beneath the sea, is felt and realized through her coloring technique. Truly a beautiful comic.
As with most hardcover collections published by Dark Horse, Dept. H Volumen 3 is incredibly well made with thick paper and strong binding at a great price.
Dept. H is easily one of those series that avid comic readers will suggest to their noncomic reading friends, with the hope of converting yet another nonbeliever of the medium.
November 22, 2022
We're in the second half of this story and things are starting to accelerate, but it also feels like the first half had been moving slower than was ideal. We're starting to better explore the back stories and potential motives of the different characters involved, but it also feels like we should have gotten more of this by now. Sure, a lot of things have been happening in terms of the plot, but there's a way to balance all of this so that the story could have felt more even.
At this point, I feel like we, as readers, don't stand a chance of figuring out the original murder mystery, which is what makes for a better mystery story in my experience. Maybe it'll all come together in the end, but for now it feels a little rough and this volume really slows down. And I say this despite the additional of strange telepathic animals and other odd bits.
At this point, I feel like we, as readers, don't stand a chance of figuring out the original murder mystery, which is what makes for a better mystery story in my experience. Maybe it'll all come together in the end, but for now it feels a little rough and this volume really slows down. And I say this despite the additional of strange telepathic animals and other odd bits.
December 19, 2018
This was a real chore to read. I think I said this in my review of Vol. 2, but it doesn't seem like this story has enough depth (ha, get it?) to fill out this many issues. Vol. 3 is some more treading of water, with other characters' backstories filled in, and do what end, exactly? I don't think it's making the mystery any better (or clearer--just the opposite, in fact). I love Kindt's artwork and I'm generally a big fan of the series that he both writes and draws, but this one just isn't very good.
July 18, 2024
Third of four volumes, but after I've improved my rating, I will have to lower it down again. This time it wasn't the drawing and lettering issue, but just that story now feels disjointed, a lot of backstory from POV of different characters, but story in present hasn't progressed one inch. If something, it opened a lot of new questions, and as the final Volume approaches, I'm not sure Kindt will be able to wrap it up satisfactory.
I still want to hear the whole story, so there's that, maybe after the final volume I'll again improve my rating (maybe for whole story)?
I still want to hear the whole story, so there's that, maybe after the final volume I'll again improve my rating (maybe for whole story)?
February 21, 2018
There are a lot of great moments in this volume and I was happy that it (for the most part) pulled its focus together so that the "hey, we need to find a way to escape" becomes more of a priority. There are quite a few introspective moments that would have worked better had we had more time to get to know the characters, Mia in particular. I think that's a good overall criticism for the entire series: More time should have been taken to develop everything organically.
April 28, 2018
Well, still not there. I lost interest in mostly all character, story development and all the story lines and what's going on. It's sad, because it is not annoying, it is just bland. The story is not so rich and dynamic and the art is not here to support it. Because the art is just simple, the scenes are repetitive. This book is like confused turtle, wandering around in circles and when trying to run, it get stuck over a fallen branch.
May 31, 2018
Dept H continues to be trippy, strange, and soaked in dread and suspense. The plot is coming to a horrifying climax and there's only one volume left to untangle the strange mystery of this scientific team with a whole load of secrets. Plus the world is dealing with a plague, so there's more than just the tiny world of the ocean station to contend with. Here's to hoping Kindt gives us a satisfying ending? At the very least, the series thrives with atmospheric and bodyhorror art.
September 25, 2018
Forget that boring old murder mystery - we're now firmly set in a race against time survival story AND a conspiracy theory thinkpiece. The former is pretty fun, while the latter is traditional Matt Kindt weirdness. We get a lot of Hari's backstory, which is interesting, but now that the characters are just trying to survive and get to the surface, any time we cut away from their adventures it's kind of a disappointment. No need to hit the brakes, Matt!
August 7, 2018
Pretty good instalment of this series. This is more introspective and feels more like an 'in between' part. The revelations here are more about the characters and their surroundings (there's a giant squid in here!), but it strands them in a very interesting position, in desperate circumstances. I'm looking forward to reading the final volume in this series!
September 13, 2018
I wish there had been a one page "previously on" feature here; it'd been months since I read the last volume and I had trouble keeping the characters straight. By halfway through I was back in the swing, though, and I am reminded that the bottom of the ocean is a VERY SCARY PLACE. It's a great story.
April 5, 2021
It stays strong through this volume, but the background stories for each character feel a little ham-handed since the plot is essentially paused to keep re-hashing the past. I would appreciate if chapters rotated between looking back and forward rather than going for an entire volume of looking back.
April 12, 2022
I still like the art. The coloring by Ms. Kindt is still a standout.
Story wise, although there are some nice tidbits, it has kind of stalled. I understand why this is done, and I appreciate a comic that gets pacing right but I still don't care for arcs that don't really progress the story.
On to finish this...
Story wise, although there are some nice tidbits, it has kind of stalled. I understand why this is done, and I appreciate a comic that gets pacing right but I still don't care for arcs that don't really progress the story.
On to finish this...
April 17, 2018
Another great volume from Kindt. The story has really captured my attention and while I wish we had developed a bit further into the story itself, all the background information was good and helpful, though a bit repetitive at times.
July 9, 2021
This volume continued to clear things up. I am excited for the final volume. I can’t wait until my library gets it for me. I like this series a lot. I hope the payoff volume is as good as this series has been!
June 2, 2022
This whole volume felt like filler. SO much is recapping the first two volumes then art barfing it into a non narrative . Not much happening to move the mystery along. I already know i want the giant turtle to battle the giant squid in the finale, dont care overly about the humans.
November 4, 2018
Too many subplots and backstories in this volume took away from the original mystery and made me lose interest.
April 9, 2019
This book was really great! We got some background information on the team to see who they are and how they joined. Definitely ended on a cliff hanger so I can’t wait to read the next volume.
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