From tiny, grumpy trolls to oddly-behaving sheep, Mamo’s curse ranges widely over Haresden. Can Jo and Orla put her to rest? Find out in Mamo #3 from BOOM! Studios.

MAMO #3

Writer: Sas Milledge
Artist: Sas Milledge
Editor: Sophie Philips-Roberts
Publisher: BOOM! Studios
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: September 8, 2021

Previously in Mamo: Orla discovers that her grandmother’s, Mamo’s, spirit is causing the trouble at Jo’s house. She was not buried properly and reaching out to the little house spirit of the hearth, they find one of Mamo’s bones. Orla and Jo find a proper place to bury it, and Jo wants to find out more. Orla tracks the mis-buried bones and tries to identify the pattern they form. Jo takes her to talk with Ma Anastas, who could be a witch, except for the fact that Mamo did not want any other witches in the area. The Fae have been weaving curses into the fishing nets. Is this also related to Mamo? Jo talks with the Fae in the waters and works out an arrangement with them. Even though she is gone, Mamo seems to still have a hold over Haresden.

THE SOURCE OF MAGIC

Mamo #3 opens with Orla and Jo repairing a cairn, and Jo asks whether Orla could teach her magic. She had said it was a skill, after all. Orla starts to comment that it was strange that Mamo did not pass on her magic. But then she tells Jo she has already passed the power on to her. She gave her a pendant when they first faced Mamo. The power is not in the pendant, though; it comes from the act of sharing. I love this about how magic works in this world.

Jo looks at the map and picks out their next location. A shepherd is having troubles with his flock. For two days, the sheep have been standing in a circle, neither eating nor drinking, biting anyone who comes close. Orla takes a closer look and sees black moths – Mamo’s sign – among the sheep. Orla asks if there are any nettles nearby that she could use. She teaches Jo how to harvest the nettle safely, and they make braided bracelets for each other to help with the sheep.

The bracelets work. The girls can walk among the sheep and find that what holds their attention is a bone with a large black moth on it. They find a location to bury the bone, and the sheep return to normal. Orla begins to realize that Haresden suffers not only from Mamo, but also from general neglect.

She wonders about going to the olive grove to the north. Jo says her mother always used to say that was the end of the world. Oddly enough, Mamo told Orla the same thing. Orla wishes she could know more, and Jo suggests asking the local Currawongs, a magpie-like bird. She did a favor for them, and she can speak to them. Orla is as surprised as I was. Carractus does not take well to Orla or her familiar.

Jo asks about the witch of Haresden, and he says that is Orla. Orla denies it, and Jo clarifies that they are looking for Mamo’s bones. Surely, they must have seen that. Carractus surprises them further by admitting that the Currawongs scattered her bones in exchange for some of her power. He has now realized this was a trick. The chaos caused by this threatens not only the people here, but also them. But it was a deal, and they cannot break it. But he can take them around to where the bones are as long as they promise to deal with the bones.

LIKE AN IMPRESSIONISTIC PAINTING

The art of Mamo #3 looks windswept. It’s like a reminder that Haresden is on the shore, even though much of the story takes place further inland. The texture adds a lot of character, but it also directs our eye across the page, such as when we see the sheep gathered in their circle, and even the grass around them looks as though it is oriented to the center. The land almost appears to live and breathe in its own time, as though it is as much a character as Jo and Orla are.

I love the scene with the Currawongs. They hang out in a grove of tall trees lit below with dappled sunlight. The birds are black and white. So far, the only other black creatures we have seen have been familiars or otherwise magical, and indeed Carractus does seem magical. Not only does he actually talk with Jo and Orla, he changes form into a human-sized bird wearing a broad brimmed hat. It’s a really cool, dramatic character design.

BOTTOM LINE: RESPONSIBILITY AND CONSEQUENCES

In the world of Mamo #3, magic is more about intention than accoutrements. Jo is already learning that she may be able to do magic simply by virtue of her caring so much for the place she lives and the people who live there. That’s a strong central theme to build a story around.

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Mamo #3

90%

90%

Really Cool

Jo and Orla work hard to set things right and find some unusual assistance.

• Writing

  9
• Art

  9
• Coloring

  9
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