Youth is wasted in the young. That doesn’t give a 400-year-old Korean witch the right to steal it from young people. Cindy Moon is on the trail of that witch in Silk #3. Writer Emily Kim continues a deeply satisfying turn with Cindy. Artist Takeshi Miyazawa’s web-slinging artwork mixes nuanced emotional resonance with kinetically beautiful action brought to the page with the aid of colorist Ian Herring. The issue ends with a confrontation, but Kim and company point the third issue of the series solidly in the direction of mystery and magic, pushing the five-issue series over into its second half.

Cindy climbs into her apartment, having suffered a really uncomfortable night. She DID get to perform on-stage with a pop star, but it was in the midst of really exhausting combat...and now her boss is upset that no one was there to cover the event for Threats & Menaces. Cindy’s at a dead end in tracking down the ancient Korean witch that is endangering the youth of Manhattan. Cindy’s conversation with her friend Lola provides a hint that points her in the right direction, but it might be too late to save the witch’s next victim.

The plot is covered in delicate detail with some fascinating angles. Not only is it an interesting take on the concept of life, death, and ancient magic, but it also provides some enjoyable character development for the title character. Kim has a substantial plot structure that cascades quite gracefully through every end of Cindy’s life. Kim breathes uniquely quirky life into the Marvel web-slinger sub-genre with a graceful fluidity. The dialogue has a poetically organic feel that moves everything along deftly. Even an extended origin story for the Koran witch doesn’t manage to slow down the rhythm of a well-formulated middle chapter of the series. 

Miyazawa gives each scene a very distinct look that keeps the story visually interesting even when it’s nothing more visually complicated than a casual talk between friends or relatives. Cindy’s apartment feels refreshingly distinct from Lola’s. Her body language is different in both scenes, and there are a great many details lovingly placed throughout the panels. Amid the drama, magic, and horror, Miyazawa develops a deeply articulated atmosphere with the aid of Herring’s colors. The moody twilight of the showdown between Silk and the witch feels enchantingly electric. 

Cindy has taken a little while to develop a rhythm with her current series, but that’s to be expected. A big part of this series has Cindy trying to find herself beyond the mask and the laptop. Kim has the overall rhythm of the series, smartly following Cindy’s somewhat lost emotional state. The big cliffhanger at issue’s end swiftly folds into a much bigger look at the nature of youth and life amid a delightful web-slinging action/mystery. Cindy’s latest series reaches its midpoint with enjoyable style and drama. 

Grade: A