Jeff Lemire seems to delight in kicking my heart in arse. This final chapter of the third Sweet Tooth arc was so unexpectedly emotional that for a moment, I forgot I was reading a comic book. The brutality of Jepperd’s confrontation with Abbott and the revelations regarding his past were incredibly shocking, but also the kind of thing you’d expect from plot twists this far into the game; that didn’t make them any less powerful, though, as they completely rewrote who Jepperd is as a character. The relationship between Gus and Jepperd should be something to focus on in future issues, as it feels fractured and isolated at present; that’s the hallmark of a good story, though, as Lemire will inevitably build these characters up to the stature of friendship we enjoyed in the first arc. The character of Abbott, meanwhile, might be one of the best villains going in comic books right now; his revelations to Jepperd within the issue were truly sinister, while his actions by the issue’s end imply something far darker to come in the future. Lemire’s art continues to improve with every issue, offering loose pencils, alongside some dreary imagery and intense thrills. It’ll be strange to see the art changes in a few issues time, because no matter how brief, none will be as good as Lemire’s.