Gideon Falls, Volume 3: Stations of the Cross: 11/19/19

Gideon Falls, Volume 3: Stations of the Cross by Jeff Lemire explores more into the inner workings of the Black Barn and its relationship to Gideon Falls. Our tour guide for this is Father Burke who is chasing after Norton Sinclair, the vicious killer associated with the barn.

In previous volumes we've had a parallel but intertwined plot, and then one implying a uhoric relationship between the two Gideon Falls we were first presented with. Now we see that it's more complicated than that, being there are more than two and that time doesn't play straight among all of them.

Analyzing the three volumes against the road narrative spectrum, we see that volume two, Original Sins was a misdirection implying a quick solution to an age old problem. Volume three redirects the series to a spot more fantastic and surreal than the original volume.

Hopefully avoiding spoilers, I will dive deeper into volume three's placement on the road narrative spectrum. In volume two, Father Burke and the man we had been led to believe is Norton Sinclair were both paired with a woman, giving both known to us Gideon Falls a couple traveling together to save their town.

Now, though, the two men are separated from their companions and their status returns to a pairing of scarecrow and minotaur (99) between Father Burke and Norton Sinclair. There's one caveat, though, our understanding of who Norton is has changed between volumes. That said, revelations about Father Burke's greater role in the multiverse history of Gideon Falls may imply a similar reality for the Norton Sinclair paradox.

The destination in volume three is a little trickier. Time and space are both in play. Gideon Falls is a multiverse unto itself, interconnected via manifestations of the Black Barn. Looking at the destination axis of the road narrative spectrum, and keeping in mind that the most extreme example in a given volume trumps other destinations, there is one clear choice: utopia. Granted each destination for Father Burke is called Gideon Falls, each one is different. For Father Burke, the route is unmapped and unknown, thus collectively, Gideon Falls, is a series of utopic destinations (FF).

Finally, there is the route taken. It is still through the Black Barn. The Barn remains a metaphor for the cornfield (FF). Now though, the barrier the cornfield is crossing is one of both time and space.

All together, Gideon Falls, Volume 3: Stations of the Cross is the race of a scarecrow (Father Burke) and a minotaur (Norton Sinclair) through utopia via the cornfield (99FFFF).

Gideon Falls, Volume 4: The Pentoculus will be released on April 28, 2020.

Five stars

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