Review - Smile: For The Camera #3
From IDW Dark
IDW Dark, the horror imprint of IDW Publishing, has the next issue of this horror franchise out now with Smile: For The Camera #3.
The party ended with a slash.
A series of tragedies have spread throughout the fashion world, but those in power have been quick to cover them up, leaving Lena and her fellow models to do whatever they can to survive. While Lena tries to run from the disaster, Ivy finds that it’s not so easy. The powerful figures in her industry are hell-bent on profiting off the models — trapping Ivy in this dazzling world that’s set on turning her into another statistic. Is there anyone she can trust? Or will Ivy be trapped in this gilded cage with the Entity on a killing spree?
The modeling industry is full of monsters, not all of them supernatural.
Continue the horrifying journey into glamorous madness with Smile: For the Camera #3, brought to you by horror star Hannah Rose May (The Exorcism at 1600 Penn, Rogues’ Gallery), as the Entity reveals the darkness hiding under the blinding lights.
Author: Hannah Rose May
Artists: Skylar Patridge, and Miriana Puglia
IDW Publishing continues to push the unsettling atmosphere of Smile: For the Camera #3 even further, delivering an issue that is as psychologically disturbing as it is outright horrifying. What makes this series particularly effective is that the horror does not come solely from the terrifying smile entity itself, but also from the toxic and exploitative environment surrounding the fashion industry. The comic constantly blurs the line between supernatural terror and the very real emotional damage caused by the people within that world.
This issue balances those two aspects extremely well. On the one hand, there is the creeping horror tied to the smile curse, which continues to infect the characters, both mentally and physically. On the other hand, there is the relentless pressure of the modelling industry — the manipulation, exploitation, and emotional exhaustion that wears people down long before the horror truly takes hold. The story makes it increasingly difficult to separate what is supernatural from what is simply the result of an industry built on stress, insecurity, and control, and that ambiguity makes everything even more unsettling.
There is a lot happening throughout the issue, with multiple story threads developing at once, but the comic handles it surprisingly smoothly. The fallout from the previous issue’s shocking death ripples through every scene here, influencing the characters’ actions and emotional states in believable ways. At the same time, the narrative hints that something much deeper and more sinister may be lurking beneath the surface than anyone initially realised. Rather than feeling overcrowded, the various subplots help build the tension and paranoia surrounding the story as a whole.
One of the most interesting additions in this issue is the increased involvement of journalists in uncovering the truth behind the strange events and gruesome deaths. Their investigation adds another layer of pressure to the already fragile situation, particularly for Ivy, who increasingly feels trapped in circumstances she desperately wants to escape from. Instead of finding support, she becomes the centre of suspicion and attention, which only intensifies the emotional strain she is already under. This element works well because it raises the stakes not only for Ivy but also for the remaining models still caught in this nightmare.
The comic also does an excellent job of portraying the uglier side of the fashion world. Agents, photographers, managers, and industry insiders are shown in ways that feel deeply uncomfortable but believable. There is a constant sense of exploitation and emotional manipulation running throughout the issue, and the story highlights how easily vulnerable people can be chewed up and discarded within that environment. What works particularly well is how outsiders within the story begin to assume that the mounting deaths and breakdowns are simply the result of industry pressure and abuse, rather than anything supernatural. That misdirection adds another layer of tension because readers know there is something far worse involved.
The major death scene in this issue is especially effective. It is staged with some genuinely clever visual framing that makes the sequence far more disturbing than simple gore alone would achieve. The pacing, panel composition, and perspective choices all work together to create a moment that feels deeply unnerving and difficult to look away from. Rather than relying purely on shock value, the scene builds dread gradually, which makes its eventual payoff far more impactful.
Visually, the comic continues to excel. The artwork captures the surreal horror of the smile entity alongside the glamorous yet suffocating world of fashion in a way that feels constantly disorienting. Several panels are deliberately uncomfortable to look at, lingering on expressions, shadows, or distorted smiles just long enough to leave an impression. There is a lingering unease throughout the entire issue, and many of the images are the kind that stay in your mind long after finishing the comic.
Overall, this is another very strong instalment in a series that continues to blend body horror, psychological tension, and social commentary remarkably well. The comic is not only frightening because of its supernatural elements, but because it reflects the very real emotional damage caused by toxic environments and exploitation. With the tension escalating and the mystery deepening further, the story continues to pull readers in while leaving them increasingly uneasy about what may happen next.
