In this review of Neighborhood Watch #3, Bianca and Val have a discussion about the file at Jill’s house, and the origins of both Willow Haven and Open Arms.
Neighborhood Watch #3
Writer: Sarah Gailey
Art and Main Cover: Haining
Variant Covers: Becca Carey, Haining
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: 7/1/2026
This review contain spoilers
As Neighborhood Watch #3 begins, the next meeting of the neighborhood watch is, to the rest of the group’s surprise, at Bianca’s. There’s speculation as to why, and a couple of cops have shown up to commend them for their help keeping the neighborhood safe, as well as warning about suspected terrorist activity at Open Arms.
At Open Arms, Val updates the others on where Cassie isn’t. Aurora is, of course, upset about not knowing where her mother is.
The watch meeting’s being cleaned up, and more suspicions about Open Arms are brought up. And so, Bianca goes to speak with Val about the allegations. Val explains the mugshot as being related to a protest arrest, but a lot of what’s in that file is fabricated. Val reveals, much to Bianca’s shock, that Jill/Cassie planned to move in.
Their chat eventually goes into what Willow Haven really began as: it was built as a company town for a weapons manufacturer, which they realize could explain the tunnel system. But why are the entrances where they are? The hill between Willow Haven and Open Arms had also been carefully manufactured, and they’re starting to wonder.
Aurora soon bursts in to inform them that the cops are in the infirmary, asking questions. They’re harassing Yves about some Fentanyl, and a stolen cell phone that’d been tracked there. Bianca tries to defuse the situation, but the cops aren’t having it.
Once they leave, Bianca and Aurora chat a bit. Bianca learns that she used to know Aurora as Jill’s son, and Aurora learns that Val’s not telling her everything.
So, if Jill wasn’t shot by her husband (or at least one of his fellow officers), I’d be VERY shocked. They tracked Jill’s phone to the Open Arms infirmary through the Find My Phone function. And that’s definitely something you’d see with a family member…particularly if they have a controlling streak.
Bianca, character-wise, is starting to see that maybe the police aren’t as trustworthy as she’s always been led to believe. The officers in the infirmary seem to think she’s also part of this collective and start shoving her around like they might anyone else there.
I loved a bit of the characterization here in Neighborhood Watch #3. Some of the members of the Watch are almost exactly like what might be expected in that situation: gossipy, judgmental..I mean, they were especially scandalized at the prospect of children running around (GASP) without a nanny!
The history of Willow Haven and Open Arms as presented in Neighborhood Watch #3 is an interesting one. The collective’s compound being repurposed from the old weapons manufacturer can explain a bit about the weapons mentioned in the file. The “stockpile” allegation sounds like it’s a bit overblown. There may be a few weapons around for defense purposes, and because they’d missed a few during the changeover.
I wonder if more will be revealed about it over the next couple installments.
And speaking of reveals, I hadn’t expected the reveal that Aurora used to go by a different name and entirely different pronouns. And the in-story reveal of this was done pretty well, I think. Bianca’s still running with the old information and the lie that Jill’s kid had gone to grad school in Scotland. When she learns that said kid was there this whole time and is named Aurora now, she’s surprised at first, but soon remarks that “Aurora” is a fitting name for her.
Even if she’s so used to the ol’ White Picket Fence life, and those old traditional ideals of being able to trust the police, she’s actually not as judgmental as many of her peers. Plus, if she were to judge Aurora over her transition and whatnot, that’d make her a bit of a hypocrite, given her relationship with Jill.
Final Thoughts
Neighborhood Watch keeps getting juicier and juicier, and is definitely a title to watch. The intrigue keeps amping up, and I’m eager to see what secrets are revealed next.
