In this review of Universal Monsters: The Mummy #3, Princess Ankh-Es-En-Amun’s past comes to light, and her friendship with Helen may have come to an end.
Universal Monsters: The Mummy #3
Written by Faith Erin Hicks
Art and Main Cover: Faith Erin Hicks
Colors: Lee Loughridge
Variant Covers: Sweeney Boo, Guillem March, Joëlle Jones, Christian Ward
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: May 28, 2025
This review contains spoilers
We open Universal Monsters: The Mummy #3 with Dr. Muller trying to destroy the scroll, only to die for the attempt.
Helen is on her way to see Ardeth Bey, to ask for some information, and it turns out that the voice that’s been her constant companion since childhood has stopped talking with her since finding her old flame once again.
She gets her answers, all right: she gets to see Ankh-Es-En-Amon’s past as a priestess, her frowned-upon relationship with Imhotep, the plague going through Egypt that eventually claims her own life, and Imhotep’s attempts to bring her back. Mid-necromantic ritual, he’s arrested and sentenced to live burial (and a curse).
Back in the present, Ankh-Es-En-Amun has control of Helen’s body, Helen fighting her for control. She goes to consult Dr. Muller, only to learn of his death. Frank wishes he could help with Helen’s issues. Of course, her biggest issue right now is the ancient Egyptian princess/priestess who wants a physical form again so she can be with her old flame…and that just so happens to be in use already by Helen…
Analysis
Story-wise, Universal Monsters: The Mummy #3 progresses things nicely, particularly with the relationship between Helen and Ankh-Es-En-Amun. The first issue established their acquaintanceship, and the second showed how they’d become friends over the years. This third issue slams a definite wedge into their friendship, now that one party’s boyfriend from way, way, WAY back when is back in the picture and has wanted her back for this whole time. With one issue left of this story, it makes me wonder how things will ultimately play out. I don’t imagine it being easy to really just go back to them being cool with each other after them having started fighting for control of Helen’s body, and all.
I’m also wondering if Frank would actually be dead. On the one hand, when he’s attacked by the curse near the end, it’s very much like how his father was dispatched at the beginning (some cool bookend-ing there). But he’d also had a token of Isis in his hand when the curse got to him. Would that have provided a little bit of protection for him? It’s stated in-story that tokens like that hold a lot of power in Egypt, so it seems likely that said power may involve repelling (or at least slightly mitigating) a mummy’s curse.
The reveal of Ankh-Es-En-Amun’s history brought a tragic note to this whole thing. She was young when the plague happened. Before she’s claimed by it, she and Imhotep notice another citizen of Egypt suffering from the disease. The theory is that this plague’s a result of angering the gods. A bit before that, Ankh-Es-En-Amun is a bit unsure about having a boyfriend in the first place because it feels like a form of disloyalty to Isis.
With this in mind, it makes one wonder if that question is in the back of her mind as she’s dying from the plague. Though she’s also more than willing to be back with Imhotep in the modern age (though she does call him out for going against everything sacred to bring her back).
As for the artwork in Universal Monsters: The Mummy #3, I especially loved how the sequence depicting Anhk-Es-En-Amun’s history was done, The expressions convey everything well, and the warmer tones, before tragedy strikes, really help to push that this was when the couple was happy. Things were going well. After that, it cools off a bit more, adding to the creepy vibes when Imhotep tries to bring her back.
Final Thoughts
With the lovers’ tragic backstory revealed, and the battle for control of Helen’s body begun, this penultimate chapter keeps this take on the classic tale of The Mummy riveting.
