The most disappointing moment in the third issue of Kevin Panetta and Paulina Ganucheau’s Zodiac Starforce comes on the very last panel, when they declare “To be concluded!” . . . next issue.

I really have my girlfriend to blame for my love of this comic book. First, she got me into Thor with Jason Aaron’s run. Since I loved that, why wouldn’t I take her word with Sailor Moon? After all, she talks about it constantly. Yes, I’ve enjoyed that. Why not give another magical girl story a try? Zodiac Starforce continues to be highly enjoyable and a great read for kids of any gender.

After accidentally opening a giant portal to essentially another dimension to save their leader from a terminal disease, the group has accidentally unleashed hordes of monsters on their town escalating a plan to take over Earth. Without their leader to lead the way, the remaining team members run around, reacting to every bump in the road with no clear plan.

They have to step up, embrace what makes them worthwhile to the team, and find the confidence to follow through or all will be lost. They get some support from an unconventional group, though fitting for the high school setting our characters live in, while their fearless leader deals with not only her past, but the history of the Zodiac Starforce legacy.

Our creators keep the book zipping along, providing so many different story threads, while staying acutely aware of keeping the characters fully realized, that there’s never an uninteresting moment. Even in the tensest of moments, they find ways to thread in a fun sense of humor. With one more issue left, they have a lot to pay off, and I will be here to read it.