WRITTEN BY: Gerard Way & Shaun Simon
ART BY: Becky Cloonan
PUBLISHER: Dark Horse
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: August 14, 2013
The issue begins with an innocent enough beat. Things become abundantly clear that major conflict is on the horizon. The girl is being primed for her fate in the conflict. The air of mystery is thickened and the world gets deeper.
“Killjoys” is a fantastic read. The script has a very lyrical feel thanks to Way and Simon. The dialogue pops off the page and filled with youthful energy. Every time one of the teenagers living off the wasteland speaks you feel a spark course through you. The dialogue is that good.
The world of the wasteland feels particularly unique. While this may be due to the incredible work done by Becky Cloonan, the script does use locations to its advantage. The jumbled and chaotic nature of the desert is juxtaposed perfectly with the scenes in Battery City.
The moments in Battery City shed more light on Korse. He amounts to the antagonist of the series. While his motives seem nefarious, and his ties to corporate culture condemn him indefinitely, the script allows him to develop. Korse has a decision to make, and his choice is more than surprising.
The porno droids take center stage this month. Their plight is made much more clear. They are fighting for love, and fighting to stay alive. It has a surprising amount of emotional depth. Especially when held against the fun loving nature of the other stories.
The final beats with The Ultra V’s seem to promise a new leader. The girl is an inspired choice. Given her breakdown at the beginning of the issue, however, she may not be the best choice. Time will tell if this is even the course the story is treading. So far though, most of the series has been anything but unpredictable. Which is fine, the world, and the art is enough to sell copies every month.
Cloonan’s art continues to be the best reason to pick this book up. Her sense of visual style is unparalleled, and moves this book to a league of its own. If you have any doubts, page 14 will change your mind entirely. Korse’s partner vaulting into the air is terrifying and exciting. Korse’s face in the final panel says everything the dialogue does. Simply masterful stuff.
The final two pages are a real treat from Cloonan. Way and Simon’s script really lets her flex her muscles in terms of world building. She has built her definitive style into this futuristic neon soaked world and it oozes from the pages.
“Killjoys” is a solid read, start to finish. The issue adds some real depth to the characters that was vastly needed to keep the stakes of the narrative fresh. It seems the future of the plot may go a very traditional and predictable route, however, the book has surprised before. This wasn’t as good as the debut issue, but a compelling chapter nonetheless. I’m looking forward to more.
3.5/5 Skulls
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