Pilot Season: Murderer #1 review
I’m a sucker for Robert Kirkman so it was a no brainer to pick up his new Top Cow title, Pilot Season: Murderer (even though this meant buying outside of my pull list, which I promised I wouldn’t do this week!). This is the inaugural issue of a possible ongoing series that’s both interesting and disappointing.
Cursed and blessed, Jason Sparks can hear the thoughts of others. You can almost see the gears in Kirkman’s mind working, “What if a guy could hear thoughts? What would he do with that knowledge?” It’s an interesting premise in the hands of a gifted author. However, this issue reads like a “what if” rather than a well-planned series. The narration was a bit confusing and muddled. I admire Kirkman’s ability to write great characters. So far, Jason is stiff and I don’t feel connected enough to him to care. This distance also makes me want to read more to learn about him. If Kirkman is doing this intentionally then great; if not, it’s weak writing.
I was intrigued by the premise and how it played out toward the issue’s conclusion. The pieces eventually began to fit and once I reread it, the issue made more sense. This is a series with promise and I’m in for the next installment. I think I’m more critical because I respect Robert Kirkman so much and expect nothing but greatness. While Murderer is good, it’s not great…yet.
3 out of 5
After the recent violent and dramatic conclusion to The Hunters story arc, Robert Kirkman gives his readers a breather. In other comic series, stopgap issues can be like watching paint dry. However, it’s the characters and their tenuous relationships that makes The Walking Dead magnificent.
It’s nice to see Carl grow up realistically. Rick’s son could have easily been left on the sidelines, but Kirkman has written him well. Like his father, Carl makes tough choices so others can survive. This issue’s ‘kick to the nuts’ moment is provided courteous of Eugene. As he shares his back-story and motives, jaws drop and kicks fly.
Where do they go from here? This is the dilemma the survivors face as their food supply runs low. Not one zombie haunts the pages of this issue, but sometimes just trying to make it through the day is scary enough. Page for page, this is still the most rewarding read on the racks.
4.5 out of 5
If you’re not reading “The Walking Dead,” you are missing out on one of the greatest comics ever written. Bold proclamation, sure. Am I qualified to make that definitive statement? Maybe not, but I do know that every person I encouraged to read this title has been has been hooked (Jimmy not included). I know that of my extensive pull list, it’s “The Walking Dead” that earns the honor of being read in the parking lot of the comic book store. Like a crack addict drooling for a fix, I anxiously dive into this book, knowing that Kirkman will not disappoint.
“Fear of the Hunters” is the current arc and it’s an excellent installment so far. A group that has a terrifying plan for survival stalks Rick and his band of survivors. This issue offers insight into the hunter’s mindset. Sometimes getting answers in “The Walking Dead” is even more terrifying than guessing. Kirkman sets up a great final chapter with this issue’s final pages, leaving me counting down the weeks to the next issue.
Robert Kirkman is simply writing the best story I have ever read in comics. He nails this read on so many levels. His cast of characters is realistic in their diversity and engaging as they struggle to survive. They battle not only against zombies (which serve only as a backdrop at times), but they fight against despair, madness, infighting, and other survivors of the zombie plague. Kirkman’s dialogue is masterful. Coupled with his knack for perfectly timed action, it’s a brutal read for fans. “The Walking Dead” rips out your heart and keeps you wanting more. If I had to drop all titles and keep only one, “The Walking Dead” would win hands down.
5 out of 5
CYNTHIANA, Kentucky (UP) Comic book industry icon, creator and writer Robert Kirkman is known for his “no one is safe” principle in his comic books. Whether it’s a beloved fan favorite or a seemingly essential character, Kirkman’s angel of death can pounce on anyone at anytime. No book feels this truth’s sweet sting more than The Walking Dead.
Kirkman delivered his latest shocker in Walking Dead Issue #60. Two pages into this issue, Kirkman killed off his longtime letterer Rus Wooton. With a freshly sharpened pencil in his hand, Kirkman approached Wooton who was applying letters to issue #60 at his desk. Kirkman repeatedly stabbed the unsuspecting Wooton with his #2 pencil.
As a new twist to this already frequently stunning title, The Walking Dead has wordless word balloons from page two onwards.
Penciler, inker, and cover artist Charlie Adlard was not surprised. “This is how Robbie operates. We all knew this was possible,” he shared between sips of coffee. When asked if he feared for his own safety, he laughed. “Sure, no one is safe. But, come on. I do the covers, the art and inks. He’s got to draw the line somewhere. We’ve been together for a longtime. I think I’m in the category of passing the bubble where he could have taken me out.” When reminded that Rus Wooton was with this team from The Walking Dead’s inception, Adlard laughed again. “Rus? Nice guy, but he was a letterer. No offense to the alphabet boys, but they are a dime a dozen.”
Colorer Cliff Rathburn was not so confident. “I’m a @#%*ing colorist for a black and white comic book! Hell yes I’m scared,” he shared.
There is no doubt that fans will take this most recent Kirkman casualty in stride. No matter how many bodies of friends known and loved fill the graves of this title, the dead keep walking on. And only Robert Kirkman knows who will be taking the next steps with us.
Invincible squares off for the final round with Conquest. Mark’s beaten to a pulp, mourning the death of Atom Eve, and ready to die trying to rip his foe from limb to limb. Bring this shit on!
With very few words in this issue, Robert Kirkman allows his unrivaled writing skills to take a backseat to Ryan Ottley’s stunning pencils. Invincible and Conquest’s battle is a masterpiece. It’s flesh biting (and spitting out), bone breaking, skin burning off the bone, head butting into hamburger meat fun, fun, fun! From the exceptional panel choices to the flow of the battle, Ottley draws the shit out of this book! Yes, it bloody, but the artwork that creates this epic match is pure gold. The final shot of the loser’s face is something Clive Barker would hang on his fridge.
Kirkman throws in a nice little “what the hell” moment at the end of the book. Man, this series is firing on all cylinders right now. Please, keep this up!
How do you write a phenomenal comic in less than 200 words? Ask Mr. Robert Kirkman.
4.5 out of 5
The Walking Dead is the best comic book out today. There, I said it. Review over.
Life does not get any easier for The Walking Dead in issue #63, part 2 of 5 of “Fear the Hunters”. Dale is missing, Andrea is hysterical and the rest deal with the hard decision of how long to pursue a dangerous search and rescue mission that none are very confident about.
Robert Kirkman is the master of the double-twist. If he were after me, I’d be captured in a minute because I fall into every trap his stories set. This issue fills in some of the backstory of the newest member of the surivors, Gabriel, the preacher who wandered along moving among the dead with only a Bible in hand. Totally immersed and satisfied that I had received my money’s worth and pleased at how the story had progressed, pages 20 and 21 jump back to the other part of the story. Kirkman’s monologue slowly lured me along through the final scenes and then I turned the page and got slapped in the face by the last full-page panel. As I say all too often with The Walking Dead, “I didn’t see that coming.”
Charlie Adlard is the best in the business at drawing facial expressions. From Andrea’s anger and then tearful breakdown, to Abraham’s steely resolve, Gabriel’s humility and Eugene’s smugness, you can feel every emotion as the character’s are being put through the ringer. His use of shadowing is amazing. Take notice at how many of the panels are on nothing but a black background. There are no distractions with his art; you are made to focus on exactly what he wants you to see.
4.5 out of 5
As a bonus, the entire first issue of Chew by John Layman and Rob Guillory is on the “flip side” of this issue. I’m always a little skeptical when a new book is re-printed as a tag-along on the publisher’s top title. But, I am getting a full comic, essentially for free, so things aren’t all bad. Tony Chu is a cop who gets psychic visions from everything he eats. It helps solve crimes, but doesn’t make dinnertime very enjoyable. Chicken is illegal and the FDA appears to be the most powerful of government agencies. If anything, you have to say the story is creative. The art is reminiscent of Gabriel Ba’s work on the Umbrella Academy. Some characters look normal while others are disproportionate or exaggerated (body too wide, legs too short, etc), but in a consistent way that works. Image’s ploy worked. I’m not totally onboard yet, but I’m in for a second issue.
Invincible doesn’t quite live up to his name as Conquest kicks the living shit out of him. You know the saying “He got his ass handed to him”? Take that common phase to the thirteenth degree and you might come close to describing this issue of Invincible.
In this issue Invincible gets his face pulped, his bones snapped, and his heart broken. Robert Kirkman has been writing a unique superhero book with his no one is safe principle. WARNING: Spoilers are in the next sentence. Atom Eve dies while coming to Mark’s assistance against the unstoppable Conquest. Kirkman isn’t afraid to have heroes die fighting bad guys. It’s as simple as that. No big story laden with intricately women plots. There are no sappy and prolonged goodbyes. Big fights can cause death and they do. This is just an awesome, tough to read at times, fight. Just look at the cover!!!
Ryan Ottley draws one of the best comic book brawls of all time in this issue. The panels are brilliant and the characters are powerful. I loved the splattering effects reaching past the panels’ boarders creating a sense of carnage and mayhem. The close ups of Mark’s wounds are savage and painstakingly detailed.
This issue shows that a good fight is all a comic needs sometimes. Yet, Kirkman throws a shocker in the midst of it as well. The champ of the battle is Ryan Ottley’s art. I can’t wait for more. Somebody get Invincible a Band-Aid!
4 out of 5
The Walking Dead just keeps getting better. Kirkman uses a nice framing device in this issue as Rick and Carl return to their hometown to search the police station for weapons. We’re reminded that roughly a year has passed. It was one year ago that Rick left Morgan and Dwayne to find his family. Now Rick is reunited with Morgan. Through both story and art, we feel Rick’s heart breaking for Morgan as a father who has also lost a child.
Morgan’s a great addition to the cast and he’s freaking me out. Charlie Adlard pencils a few panels of Morgan in a deadpan stare, his eyes void. Morgan is a man in shock and he’s ready to snap. It falls on Rick’s shoulder to bring Morgan with them. Morgan spooks Carl and Abraham is leery of him.
Kirkman continues to show complete mastery of this incredible series. I have an eerie feeling that Kirkman is setting us up for a shocker soon. I am so invested in these characters that I am truly scared for them. Kirkman, don’t hurt them. Please.
4.5 out of 5
The Walking Dead continues to satisfy. Issue for issue, it is the most reliable read in comics. Even in issues where seemingly “nothing happens,” author Kirkman is always layering his characters with nuance and depth. The real story is the people, not the zombie nightmare they face.
This issue follows Rick, Carl, and Abraham on their journey back to Rick’s neighborhood. In Issue One, Rick left his neighbor Morgan to search for his wife and son. Rick finds Morgan and his son, but things have changed in the neighborhood. Along the way, Abraham tells Rick the story behind his own family’s demise. Kirkman not only integrates fresh characters, but new personalities and situations unique to each person. Nothing is rehashed or forced. We writes dialogue with such conviction that it is more powerful watching Abraham speak of the past than watching it for ourselves.
You need to read this one to find out the details. Once again we get a final panel that is a true jaw dropper. Kirkman’s shocks are not arbitrary ploys to keep you coming back for more. They’re real and breathe life into the story. The book continues to balance action, drama, and character development. Often a title might run on one of these, but The Walking Dead fires on all cylinders continually. Thanks for another great issue.
4 out of 5
This latest issue is a self-contained story about Invincible’s newest enemy, Powerplex. This new character is Scott Duvall, an average guy who lost a loved one in the wreckage of an Invincible vs. Super Villain fight.
This premise is too familiar in comics to be engaging and fresh. It is convenient that Scott works at the Pentagon and has access to power discs that absorb energy. Now if he can just figure out a way to lure Invincible into his clutches. Bet he finds a way.
There are some fun ala Kirkman moments, like the witty opening panels with Powerplex rehearsing his bad guy tag line with his wife. We are treated to a nice little shocker in this issue.
Overall, it’s nothing new or incredibly exciting. Writer Robert Kirkman creates a decent character and sets the stage for more to come. Hopefully, Kirkman is gearing up for issue 60.
3 out of 5
