Written and Illustrated by Ed Piskor
Published by Fantagraphics
Ed Piskor is really a comic book creator who is one of a kind.
He does it all: writes, draws, letters, and colors. He is also able to skirt comfortably between independent and commercial comic book work.
This book has been identified by Piskor as “Outlaw Comics.” It certainly warrants that description.
The book opens in a strange place.
There are all sorts of crazy characters in a municipal court. Some are cops, others just court workers. They are having a bunch of fun with each other, making jokes.
Then one of them finds out that their wife was in an accident.
They hop in the cop car and head off to the hospital. In fact, they take off like a bat out of hell. That’s when the book heads off the rails in the best possible way.
We are introduced to a few new characters who can only be described as completely nuts.
We basically learn the entire conceit of the book from this. We get to see that murderers livestream their work on the dark web. They do it for fun and also for profit. The characters from the beginning get involved with this in the darkest possible way. It gets strange and absolutely bloody.
The story is good, but not for the faint of heart. Piskor knew exactly what he wanted this comic to be. He has a great time executing his vision and his writing and artwork has never been better.
This is one of the better books of the new year but definitely the reader who like this kind of material will like it best. Well done.
RATING: A
