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laurencarter's review against another edition
4.0
*3.5*
this is so different from his other works, it's an interesting one..
this is so different from his other works, it's an interesting one..
zody's review against another edition
1.0
Dying is Easy is a murder mystery that is action packed and gory. A down and out cop gets accused of murder and tries to get to the bottom of it in order to clear his name.
I wasn't a fan of the gore and ended up skimming through it due to lack of interest.
I wasn't a fan of the gore and ended up skimming through it due to lack of interest.
chrismarnone's review against another edition
2.0
People see what they want to see.
That seems to be the central theme of Joe Hill's "Dying is Easy," but it's a theme that doesn't make itself apparent until near the end of the story. The characters are vivid and dynamic, very much coming alive and taking up their own spaces, making their own decisions in this story. For me, the solution to the whodunnit mystery came very easy and early merely based on their reactions and the answer to the old question: Who benefits?
My biggest issue here was transitions. Moving from place to place, character to character, or theme to theme was often awkward, making me flip back to see if I'd somehow missed a page. Perhaps this story needed a couple extra issues to flesh out these moments, because it seemed like Hill was cutting transition points to hit his page counts.
Not a bad whodunnit, but not a great one, either. Very skippable.
That seems to be the central theme of Joe Hill's "Dying is Easy," but it's a theme that doesn't make itself apparent until near the end of the story. The characters are vivid and dynamic, very much coming alive and taking up their own spaces, making their own decisions in this story. For me, the solution to the whodunnit mystery came very easy and early merely based on their reactions and the answer to the old question: Who benefits?
My biggest issue here was transitions. Moving from place to place, character to character, or theme to theme was often awkward, making me flip back to see if I'd somehow missed a page. Perhaps this story needed a couple extra issues to flesh out these moments, because it seemed like Hill was cutting transition points to hit his page counts.
Not a bad whodunnit, but not a great one, either. Very skippable.
shereadstales's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks to NetGalley and IDW Publishing for the digital review copy.
I went back to work a couple of weeks ago (and am now back home, haha), but I found in the mornings that if I didn’t drink my tea before leaving, it was HOURS before I was able to finish it. So, I started taking 20-30 mins. in the morning to sip my tea and read a comic. This is how I read the majority of this standalone graphic novel from Joe Hill.
Be prepared. This book is gritty. There’s murder, foul language, dead end comics, and subterfuge, but it’s an interesting mystery if you’re into that. Syd “Sh*t-Talk” Homes is an ex-cop turned cynical, stand-up comic. There’s not a TON of laughs in his stand-up, but as a form of therapy, I guess it’s better than drinking himself to death.
When his archnemesis, an up and coming comic who steals his materials from others winds up dead, it looks like Syd is holding the bag for murder. Just one thing, though. Syd didn’t do it. Clad only in what he can throw on before the cops bust in, Syd heads out into the gritty streets to find Dixon’s real killer, and true to mystery form, it may not be who you think.
This isn’t my favorite Joe Hill comic, but let’s be honest, will anything ever be better by anyone that Locke & Key. Seriously, it’s the actual best. However, the art is solid, the characters are unlikeable and layered, and it’s a fast ride full of twists and turns. It’d be great for a rainy, fall afternoon on the couch, and I found myself not wanting to leave for work, not just because I didn’t want to go, but because I wanted to read the next issue.
Speaking of that awesome, rainy fall afternoon, this one is out on October 20th, so if, like me, you’ll also be spending the fall at home because people can’t wear masks and stay away from each other, add this one to the stay home and read TBR pile.
I went back to work a couple of weeks ago (and am now back home, haha), but I found in the mornings that if I didn’t drink my tea before leaving, it was HOURS before I was able to finish it. So, I started taking 20-30 mins. in the morning to sip my tea and read a comic. This is how I read the majority of this standalone graphic novel from Joe Hill.
Be prepared. This book is gritty. There’s murder, foul language, dead end comics, and subterfuge, but it’s an interesting mystery if you’re into that. Syd “Sh*t-Talk” Homes is an ex-cop turned cynical, stand-up comic. There’s not a TON of laughs in his stand-up, but as a form of therapy, I guess it’s better than drinking himself to death.
When his archnemesis, an up and coming comic who steals his materials from others winds up dead, it looks like Syd is holding the bag for murder. Just one thing, though. Syd didn’t do it. Clad only in what he can throw on before the cops bust in, Syd heads out into the gritty streets to find Dixon’s real killer, and true to mystery form, it may not be who you think.
This isn’t my favorite Joe Hill comic, but let’s be honest, will anything ever be better by anyone that Locke & Key. Seriously, it’s the actual best. However, the art is solid, the characters are unlikeable and layered, and it’s a fast ride full of twists and turns. It’d be great for a rainy, fall afternoon on the couch, and I found myself not wanting to leave for work, not just because I didn’t want to go, but because I wanted to read the next issue.
Speaking of that awesome, rainy fall afternoon, this one is out on October 20th, so if, like me, you’ll also be spending the fall at home because people can’t wear masks and stay away from each other, add this one to the stay home and read TBR pile.
booknooknoggin's review against another edition
3.0
An average crime mystery with very crude artwork. The sketchy drawings often made the main character look like Frankenstein's monster. Meh, this was an alright read.
https://youtu.be/APYazDNtTLs
https://youtu.be/APYazDNtTLs
gunner's review
3.0
Ok, but probably would have worked better as a traditional short story. Really no point in any visuals at all.
midnightbookgirl's review
4.0
I really hope there's a sequel!
Disgraced former cop Syd Holmes is trying to break into comedy, only to be accused of murdering a rising comedian, and joke stealer. Sure, Holmes beat the crap out of him and implicated himself in front of witnesses, but he knows he's innocent. With most of the cops in town anxious for his arrest (and happy to knock out some teeth), Syd goes on the run in a madcap dash to prove who the real killer is. Lots of red herrings and bad jokes that are funny despite themselves. I thoroughly enjoyed this, especially Syd's ex wife and the RenFaire loving Ross brother. Hope to see this turn into a series!
Disgraced former cop Syd Holmes is trying to break into comedy, only to be accused of murdering a rising comedian, and joke stealer. Sure, Holmes beat the crap out of him and implicated himself in front of witnesses, but he knows he's innocent. With most of the cops in town anxious for his arrest (and happy to knock out some teeth), Syd goes on the run in a madcap dash to prove who the real killer is. Lots of red herrings and bad jokes that are funny despite themselves. I thoroughly enjoyed this, especially Syd's ex wife and the RenFaire loving Ross brother. Hope to see this turn into a series!
willdrown's review
3.0
One day I'll find a prose writer who successfully transitions into comics without forgetting that comics don't need a novel's worth of narration and dialogue packed into 5 issues. For entity's sake, Mr. Hill, you don't have to reprint the dictionary for a subpar crime caper.
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