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A review by kevinowenkelly
Lady Killer by Jamie Rich
4.0
Light, breezy, fun, and above all, gorgeous.
I know Joëlle Jones mostly for her art, and it's the art that is the star of the show here, bringing everything to life with flair and style that seems so perfect to the 50's setting. Every panel is a joy to pour over, filled with slick period fashion or items or fun spaces. The facial work and expressions are particularly well done, giving personality and nuance to everything in a way that the story itself doesn't quite manage.
Not that the story is bad, it's just a bit thin. And that's not a bad thing at all. At least as far as these first five issues go, the setup is probably what you guess it is: an assassin is caught between their personal and professional life, and when they want out (or someone wants them out), the two collide. Tension! Drama! Humor! Violence! Well, not much tension, slightly more drama, a good bit of humor, and a nice chunk of stylized violence. We learn little to nothing about Josie herself outside of her current situation.
But as I said, there's nothing wrong with that, if for no other reason than it works. It's fun, it flows well, and it kept me reading. Plus, there are some nuggets suggesting some possibly interesting character developments for some members of the cast, so I'm excited to pick up the next book.
The book also has some great extras, with an array of period-style ad artwork in the back of products aimed at housewives, but with a killer twist in each (like a new deep freezer, with plenty of room... for a body!)
I know Joëlle Jones mostly for her art, and it's the art that is the star of the show here, bringing everything to life with flair and style that seems so perfect to the 50's setting. Every panel is a joy to pour over, filled with slick period fashion or items or fun spaces. The facial work and expressions are particularly well done, giving personality and nuance to everything in a way that the story itself doesn't quite manage.
Not that the story is bad, it's just a bit thin. And that's not a bad thing at all. At least as far as these first five issues go, the setup is probably what you guess it is: an assassin is caught between their personal and professional life, and when they want out (or someone wants them out), the two collide. Tension! Drama! Humor! Violence! Well, not much tension, slightly more drama, a good bit of humor, and a nice chunk of stylized violence. We learn little to nothing about Josie herself outside of her current situation.
But as I said, there's nothing wrong with that, if for no other reason than it works. It's fun, it flows well, and it kept me reading. Plus, there are some nuggets suggesting some possibly interesting character developments for some members of the cast, so I'm excited to pick up the next book.
The book also has some great extras, with an array of period-style ad artwork in the back of products aimed at housewives, but with a killer twist in each (like a new deep freezer, with plenty of room... for a body!)