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A review by hypops
King City by Brandon Graham
4.0
A great indie sci-fi comic. A great indie espionage comic. A great indie action comic.
In many ways I’m glad that I read this after I’d read Brandon Graham’s later work (his take on Rob Liefeld’s Prophet, his editing work for Island, and his most recent creation Multiple Warheads) because King City stands head and shoulders above his subsequent work.
This blends East Asian comics style with street art in the way that late ‘90s and early ‘00s American pop culture loved, but at the same time, the world and history that it establishes give his style a justification beyond just artistic indulgence. He’s never above taking a detour for a goofy pun, and the world he creates seems as alive and detailed as any long-running fictional setting.
His characters are instantly recognizable. His drawing style riffs on any number of international styles. And, man, this is just fun as hell. It’s a shame, though, that Brandon Graham has yet to hit again the same high notes he hit with this book. It’s really good and a really tough bar to match.
In many ways I’m glad that I read this after I’d read Brandon Graham’s later work (his take on Rob Liefeld’s Prophet, his editing work for Island, and his most recent creation Multiple Warheads) because King City stands head and shoulders above his subsequent work.
This blends East Asian comics style with street art in the way that late ‘90s and early ‘00s American pop culture loved, but at the same time, the world and history that it establishes give his style a justification beyond just artistic indulgence. He’s never above taking a detour for a goofy pun, and the world he creates seems as alive and detailed as any long-running fictional setting.
His characters are instantly recognizable. His drawing style riffs on any number of international styles. And, man, this is just fun as hell. It’s a shame, though, that Brandon Graham has yet to hit again the same high notes he hit with this book. It’s really good and a really tough bar to match.