Review - Stray Bullets: Killers #1

Review by Paul Fiander

What do you do when you realise your hero is only human? 

This is a dilemma faced by Eli, the main focus of this opening issue of David Lapham’s return to the Stray Bullets universe. I went into this issue with no back knowledge of the original except what I had read in that way this is a fresh eyes look. I am however a fan of Lapham’s recent works in the Fall; The Strain and Juice Squeezers.

The first thing that strikes you about the book is the art. The creation still lacks colour on the internal pages and I think this suits the art. The lines are strong and the visual story is communicated in such a way that you find yourself not even realising that only black and white are being used. The art itself feels strays away from true realism but most of the character models feel authentic. You get people of all shapes and sizes and this gives the book grounding in the real world. The pages tend to stick to an eight panel format with the occasional double sized panel used as extra emphasis on particular scenes. The balance between a thin border and thick gutter allow the page to have some measure of space so the panel structure is not overwhelming on the eye.

Story wise we concentrate on Eli and his extra circular activities, for a teenager some are quite mundane like doing chores and taking care of his baby sister. He also has a small group of friends he spends time with, likes art and spends his evenings sneaking into the strip club his father frequents (thanks to a little bit of sneakiness and a car full of carpet). In this way Lapham looks into the mind of a teenage boy with an air of authenticity, especially as teenagers are beginning to explore the idea of female sexuality. Admittedly Eli is getting an extreme education but he is the lone member of his group making him the focal point for questions that he has no answer too. The story though is not just a teen drama and as the issue goes on you are rewarded with some action set pieces that will knock you over. The sudden nature of the action really makes the story come alive and the pacing feels great thanks to this.

David Lapham has thankfully returned to the Stray Bullets world and this first issue is a great jumping on point for new readers. The story feels like it’s going in a predictable direction but twists and turns in directions that make Killers a compelling read. I am now driven to do two things, pick up the first 40 odd issues of Stray Bullets and also dive head first into this upcoming series. My hope is that the level of story maintains as the bar has been set pretty high.

Issue Rating; 4.5/5

For a little more from Image you could try

Undertow #1

With art to die for and an adventure story with a great twist Undertow struck a chord with a lot of readers, find out if Paul shares the view here
Rat Queens #1

Meet the most awesome foursome since the Beatles and jump in form the start of their comic world domination.
The Comic is available in both print and digital from Image comics. Follow this link for more details.
Images courtesy of Image Comics
Comic - Provided by Publisher