Review: Kill or be Killed, Vol. 1

Kill or be Killed, Vol. 1 by Ed Brubaker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Hoo boy. I've read two or three other Brubaker/Phillips books before this one, but Kill or be Killed blows them away. I was unsure how I'd feel about it because their books tend to be good except the first volumes I've read have dragged a bit. This one picks up with some action pretty early on and goes at a fast pace through most of the story. It shares some common features with other books by these creators like a gritty story and minor supernatural elements.

I feel like one of the things that really sets this book apart is the protagonist. Dylan is a bit of a loser (that might not be so different from other Brubaker books) and everything gets weird after he tries to commit suicide. That is where the supernatural element comes in for this book and leads to the big hook for this book: Dylan has to kill people to stay alive. How can it be possible to like a character who is driven by a need to murder other people? Dylan may not be particular likeable, but his story is definitely interesting. His best friend/long time crush starts to take an interest in him and he starts having some crazy dreams.

The art does a great job of supporting all this too. There is a darkness to it that lends itself to the story. I think the character art is great. Each one is distinct. The coloring is very fitting as well. While a bunch of it tends toward the dark, there are times when it is full of very rich color that is a nice contrast. I am excited to read the next volume.

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