I really enjoyed the first issue of The Kitchen. It showed perhaps the most promise of just about any mini-series I’ve read all year. With the next issue out now, I’m more than curious to see where this title goes next.
Is it good?
The Kitchen #2 (Vertigo Comics)
After beating a made-man’s face in and knocking the guy into a coma, things have settled down a little bit for Kath, Raven, and Angie. They’ve gone about collecting the money from the businesses and even thought about expanding a little for some cleaner cash. However, they’ve got some challenges coming their way. A man called Nicky Lubretzi saw the man’s beat down and wants 20,000 from the women for his silence. Meanwhile, an old member of the business is getting released from prison. One with a mean streak. Can they all get along?
Oh god, the sleaze is just reeking off this man.
This issue takes place not too long after the first and seems like a natural and real progression for the protagonists, especially in the sense that almost every action has a consequence and every new challenge that they encounter tests their character. It’s a very engrossing tale watching these women walk down the dark road and seeing what they do to keep their power.
The characterization in the book is pretty solid overall, better in many ways than the previous issue. Kath isn’t given as much focus this time around, but she still has some good scenes that really highlight the inner struggle that she is going through with her newfound power — trying to figure out how to hold onto it, and how it affects her family life. It’s powerful stuff. Raven still doesn’t have much focus, but small character traits she has exhibited, like being the voice of reason and knowing when she and the girls are all getting in over their heads, do give her some personality and make her more three-dimensional.
Angie, the one who got the least focus last time, gets a lot more development this time and she’s going a rather interesting route in comparison to the three; that is, she’s getting a bit… wilder and more risky with her actions, having been changed (or perhaps bolstered) by Kath’s actions in the last issue. It feels a bit more sudden and a bit out of nowhere compared to how reserved and quiet she was before, but it is an interesting direction for her to go nonetheless.
Writing-wise, the comic is still very much on the strong-side. The plot is much heavier this time around but it does a great job balancing itself and the characterization. Neither outshines the other and every single scene serves a purpose for the audience in one way or another. The dialogue is very strong, really filled with plenty of personality, helping to mold our main characters to the fullest. Probably the oddest thing with the writing is the narration from an unseen narrator, only because you don’t often see that kind of narration often — it’s not bad though, as the mysterious voice explains scenes quite well and never overdoes it with the exposition.
The artwork by Ming Doyle looks great like before, really fitting the feel the book is going for. All of the characters are expertly drawn, full of life and incredibly easy to tell apart from one another. The layouts are well done, easy to follow and flow well from one another. The violence, when there, is intense and brutal looking, really leaving a mark. The coloring helps this all out as well, really providing some punch to some of the scenes in the book. Of course, the artwork really captures the look of the 70’s in the book quite well too, a nice cherry on top of this wonderful art.
Is It Good?
The Kitchen #2 is a fantastic continuation from the first issue, an improvement in many areas. The story is really picking up and heading in an interesting direction, along with some fantastic and engaging characters and lovely looking artwork. If you are looking for a good crime book or even looking for a good mini-series — get this book immediately. The Kitchen is one of the best mini-series I’ve read in a long time and even with only two issues out, and is worth your time and money.
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