The third story arc of 2017’s best series (so far) starts here!
First Read Reactions
- Hey, this looks like the first scene from the very issue.
- HOLY CRAP, THIS IS THE FIRST SCENE FROM THE FIRST ISSUE!
- So…how exactly did we get here (again)?
- Cue yet another non-linear explanation/story from Dylan.
- It’s weird seeing Dylan this healthy and happy. Something tells me things are about to go sideways.
- Yep. Very, very sideways.
- Somewhere in ‘Killing-a-Russian-mafia-member-while-wearing-a-Richard-Nixon-mask’ is a great political joke, but I just can’t think of it.
The Verdict
Let’s get the bad stuff out of the way first.
I like a non-linear story as much as anyone. But much as I love this book (and the way it tells its story), Kill or Be Killed is beginning to test my narrative patience a bit. This issue in particular bounces around so much that even Dylan recognizes how disorienting it is.
All that being said, however, Kill or Be Killed #11 is one of the series’ strongest issues. Whether you like the way the ‘Is it supernatural or not?’ element is being handled, you’ve gotta love the way it messes with Dylan’s head. Brubaker’s script deftly toys with our expectations, all while a storm cloud of the awful awesomeness we know is coming looms in the horizon. It also does a fantastic job laying out how Dylan has gone (and will go) from the nervous killer to the badass vigilante we saw at the beginning of the series. We also get some great interactions between Dylan and one of the series’ main characters along with some surprisingly funny moments.
As usual, the artwork from Sean Phillips and Elizabeth Breitweiser is phenomenal. This could just be me projecting my own impressions, but it almost felt like everything was significantly brighter than usual, particularly when Dylan seemed relatively good/stable. Whether intentional or not, it’s a cool effect.
I’m usually at a loss for how to continue praising this book (there are only so many gushing adjectives available), but trust me when I say that this issue is particularly great. Dylan’s life may be spiraling out of control, but your pull list is still in great shape if Kill or Be Killed is on it.
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