“Killer Groove” #3 dives deeper into the seedy music scene of the 1970s through the eyes of its main protagonists, Jonny and Jackie. As the two characters cross paths, the violence surrounding their jobs continues to escalate, but it’s unclear where the overall story is headed.
Written by Ollie MastersCover by Eoin Marron
with Triona Farrell
Illustrated by Eoin Marron
Colored by Jordie Bellaire
Lettered by Hassan Otsmane-ElhaouThe mayhem continues as Jackie finds herself rubbing shoulders with Jonny’s high-flying musician friends when she’s hired to track down an old blues musician’s gui-tar.
Issue #3 picks up right where the previous one left off. Jonny, our resident hit-man-rockstar, is now rising in popularity in the music scene; ironically, thanks to his murder spree. In the meantime, his former bar acquaintance, Jackie, continues to trudge away in her work as a P.I. while drowning herself in whiskey. Their stories overlap as Jackie is tasked with retrieving a guitar from a musician as he is hosting a party. Luckily, her old friend Jonny is there to do what he does best, and I don’t mean perform music. At the same time, Jackie’s old uncle, Raúl, can’t seem to shake his past, leaving us to wonder why he has so many people on his tail.
As in the previous issues, the driving force of “Killer Groove” #3 is its three main protagonists. Each character has their own agenda and inner demons to overcome (though Masters has yet to reveal the eventual endgame for their stories). In Jackie, it’s clear that she’s deeply troubled or that something is haunting her, as we never see her without a bottle of alcohol in her hand. She was also primarily on her own until her uncle Raúl popped in on the scene. However, we can see that she actually does want to help people as a P.I. For instance, she is always willing to accept late payment for her fees, like from old man Marcus. Most importantly, she’s ready to kick ass at the drop of a hat. One of my favorite scenes is when she doesn’t hesitate to step in to help a woman who is being physically assaulted at a party. Marron’s art does a great job of highlighting Jackie’s fierce fighting skills in four play-by-play panels on page 15 – Jackie is swift and precise and you know she’s serious because she drops her precious bottle of booze.
In what sometimes feels like a totally different comic, Jonny’s character arc is a bit unusual in the sense that becoming a hitman has propelled his musical inspiration. Oftentimes with a character like Jonny, the protagonist might be in some type of dire situation where he needs the money from completing mob hits to survive. However, as his assassin buddy, Iggy, points out, Jonny’s already making loads of money from his musical career. The very first page of this issue offers a brilliant character summary of Jonny’s duality without any dialogue. Marron displays sided-by-side panels of his double life of music and murder. The coloring is also strong on this page as Bellaire uses bright lighting and red and yellow hues for the panels of Jonny’s concert while using greys and purples to bring a dark tone to his hit-man persona.
The main strength of Marron’s art in “Killer Groove” #3 is how well he transports us into gritty 1970s L.A. For example, there is a wide panel on page eight which shows the outside details of Jackie’s office – the building is dirty, run-down with cracks on the side and graffiti on the walls and fences. Another great example of the 70s vibes is at the party scene. The long hair, bell-bottoms, heavy drug use, and wood paneling on the walls are telling of the times. Master’s use of the era’s slang compliments the artwork, especially with Jonny’s use of phrases like “far out” and “It’s happening.”
While the characters’ individual stories are entertaining, there’s not much overall plot momentum in the story right now. Arguably, the most intriguing plot point is the mystery behind Raúl’s past dealings in Cuba and his involvement with the FBI. Why is he on the run? Who is after him? So far, Raúl has been mostly a side character, providing some comic relief to the story. However, with all this mystery surrounding him, I see the potential for some epic flashbacks or a massive FBI and mob showdown. Hopefully, the next issue can go deeper into his story.
Continued belowIn addition, some backstory to the other characters would be helpful in better understanding their motivations and actions and also allow us to invest more in their journeys. For instance, why is Jackie an alcoholic and why did she become a P.I.? I would be interested to know what motivates her to help people and what she hopes to accomplish overall.
While “Killer Groove” #3 lacks a smooth intersection between character arcs and plot momentum, it still leaves plenty of room for new developments. The end hints at the return of an earlier character, which might bring more interesting plot-driven action to the story. With the reunion between Jonny and Jackie, maybe the duo will engage in some adventures together.
Final Verdict: 7.1 – “Killer Groove” #3 lacks a cohesive plot structure, but the compelling characters and groovy 70s vibe keep my attention. As the main trio are brought together in this issue, hopefully, their stories will intersect more seamlessly as the series continues.
