Going back to the original idea that spawned this world, The Fabulous Killjoys get a total overhaul in this new mini-series from Gerard Way and Shaun Simon. The future is bulletproof! / The aftermath is secondary! / It’s time to do it now and do it loud! / Killjoys, make some noise!
Cover by Leonardo Romero &
Jordie BellarieWritten by Gerard Way & Shaun Simon
Illustrated by Leonardo Romero
Colored by Jordie Bellaire
Lettered by Nate Piekos of BlambotIf you were a fan of My Chemical Romance’s final album: “The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys” and were expecting a comic book series from Gerard Way that would both live up to the hyped concept of that album, and the quality of his surprise debut hit “The Umbrella Academy,” there is a chance that you were left underwhelmed and possibly confused by the initial ‘Killjoys’ outing. The book wasn’t bad, but there was a distinct disconnect from the album and it never felt like a fully realized creation. It is also presumably safe to say that Way may have felt the same about that effort because he and Shaun Simon (“Neverboy”) are back with a whole new take on these characters and this world of dust and neon they inhabit.
The issue opens up some time in the early 2000s of this world. Leader of the Killjoys, Mike Milligram has been shot, and is bleeding to death in a dark, disgusting alleyway. Lamenting about his life and the choices he’s made, we are teleport-ed into the past of 1990s, just after The Analog Wars have come to an end. The gangs are trying to figure out their place in this new world. Most are willing to submit to their new capitalist overlords, ‘Mom and Dad,’ but the Killjoys don’t want to go down without a fight. By giving in these rebels across the various gangs will lose their individuality or lose their lives.
Mike and the Killjoys lose their way soon after. Reality is crumbling. Mike loses his grip on what is real and what is a delusion. In the middle of this new mundane life that doesn’t seem like his own, but he is imprisoned in, Mike takes it upon himself to return to his old ways the best he can, and get the gang back together. Hitting the road may be the best, and the last big decision he makes.
This premiere issue is a bit of a beast at 48 big pages, but it moooves. There is a lot of ground to cover, but both writers hit a great pace. They give us a great introduction to this wasteland, the re-imagining of the Killjoys and those around them, and craft an excellent storm of conflict. Way and Simon handle the dialogue in an interesting way. Because Mike is our narrator, and Mike’s having a break with reality, most of the storytelling, while seemingly clear and direct it also has an odd dream-like and manic quality from time to time. And like any good story that is based on a concept album, there are direct connections to lyrics without being excessively dropped in. When characters, environments, or ideas that are directly referenced in the lyrics come up, fans will get the reference, but the writers never drop full lines into the book. Thankfully they’re just well placed and subtle moments and/or easter eggs.
Aside from an interesting script, the art team on this book is simply incredible. Artist Leonardo Romero (“Doctor Strange,” Batman ’66”) is a perfect choice for this neo-retro world of leather clad, ray gun toting anarchists. His thin line work lends itself beautifully to Way’s creation. Everything is neat and deliberate, not a detail out of place. The finished work has the sharpened lines of Sean Murphy with the era-leaping wink and quick punch of Darwyn Cooke. It’s the kind of work that so exactly nails an aesthetic you almost hate the artist for being able to do something that speaks to you so deeply. Put these illustrations together with Jordie Bellaire (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “The Vision”) and you get the grit of Mad Max, the wacky high octane of Speed Racer, and the bubblegum pop of “Archie.” Blend all that together with a punk rock sneer and oh baby is it fun to look at.
Continued belowI know I’m biased because Bellaire is one of my favorite colorists, but damn does she make everything look good. She is one of the few artists who just magically knows how to color every detail in a book, always meeting a style to fully tell a story no matter what the illustrations look like or what genre the book falls into. Once it leaves her hands you know it is colored the way it was meant to be. As this issue moves between Mike’s present day edge-of-death scenario to his various flashbacks and jump through his psyche, Bellaire’s colors match each scene to perfection going from a muted, yet gorgeous blurred vision, to bold and brightly popping palettes. Every pages is something to behold.
The fun thing about a book like this is that it proudly wears its influences on its sleeve, all while proving that it is something new to stand on its own. Sure it’s a little self-indulgent in terms of story, but overall it works. Everyone is having fun on this book, and that can easily transfer to the reader. If the finished story achieves what it sets out to do, this could be one of the better modern cyberpunk comics. If nothing else there is some imagery in here that would make Philip K. Dick proud.
Final Verdict: 8.0, A fun hodge podge of punk rock sci-fi that has a lot to say. Here’s hoping it has the room to grow and tell the story it wants/needs to.
