When I started into this new story arc from the amazing talent that is Larime Taylor, I was wondering if my concussion was acting up. This issue is in color… Really nice dark toned color that makes the whole issue pop quite nicely. Then I remembered when reading letters from the first story arc issues that Mr. Taylor was playing with the idea of color. So, I felt relieved to know that I wasn’t seeing things and this issue was in fact in color. One of the appeals from the first story arc was that the black and white art gave the whole story a strange detachment that worked quite well as the reader followed the story of likable up and coming serial killer Zoey Aarons, a dedicated college student who has a little bit of a dark side to say the least. I feared that the color might somehow kill (pun intended) that mood that was prevalent within the first arc. I actually was worried.
When reading this one however, I soon realized that my fears and concern were all for nothing. Everything looks simply wonderful and this opening arc issue starts off with a bang and never really stops.
As with the first arc, the reader is given a witness window to future events that occur to Zoey and an unknown guy that doesn’t look to promising. Taylor from there goes back and we return to the ending of the first arc. Since Zoey’s brutal, clean, (and supposedly) silent double murder, things have been pretty good. Life has returned to normal with the slight exception that Ms. Aarons apparently has a stalker. But this stalker is no ordinary one. It appears that this stalker is a person who shares some of Zoey’s hobbies of homicide. During this issue, Zoey meets this stranger and a budding relationship of sorts seems to be occurring.
Larime Taylor’s writing continues to be impressive, capturing inner moods and outward appearances and how the two can be quite opposite. His interaction and pacing between the future and past help the story flow as you desire to see how our characters got to the ending being presented. It is a strong touch.
And art wise, well I am still extremely impressed with Taylor’s abilities. He draws with a richness that allows the reader to focus on different items that help to convey the overall theme. And the color… It really does offer an enhancement as we are graduating into a new era of Zoey.
I am curious to see where the outcome will occur in the arc. Of course, Get Your Gun has some pretty big shoes to fill after the first arc. It is off to an awesome start though.
Score: 5/5
Writer/Artist: Larime Taylor Publisher: Image/Top Cow Price: $2.99 Release Date: 9/24/14 Format: Mini-Series; Print/Digital