Kelly Gaines 4/18/18 Kelly Gaines 4/18/18

Review: Assassinistas #4

By Kelly Gaines

Assassinistas continues to confound me. #4 has raised some serious questions about how conjugal visits work, what qualifies as bad parenting for a spy, and exactly how easy is it to function after being stabbed? It’s a whirlwind story in the best way. Assassinistas offers no chance to catch your breath once an issue is started. It’s action, action, action. Well- It’s Espionage, sex, stabbing- and that’s fine too. We pick up again with the over 30 superspies as Octavia and her son (and her son’s boyfriend) search for Charlotte’s son, Charlotte reaches out to Octavia’s ex because she suspects Octavia of being the kidnapper, and Rosalyn continues to be an asshole and reminisces about other times she was an asshole. If you can keep the characters straight, Assassinistas is pure fun. There’s quite a bump of time between issues, but opening with a quick recap is an easy fix- one I wish comics would use more frequently.

Kelly Gaines 1/31/18 Kelly Gaines 1/31/18

Review: Black Crown Quarterly #2

By Kelly Gaines

Does your mom want you to stop conducting interrogations in her kitchen? Have your disco days put you at serious risk for throwing out your back? If so, you’re not as alone as you may think.

Let me start by saying that I have never experienced a comic book quite like The Black Crown Quarterly before. That may say more about my need to branch out than it does about the book, but this issue was a ridiculously fun read with a unique and well-executed format. Imagine a mix of short, well-written articles surrounded by intermittent stories ranging from hilarious comedies to crime noir- all of which have top quality writing. As a comic book reader, it’s easy to pick up on when a writer is just phoning it in to reach a deadline, and when they’re dedicated to delivering high-quality work regardless of the subject matter or page count. As of issue #2, Black Crown is still delivering strong.

Kelly Gaines 1/17/18 Kelly Gaines 1/17/18

Review: Assassinistas #2

By Kelly Gaines

Assassinistas #2 turns bringing your child to work on its head in a well-paced and hilarious way. For anyone who missed issue one, #2 starts out with a brief recap, laying the groundwork for the bizarre spy adventure ahead. The premise is simply stated, but nonetheless unique. A college guy and his boyfriend (Dominic and Taylor) tag along with his ex-bounty hunter mother (Octavia) to solve the kidnapping of a little boy. The catch? The little boy is the son of one of her former teammates- one currently too pregnant to take the case herself. The other catch? The case may bring the former “Assassinistas” a little closer to home than they expected.

Benjamin Snyder 12/20/17 Benjamin Snyder 12/20/17

Review: Assassinistas #1

By Ben Snyder

The trope of an ex-assassin being pulled back into their old line of work has been done so many times before with varying degrees of success. Lady Killer has been a fun, easy read from recent memory, while films such as John Wick have been tremendous box office success. Assassinistas #1 creates its own standard as a somewhat more indie candidate. With art that looks ripped right out an Adult Swim program and a story packed with enough emotion and humor to keep it interesting, Assassinistas proves to be a stellar read.