Ah, teenage murder with a side of humor. Twisted plots, edge-of-the-seat suspense, and a whole lot of crazy. Welcome back to The Murder Club.
SPOILERS BELOW for The Murder Club (Useless Deaths – Part 1)
As we learned in Useless Deaths – Part 2, Lisa lives a boring, routine, teenage life. She attends a private school, where she meets Tom who believes they both have macabre ideals lurking deep inside. Tom talks her into the “perfect murder,” where they coax a fellow student, Edward, into committing suicide, while framing another student, Blake, into being the responsible party.
Tom convinces Lisa that he has already pushed Edward over the edge, and that she must do her part: crime scene clean-up and framing Blake. From there, the plan encounters a massive twist and some hiccups, but Tom always seems to be right on top of everything. Maybe a little too much.
Where I really enjoyed Useless Deaths – Part 1, I absolutely loved Part 2. Lisa is the perfect protagonist: dark, mysterious, devious, and cunning. Yet, despite her psychopathy, there is something that endears the reader to her. Tom is what every reader loves to hate, and his personality plays out perfectly on the pages. The humor in this second part is outstanding, as well. For instance, there is a little “murder diagram” on page 30 that had me laughing for quite some time after reading it. The twists and turns keep coming, right up to the last panel, making for a completely engrossing read that doesn’t let go until the end – and even then, it sticks with you.
Again, as with Part 1, the art is phenomenal. I love the way it complements the storyline, bringing these characters to life through expressions and action. The reader can feel the frustration, the scares, and all of the craziness the story has to offer.
The Murder Club (Useless Deaths – Part 2) is the final graphic novel in the series for the Useless Deaths tales and includes parts 4-6. At the end of the story, creator Tony Cooper promises he has more stories involving the characters to be shared with the world based on the success of Useless Deaths. Um, Tony – don’t keep us hanging on too long. These stories are far too amazing to not continue the journey. Plus, you have a lot of fans of Lisa and Tom that know way too much about your little club… so let’s not stop the fun now… okay? <insert evil laugh>
Creative Team: Tony Cooper (Creator, Writer, Artist)
Website: www.hungryblackbird.com
Click here to purchase.
