In the recorded history of murders, there have been times when serial killers overlap in the same time and place. It doesn’t happen all that often, but when it does, a city can easily crumble under the weight of fear and paranoia. Those Not Afraid #1 is the start of a new serial killer thriller comic series that starts with the seemingly simple premise of two serial killers operating in the same city at the same time, but takes it in an original direction with the many layers to the story.
Podcaster Cece Galloway covers the new killings almost begrudgingly when she makes an astonishing statement: Both murderers are quite close to beating the town’s thirty-year-old serial killer body count of 57. Shortly thereafter, one of our villains interrupts the kill scene of the other. Though they have very different styles and MOs, they form a shaky “friendship” and agree to compete for the record of the most kills. But that’s just the beginning of the many facets to this story, and the reader is soon pulled into this intricately woven tale.
Writer Kyle Sparks is known for injecting comedy into horror, and though this comic steers into the true crime aspect of horror, there are definitely some comedic moments, particularly with serial killer Mark, the more dynamic of the two. The choice to begin the comic with a disturbing quote from Richard Ramirez sets the scene for a plot that could easily reach horrifying depths. Though there are many facets to the story, it comes alive with impactful twists and turns, all of which make for a promising, new series.
From the very first panel, artist Patrick Piazzalunga grabs the reader with striking images. Heavy shading alongside the use of dismal browns and gruesome reds provide all the doom and gloom necessary to underscore the stakes while giving movement to the story. He seamlessly jumps from normal, everyday life to the darkest depths of depravity. There is a particular splash page that jumps out with incredible symbolism and insightful storytelling, though there is no dialogue on the page. If the reader only experienced that one page, they would know exactly what this character was about, an enormous testament to Piazzalunga’s talent.
With so many interesting roads this series can travel, Those Not Afraid #1 is the perfect opener, guaranteeing a roller coaster of true crime fun while drawing the reader into a dark corridor they will not soon escape.
Creative Team: Kyle Sparks (writer), Patrick Piazzalunga (artist), Marco Brakko (colorist), Jim Campbell (letterer), Glenn Fabry with Karen Holloway (Cover A artist), Patrick Piazzalunga with Marco Brakko (Cover B artist)
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Click here to purchase.
