They say that crime doesn’t pay, but they clearly haven’t met Kylie Hart. From the mind of Joey Esposito comes a haunting twist to true crime that marries the worst parts of humanity and asks the question: How far are you willing to go for recognition and fame?

In this formidable 40-page first issue, we follow Kylie Hart, an ambitious journalist determined to turn her investigative instincts into a fully-fledged career. She has her current sights set on a string of murders occurring in her hometown of Eden, a small city where no one really leaves; however, this statement ends up ringing true permanently for the victims of Melvin Duffy, a self-obsessed murderer with aspirations of becoming a world-renowned killer.

As first introductions go, this is an amazing foray into Esposito’s writing. The dialogue feels authentic to the characters, and the depravity and downright callousness exhibited by Kylie and Melvin is unfortunately believable. It’s a grim tone, but one that I see time and time again in the real world––especially on social media where people are always trying to get ahead with a viral video, no matter the cost. Esposito excels at demonstrating the monstrous side of humans, and with this just being the first issue, I’m excited to see where the story goes next.

Burzo’s art acts as a wonderful complement to the realism of Killer Influences, which is further elevated by Azpiazu’s coloring, opting for a bleaker color palette. The flatter colors encapsulate the Pacific Northwest’s rainy atmosphere, as well as remind the reader what kind of story they’re getting themselves into.

Killer Influences #1 makes its sinister presence known to comic readers worldwide and elects to step out of the shadows with a powerful introduction that’ll have you struggling to breathe.

Creative Team: Joey Esposito (writer), Valeria Burzo (artist), Iñaki Azpiazu (colorist), Alex Ray (letterer), Dave Wielgosz (editor)
Publisher: IDW Publishing
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