One of the new comic books coming out this Fall that caught my attention was Ethan S. Parker and Griffin Sheridan’s Killy Your Darling. The preview for Kill Your Darlings #1 presented a dark twist to a child creating an imaginary world to play I that looks to have a lot of depth for why it is happening. The deeper mystery of this dark world being presented creates a lot of questions for what is going on with the main character. We got a chance to read an advance copy of Kill Your Darlings #1. Find out how it turned out with our advance review.
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer: Ethan S. Parker and Griffin Sheridan
Artist: Bob Quinn and John J. Hill
SOLICITATION
“Eight-year-old Rose loves nothing more than to play pretend in a magical land of her own creation. To her, that world is as real as our own; from her fluffy friends to the terrible evil that lurks at the center of it all. In one night, the line between fantasy and reality will disappear, an ancient hunger will feed again, and Rose will be pulled into a gruesome saga that began centuries before her birth.
A new epic begins from debut writers ETHAN S. PARKER and GRIFFIN SHERIDAN, and superstar art team BOB QUINN (Knights of X) and JOHN J. HILL (VANISH)!” – Image Comics
REVIEW
Kill Your Darling #1 does something important right out of the gate in making sure that the twist in how fantasy and horror are blended with reality doesn’t come out of left field. Right away we open with a scene that provides the set-up for how this story can become something much bigger than the 1990s suburbs setting we get from most of this first issue. Setting that tone from the beginning makes when we do get the shift by the end to come off as a payoff to get us started with the bigger journey this series will be about.
While the opening does plant seeds for future plot points it is to the credit of Ethan S. Parker and Griffin Sheridan writing that you are immersed in Rose home and school setting. Parker and Sheridan capture how an eight-year old would create their own fantasy world to play in. You get how Rose’s love of fantasy has her not be limited by space of her home. In her mind the world she has created is endless.
At the same time, we see how Rose’s home life isn’t perfect. Parker and Sheridan are careful about making sure that Rose isn’t oblivious to her mother’s financial situation. But as with any young child that awareness is only at a top-level. Though as a reader we see how this home life has an impact on other parts of Rose’s life that she doesn’t fully comprehend because she is a kid. Having that depth added to how you buy into the real world setting Parker and Sheridan create.
Because of that buy in when the left turn in Kill Your Darling story happens it is shocking. The moment is something that you immediately question what is going on. Which gets you to remember the opening and wonder if that is playing a factor we will learn about in the future. The drastic shift that happens in the latter half of the issue is a dark turn that provides equal interest for the real and fantasy worlds of Kill Your Darling.
Bob Quinn and John J. Hill artwork is equally well-done. The choice in color palette is an important one. With the part of the story that is happening in the real world we get more of a muted color palette while in the fantasy world the color palette is much more colorful. That helps to make the two stories going on reflect Rose’s real life with her imaginary one. When the twist in the story happens you feel the impact with how the color palette further emphasizes how dark things have become.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Kill Your Darling #1 is one of the best series debuts of the year. The creative team does a phenomenal job blending fantasy and reality in an immersive way. The shocking twist leaves you wanting to find out what will happen in this story next.
Story Rating: 9 Night Girls out of 10
Art Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 8.5 Night Girls out of 10