So as I went into reading this debut, I knew a few things about the comic. I knew that it was a western with a supernatural tinge. I knew that it was narrated by a dead bunny. And I knew it came from two wildly talented creators, Kelly Sue DeConnick and Emma Rios. That being said, this book surprised me.

I’ve seen a lot of westerns, and I’ve seen a lot of supernatural movies and television, and read a lot of supernatural comics. Pretty Deadly set itself apart immediately, from the very first page. It structures itself more like a folktale than a western or a supernatural story. To have wildlife as narrators is a classic folktale move, dead or not. And the song/poem Sissy recites in the first major scene smacks of finality and destiny, abetted by the use of images like Tarot cards. Right off the bat this story seems preordained and unshakeable; we’re just along for the ride, as are the characters. Death finds everyone. As Bunny says when Butterfly asks if Fox and Sissy rode fast enough to escape, Bunny says, “Of course not, Butterfly. It never could have been.”

The narrative itself though is a little confusing. In fact, the woman who seems to be the driving force of the story, Deathface Ginny, the daughter of Death, is hardly even in this issue. I don’t think Ginny and Big Alice are the same (Alice lacks the skeleton marking on her face), and we only get four widescreen panels of Ginny on the very last page, and she’s just riding a horse. In fact, I’m not sure I could explain what this issue is about. It does such a great job with mood and tone, but the characters just aren’t quite there yet, the fact of which isn’t helped much by the semi-non linear narrative. There’s a pervasive sense of doom accompanying this book, and it has the kernels of a really fun and interesting story, but I think we’re going to have to wait until the second issue to see if the story is as fun as it could be.

One thing that is amazing about this book, though, is the art. Jordie Bellaire is at her best in a western setting. Towns are dust and brown and dirty, but the scenes of night and sunset in the desert are absolutely breathtaking. The skies move in blues and pinks and purples in a classic western, but still so vivid, manner. Emma Rios’ art is richly detailed, capturing the grit and grime of the western lifestyle perfectly, and the first few pages of the bunny and butterfly are lush in a way that’s hard to describe. Needless to say, this art is worth an extended reading. I tend to rush through pages to find out what comes next in the story, but if you slow down and really examine and savor each moment, you’ll constantly be rewarded.

Pretty Deadly is an intense book that manages to introduce a lot of moods, feelings, and story ideas into its debut. It’s unquestionably high quality work, and I like that the story tries to do interesting things structurally and narratively, even if the sum doesn’t quite measure up. It shows ambition and love, and I can’t wait to read the next issue.

Story: Kelly Sue DeConnick Art: Emma Rios Colors: Jordie Bellaire
Story: 8 Art: 9.5 Overall: 9 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review.