I read the first issue of this series and while I enjoyed it, it also felt like it was an over the top violent series whose violence is the draw. It was Bond mixed with Tarantino where it’s not enough to dispatch the enemy, it’s about how you do it. Does the head explode? What instrument do you use to stab?
Die!Die!Die #6 had an opportunity to bring in new readers in a week where there’s not much on the shelves and instead of a solid entry point, we’re delivered an issue deep into the story with a rather confusing plot and too many references not explained. Die!Die!Die #6 is for those already in the know and reading the series.
Robert Kirkman and Scott M. Gimple deliver an issue that’s an origin of sorts but has so many sidetracks it’s hard to stay focused an interested. Instead of just delivering on an origin, that’d be a draw, it meanders through the grand conspiracy that only really makes sense if you’ve read the previous five issues.
There is a lot that’s great here though and that’s what’s frustrating. Instead of just focusing on one or two aspects the issue packs too much in with too little explanation. We get the “origin” of the “Beatles kids” and that alone should have been the focus of the issue. But, we also get agents in the field and bits about political jockeying. There’s a bit too much and the comic comes off as unfocused.
The art by Chris Burnham with color by Nathan Fairbairn, and lettering by Rus Wooton is solid. There’s brothers involved, quadruplets actually, and each is given a style unto themselves to differentiate them. There’s the expected blood and gore and all together the art creates a stage that defies the violent and twisted content within. And that seems to be part of the point. It comes together as if classical music is played during a murder scene and the scene itself is rather calm and serene.
The issue is a fine one if you’ve been reading the series put it comes off a bit as a bit unfocused with the wrong lessons taken from Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon’s work. All violence and flash and little more. An issue that just told one or two aspects of everything covered within would have not just been more of a winner but also a better entry point, and hook, for a week when there’s so little on the shelf and higher chance folks will check the series out.
Story: Robert Kirkman, Scott M. Gimple Art: Chris Burnham
Color: Nathan Fairbairn Lettering Rus Wooton
Story: 6.0 Art: 7.5 Overall: 6.0 Recommendation: Pass
Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
