As a child born in 1970s but really raised in 1980s, the movies I grew up watching what are now considered cinematic classics. The movies of Dennis Hopper and George Lucas showed two different sides of growing up in this era. Easy Rider gave birth to a generation of filmmakers whose love for storytelling gave new and exciting visions. Then there are those films made by Roger Corman and Henry Hill, which some looked at as “B” movies while others saw them as simple exploitation films.

As someone who fell in love with movies, these films entertained and kept my eyes glued to the screen. These movies, now affectionally referred to as, “Grindhouse,” were everything everyone had said about them but actually so much more. They showed fearlessness that few film auteurs dare to show today. The stories told were outrageous but fun and enjoyable. In the debut issue of Maggie X, Bitch With A Chainsaw #1, we’re taken to a post-apocalyptic world and a woman with an extraordinary skill set for taking out zombies.

Meet Maggie X, a zombie killing agent, who is going through her routine psych debrief. She’s forced to talk about all her feelings. One would think with all the blood and gore she has seen she’d be traumatized. She’s instead resolute. This world is a reality where zombies outnumber humans and the agency Maggie X works for is one with its own share of secrets. Maggie X has to take on a new partner Jed, an agent who she has had a contentious relationship within the past. They’re soon dispatched to a strip club where their intel suggests a zombie infection has spread amongst the strippers. What they discover is far worse than what they ever expected.

Overall, the debut issue is an engaging story that is both fun and gory. The comic is a must for exploitation film fans. The story by Bryce Raffle is funny, contains well-written dialogue, and is action packed. The art by the creative team is vivid and realistically drawn. Altogether, a story that gives a dose of fun into the zombie genre.

Story: Bryce Raffle Art: Beth Varni, Rodrigo Ramos, and Lettersquids
Story: 10 Art: 9.5 Overall: 9.7 Recommendation: Buy