A famous Hollywood Animal Trainer, Doctor Kermit Groeden, and his only client/best friend—Amigo the Ape, the first gorilla ever nominated for an Academy Award—are framed for a crime they didn’t commit. Now they’re on the run. And to clear their names and save their lives, Kermit and Amigo will be forced to reveal their darkest secrets and confront each other’s hidden past. Will their friendship be able to survive? A story about secrets, sins, and simians. Crimes Against Nature #1 is a hell of a start that shouldn’t be missed.

With Eliot Rahal as the writer, Crimes Against Nature #1 was very likely to be a good read. It’s far more than that, it’s a great read and another amazing debut this year. The concept is fresh, interesting, and delivers some layers that readers can contemplate or ignore and just enjoy the basic concept.

Individuals being framed for a murder and having to prove their innocence has been done many times before. But Crimes Against Nature #1 gives it a spine where the individual that’s maybe guilty is a gorilla… an Academy Award nominated gorilla, who’s on the run with his trainer/best friend. It’s a story of an unlikely duo in a bad spot in so many ways. It builds and builds until it hits you… well technically Amigo hits someone.

Rahal delivers an interesting pair of lead characters. Groeden as the main human lead is an intriguing character. Rahal paints him as an asshole generally. Someone that flies off the handle, being aggressive and a bit mean to others. He’s protective of Amigo, acting as his interpreter but also his friend. He comes off as that slightly asshole manager where you can’t tell if they really care for their client or they care because they’re a client. Still, Groeden is shown protecting Amigo in some ways, while Amigo performs for audiences. The individual who’s told what to do with little input or layers to go through to give it, feels like it could be so much, the state of creatives hired in general, the non-managerial worker. Groeden comes off as the manager class, able to get away with a bit more than the lowly worker and abuse those around him with only major fuck ups coming to bite them in the ass. And that’s what happens…

The art by Mattia Monaco is fantastic. The comic’s style has a bit of insanity to it where it feels a bit over the top in that exaggerated Hollywood sort of way. From talk shows to Vegas casinos, the art adds so much setting the tone and vibe of the comic. It could have been played off as serious and gritty but it’s somewhere between that and camp when it comes to the art… and that’s a really good thing. The comic would be very different if played straight and serious. Instead, there’s a bit of an excess to it all. Monaco also does a fantastic job of delivering the emotion. Groeden comes off as angry and unhinged at times while Amigo has a reserved, almost sad, aspect to him. This is a great combo of writer and artist.

I loved the sound of the concept going into the comic but it exceeded my already high expectations. It nails it’s concept and has me hooked to see where it goes. Under its surface, the concept is one we’ve seen many times before, the wrong person is killed forcing others to go on the run. But, the details and how it’s presented is new and fresh and has us putting the series on our “must read” list.

Story: Eliot Rahal Art: Mattia Monaco Letters: Mattia Monaco
Story: 9.0 Art: 9.0 Overall: 9.0 Recommendation: Buy

Image Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review

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