This past year has been an interesting one for music festivals. So many disasters, failures, cancelations, and just odd stories, they’ve stood out as a great backdrop for someone to use. We’re getting that with Killchella #1 that has a group of friends getting together for some music… and some murder.
Written by Mario Candelaria, Killchella #1 is an interesting start. There’s really two aspects to it. There’s the group of friends getting together as well as the body count that’s slowly rising. The former is easy to get into. The latter is a bunch of teases that’s the “hook” of it all.
What’s more impressive is Candelaria takes what should be a group of friends we dislike and makes them likeable. There’s the actress, some wrestlers, all a bit affluent and disconnected from reality. This isn’t me and my buddies stoned going to a concert. There’s money here but there’s something about this group that’s relatable.
The murders are interesting. The opening has a Scream aspect about it delivering some kills to open the comic much like each film opened with an ever escalating scene. And Candelaria might have used that to make the friends tolerable in a way. The first two deaths are a duo who feel like they’re in it “for the gram” constantly looking for that good photo and not living in the moment. They’re the individuals you want to slap. And in comparison, the latter group is living in the moment, friends getting together.
Serg Acuña‘s art is solid and entertaining. The kills are gruesome but not over the top. The friends getting together feels a bit out of reach in style but not so much that you disconnect as a reader. There’s a use of the settings to create a more relaxed environment that then leads to the eventual bodies. The art should get interesting as the deaths and chaos ratchet up even further.
There’s something fun about Killchella #1. It has a horror vibe that’s relaxed in some ways, a feeling I got when I watched Scream for the first time. it’s an updated feel and look but at its roots, it’s a classic slasher.
Story: Mario Candelaria Art: Serg Acuña
Color: Katherine Lobo Letterer: Matt Krotzer
Story: 8.0 Art: 8.0 Overall: 8.0 Recommendation: Buy
Scout Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review
Purchase: Zeus Comics
