After a successful Kickstarter campaign and arriving in the post this week, my pick of the week is the fantastic Killtopia: Phantoms #1 from Dave Cook Comics.
Inspired by Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the Shell, Akira, Perfect Blue, the horror manga of Junji Ito, Killtopia: Phantoms dives into the darker site of Neo Tokyo, as a mass mind hacker raises hell across the sprawling neon metropolis.
After the hacker makes everyone in Shibuya see their worst fears come to life before their eyes, the elite police unit Phantoms is tasked with finding the hacker before their deadly manipulation goes global.
The unit’s top member is Bloody Mary, a disgraced ex-Wrecker and hero who helped to stop Killtopia #5’s mech invasion. Desperately searching for a way to win back her fame, Mary joins the hunt for the hacker, while wrestling with her own dark trauma.
As Phantoms searches for the mind hacker, its members are thrust into a world of brutal psychological horror, Yakuza turf wars, shady government cells and more.
Welcome to the new age of fear!
The award-winning cyberpunk series continues with its second story arc! This 24-page first issue was created by the dream team of Dave Cook (writer), Clark Bint (artist), Emma Oosterhouse (colourist) and Micah Myers (letterer).
Following on from the excellent initial Killtopia arc, Phantoms throws us into the story as we see what came next! There is an excellent framing technique that allows us, as readers, to get straight into the story.
The various characters are well introduced, and I really like the different reactions and factions that are involved in the story. Of course, there is something deeper here, and the plan looks to be an interesting one that draws you in.
The artwork - combining the character expressions and actions - is excellent, along with some brilliant scenery for the Killtopia world.
If you haven’t read the previous story, then check it out, but I would say you can jump straight in and get into this excellent story.
Get it and more at Dave Cook Comics’ Store:
