Review: Killer Groove Issue One

Review by David Ferguson

• Artist: Eoin Marron
• Writer: Ollie Masters
• Colorist: Jordie Bellaire
• Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

I tend to try to avoid spoilers on reviews so I checked out the solicit to see what it had to say so, if you haven’t read that, spoilers ahead.

The story centres around scruffy looking Jonny, a would be musician, who hasn’t really gone anywhere and is now playing and working in a bar. The creative team really play up how much of loser he is with his look and facial expressions, how people respond to music (they hate it or show apathy to it) and where he plays, a dive bar that seems to only play host to low-lifes (including another featured character, P.I., Jackie).

Things change for Jonny when he gets tangled up in a mob hit, a very well played action sequence that breaks up the downbeat sequence that sets up Jonny’s mediocre existence. This event, to him, appears to make him play better. Again, the team play this up with enthusiastic reactions from others and a facial expression we have never seen during our brief time with Jonny. So we are hit with the premise and it is a very intriguing premise. It works for me as it is a little bit out there but one could argue it is very much grounded in reality. Musicians, like a lot of creative types, can be pretty superstitious. Therefore, it wouldn’t be far fetched for one to make a leap that one thing, the hit incident, caused the other, his playing better. There could be no connection at all. It will be interesting to see where this leads Jonny, what will he do, and justify to himself, to continue to play well.

There is also a secondary story involving Jackie. Another loser, who doesn’t seem to have many customers and probably drinks too much (the first time we see her is in the dive bar, so that tells us something about her character). Not only that, it appears she attracts trouble but I think I’ll leave the second thread for you to discover yourselves.

The first issue serves up some intriguing threads so works for me as a first issue. The premise is a bit out there but at the same time it is grounded in the pulp world the team have created. I really like the design elements of the book from the record style cover to interior art. It isn’t “part one” or “chapter one”, it is “track one.” Everything says pulp and music. There were even some custom guitar picks created to promote the book. Personally, I’m hoping for a playlist for each issue (maybe a track for each “track”). Anyway, I am looking forward to seeing where the music takes us.