The latest Image Comics release is an all-new original series, Kill Your Darlings. The story bridges the gap between horror and fantasy with the vividness of childhood imagination. The print debut of writing team Ethan S. Parker and Griffin Sheridan, illustrated by Bob Quinn (Knights of X ) with lettering by John J. Hill -- Kill Your Darlings #1 delivers on an ambitious concept with impressive results.
Kill Your Darlings #1 opens with a traumatic flashback to 1692 before cutting ahead to meet Rose in 1995. A bright and imaginative eight-year-old, Rose spends her time in a rich fantasy land of her own making. She's left to her own devices as her doting but stressed mom tries to make ends meet. Everything seems normal in reality and the make-believe world of Rosewood until an ancient and mysterious evil threatens both.
The writing of Kill Your Darlings #1 is impressive. Parker and Sheridan create and populate a brand-new world. The writers' initial concept is refreshingly novel, building the intricacies of Rose's world before the horror elements come into play and subvert the story. Their characters are great -- memorable but understated, with a host of subtle dimensions. Parker and Sheridan's world-building follows these same principles, relying on the reader's sense of nuance to navigate the simplistic world of a child in a way that is effective and rewarding.
The dialogue and narration are all naturalistic and convincing, particularly from Rose. It never comes across as grating or contrived. Instead, this first issue works as an authentic representation of a child's perspective. Kill Your Darlings #1 is also surprisingly funny in a buoyant and often ironic way that balances wit and earnestness. The conclusion of the first issue is a total gut-punch after all the wonderful exposition, structured perfectly to deliver maximum emotional devastation. It all tees up the next issue to be a radical and exciting departure from this debut.
Quinn's art is dense, complex, and absolutely stunning. It features a great deal of texture and photorealism baked into the illustration. The panel design of Kill Your Darlings #1 is engaging and dynamic, creating a sense of momentum and emotion from one page to the next, including some striking full-page spreads that bookend the comic and punctuate big moments. The characters are gorgeously expressive, from the imaginary denizens of Rose's army to the people in the real world. It all feels vividly illustrated and layered with personality and intention. The deliberate contrast of fantasy elements with their reality counterparts is well-executed and exceptionally charming.
Quinn's colors are faultless throughout Kill Your Darlings #1. It's incredible work that tightly controls the tone and setting of the comic. Quinn draws sharp visual delineations between the technicolor fantasy world and the dour tones of reality. Those sequences rely on browns and grays to convey the drudgery of the real world. Quinn's stunning understanding of light and depth creates some absolutely breathtaking moments and runs the gamut from tender to blood-curdling. The letters of Kill Your Darlings #1 are infused with the same verve and creativity as the rest of the comic. Hill utilizes multiple fonts and colors to bring Rose's fantasy world to life. The alternate font used for her imaginary friends is great, adding a different gravity of Rosewood while containing some nice flourishes and sound effects.
Kill Your Darlings #1 is an ambitious and unique project. It brims with talent from every aspect of the creative team. Despite being a predominantly expository issue, the story features a great sense of progression. It takes a subtle enough approach that it never feels exhausting. The opening of the story unfolds with a natural and organic feeling that lends itself well to a new series. The conclusion of the comic is a bold and gut-wrenching turn, demonstrating that the series is only beginning to reveal its true potential.