Live at the Winter Garden
Writer: Arvid Nelson
Artist(s): Matt Camp (i), Dave Stewart (c)
Publisher: Dark Horse
If you picked up ZeroKiller you could certain be forgiven for looking at the red caped figure on the cover and assuming that this was another super-hero book. However, its mix of alternate history, brutal action and moral ambiguity sets it apart from the usual simplicity that is associated with the genre.
ZeroKiller takes place in an alternate timeline when the world went nuclear in 1973. The remnants of humanity have organized into two camps; JOCOM, a military organization formed from the remains of the U.S. government, and gangs, barely more than anarchist tribes that roam what remains of mostly submerged New York. Zero, as the protagonist introduces himself in this issue, makes his way in the latter group. He acts as a trash man, something akin to a bounty hunter and mercenary.
The beginning of ZeroKiller is something right out of Clockwork Orange. Anyone with a soul who’s seen that movie at one point or another probably wanted to see Alex get the snot beat out of him. Well, if Zero had been around there’s a good chance that might have happened. Zero’s introduction makes for an interesting look at the character. Disciplined, highly athletic and dangerous, he’s more interested in collecting on his bounty than saving the day. However, he’s not inhumanely callous or above the altruistic gesture. His appearance is also noteworthy; young, black and somewhat handsome, Zero’s costume (if you can call it that) resembles more of a Thai boxer than your average comic character. Perhaps most interesting, though, is the fact that Zero has few or no scars on his face and head. Given the dangerous nature of the work he does, this suggests that he is relatively new at the job, or extremely good.
From there, the reader follows Zero through New York, introducing both JOCOM and one of the major gang players in the area, the Black Cats. All in all, it’s an interesting introduction into the world that Zero inhabits. There are a few things that don’t make sense. For instance, when Zero runs into the local JOCOM representatives, they are flying in a Blackhawk helicopter. Given that the beginning of the book states that 90% of the Earth’s populace has been wiped out, it seems unlikely that military technology would advance at the same rate it does in our world.
More confusing, though, is the leader of the Black Cats, Black Dahlia. In barbaric and violent societies, women are often reduced to sexual slavery. The beginning of this book certainly suggests that this may be the case in ZeroKiller. However, Dahlia – who looks as if she has the upper body strength of a kitten – has somehow created her own gang while walking around in an outfit more fitting for a porn star. While a good reason for this may be revealed later down the road, it just seems like an excuse for gratuitous titty shots in this first issue.
All in all, though, the first issue is good enough that readers will want to stick around to see if the questions raised have answers. A cool, level-headed titular character living in a violent, anarchic world with a domineering military force on the fringe – what’s not to like?
If you liked this review, be sure to check out more of the author’s work at http://madbastard.hypersites.com.
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