Review - Lady Killer 2 #1 (@DarkHorseComics)

The role of a 60s housewife is one rife with casseroles and subservience to one's husband. The tables would likely be turned if more women had the tenacity that Josie of Lady Killer 2 #1 from Dark Horse Comics has. The issue is written and illustrated by Joëlle Jones and colored by Michelle Madsen.

The killer housewife is back! The Schuller family has moved to Cocoa Beach, Florida, where life carries on as usual. Josie continues to juggle Tupperware parties, her kids, and a few human heads. However, when someone from her past tails her on a hit, she may be in for more than she bargained for.

What stands out most in Jones' script is how effortlessly Josie can move between being a devoted housewife and a ruthless killer. Josie has moved on from the events in Seattle, but Jones still manages to make her life possibly more trouble than its worth because of her homicidal tendencies. Josie is calculating almost to a fault, yet there are still times when either her domestic or psychopathic lives are mired by ill consequences. And it can't be understated how deftly Jones plays with the dichotomous personalities that make up Josie as they're set against the nuclear family dynamic of the 1960s. Josie is everything she needs to be when putting on a front, but when it comes time to do what she does best she's exceptionally good at it.

Jone's artwork in Lady Killer 2 #1 is meticulously stunning. Josie is illustrated with strong lines that define her as an equally strong character, imposing a somewhat menacing presence when the killer in her takes over. Jones also fills out the pages with plenty of beautiful set-pieces that reflect an air of elitism at points while still managing to feel era-appropriate. Considering Josie kills as a profession the book could get mired down in blood and gore except that Jones and Madsen convey plenty of violence without the book feeling too bloody. Madsen's colors throughout cast a pall over the book that works very well in tandem with the artwork.

Lady Killer 2 #1 is a fantastic follow-up to a bold first volume. Josie can handle both of her roles with little difficulty as long as she knows the situation. Jones' script is a very enjoyable read that moves through pretty seamlessly. Her artwork is equally as seamless, rendering Josie as a very strong and capable woman completely confident in her abilities and expectations. Lady Killer 2 #1 is definitely worth reading if you checked out the first volume, but even if you didn't read that then Lady Killer 2 #1 is still worth your time.

Lady Killer 2 #1 is in stores August 3.