Milkman Murders (TPB)

An abusive junkie of a husband, a cruel & and careless son, a whore of a daughter, a repugnant & sadistic milkman & a lonely mother trying desperately to hold her family together is pushed to her absolute limit. Is it worth crying over spilt milk? Maybe worth a little murder or two. There goes the neighbourhood.

The Team

Written by Joe Casey (Superman/Batman : Big Noise, Officer Downe : Big Better Bastard Edition HC, Rock Bottom) & illustrated by Steve Parkhouse (Resident Alien, Doctor Who Classics Omnibus Vol. 2, Angel Fire). Published by Image Comics

The Pros

A twisted and demented look at domestic abuse and the state of the American family gone horribly wrong. The mother of a family who’s hanging on by the skin of her teeth will make you cringe, angry & sad all rolled into one big ball of sympathy and bitter hate. The members of this family, with the exception of the mother, are some of the most pathetic excuses for human beings, for lack of a better word and some of the most despicable people printed in a comic book that I’ve ever read. Just looking at these douche bags, especially the father, made me want to crawl into the panels and give him a good beating. The mother daydreams of a perfect family life like her favourite TV show Leave It To Mother, a “Leave It To Beaver” knockoff show from the 1950’s. Your heart really goes out to her, as you hope she somehow pulls through this nightmare and you cheer her on as she executes her final solution.

Writer Joe Casey has written a tale that made me adore it & despise it at the same time, I think because somewhere out there exists a real family like this one and that’s one frightening thought. Milk seems to be a recurring factor in this story, when we think of milk, we think of purity, wholesomeness & family life at the dinner table. After this comic, the milk turns sour and so will your mood, but in a good way.

Illustrator Steve Parkhouse draws some of his best work. He paints an ugly ass picture of the family unit behind closed doors, it ain’t pretty and he doesn’t sugar coat it. The violence is harsh and he doesn’t pull any punches. My favourite panel is the page that has the image of the milkman as he enters the house in all his depravity. It’s an image that’s imprinted on my brain forever. I like how he draws the characters with some degree of normalcy, as most American families probably look like this and not like they are portrayed on TV & in movies.

The Cons

Nothing to complain about here

The Outcome

Suburbia has definitely gone to hell, as humanity’s worse is portrayed in one messed up tpb. If you’re having a great day or even a great week, than take my advice and stay away. However if you’ve recently had a dark cloud orbiting over your head or if you have a little dark side you want to temporarily unleash, than by all means dig in, you won’t regret it. After all, you can take some comfort to the fact that this isn’t your family.