Killadelphia #6 Review
Writer – Rodney Barnes
Art – Jason Shawn Alexander
Colors – Luis NCT
Letters – Marshall Dillion
Publisher – Image Comics
After what feels like forever. Killadelphia issue #6 is finally here. Killadelphia is one of the stories where like many others, I missed out on the first couple issues but the pause in comics actually served me well giving me a chance to get into it and I once I started issue #1, there was no stopping. It was the vampire equivalent of a can of Pringle’s and I’m so glad I popped the top on this one. After tweeting about the story I even had the pleasure of speaking with writer Rodney Barnes and really got to know the man behind the Vampires in Philly in an interview I got to do with him that you can read right here on the site. It was because of of reviews right here on this site by normal Killadelphia review writer Kay Hill that really sold me on this series so it’s my honor to step in for Jay and review issue #6.
The story of this issue is probably my favorite of the series. This issue opens up with internal dialogue and it continues through out the issue. In between the bigger message that Barnes tries to portray in the issue, we also are gifted with some dark yet exciting sequences that really hook is as readers and gets the blood flowing, literally. Amongst the chaos in this issue it comes to a climactic end that sets up future events in the upcoming story and based of the characters reactions, we already know it’s going to be epic. With the dialogue of the issue, Barnes is able to give a message that o really feel is something we all need to hear right now and it’s very ironic that it lines up with current equality situations in the IS right now. The main point Barnes portrays in this issue that that as humans, we all need to go through some type of dark time to have a reality check. We all become accustomed to the way things are and we take a lot for granted and don’t appreciate the small things or we overlook the good things in our lives because we are looking at the things we don’t have. We all need some kind of wake up call so that we can realize just how precious life really is and they we need to do whatever we can in our powers to come together and change things. The story then ends on one of the most emotional notes I think over ever read in a comic and sets up the future of Killadelphia moving forward with Sangster jr accepting that his mission is going to be destroying the vampires that plague his Cory. The story of this issue is one of the most impactful ones I’ve read in a long time and after reading it it really made me take a time out and look at my own life. It takes an amazing writer to have an emotional impact that large on a reader and Barnes proves in this issue that he is in fact one of the best out there right now.
When it comes to reviewing the art of this issue, I almost feel like all I have to type is Jason Shawn Alexander and that’s it. We all know how incredible is work is and just by his name alone we know it’s going to be one of the most visually stunning things we’ve ever looked at. The style of Alexander is hard to review because there is no other artists out there who even has a style similar. Usually I can relate art to others and use that as a template to rate others but Alexander is seriously on his own lever where he holds the bar high. His designs and works are what really bring Barnes’ story to life and I couldn’t imagine anyone else being able to do that in the same terrifying yet elegant way. His art really takes us into this world and makes it feel as if we are stuck inside of a beautiful nightmare where we don’t want to leave. The colors of Luis NCT just add that final flair to the overall work. His colors are seriously the cherry on top of the pie. A lot of times colorists just add color and details that don’t really effect the original artists work and add just a touch more detail but Luis is able to really accentuate the art of Alexander and make it something that just draws our eyes in and gives it that extra layer of horror and darkness while using very simple color choices which is something unlike anything else I’ve ever seen in a comic. The lettering of this issue is all very clean and crisp and is read with no hesitation. Overall the creative art team on this issue just hit the ball out of the park and have created one of the most stunning visual stories to come out since Spawn honestly. That’s how incredible this story is and they continue to up their game as they get more into a grove as time goes on.
With this issue, I could just type and go on and on for days about how incredible it is in every aspect. With a brilliant writer and one of the best art teams currently in comics, this story has the potential to become one of the best comics ever written. It really makes me so happy to see how many people are starting to pay attention to it and I’ve seen it growing like wild fire on social media and issues are selling out at retailers across the globe. Killadelphia #6 is available right now so I suggest if you haven’t already, run to your local comic shop and buy every copy you can get your hands on. You can also purchase this issue via digital download if you are in an area that is still impacted by the current pandemic.
-Wes Greer
Art – Jason Shawn Alexander
Colors – Luis NCT
Letters – Marshall Dillion
Publisher – Image Comics
After what feels like forever. Killadelphia issue #6 is finally here. Killadelphia is one of the stories where like many others, I missed out on the first couple issues but the pause in comics actually served me well giving me a chance to get into it and I once I started issue #1, there was no stopping. It was the vampire equivalent of a can of Pringle’s and I’m so glad I popped the top on this one. After tweeting about the story I even had the pleasure of speaking with writer Rodney Barnes and really got to know the man behind the Vampires in Philly in an interview I got to do with him that you can read right here on the site. It was because of of reviews right here on this site by normal Killadelphia review writer Kay Hill that really sold me on this series so it’s my honor to step in for Jay and review issue #6.
The story of this issue is probably my favorite of the series. This issue opens up with internal dialogue and it continues through out the issue. In between the bigger message that Barnes tries to portray in the issue, we also are gifted with some dark yet exciting sequences that really hook is as readers and gets the blood flowing, literally. Amongst the chaos in this issue it comes to a climactic end that sets up future events in the upcoming story and based of the characters reactions, we already know it’s going to be epic. With the dialogue of the issue, Barnes is able to give a message that o really feel is something we all need to hear right now and it’s very ironic that it lines up with current equality situations in the IS right now. The main point Barnes portrays in this issue that that as humans, we all need to go through some type of dark time to have a reality check. We all become accustomed to the way things are and we take a lot for granted and don’t appreciate the small things or we overlook the good things in our lives because we are looking at the things we don’t have. We all need some kind of wake up call so that we can realize just how precious life really is and they we need to do whatever we can in our powers to come together and change things. The story then ends on one of the most emotional notes I think over ever read in a comic and sets up the future of Killadelphia moving forward with Sangster jr accepting that his mission is going to be destroying the vampires that plague his Cory. The story of this issue is one of the most impactful ones I’ve read in a long time and after reading it it really made me take a time out and look at my own life. It takes an amazing writer to have an emotional impact that large on a reader and Barnes proves in this issue that he is in fact one of the best out there right now.
When it comes to reviewing the art of this issue, I almost feel like all I have to type is Jason Shawn Alexander and that’s it. We all know how incredible is work is and just by his name alone we know it’s going to be one of the most visually stunning things we’ve ever looked at. The style of Alexander is hard to review because there is no other artists out there who even has a style similar. Usually I can relate art to others and use that as a template to rate others but Alexander is seriously on his own lever where he holds the bar high. His designs and works are what really bring Barnes’ story to life and I couldn’t imagine anyone else being able to do that in the same terrifying yet elegant way. His art really takes us into this world and makes it feel as if we are stuck inside of a beautiful nightmare where we don’t want to leave. The colors of Luis NCT just add that final flair to the overall work. His colors are seriously the cherry on top of the pie. A lot of times colorists just add color and details that don’t really effect the original artists work and add just a touch more detail but Luis is able to really accentuate the art of Alexander and make it something that just draws our eyes in and gives it that extra layer of horror and darkness while using very simple color choices which is something unlike anything else I’ve ever seen in a comic. The lettering of this issue is all very clean and crisp and is read with no hesitation. Overall the creative art team on this issue just hit the ball out of the park and have created one of the most stunning visual stories to come out since Spawn honestly. That’s how incredible this story is and they continue to up their game as they get more into a grove as time goes on.
With this issue, I could just type and go on and on for days about how incredible it is in every aspect. With a brilliant writer and one of the best art teams currently in comics, this story has the potential to become one of the best comics ever written. It really makes me so happy to see how many people are starting to pay attention to it and I’ve seen it growing like wild fire on social media and issues are selling out at retailers across the globe. Killadelphia #6 is available right now so I suggest if you haven’t already, run to your local comic shop and buy every copy you can get your hands on. You can also purchase this issue via digital download if you are in an area that is still impacted by the current pandemic.
-Wes Greer
A Look Inside
