LADY KILLER 2 #4
Josie’s new partnership begins to sour when an over-the-top gift brings trouble for Gene.
A comiXologist recommends…
LADY KILLER 2 #3 by Joelle Jones and Michelle Madsen
Things are getting complicated for our favorite murderous housewife, Josie Schuller! In issue two, Josie (against her better judgement) accepted the help of comrade Irving Reinhardt in the disposal of her most recent kill, and despite her reservations, the two team up. Everything seems to be working out perfectly until Irving arrives at Josie’s home for dinner. Her mother-in-law catches one glimpse of the man and goes absolutely bonkers. If she seemed crazy to you before, she certainly takes it to the max in this scene. Josie rushes Irving from the house, demanding an explanation for her mother-in-law’s irrational behavior. This is where the story takes a turn, leaving Josie with a shocking discovery, and a very important decision to make.
Although we are only three issues into Lady Killer 2, I’m absolutely hooked, and here’s why:
The story is more complex than I had initially expected, but in a good way. I find myself wondering what I’ll uncover within the next few panels and where I’ll be left at the end of each issue, which usually leaves Josie in a precarious position and me in a WTF state of mind.
The art is beautiful. Jones and Madsen have created a visual masterpiece, gliding between paneled and organically flowing pages. The attention to detail is extraordinary, to the extent that I’m still finding hidden treasures even after reading through the pages a few times. Jones’s page composition wonderfully separates Josie’s perfect 50’s housewife persona with her maniacal alter ego, allowing us to really get sense of what’s going on inside her head. Madsen does a lovely job with the colors. She bounces from super-saturated primary and secondary colors to muted, grayish tones depending on scene structure, and the overall impact is something to behold.
Overall I recommend this series to just about anyone. There’s something so satisfying about seeing a perfectly groomed housewife standing in a pool of blood after bludgeoning someone with a hammer. This series mixes strong family values, female empowerment, and gloriously bloody murder in the most perfect way. I can’t wait find out what happens next!
Kiersten Wing is a graphic designer at comiXology.