KILLCHELLA #1, from Scout Comics on October 5th, 2022, brings all the hot, young people out for the concert of the year starring legendary singer Topanga Cornell. But beware, her fans will love you to death.
The Details
- Written by: Mario Candelaria
- Art by: Serg Acuña
- Colors by: Katherine Lobo
- Letters by: Matt Krotzer
- Cover art by: Serg Acuña (cover A)
- Cover price: $3.99
- Release date: October 5, 2022
Is It Good?
KILLCHELLA #1 takes readers on a modern thrill ride with a killer story that feels like a throwback to the classic slasher tropes of the 1980s. You get everything from car rides out to the middle of nowhere, creepy strangers who may or may not be dangerous, a bevy of too-good-looking young adults who are too oblivious not to die, and a killer whose identity will keep you guessing. KILLCHELLA #1 has it all with a touch of social media shenanigans for a fresh take on the 80s slasher genre.
The standout aspect of Candeleria’s script is the pitch-perfect collection of victims ripe for killing. It’s too early to tell in this first issue who might be the “final girl/boy,” but Candaleria makes every victim as vapid and annoying as possible to make their deaths oh so satisfying. 80s slashers are one of the rare genres where it’s just as much fun to root for the killer as the victim, and Candeleria nails the vibe perfectly.
The minor down point in this issue is the rapid-fire speed of the character introductions. Acuña’s distinctive character designs help to set each character apart, but the names and faces come at you so quickly you don’t get any sense of personality. If you don’t get to know the characters, you don’t know who to root for (or against) before the killing starts, so the deaths don’t hit as hard as they should.
Acuña’s art is clean and expressive, and matches Candelaria’s script flawlessly. Again, the character designs are distinctive enough to recognize them on sight, even if you don’t remember their names. The deaths are shockingly brutal, and Lobo’s coloring work is pristine and detailed.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with a couple visiting a national park in California, constantly snapping pictures and living the influencer life on social media. When the couple asks a mysterious stranger to snap their picture, they learn the true meaning of “stranger danger.”
Elsewhere, Blaire, Juniper, JJ, and Milo pack up their car for a trip to meet their famous friend, Stella, at a mountain getaway before attending a concert by the famous singer Topanga Cornell. The group of friends alternate between buddies or lovers, depending on who you ask, so they have no trouble hanging out when they get to the hotel.
During their first night of partying, the gang invites a lone guest of the hotel, Gus, to join them. As the night wears on, couples part ways for the night, leaving Gus with JJ to find a bar for late-night drinking. We conclude the issue with lonely highways, death, and devotion.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at preview images of the internal pages, or Click Here to jump right to the score.
Final Thoughts
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KILLCHELLA #1 is a fun start to a throwback to 80s slasher films with remote locations, annoying “campers” who practically invite death, and a mystery surrounding the killer that hints at something much bigger than a standard psycho.
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