KILLER KOBRA: THE HUNT BEGINS #1 – Review

KILLER KOBRA: THE HUNT BEGINS #1, by Zenescope on 4/30/25, introduces the world to Killer Kobra, a martial arts master who, with his talking mongoose Chopstick, accepts missions to hunt monsters.

Credits:

• Writer: Joe Brusha
• Artist: Rodrigo Xavier
• Colorist: Leonardo Paciarotti
• Letterer: Taylor Esposito
• Cover Artist: Igor Vitorino (cover A)
• Publisher: Zenescope Entertainment
• Release Date: April 30, 2025
• Comic Rating: Teen
• Cover Price: $4.99
• Page Count: 26
• Format: Single Issue

Covers:

Analysis of KILLER KOBRA: THE HUNT BEGINS #1:

Plot Analysis:

Killer Kobra: The Hunt Begins #1 begins with a group of teens in the Ozark forests enjoying a Spring Break camping hike. Their break becomes permanent when a bloodthirsty sasquatch invades the camp and rips them to shreds. In Philadelphia, Killer Kobra spars with his trusty, talking Chinese mongoose, Chopstick, to perfect his martial arts skills. When the match concludes, Kobra receives a message from the enigmatic Black Lotus about the killings and is tasked with stopping the monster.

Killer Kobra and Chopstick board a chartered plane from Philadelphia to Arkansas, but they don’t realize they’re being followed by a second plane with a passenger tasked with capturing Killer Kobra and Chopstick or eliminating them.

Kobra and Chopstick arrive in the Ozarks and stop at a local saloon for directions. The locals aren’t pleased with unwelcome visitors, but Killer Kobra puts the yokels to sleep during a quick fight. The bartender asks the heroes to leave after giving them directions. When Kobra and Chopstick reach the campsite of the slayings, they’re jumped by the dangerous Sasquatch, but something is off. When Kobra delivers a swift kick to the monster’s torso, the beast complains that the hit hurt, so it runs off, hollering to be left alone. When Kobra pursues the talking monster, he and Chopstick get caught in an accidental rock slide.

First Impressions:

Killer Kobra: The Hunt Begins #1 is an action-packed, albeit goofy, start to introduce Zenescope’s latest superhero team. Joe Brusha’s invention mixes Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles with Shang Chi in a Man Goat & Bunnyman setup for a weird debut.

Artwork and Presentation:

Rodrigo Xavier’s artwork, which we’ve seen on multiple Zenescope titles, is grounded, well-choreographed, and detailed. Xavier has trouble with “Uncanny Valley” facial expressions, but it’s not so bad that you can’t look past it.

Art Samples:

Story Positives & Negatives:

The Positives:

Well, Joe Brusha’s invention is certainly the most original character Zenescope has put out in some time. Killer Kobra is an effective hero in the same arena as Bruce Lee or Remo Williams, and the talking mongoose and hinted-at backstory are intriguing nuggets worth explaining.

The Negatives:

We should encourage Zenescope to create more characters outside of their admittedly stale Grimm Fairy Tales lineup, but Killer Kobra trends a little too far into the cartoony silliness that may make the character a challenge to catch on. Zenescope isn’t aiming at kids in this issue with the gory violence in the opening scene, and the setup seems too over-the-top to be taken seriously by adult readers, so Brusha’s tonal inconsistency might not appeal to any target audience.

Final Thoughts:

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KILLER KOBRA: THE HUNT BEGINS #1 unveils the latest Zenescope hero who takes to the Ozarks with his talking mongoose to hunt down a killer Bigfoot. Joe Brusha’s script pops with creativity, and the Rodrigo Xavier’s artwork is solid. That said, the story can’t decide if it wants to be serious or silly.

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