KITTY’S BORDELLO #1, from Pizzy Party Attestation on 6/28/23, recounts the true story of a Berlin brothel when its Madame was forced into service to the Nazis during WWII.
The Details
- Written by: Kevin Zoldan
- Art by: Abel Garcia
- Colors by: Abel Garcia
- Letters by: Abel Garcia
- Cover art by: Abel Garcia
- Comic Rating: Mature
- Cover price: Free
- Release date: June 28, 2023
Is KITTY’S BORDELLO #1 Good?
KITTY’S BORDELLO #1 is precisely the type of comic we like to see popping up on the indie scene. Kevin Zoldan’s comic about a Berlin-based bordello during WWII takes a historical event, adds a dash of drama and intrigue, and ends with a strong hook for the next issue.
Zoldan’s script centers on Madame Kitty Schmidt, owner and proprietor of Kitty’s Bordello. The upscale establishment serves as a brothel to enlisted and civilian men in the heart of Berlin during the Nazis’ rise to power. Secretly, Kitty helps her friends and employees secretly escape Germany, but when her time comes to leave, she’s captured and forced into a different life of service.
Given the setting and nature of Madame Kitty’s work, this issue is marked as ‘Mature,’ but the contents barely qualify as NSFW. Expect unsettling violence and implied nudity (aka side boob), but sensitive readers won’t find anything more egregious than your standard Mature comic.
What’s great about KITTY’S BORDELLO #1? If you’re unfamiliar with the story of Madame Kitty Schmidt, her tale is a fascinating one. Therefore, if you like historical intrigue and drama, this comic is right up your alley. Zoldan lays out the particulars of Madam Kitty’s life before and during capture with clean efficiency, and the cliffhanger ends the issue on a high note.
What’s not so great about KITTY’S BORDELLO #1? Zoldan captures the sequence of events and takes readers on a journey, but the scene construction is uneven. Some scenes work perfectly (e.g. the journalist Steadman setting up a spy perch), but others do not. For example, there’s a scene where Kitty is loaded into the back of a truck at gunpoint, and the truck stays in place for hours without any indication of what’s happening or why the scene exists. Every scene, no matter how brief, should have a beginning, middle, and end, and contain a clear conflict. Several scenes in this comic don’t follow that rule, so it sometimes feels like you’re stepping through a checklist of requisite events, which hurts the energy and readability.
How’s the art? Illustrators (read: not traditional comic artists) can be a mixed bag, but Abel Garcia’s work here is better than most. Abel’s line work is clean, the sets are well done, and the flatness that typically accompanies illustrated comics is blissfully absent. In particular, Abel makes great use of perspective and shadow to integrate the characters into the setting for a cohesive visual appearance.
Keep scrolling for a closer look at the covers, or Click Here to jump right to the story description with some spoilers.
What’s KITTY’S BORDELLO #1 About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]
We begin with an introduction to Madame Kitty Schmidt, the owner of Kitty’s Bordello. Kitty ensures her girls are well-cared for, and her clients always leave happy. However, the rise of Nazi power is quickly leading to an international war, and the rumors about the treatment of Jews grow more horrific by the day, so Kitty helps her girls with Jewish ties leave the country with a network of contacts and plenty of money.
When the threat of war grows too great, Kitty decides to close shop and make her way to London. Unfortunately, Nazi spies have watched Madame Kitty for some time, and she’s arrested before she can leave the country. Beaten, starved, and abused, Madame Kitty soon learns the Nazis have plans for her.
We conclude the issue with an observer from afar, a confession, and a special project.
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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KITTY’S BORDELLO #1 captures the danger and intrigue of Berlin during WWII when a respected Madame suffers the consequences for helping her friends escape Nazi Germany. Zoldan’s story concept is captivating, and Abel’s illustrative work is impressive, but the pacing and energy suffer from inconsistent scene development.
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