For Those Who Never Lost Their Sense Of Wonder: Reviewing ‘Kill Your Darlings’ #1

Welcome to the table,

When I was a kid, I escaped into my own imagination more often than not. I would build worlds and make friends with my own inner demons as a means to block out the pain of surgery or struggles at home. The concept of that primal escapism speaks to me on a core level.

This deep connection to both childhood trauma and escapism in this very particular way makes me incredibly critical of when it is used in media. So regardless of whether one of my favorite people on the planet is drawing it and if two of the most bright-eyed and genuine writers are weaving the story, I knew going into Kill Your Darlings from Image Comics that I was going to be incredibly critical of the work.

Kill Your Darlings starts off following a delightful eight-year-old named Rose who loves playing in her make-believe world containing The Kingdom of Rosewood and its outlying territories. To Rose, the world she escapes to is as real as the world we all wake up in. There, she is a mighty Queen armed with a magical sword, advised by animated small fluffy friends who combat a sinister evil that lurks at the heart of her world.

Ethan S. Parker and Griffin Sheridan move into the comic scene with such a humble grace that makes them decidedly some of the most enjoyable new talents I have had a chance to sit down and speak with. Don’t let their freshness taint your view of them, as this team delivers a compelling and emotionally filled story with natural dialog, memorable characters, and a world that feels actually lived in and nuanced. It’s a powerful opening number to show I’m so glad I got front-row seats for.

The art in this book is nothing short of spectacular. My editor likes it when I make these things abundantly clear, so in the spirit of transparency, Bob Quinn is one of my favorite people on the planet. He’s one of maybe six people who could call me in the middle of the night and I would get on the next flight to be there if he needed me. While many think that would keep me from being objective about his work, I offer this.

I have seen Bob’s art grow with his career in comics. I know the man’s work as I see it as frequently as those close to their family see their family. So when I say this I need you to understand it is not hyperbole or lily gilding.

This is the best art Bob Quinn has committed to sequential storytelling that I have seen and it’s nothing short of magical from cover to cover.

Those who get deeply nerdy with sequence should pay close attention to the way he uses light and color as the worlds shift from The Kingdom of Rosewood to what we would call The Real World. There are so many brilliant subtle things at work that elevate the book it keeps me returning to those pages time and time again because like the best escapes you don’t catch it all the first time you go through.

The lettering work of John J. Hill also deserves praise as it’s masterfully done, and as I have said before, good lettering often goes unnoticed but bad lettering can drag a book down. John’s skilled hand is clearly at work here and I am so glad he is on board lending his talents to this endeavor.

Kill Your Darlings is a story for all of those who never lost their sense of wonder in the face of whatever the world throws at them. It’s both fantastical and deeply grounded with art that serves the storytelling in a way that reminds me of just how powerful comics as a means of storytelling can be. Kill Your Darlings is one of those special books that comes along every once in a while where I can say with certainty the audience for it is universal, the story is hauntingly timeless, and the emotions are raw and real.

Until next time, I love this book. It is truly something special and you will be doing yourself a disservice if you love comics to not give it a try.