Killer Groove #1 - AfterShock Comics
Written by Ollie Masters
Art by Eoin Marron
Colors by Jordie Bellaire
Letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
In the music business, they call it being discovered. You know you're not the only one trying to make it, so you play and play until you find that right song, at the right moment. What happens when things go in reverse and something discovers you? How far would you go for your dreams? Let's find out what makes a "Killer Groove" with this new AfterShock Comics series from co-creators Ollie Masters and Eoin Marron.
The story is set in the 1970s and follows a man named Jonny. He traveled across the country to LA to try and make it as a musician. Given the time and place, that is no easy task. We also have a woman named Jackie, who knows Jonny from a local bar. More on her later. As Jonny is on his way to his next gig, he decides to play a bit of the good samaritan in a manner of speaking. It ends up being a bit more than he bargained for, but it may have helped him more than he even realizes. There is a bit of a hint at that in this first issue, but I don't want to spoil it here because I want to see if you reach the same conclusion that I did. All I will say is, has he finally found his sound? As for Jackie, she is a private investigator who has just taken what seems like a normal case from a not so typical client. We don't get much more information beyond that, but I can't help but wonder if these two stories will converge at some point.
One thing that I love about Ollie Master is, you always get some nice shock value within the first half of the first issue of all of his stories. Something that doesn't pop for the sake of popping, but that shines a bright light on what will be a major part of the ongoing story. Things seem very ordinary at first, then out of nowhere the rug gets pulled out from under it. Same thing happened in this story, and it really worked for me. Speaking of working, Eoin Marron made me feel like I was in the 70s. Character designs were on point, as well as the settings. Not only that, but the color palette from Jordie Bellaire just screams 70s. Everything just felt so authentic from start to finish. If the twist in the story is what I think it is, this will be a major hit for AfterShock. The concept would have serious motive and could actually drive the story in several different directions at any given time. There is also a character in here that is tied to Jackie that could end up being a wildcard in this whole thing. I can't wait to flip this record over and find out what's on the other side.
RATING: PULL / BUY