Kill Your Darlings #2: A Critical Analysis of The Indie Comix Dispatch

4.34/5.0 StarsRating if the Book Were a Movie: R

Creative Team:

Writer: Ethan S. Parker and Griffin SheridanArtist: Bob QuinnLetters: John J. HillCover: Robert QuinnPublisher: Image Comics

Ratings:

Story: 4.5 StarsArtwork: 4.6 StarsCover Artwork: 4.2 StarsDialogue: 4.3 StarsMechanics: 4.2 StarsEditing: 4.4 Stars

About the Book:

It’s been years since the fire that killed Rose’s mother and burned down the family family home. After bouncing from one foster home to another Rose found herself living at the Anderson Home, a facility for young adults with criminal histories and mental health issues. Rose doesn’t fit in with the other kids. Her meds leave her feeling tired and in a fog. Her only reprieve is when her friend Elliot comes to visit. One night Rose decides to sneak out to spend time with him and a series of unique events unfolds.

Reader’s Notes:

I thoroughly enjoyed the first issue of Kill Your Darlings. I was very eager to see where the story would take us. After reading the second installment, I must say it does not disappoint.

We get an excellent view of how society as a whole treats people with mental health issues from watching Rose’s experience. Even in a home filled with outcasts, she’s treated differently. The management likes to use her as a walking advertisement for how well treatment at the home works.

The worst part is what keeps playing in her head. She is responsible for her mother’s death. This is compounded by trying to figure out if her friends from Rosewood were real. They seemed so vivid that they had to be, right?

This is an ongoing battle for people who have certain mental illnesses. The line between fantasy and reality is hazy. They are never sure what’s real. At one point Rose has to ask Elliot if he saw the same thing.

This cover perfectly captures how Rose feels at the Anderson Home. She’s completely alone and all eyes are on her. Some are watching out of fear. Some are watching because they think she’s odd. Any way you slice it she’s the focus of attention.

Quinn’s work on the interior pages does a magnificent job of pulling the reader into the story. It’s very easy to see how Rose has trouble distinguishing between what is and isn’t real. I loved the detail in the panel when an arrow finds its mark on a fire alarm.

Kill Your Darlings is on my short list for best titles in 2023. It has action, drama, and incredible character development. Geeks on a budget across the land should be on the lookout for this series. I have never seen anything like it.