REVIEW: ‘Killadelphia,’ Issue #10

Killadelphia #10 is written by Rodney Barnes, illustrated by Jason Shawn Alexander, colored by Luis NCT, lettered by Marshall Dillon, and published by Image Comics. Part four of “Burn Baby Burn” dives deep into the past of Abigail Adams’ right-hand man Toppy, while in the present the Sangsters grapple with Abigail’s vampire army and the still unresolved tension between them.

With this issue, the creative team establishes a pattern of juxtaposing the past and present, showcasing how our vampire villains came to be. Toppy’s story is rather tragic; he was a former overseer of a slave plantation who became a sharpshooter during the Civil War. Afterward, he tried to live a peaceful life in a new town until tragedy—and vampires—intervened. Barnes makes his villains as compelling as his heroes, which is the high mark of the series.

The script also continues to further the divide between the Sangsters. Sangster Sr. is none too happy with being ripped from eternal rest, and it finally comes to the surface in an explosive confrontation with James. Many genre stories have ruminated on the pitfalls of immortality, and I felt definite shades of Interview of the Vampire during the Sangsters’ conversation.

If the issue has one flaw, it’s that the past part seems far more compelling than the present. Apart from the ending, which promises to shake up the series, the present element of the story has been rather slow. I don’t know how many issues are left in this arc but hopefully, the finale is worth the setup.

Alexander and NCT continue to deliver with their artwork. NCT in particular makes excellent use of color, from bright reds and oranges signifying fire and blood to sepia-toned hues for the past segment of the book. He also manages to make the vampires genuinely frightening, highlighting their sunken yellow eyes and feral glares. Alexander provides haunting, striking images—the most frightening of which features Toppy digging a grave atop a literal mountain of bodies. Even though the scene takes place in the past, it’s a chilling hint at his future.

Barnes and Alexander reunite for part three of the “Elysium Gardens” backup, which took a hiatus during Killadelphia #9 and continues the story of the werewolf Angela. In this installment, the history of the werewolves is revealed as well as their ultimate goal: they seek vengeance against the spellcasters who cursed them.

Alexander’s werewolves are utterly frightening. Twice the size of humans, their fur is black as night and their eyes a glowing white. The carnage they inflict is covered in shadow, yet readers will still see limbs and heads flying. As a werewolf fan, this story has hooked me from the get-go and I can’t want to see where it goes.

Killadelphia #10 continues to flesh out its antagonists and protagonists, never scrimping on the horror or action. With both “Burn, Baby, Burn” and “Elysium Gardens” ending on massive yet satisfying cliffhangers, this series continues to be a must-read for horror fans.

Killadelphia #10 is available wherever comics are sold.