REVIEW: ‘Killtopia: Phantoms’ Issue 1

Killtopia Phantoms Issue 1 is an independent comic co-created by Dave Cook and Clark Bint. Written by Cook, art by Bint, colors by Emma Oosterhous, and letters by Micah Myers.

In the aftermath of a mech invasion, society struggles to rebuild.

This is a sequel to the original cyberpunk comic, but it opens very differently. Killtopia Phantoms Issue 1 is much darker and more defeated. It follows on from the mech invasion at the end of the previous arc, which was crushed and led to the destruction of all robots in Neo Tokyo, with the intelligence that controlled them ahead across the entire human race.

Now, instead of the liveliness of the Wreckers, talented bounty hunters who would hunt both the mechs and each other for glory and fame, Cook brilliantly shows a broken society, a sci-fi world that had been robbed of so much of its life. The previous iteration was bloodthirsty and violent, but there was a strange opulence and positivity.

Killtopia Phantoms Issue 1 brings ghosts and trauma to the comic, with the past haunting the survivors. The first half of the issue may be slow, but the world has to be reintroduced, with so many new elements. But Killtopia Phantoms Issue 1 also contains some incredible fight and chase scenes, ramping up the intensity. And every piece of violence and drama is integral to the story, not just there for shock value. The themes and tone have also evolved in Killtopia Phantoms Issue 1. In comes the feeling of failure, which presses on the chests of multiple characters, whilst the book begins to venture into the thriller genre.

This sequel to the first arc also moves away from the main cluster of characters. Their story has concluded, and Cook transitions to a new protagonist who also alters the comic’s dreams and aspirations. Mary Denton, who was a Wrecker in the first arc, now becomes the heart and brain of Killtopia Phantoms Issue 1. She’s an older woman, one who lived through the heyday of the Wreckers and the desolate circumstances the whole city is in. She was there in the final battle, and the sacrifice the legendary Stiletto made haunts her.

Mary is regularly visited by a vision of Stiletto, who derides and mocks. It allows Stiletto to have a presence in this series whilst also acknowledging her sacrifice. The same can be said about any of those at the helm of the first arc. It’s still early, so they may try to return, but it’s great to think that the story is better told through different eyes.

Cook’s character development in Killtopia Phantoms Issue 1 is sensational. There are citizens of the city who are given incredible detail about their lives, even though they won’t see the end of the issue. It shows the depth within this comic, when every person who enters feels like the lead of their own story.

The art is fantastic and filled with personality. Bint has a very disturbing style that can make any panel look frightening. The imagery in Killtopia Phantoms Issue 1 is intense, with horrifying visions and hallucinations that cause far more harm than expected. The intense sci-fi has been toned down, with cybernetic augments no longer appearing on the outside of bodies. It’s a sign of the technology downgrading. There are still some mechs remaining, but they’ve been transformed for menial tasks, like servers.

The level of detail of the art is extraordinary in Killtopia Phantoms Issue 1. The city looks huge, with towering buildings. But each street and room carries its own story and sense of location. The citizens look exhausted and vacant, lacking excitement in their lives. Mary is intriguing, an older woman who looks professional and stylish when on the job, but haggard and devastated in private. The memory of Stiletto, an old friend and rival, is always in her line of sight, sneering at her. The fight scene features both a terrific sense of movement and dazzling visuals as reality blurs.

The colors are fascinating. The brightness is almost entirely artificial. It’s created by neon lights, billboards, and hallucinations. When Mary first appears in Killtopia Phantoms Issue 1, she’s illuminated by firelight. This is perhaps the most natural light in the whole comic, whilst also highlighting a return to a more primitive life for the former Wrecker. Outside the neon lights, the city is dark and glum, with seedy back alleys lit only by sickly green light. A lot of red is used in the most distressing scenes, which amplifies the sense of danger. The lettering is very clear and easy to read.

Killtopia Phantoms Issue 1 feels like a new story, a sequel. It’s the same world, but Cook and Bint have completely reinvented it. It shows a city struggling to thrive or even live, burdened by grief and mind-numbing pills. The new cast makes the comic feel fresh and welcoming to new readers, though familiarity with the first arc is highly recommended. It’s a brand new chapter, not just a continuation of the same characters. The cyberpunk elements are trying to find themselves again after being forced to change.

Killtopia Phantoms Issue 1 is available now wherever comics are sold.