Killtopia Vol. 2 – Review
Yesterday was an exciting mail day. The hard copy of Killtopia Vol. 2 dropped through my door, along with all the awesome kickstarter backer goodies. Some of you might remember my review of Killtopia Vol. 1. If not, you can check it out here. Given how much I enjoyed the first instalment of this story I cleared some space in my schedule and sat down to find out what Shinji, Crash, Omi and Stiletto have gotten themselves into.
First up, let’s take a look at the official synopsis
SECTOR-K IS ABOUT TO E.X.P.L.O.D.E.
Neo-tokyo, 20XX: The Killtopia bloodsport spills onto the city streets as the hunt for Crash, the world’s first sentient mecha, reaches boiling point.
Diseased, medicated and addicted to the hype, Japan’s citizens watch the carnage unfold with slavish devotion to the Wreckers – High-Tech Bounty Hunters who specialise in hunting and wrecking mechs for credits and god-like celebrity status.
Most beloved of all is Wrecker champion Stiletto, the pinnacle of corporate greed and moral bankruptcy. After she encounters Crash, Stiletto’s fame nosedives into a flaming tailspin of toxic fan culture and media insanity that threatens to change the planet forever.
Deep in the slums, rookie Wrecker Shinji and his sister, Omi team up with a hacker resistance group to plan a daring heist. Can they save Crash and break the nano-disease crippling earth once and for all?
One thing I remember being really struck by in Vol. 1 is that while Killtopia is an irreverent, cyberpunk dystopia, it’s one with a huge heart. That becomes ever more obvious in Killtopia Vol. 2.
Killtopia Vol. 2
I don’t want to get too much into details, because I’d rather you guys go out and buy this one and read it for yourself. That being said, there will be some discussion of plot points. Therefore I’ll try and limit what comes next to some mild spoilers.
The story this time around expands to let us get to know more of the players. Where Vol. 1 really focused primarily on Shinji and Crash, due to the bounty being placed on Crash there are more characters getting involved. A lot of attention this time round centres on Stiletto. Legendary champion Wrecker Stiletto discovered sentient Mecha Crash due to porn baron Saitoh’s bounty. In her attempt to apprehend Crash she, well, she gets her ass kicked in full view of a bunch of her fans. It’s an interesting look at fandom and in particular “cancel culture”.
It was fascinating for me to see a comic book take on the disturbing trend of people turning on their faves for the slightest apparent transgression against their perceived status. It’s something I see regularly on social media, it almost seems like being human and making mistakes is not allowed any more. So seeing Stiletto not only crash out of favour (pun intended) and keep trying to claw her way back is really unusual. So much credit to Dave for taking on that subject.
Kaiju Cola Megacorp
The other previously mentioned character who gets a bit more focus in Killtopia Vol. 2 is King Kaiju. Corporate mascot and property of the Kaiju Cola corp, his “origin story” unfolds in the first few pages. Even in these first few pages, Cook really tugs at the heartstrings. I also love the visual nod to The Matrix (one of my all time favourite movies) on that first page, so good!
The Kaiju Cola Megacorp are a regular presence throughout Killtopia, ruled as it is by these giant organisations. Admittedly one that just seems determined to ruin your teeth is probably among the tamer corps running Neo-Tokyo. Saitoh’s Lucky-7 Porn Empire is far more nefarious, and the driving force behind the plot in Vol. 2. Saitoh wants Crash, for some dastardly end no doubt, and as such has placed a bounty on the mech and anyone in contact with him.
Jack in
Once again, the visuals of Killtopia are absolutely spot on. Craig Patton’s cyberpunk world is definitely more colourful than your Blade Runner type dystopias, but no less grim for its inhabitants. My favourite thing in the first volume were the sight gags, the little things in the background that you might miss on first look. Craig keeps that up in Killtopia Vol. 2. My favourite might just be the shirt on the guy on the right of the picture up above. I’ve also got a major soft spot for the chibi like version of Stiletto (with another nod, this time towards Peanuts) we see on a couple of pages. But there are plenty more if you take the time to look at the backgrounds as well as what’s happening up front.
Looking forward
Cook and Paton have escalated the story in Killtopia Vol. 2 to such a point that I cannot wait to see where it heads next. I’m not sure how many more volumes are still to come, I think I have seen Dave talk about a third volume on social media, but it feels like there’s a lot more of this world that can still be explored. More Wreckers to meet, and more potential allies in Shinji’s fight. I hope that Killtopia runs for a while yet!
Killtopia and BHP Comics are regulars on the convention circuit, so you will be able to grab a copy if you see them at an event. If you can’t make it to a con, the BHP store has you covered. You can order both volumes, including the exclusive Frank Quitely variant cover for Volume 2 HERE. They are also available via amazon if you prefer.
Comics not enough? Well then you might want to check out the Killtopia Merch Store. That way you can read both volumes while repping the Kaiju Cola Megacorp in a shirt or hoodie. I have one of the red KC shirts, as part of the KS rewards, and it’s AWESOME!
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