LADY KILLER
Joelle Jones and Jamie S Rich
Dark Horse Comics

lasdykiller1This was a damn fun read. Picture a typical early 60’s suburban household that might be out of Mad Men. In this house Mom, Dad 2 kids, and Dad’s Mom have a typical life except for one thing. Mom is an assassin working for an agency.

The story opens with Josie taking care of some business, a hit that needs taking care of. She is skilled and efficient so even when things go a little weird, she gets it done. And then she’s home in time to make dinner. The fun in this was watching the balance between her lives. She talks to her handler but tells her family it was just a salesman or something. Her cover during the day is that she is volunteering at a hospice which frees her up to do what she needs to do.

Somewhere along the way her handler, and by default his boss, decide that she may not be right for this anymore. The agency doesn’t like her splitting her time between work and family and she ends up on a list, and it’s not a list for Tupperware. This is when it really gets fun. The book ends in such a way that a sequel would work.

I don’t know how much research Jones and Rich did but they nailed the time period, the attitudes, the way people talk and especially the look. Joelle Jones did such a great job with the art. I would like to have every page as a poster. This is a terrific book with great humor and wonderful action. Maybe call it suburban noir?

Call it what you want, it’s a great book with great characters and I would love more.

Jon