We’ve all heard the warnings about style over substance, yet it still seems that most of the “hot” comics today have plenty of style but are, more often than not, lacking when it comes to depth or emotion in the story. On the other hand, many independent titles feature that high quality story but are missing the style. While I’m enjoying today’s comics more than ever, I’m rarely bowled over by something new.
Then along comes Kazu Kibuishi with a book that has enough style and substance to make this reviewer excited about comics all over again. Daisy Kutter: The Last Train #1 is one of those books that comes out of nowhere and surpasses all expectations. It may not be the dark, gritty crime story I’ve learned to love so much, but this first issue is certainly going down on my top ten list for the year.
Daisy is a retired outlaw who has settled down to become the owner of a small general store in an unnamed town in the wild west—one where robots roam just as wildly as buffalo. But she hasn’t quite adjusted to the slow pace of day to day life, and she yearns for the days of exciting gun fights. When two shady characters come to town and ask her to rejoin the life of crime, Daisy’s life is going to change drastically.
What makes this book so perfect is that everything is fresh and new. The addition of robots to an old west town gives the story a fresh, lively tone. And while the robots are certainly a new look for the western landscape, the events in this first issue are equally unique. While everything feels familiar and seems to be following the line of what’s been seen before, Kibuishi flips everything ever so slightly, forcing readers to expect the unexpected in this good ol’ fashioned yarn.
Kibuishi manages to develop a strong character and setting with minimal words. Within a few pages, it’s easily known just who Daisy is and what her views are on the world she lives in. By the end of the issue, it’s as if I’ve been reading stories about this female gunslinger for years. By making Daisy so believable and letting readers relate to her right off the bat, Kibuishi sets up an ending that is both taut and emotional. In the showdown between Daisy and the silent stranger, the quiet tension is palpable. Every moment stretches into eternity in one of the most exciting and suspenseful moments in comic history—and there’s not a single gun shot or punch thrown in the entire issue.
Kibuishi is a master with the pen, but he’s equally impressive with the pencil. His artistic style is as fresh as his story. The images look simple as if they were drawn with ease, yet at the same time, there are so many detailed expressions and subtle emotions that could only indicate a painstaking, careful approach from the artist. And it’s absolutely amazing what Kibuishi can say without printing a single word. This is sequential art at its best.
Daisy Kutter #1 is one of the best first issues I’ve read in a very long time. If the remaining issues are as solid as this one, Daisy Kutter is going to be huge. And so will Kibuishi.
The copy of Daisy Kutter I was lucky enough to review features a bonus story by Phil Craven, “Mongrel: Trixie, Come Home.” Despite being a tale about a canine detective and a down-on-her-luck call girl, the story fits nicely with Kibuishi’s. It’s a surprisingly powerful story that wraps up nicely in the few short pages we get to see here. I’ll be keeping my eyes pealed for more work by Mr. Craven.
