The first issue in a new series starring the titular bounty hunters, over the course of its 22 pages, Oh S!#T It’s Kim & Kim #1 achieves everything that could be hoped for in a debut issue. It introduces the reader to its main character, it offers a glimpse of the world it is set in, and it sets up some plot points that can be built on in future issues.
Although this is the first issue of the series, it is not the first issue starring these characters. The book opens up with a brief explanation as to who they are and what they are doing now, and thanks to the simplicity of the concept a page is all that is needed to fill in anyone unfamiliar with previous Kim & Kim books. It is so brief that it doesn’t even come across as exposition despite that being what it is.
As a result, the book does not need to spend much time reflecting on how the two main characters got into their current situation the bulk of the issue can instead focus on what they make of that situation, and how they operate.
During the course of the issue, the two Kims express different thoughts towards going from freelance work to being on somebody’s payroll. Their different attitudes towards this paradigm shift provide some of the early drama for the book and has strong potential for character growth. In particular, Kim Quatro’s resentment at the lack of freedom afforded by her new job is a strong starting point from which the creator can explore her personality in future issues.
Similarly, book’s action scene serves to offer a glimpse at what the creative team is capable of. The set- up is simple (attempting a meet at a casino) but it both succeeds in fleshing out the world of the book and providing a scenario in which the two Kim’s can show off how they operate on the job. The action is dynamic and well-choreographed.
The creative team behind Oh S!#T It’s Kim & Kim #1 have taken full advantage of the simplicity of the comic’s set up to deliver a debut issue which brings old and new readers alike up to speed and offers a primer of what to expect from the series going forward. These objectives are achieved by the marriage of tight writing, and a vibrant, expressive art style. It is funny, action-packed, and has just the right amount of intrigue. Most importantly this achieves exactly what a first issue should achieve, it shows exactly why its reader should look forward to the second.
OH S!#T IT’S KIM & KIM #1 / WRITER: MAGDALENE VISAGGIO / ARTISTs: EVA CABRERA, PHILLIP W.SMITH / PUBLISHER: BLACK MASK STUDIOS / RELEASE DATE: JUNE 27TH
