Review by Ian Keogh

When Dylan survived a misguided suicide attempt via a series of fortunate circumstances that could have originated in a silent comedy, it wasn’t without cost. He saw a demon, who claimed the price of saving him was killing one person a month. Is Dylan hallucinating? We don’t know. His flatmate and flatmate’s girlfriend Kira, coincidentally Dylan’s best friend, are certainly wondering about his nocturnal excursions and why he sometimes returns battered.

Volume Two jumps ahead a few months from the shock Dylan received in Volume One, with boxing lessons on the agenda, and Dylan’s also feeling more at home choosing his targets. As is the case with most of Ed Brubaker’s crime stories, the protagonist provides the narrative voice, but because every chapter has a few single pages of text accompanied by an illustration there’s a fair amount of Dylan’s thoughts. He’s not exactly an unreliable narrator, but the constant reinforcing of his views disguises he’s far from likeable even when not murdering people.

Brubaker’s a step ahead, as around the point that realisation drops into place he supplies two chapters focussing on people who have problems, but are more likeable. Kira has already been seen, and her background being explored indicates her presence isn’t just for the single act, while Lily Sharpe is a police detective who has to try twice as hard as anyone else. Not only does she face the difficulty of solving cases, but has to endure the poor attitudes of the otherwise all male department. Despite the obstacles, though, she’s putting things together. Brubaker also opens up the narrative by involving the wider social consequences of what Dylan’s doing.

As is the case on every project, Sean Phillips delivers impeccable figurative art, sets the scene immaculately and there’s no mistaking one character for another. His locations are full and complete, down to a grubbiness, some of that provided by Elizabeth Breitweiser’s colours. She keeps things dark on the whole, reflecting the tone of the series, even during daylight scenes.

However, the intention of neither creator is that their competence is picked apart, but that you’re engrossed in a page-turning thriller, which you will be. The pressure ramps up on Dylan and he begins to realise he’s started something he can’t finish, so much so, in fact, that you may want to consider stepping straight to the complete story as Kill or Be Killed: The Deluxe Edition. Otherwise, there’s Volume Three.