Crime comics have been a successful sub-genre for several years now. The Punisher, the Marvel anti-hero who at one point had a monopoly on the market, is now a problematic property which potentially glorifies a culture of gun-violence within the US. Meanwhile, TV shows like Breaking Bad, Fargo and Ozark demonstrated that the crime genre can be clever, blackly comic, morally ambiguous and (importantly) relatable. Step up Chicken Devil, which brings all these qualities in comics form.
Writer Brian Buccalleto‘s comedic thriller follows Mitchell Moss (an alliterative name in homage to Breaking Bad’s Walter White); the creator and proprietor of a chain of diners (Mitch’s Hot Chicken) who becomes involved in a criminal plot due to the shady dealings of his business partner Antonio. Things take a turn for the violent, and then the surreal, as Mitchell tries to stay one step ahead of the criminals and the cops, all whilst dressed in the most convenient disguise to hand, the titular Chicken Devil. The 4-issue miniseries covers a classic escalation of events, and includes a few unexpected twists, before a fairly abrupt ending which, perhaps fittingly, feels more like a mid-season break than a final conclusion.
The art of Hayden Sherman is definitely the main draw here. Scratchy inks and vibrant paint-like colours give the feeling of an anxiety dream spiralling badly out of control. The panel layouts and PoV’s are bonkers; making every scene pop with energy, and giving the action an explosive kick. Although many of the plot points may feel familiar to regular crime/thriller fans, there’s nothing else out there that looks or reads quite like this.