this series is SO EXTREMELY outside of my comfort zone, so imagine my surprise when i found myself unable to stop reading! if you go in expecting it to be a one-dimensional gore fest, i think you might be robbing yourself of an interesting read.
i found the characters deeply compelling and i could tell from the get-go that the premise was going to be explored beyond surface-level violent catharsis. it's a story that depicts incredible acts of depravity and violence, identifies with the emotions behind these acts, but does not condone them or ask you to deify them. the fantastic writing and art direction make this clear to me, and it feels smart enough to trust in its audience to get what's going on without being too vague or holding their hand.
it's an intense read, as the extensive and in-depth content warnings may suggest, but it's not often a story invests me so deeply that im shouting "HOLY SH*T" at both the spectacle and the character beats. i'm constantly impressed by what these two can do, and i cannot wait to dive in to the rest of their library. watching the already IMPRESSIVELY expressive and evocative visuals evolve was a feast (ha) for the eyes, and the dialogue and plotting made for a shockingly digestible (HAAA) read.
it's not an easy recommend due to its subject matter, but if you're even remotely interested in this series and think you can stomach it, it's well worth the read and then some. heed the content warnings and respect your boundaries, naturally. it's a pretty unflinching story when it comes to its subject matter, and i don't think that's to its detriment. if you think you can stomach it, consider giving the story a chance.
i'm probably going to be drawing these characters immediately. this story now lives in my brain rent free. i will be thinking about sad sack until i die.
hats off to you, sus comics! keep up the stellar work!