Broken Frontier

In an alternate United States, a vicious terrorist attack prompts the involvement of a team of covert mercenaries.

The world of Killer 7 is one in which history has taken a very different turn. International disputes have ended and all nations have disposed of their nuclear arsenal. The ways people travel and communicate have been changed in the name of global security. But not all parties are happy. An Eastern terrorist cell called the Rising Wind attacks the International Ethics Committee with a biologically altered living bomb. Fearing a mole in the government, the U.S. turns to a freelance black ops group called the Smith Syndicate or the "Killer 7." It’s up to these unorthodox individuals to eliminate the Rising Wind.

Based on a Capcom video game property, Killer 7 #1 presents several fascinating historical diversions from our own world. It should prove interesting to see the full implications of the terse introductory page and how these changes have affected this particular reality. What the issue does not have, however, is something that is needed in every good #1—a sufficient introduction to the lead characters. We meet several of the 7 in turn but little explanation is given for who they are, what abilities they have, or what their connections to each other are. Judging from this story, I would presume that they are either shapeshifters or are able to create illusions as two members exhibit a changing appearance. This is never really made clear though and I went away from the issue without any real feel for its protagonists.

The issue also seemed to have an element of political commentary at work but again, the intent is not entirely clear. The IEC seems to be a stand-in for the United Nations and several real world politicians are given counterparts (we even have a parody of President Bush’s recitation of "My Pet Goat" to school children on 9/11). What the story’s trying to say, beyond simply establishing a parallel history, is uncertain.

If nothing else, artist El Dazo (who has one of the more interesting names I’ve heard in a while) does a perfectly serviceable job illustrating the issue. His storytelling seems to be a bit clearer than the writer’s in this particular installment. I enjoyed his design for the mutated human bombs, which seem to resemble the love children of Killer Croc and the queen from Aliens. I’m not sure what the point of their transformation is if all they’re going to do is explode but I’m not one to knock a good visual.

Killer 7 has a high concept with a lot of potential but so far, it doesn’t appear to be meeting it.