Broken Frontier

An atypical murder mystery with enough laughs to kill.

The Theater #2 is a hysterical and clever spin on the typical "who done it" murder mystery.  Writer Raven Gregory not only keeps a tongue-in-cheek tone throughout the book, but actively incorporates the reader into the experience, which not only adds to the fun but keeps the story fresh.

The premise of The Theater #2 works well on its own and is simple: a fledgling writer begins to lay waste to his peers in order to tap into his creative muse and pen world-famous novels.  Gregory's protagonist is never described or revealed, and in fact, he asks the reader to place someone close to them in the driver seat of the insane murders to come, which gives the book a fun yet theatrical tone.  Once your loved one has taken center stage, the plotting, murders, and cover-ups begin, leaving numerous bestselling writers brutally slain.  Fans of Image Comics' Chew will be delighted, for example, to see a brief and hilarious cameo from series writer John Layman, the first of many victims to take their exit during The Theater.

Pencils are handled by Marcio Abreu, who takes full advantage of every comedic opportunity. Abreu, for example, draws the vague protagonist differently, page by page and even frame by frame.  Sometimes our murderer is a gorgeous young woman, while other times he is a disheveled introvert. An offhand comment about our murderer dressed as a schoolgirl, book stores, and a certain risqué act, for example, brings more than a small smile to the face.

The Theater #2 is one of the funniest and most refreshing books in recent memory. Raven Gregory not only utilizes a creative hook, but has the comedic chops to back it up.  The tongue-in-cheek tone, clever concept, and hilarious murders make The Theater #2 a standalone issue worth checking out.