REVIEW: Killadelphia Vol. 5

Let’s get this out the way immediately; Killadelphia Vol. 5 is a masterpiece. Rodney Barnes, Jason Shawn Alexander and company have created something that transcends a mere comic book. History, horror, religion, race, and over-the-top action converge in Philadelphia to create a terrifyingly beautiful tale.

The streets of Philly are running red with blood. The battle before The War is on and the trickster god Anansi is on a mission to win it or at least stop it, bargaining with demons and even going to hell to talk to the devil himself. In the meantime, Vampire King George Washington (yes that George Washington) and his crew on the side of evil are squaring off against the resurrected leader of the Haitian Revolution General Toussaint Louverture fighting on the light side. Louverture is wrecking shop FYI.

For each part of the overall story arc, readers are treated to stories from several of the combatants included the aforementioned Washington and ranging from other historical luminaries like Thomas Jefferson and John Adams to former slaves and kids from the hood that were turned into immortal vampires. Some of the tales are perverted history lessons, others, downright heartbreaking. All are masterfully written by Barnes. Anansi is a particular highlight. He’s written as a mix of Loki and Jay-Z. Imagine a deity who grew up listening to State Property in the early 2000’s (Google them if needed). What is the meaning of life? Death even? What happens when both gods and man lose faith in one another? Heavy questions are presented but nothing is neatly answered.

Working hand-in-hand with the amazing writing is the bold art. Jason Shawn Alexander manages to create beauty out of all the chaos taking place. It is dark yet still pops with colors. The characters look fierce but convey a wide range of emotions. Hell looks imposing but so do the hard streets of Philly. Not for the faint of heart, things get very violent very quickly and there are multiple extremely brutal scenes. But there are also some truly beautifully framed panels and there are multiple moments that leave one stuck on a particular shot, sometimes in shock, sometime in awe. I won’t even get into the cliffhanger which (no exaggeration) is an all-timer.

Killadephia is a work of art. A blending of the paranormal and black street life where North Philly has become ground zero for the apocalypse. It’s a twisted look at American history and its forefathers. And parts are lowkey poetic. It makes you think, it makes you feel. It’s quite simply one of the best comics this reviewer has ever read. If you’ve followed the story up to this point, read Killadelphia Vol. 5. If you’ve never heard of it before and you’ve randomly stumbled upon this review, read Killadephia Vol. 5. This is a must read for any true fan of the comic book medium, period.

Writing – 5 Stars
Art – 5 Stars
Coloring – 5 Stars

Overall – 5 Stars

Written by; Rodney Barnes
Art by; Jason Shawn Alexander
Colors by; Lee Loughridge
Letters by; Marshall Dillon
Published by; Image Comics

Author Profile

Christopher R. Ford

Writer, author, and blogger. Published author of three children's books and also writes for the boy Creators For The Culture. Part-time sneaker head, full time nerd.