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Killadelphia #1-6
Killadelphia, Vol. 1: Sins of the Father
Featuring the show-stopping talents of Spawn series artist JASON SHAWN ALEXANDER, and the writer behind such hit shows as Wu-Tang: An American Saga, Marvel's Runaways, and Starz's American Gods--RODNEY BARNES.
When a small town beat cop comes home to bury his murdered father-the revered Philadelphia detective James Sangster Sr.-he begins to unravel a mystery that leads him down a path of horrors and shakes his beliefs to their core.
The city that was once the symbol of liberty and freedom has fallen prey to corruption, poverty, unemployment, brutality...
...and vampires.
But the mystery goes even further when Jimmy's investigation leads him to uncover the source of the outbreak is long-thought dead President of the United States John Adams--a man secretly biding his time as he builds an undead army to start a new and bloodier American revolution.
There's a reason they coin a phrase, "you can't go home." Welcome to Killadelphia.
Collects KILLADELPHIA #1-6
When a small town beat cop comes home to bury his murdered father-the revered Philadelphia detective James Sangster Sr.-he begins to unravel a mystery that leads him down a path of horrors and shakes his beliefs to their core.
The city that was once the symbol of liberty and freedom has fallen prey to corruption, poverty, unemployment, brutality...
...and vampires.
But the mystery goes even further when Jimmy's investigation leads him to uncover the source of the outbreak is long-thought dead President of the United States John Adams--a man secretly biding his time as he builds an undead army to start a new and bloodier American revolution.
There's a reason they coin a phrase, "you can't go home." Welcome to Killadelphia.
Collects KILLADELPHIA #1-6
176 pages, Paperback
First published July 14, 2020
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1041 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
December 4, 2021
I actually liked this quite a bit more than I thought I would.
The angry father/son stuff felt familiar, but the cop thing with the vampire spin on it pushed the dynamic far enough away from other things I've read that it made it seem like a very fresh sort of story.
The main thing I couldn't figure out was why John Adams as the head vampire? To me, it seemed kind of random and smelled a bit of that Hamilton musical. But I just assumed there was something pertinent I was missing because, let's face it, I'm usually missing something pertinent.
So when I read the author's note at the end and he said he got the idea from Hamilton, I actually laughed out loud.
What?! That's so fucking dorky!
But it's whatever.
I can feel the Hamilton fans swarming me now...
I'm on the fence about this one.
I liked all the characters minus the John Adams musical bullshit. I have the second volume, so we'll see how it goes from here.
There were too many great horror comics to fit them all into October's buddy reads, so we're just kind of reheating the leftovers.
The angry father/son stuff felt familiar, but the cop thing with the vampire spin on it pushed the dynamic far enough away from other things I've read that it made it seem like a very fresh sort of story.
The main thing I couldn't figure out was why John Adams as the head vampire? To me, it seemed kind of random and smelled a bit of that Hamilton musical. But I just assumed there was something pertinent I was missing because, let's face it, I'm usually missing something pertinent.
So when I read the author's note at the end and he said he got the idea from Hamilton, I actually laughed out loud.
What?! That's so fucking dorky!
But it's whatever.
I can feel the Hamilton fans swarming me now...
I'm on the fence about this one.
I liked all the characters minus the John Adams musical bullshit. I have the second volume, so we'll see how it goes from here.
There were too many great horror comics to fit them all into October's buddy reads, so we're just kind of reheating the leftovers.
November 11, 2021
Jimmy Sangster returns to Philadelphia to bury his father, a police detective who has just been murdered while chasing down a lead on a case. Now he's a vampire who must work with his son to stop vampires from taking over the world led by one of our Founding Fathers.
This had some potential but the jumpy pacing and sometimes unclear plot elements dampened my enthusiasm for it. The characters are paper thin, really just there to move the plot along. There's also a romance plot that's shoehorned in out of nowhere. A second pass at the story could have done wonders for this. Jason Scott Alexander's art is sometimes spooky as hell, sometimes unclear as to what's happening. More a series of paintings than a plot that moves from panel to panel.
This had some potential but the jumpy pacing and sometimes unclear plot elements dampened my enthusiasm for it. The characters are paper thin, really just there to move the plot along. There's also a romance plot that's shoehorned in out of nowhere. A second pass at the story could have done wonders for this. Jason Scott Alexander's art is sometimes spooky as hell, sometimes unclear as to what's happening. More a series of paintings than a plot that moves from panel to panel.
November 1, 2020
"Second president of the United States John Adams. He's our 'patient zero.'" -- homicide detective-turned-vampire James Sangster
"A vampire president? I know they were monsters, but vampires?!" -- medical examiner Jose Padilla
So begins Killadephia, which boasts one of the better - or at least more original - storyline set-ups that I've lately encountered in a non-superhero graphic novel. It's plotted here that, post-presidency, Adams and his wife Abigail supposedly both contract yellow fever during a trip to an unspecified island in the Caribbean Sea. In reality, they've become vampires and return to the U.S. to covertly create and sustain an army of the undead over the next 200+ years in the Philadelphia area (!). An unlikely trio - the city's young chief medical examiner, a murdered homicide detective who just returned as a vampire, and the detective's adult son (a beat cop from Baltimore) - appear to be the metropolis' only hope to stop this intended revolution. Complicating matters somewhat is the father and son not being on particularly good terms - their sharp and resentful dialogue-laced scenes are a highlight, along with the dread-inducing artwork (Adams, in particular, is frighteningly illustrated that he sort of resembles occultist Anton LaVey). However, some of the violent scenes are a little too unsettling at times, and the story feels like it goes on autopilot in the final third of the volume.
"A vampire president? I know they were monsters, but vampires?!" -- medical examiner Jose Padilla
So begins Killadephia, which boasts one of the better - or at least more original - storyline set-ups that I've lately encountered in a non-superhero graphic novel. It's plotted here that, post-presidency, Adams and his wife Abigail supposedly both contract yellow fever during a trip to an unspecified island in the Caribbean Sea. In reality, they've become vampires and return to the U.S. to covertly create and sustain an army of the undead over the next 200+ years in the Philadelphia area (!). An unlikely trio - the city's young chief medical examiner, a murdered homicide detective who just returned as a vampire, and the detective's adult son (a beat cop from Baltimore) - appear to be the metropolis' only hope to stop this intended revolution. Complicating matters somewhat is the father and son not being on particularly good terms - their sharp and resentful dialogue-laced scenes are a highlight, along with the dread-inducing artwork (Adams, in particular, is frighteningly illustrated that he sort of resembles occultist Anton LaVey). However, some of the violent scenes are a little too unsettling at times, and the story feels like it goes on autopilot in the final third of the volume.
November 19, 2021
Reviewing this as a studiously neutral Canadian, I can state unequivocally that the choice of "Big Bad" in this centuries-spanning vampire tale is perfectly fine by me.
The protagonists were well executed, particularly the surprising "Seesaw", and I just loved how the artist's portrayal of hard-as-nails badass Philly Police Detective Sangster was so clearly based on legendary actor/comedian Phil Morris. Instant casting if they ever adapt this!
Honestly I didn't go into this expecting a whole lot and was pleasantly, and at times gruesomely, surprised throughout. I guess it's an ongoing series still so I will definitely invest the time in checking out the next volume.
July 19, 2020
Killadelphia is a beautifully drawn graphic novel, that is hampered by a slow, just not very interesting story.
John Adams is a vampire. And he's seen how his legacy has diminished, how critical modern scholars are of said legacy. And so he's been plotting to take over the country, turning large amounts of people into vampires. He'll start by taking Philladelphia.
Jimmy Sangster, a cop, returns to Philladelphia to bury his recently murdered father, James Sangster Sr - also a cop. Together with Jose, a pathologist, he starts investigating a spate of mysterious deaths (includings his father's).
The story moves suprisingly slow - about half the book feels like set up and exposition. When things finally start to move, it's surprisingly unexciting. There are no surprises where they should be, in how Adams and his vampire army are fought. The ending feels too easy, and therefore slightly pat.
Characters lack depth, and a romance is crowbarred into the story. The story involves a lot of people of colour, and a lot of cops, and yet it says so little about their terrible relation (there is one direct bit of dialogue, but it's short and is left there).
But that art.. it's fantastic.
2.5 stars
(Received an ARC through Edelweiss)
John Adams is a vampire. And he's seen how his legacy has diminished, how critical modern scholars are of said legacy. And so he's been plotting to take over the country, turning large amounts of people into vampires. He'll start by taking Philladelphia.
Jimmy Sangster, a cop, returns to Philladelphia to bury his recently murdered father, James Sangster Sr - also a cop. Together with Jose, a pathologist, he starts investigating a spate of mysterious deaths (includings his father's).
The story moves suprisingly slow - about half the book feels like set up and exposition. When things finally start to move, it's surprisingly unexciting. There are no surprises where they should be, in how Adams and his vampire army are fought. The ending feels too easy, and therefore slightly pat.
Characters lack depth, and a romance is crowbarred into the story. The story involves a lot of people of colour, and a lot of cops, and yet it says so little about their terrible relation (there is one direct bit of dialogue, but it's short and is left there).
But that art.. it's fantastic.
2.5 stars
(Received an ARC through Edelweiss)
November 11, 2021
3.25 stars. I was reading the singles of this which I believed had a pause due to the diamond shutdown last year. That took away from my enjoyment of the story as I was trying to remember what went down. It was def better reading it all at once. So there are Vampires in Philly. Detective James was chasing down a lead and got taken out by said vampires. His son, Jimmy, also a cop in Baltimore, came up to burry his father. He ended up reading his fathers diary and was in disbelief on what he read. He goes the the same place his father met his demise and sees that, yes, there are vampires and learns his fathers real fate. The leader of the vamps wants to take over the country starting with Philly. There wasn’t much development with any of the characters but the concept of the story was pretty cool. Plus the art was dope. Definitely gave the necessary creepiness needed for a vampire story. Overall this book ended up being ok. Not great, not terrible.
September 10, 2020
SUPER FAST REVIEW:
So I read this because I picked up a variant I really liked for issue 7 (would show but it might be too bloody for Goodreads and this is my favorite social media site so I don’t wanna risk it more than I already do) when it came out and then saw Hoopla had this collection of the first 6 issues. Figured I should check it out and see if I’m adding this to my pull-list. While I don’t think I’m adding this series to a pull-list, it isn’t bad.
So I found the story interesting and the art to be fantastic! I also liked the creepy, bloody vampire horror with bad-ass monster designs. It has some good action too!
I was confused by the political commentary (like, there’s some political vibes to a lot of the book but I was confused what the fuck the message with that is meant to be). The villain being , while interesting, it makes me wonder if there’s meant to be an anti-American thing. The characters are rather bland, they just seemed like they were filling a certain role for the story but with little to make me interested in them.
So yeah, not bad. Might read more of the series at some point. Nothing particularly great, probably not even the most memorable horror comic but kinda interesting.
3/5
So I read this because I picked up a variant I really liked for issue 7 (would show but it might be too bloody for Goodreads and this is my favorite social media site so I don’t wanna risk it more than I already do) when it came out and then saw Hoopla had this collection of the first 6 issues. Figured I should check it out and see if I’m adding this to my pull-list. While I don’t think I’m adding this series to a pull-list, it isn’t bad.
So I found the story interesting and the art to be fantastic! I also liked the creepy, bloody vampire horror with bad-ass monster designs. It has some good action too!
I was confused by the political commentary (like, there’s some political vibes to a lot of the book but I was confused what the fuck the message with that is meant to be). The villain being , while interesting, it makes me wonder if there’s meant to be an anti-American thing. The characters are rather bland, they just seemed like they were filling a certain role for the story but with little to make me interested in them.
So yeah, not bad. Might read more of the series at some point. Nothing particularly great, probably not even the most memorable horror comic but kinda interesting.
3/5
July 9, 2020
A pretty decent vampire tale.
I appeciate that the setting was different and I also thought the dialogue wasn't bad at all. I enjoyed seeing most of these characters interact and I thought the ending was pretty solid. I wasn't in love with this art style though and the jumpy pacing actually hurt it for me. Sometimes hard to follow. But overall if want a new setting for a vampire story this was pretty solid. A 3 out of 5.
I appeciate that the setting was different and I also thought the dialogue wasn't bad at all. I enjoyed seeing most of these characters interact and I thought the ending was pretty solid. I wasn't in love with this art style though and the jumpy pacing actually hurt it for me. Sometimes hard to follow. But overall if want a new setting for a vampire story this was pretty solid. A 3 out of 5.
December 9, 2022
Scott Snyder’s American Vampire series used to have a monopoly on gory, scary-ass vampire comic books, but Rodney Barne’s series Killadelphia adds some new blood to the vampire mix.
Baltimore police officer James Sangster Jr. comes home to Philadelphia to his father’s funeral. What he finds is a city under siege, not from drugs or gangs or poverty, but vampires! And his dad, a beloved Philly police detective, is one of the undead! Thankfully, Senior is a good vampire, one who wants to see the source of the vampire scourge eliminated! And that source is… the second President of the United States John Adams!
Yeah, you heard me right.
Apparently, John and his beloved Abigail took a trip to the Caribbean islands in the years after his presidency. It is there that they “contracted” the vampire curse. Returning to the the U.S., they set about creating an underground army of the undead, primarily out of slaves, with the hopes of creating a world of vampires in which they would be the king and queen. Talk about totally selling out one’s principles, John…
There is a lot of blood and guts in this series, drawn beautifully with many shades of blood-red by Jason Shawn Alexander.
Seriously, this is comic book vampire violence mayhem at its best.
Baltimore police officer James Sangster Jr. comes home to Philadelphia to his father’s funeral. What he finds is a city under siege, not from drugs or gangs or poverty, but vampires! And his dad, a beloved Philly police detective, is one of the undead! Thankfully, Senior is a good vampire, one who wants to see the source of the vampire scourge eliminated! And that source is… the second President of the United States John Adams!
Yeah, you heard me right.
Apparently, John and his beloved Abigail took a trip to the Caribbean islands in the years after his presidency. It is there that they “contracted” the vampire curse. Returning to the the U.S., they set about creating an underground army of the undead, primarily out of slaves, with the hopes of creating a world of vampires in which they would be the king and queen. Talk about totally selling out one’s principles, John…
There is a lot of blood and guts in this series, drawn beautifully with many shades of blood-red by Jason Shawn Alexander.
Seriously, this is comic book vampire violence mayhem at its best.
November 24, 2021
I have been reading comic books for a long time with peaks and valleys but I have to say my Goodreads friends make things exciting again.
I missed out on this one when it came out, but it looked down my alley so I had to check out this Graphic Novel, and I really dug it. Minor spoilers to come.
I don’t think I would attempt a to write an ‘ over the top’ vampire story right now, not until we have had at least had another generation of readers who didn’t know the name Sookie Stackhouse, and I certainly wouldn’t try to tell a story where the main Big Bad was a US President after the success of Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter.
But, even with all that, this still felt original and fresh. Rodney Barnes is most well known as a screenwriter (largely starting with Comedies like Everyone Hates Chris and the Boondocks, but more recently shows like Runaways and American Gods).
He does a great job of merging a cop drama into a larger horror/Vampire story. It is over the top but it has depth, balancing action with story, and quickly setting up an interesting Universe.
Jason Shawn Alexander’s art is certainly the co star, really capturing the horror involved. He has made a great looking book that sells Barnes’s tale. There’s a big influence from Dave McKean and some Ben Templesmith, too. It’s great for the story.
The story begins and wraps up in the length of six single issues. In some ways, that’s a recommendation for the book. The reader walks away satisfied that they have read a complete story. Some disadvantages of this is that some of the action seems rushed. Personally, I would like to seen things drawn out just a bit more, but I get it. I assume Image wasn’t interested in more than a six-issue arc if this hadn’t sold.
My only real qualm is that I like the idea of John Adams as the Big Bad, and I like the Big Bad, but I couldn’t imagine the Big Bad here was John Adams.
The Big Bads were too steeped in 20th Century action movies. It’s not the way I would have written it. I think you could keep the John Adams storyline and the Big Bad, but had some kind of separation between them.
I'm not saying that John Adams needs to be Paul Giamatti but he kind of does. At the very least, Adams was 66 when he left the White House. He came from money and power, though Barnes doesn’t detail the last 250 years, we know he’s a powerful vampire.
Adams here is Vin Diesel as the 2nd President- a founding father gone paleo, CrossFit and shaved head. I realize you have to bring Adams into the modern world. I would have been okay if say, Barnes put a little bit of Lucius Lyon in him, but instead, he turned him into a Bloodshot character.
But wait, an over the top horror story is a bit of a dice roll anyway, and this one paid out. I mean it’s called Kill-adelphia. Why am I going to stress about it having a Fast and Furious Founding Father in the lead. Just take the ride.
I missed out on this one when it came out, but it looked down my alley so I had to check out this Graphic Novel, and I really dug it. Minor spoilers to come.
I don’t think I would attempt a to write an ‘ over the top’ vampire story right now, not until we have had at least had another generation of readers who didn’t know the name Sookie Stackhouse, and I certainly wouldn’t try to tell a story where the main Big Bad was a US President after the success of Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter.
But, even with all that, this still felt original and fresh. Rodney Barnes is most well known as a screenwriter (largely starting with Comedies like Everyone Hates Chris and the Boondocks, but more recently shows like Runaways and American Gods).
He does a great job of merging a cop drama into a larger horror/Vampire story. It is over the top but it has depth, balancing action with story, and quickly setting up an interesting Universe.
Jason Shawn Alexander’s art is certainly the co star, really capturing the horror involved. He has made a great looking book that sells Barnes’s tale. There’s a big influence from Dave McKean and some Ben Templesmith, too. It’s great for the story.
The story begins and wraps up in the length of six single issues. In some ways, that’s a recommendation for the book. The reader walks away satisfied that they have read a complete story. Some disadvantages of this is that some of the action seems rushed. Personally, I would like to seen things drawn out just a bit more, but I get it. I assume Image wasn’t interested in more than a six-issue arc if this hadn’t sold.
My only real qualm is that I like the idea of John Adams as the Big Bad, and I like the Big Bad, but I couldn’t imagine the Big Bad here was John Adams.
The Big Bads were too steeped in 20th Century action movies. It’s not the way I would have written it. I think you could keep the John Adams storyline and the Big Bad, but had some kind of separation between them.
I'm not saying that John Adams needs to be Paul Giamatti but he kind of does. At the very least, Adams was 66 when he left the White House. He came from money and power, though Barnes doesn’t detail the last 250 years, we know he’s a powerful vampire.
Adams here is Vin Diesel as the 2nd President- a founding father gone paleo, CrossFit and shaved head. I realize you have to bring Adams into the modern world. I would have been okay if say, Barnes put a little bit of Lucius Lyon in him, but instead, he turned him into a Bloodshot character.
But wait, an over the top horror story is a bit of a dice roll anyway, and this one paid out. I mean it’s called Kill-adelphia. Why am I going to stress about it having a Fast and Furious Founding Father in the lead. Just take the ride.
June 27, 2022
This is a nice contained Volume. While it sets the stage for a series there was enough content to feel a solid conclusion. I really enjoyed the art after the first couple issues, it's kind of scratchy with loads of filters and took a bit to feel out who is who. I will definitely check out the second volume for sure.
April 14, 2022
Vampires in Philadelphia. Oh, Killadelphia, I get it!
I was ready to write Killadelphia off after the first issue - it was a solid premise, but it didn't really have the hook I needed to pull me along - until the final page where it turned everything on its head. From there, the book steams ahead at full speed without stopping till the final pages of issue 6. All the things I thought would be dragged out across the series in fact happen in this first arc, and that has me both excited and worried for what comes next. You'd be forgiven for thinking this was just a six issue mini-series and not an ongoing given how much ground is covered and how conclusive the ending of the first arc is.
That said, some stuff goes by very quickly - JJ and Jose hooking up comes out of nowhere, and the sudden addition of a magic vampire in the fifth issue came out of left field. Now that I know the book's got more breathing room with these ideas I'm sure they'll be fleshed out better going forward, but the breakneck pace of the plot does mean that a lot of this is glossed over in favour of advancing the story.
Jason Shawn Alexander's artwork is lovely. It's visceral and moody, and the colours are gorgeous. I would say that it misses out on the backgrounds a little here and there, and the model for James Sr. looks exactly like Phil Morris to the point of being distracting.
Killadelphia is unapologetically quick at setting the ground on fire for its first arc. For better or worse, all the expected cards have been played and now it's anyone's game. An almost trite vampire premise is upended by some clever character dynamics, but things move a little too briskly to really establish the stakes (pun not intended) before it all turns to ash.
I was ready to write Killadelphia off after the first issue - it was a solid premise, but it didn't really have the hook I needed to pull me along - until the final page where it turned everything on its head. From there, the book steams ahead at full speed without stopping till the final pages of issue 6. All the things I thought would be dragged out across the series in fact happen in this first arc, and that has me both excited and worried for what comes next. You'd be forgiven for thinking this was just a six issue mini-series and not an ongoing given how much ground is covered and how conclusive the ending of the first arc is.
That said, some stuff goes by very quickly - JJ and Jose hooking up comes out of nowhere, and the sudden addition of a magic vampire in the fifth issue came out of left field. Now that I know the book's got more breathing room with these ideas I'm sure they'll be fleshed out better going forward, but the breakneck pace of the plot does mean that a lot of this is glossed over in favour of advancing the story.
Jason Shawn Alexander's artwork is lovely. It's visceral and moody, and the colours are gorgeous. I would say that it misses out on the backgrounds a little here and there, and the model for James Sr. looks exactly like Phil Morris to the point of being distracting.
Killadelphia is unapologetically quick at setting the ground on fire for its first arc. For better or worse, all the expected cards have been played and now it's anyone's game. An almost trite vampire premise is upended by some clever character dynamics, but things move a little too briskly to really establish the stakes (pun not intended) before it all turns to ash.
August 10, 2020
A talented detective is murdered. A son returns to uncover the mystery behind his death. A plot centered around vampires is unraveled.
As fascinating as the premise was, the story suffered immensely with each issue. There was unusual pacing that just kept on going faster and faster, tossing the reader straight into a resolution that was never properly built up.
The artwork is what essentially keeps things neatly together and offers a wonderful style to the series. It's amazing to find out that these were drawn based on real photos taken by real actors.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
As fascinating as the premise was, the story suffered immensely with each issue. There was unusual pacing that just kept on going faster and faster, tossing the reader straight into a resolution that was never properly built up.
The artwork is what essentially keeps things neatly together and offers a wonderful style to the series. It's amazing to find out that these were drawn based on real photos taken by real actors.
Yours truly,
Lashaan | Blogger and Book Reviewer
Official blog: https://bookidote.com/
January 17, 2025
After losing the 1800 election, John Adams's travels took him to the Caribbean where he picked up a scorching case of hematophagia. Two centuries later, he and Abigail enact a plan to "save" America by creating an army of vampires in Philadelphia. Two cops and a medical examiner stand against them.
That first issue-ending hook is terrific:
The bossfight with John Adams is almost anti-climactic, and I strangely appreciated that. No fat, didn't artificially drag it out. It was refreshingly on-target.
But what was Adams's plan exactly? He's a patriot who's going to save America...by slaughtering and eating a bunch of Americans, and monsterizing a bunch more? It feels poorly thought out. The main villain's motivation is implausible.
The illustration is occasionally wonderful. A series of closeups of Jimmy Jr frowning at something in the distance, confusion bleeding into dawning realization and horror. A gorgeous tinted full page panel of John Adams strolling toward the camera through a savage chaos of his making. A nifty two-page abstraction of heaven and hell.
But it often confuses needlessly. Grainy overhead shots that fail to convey scene changes, random switching between boxed and unboxed voiceovers so you can't tell that the narrator has changed. The abstract musings of the various narrators (and there are a lot of them) all sound alike. Color coding their floating text boxes can only do so much.
That first issue-ending hook is terrific:
The bossfight with John Adams is almost anti-climactic, and I strangely appreciated that. No fat, didn't artificially drag it out. It was refreshingly on-target.
But what was Adams's plan exactly? He's a patriot who's going to save America...by slaughtering and eating a bunch of Americans, and monsterizing a bunch more? It feels poorly thought out. The main villain's motivation is implausible.
The illustration is occasionally wonderful. A series of closeups of Jimmy Jr frowning at something in the distance, confusion bleeding into dawning realization and horror. A gorgeous tinted full page panel of John Adams strolling toward the camera through a savage chaos of his making. A nifty two-page abstraction of heaven and hell.
But it often confuses needlessly. Grainy overhead shots that fail to convey scene changes, random switching between boxed and unboxed voiceovers so you can't tell that the narrator has changed. The abstract musings of the various narrators (and there are a lot of them) all sound alike. Color coding their floating text boxes can only do so much.
October 4, 2020
Read this as single issues, but review here as the collected trade.
Vampire underworld in Philadelphia. A father and son work together, with the assistance of a forensic pathologist and other random human and vampire colleagues. Vampire factions battle, and the leaders and origin of the vampire brood is a campy American history surprise. The art is pretty great - dark and horror - and propels the story. Story is still finding a full footing - not always clear what is actually happening, but intrigued to see where he takes this.
Vampire underworld in Philadelphia. A father and son work together, with the assistance of a forensic pathologist and other random human and vampire colleagues. Vampire factions battle, and the leaders and origin of the vampire brood is a campy American history surprise. The art is pretty great - dark and horror - and propels the story. Story is still finding a full footing - not always clear what is actually happening, but intrigued to see where he takes this.
August 28, 2020
Good story, really enjoyed this one
June 10, 2021
I liked it. Great combo of story and art. Even a cameo from Carl Kolchak? What?
Read
July 15, 2020There's a plague of vampires in Philly. At their head: John Adams. He's resolved to fix America, and his own place in history, and he's got the undead army to do it. The timing of the collection's release, right after a massed viewing of Hamilton, probably doesn't help that sound like a serious pitch; still, it was Barnes' sixth viewing of the play that inspired this, and it includes a lovely little scene of Adams himself watching the show. I'm in an unusual position with Adams, in that British history classes tend to move on from the American Revolution after the ingrate colonials inexplicably succeed, so much of my sense of the Founding Fathers comes from the HBO miniseries John Adams, which I watched because at that point I'd try pretty much anything from HBO, and which I've only with hindsight realised was revisionist. So even if Adams here looks more John Malkovich than Paul Giamatti, I suspect I lose some of the intended incongruity.
Working against Adams: the young man who comes back to town after the cop father he never saw eye to eye with dies, only to find that death doesn't actually mean he's rid of the old man yet. The pathologist who's likewise finding her bodies a lot more active lately. And a rogue vampire convinced that Adams, for all his noble rhetoric, is just repeating the errors of the past (though his own ideology sounds a lot like the kind of anarchism I'm never convinced would work with large groups of humans, let alone once you introduce an even more predatory species into the mix). And in time, other allies too; I wonder if one day Killadelphia will be regarded as a historical break point, the last time a story by a black American writer treated the use of military hardware by the police department as a good development? Which is not in any way to cast aspersions, I should add - Jordan Peele provides the front cover recommendation, and if ever there were a name one should trust on this sort of territory...
I don't really know Rodney Barnes' screen work, but I have read his Marvel stuff, from which this seemed a definite step up. The real revelation, though, was the art by Jason Shawn Alexander. It's a little Dave McKean, a lot Ray Fawkes, and perfect for immersing the reader both in this declining city and the outbreaks of bloody chaos, yet then lightening up for the flashbacks and the moments of human connection.
(Edelweiss ARC)
Working against Adams: the young man who comes back to town after the cop father he never saw eye to eye with dies, only to find that death doesn't actually mean he's rid of the old man yet. The pathologist who's likewise finding her bodies a lot more active lately. And a rogue vampire convinced that Adams, for all his noble rhetoric, is just repeating the errors of the past (though his own ideology sounds a lot like the kind of anarchism I'm never convinced would work with large groups of humans, let alone once you introduce an even more predatory species into the mix). And in time, other allies too; I wonder if one day Killadelphia will be regarded as a historical break point, the last time a story by a black American writer treated the use of military hardware by the police department as a good development? Which is not in any way to cast aspersions, I should add - Jordan Peele provides the front cover recommendation, and if ever there were a name one should trust on this sort of territory...
I don't really know Rodney Barnes' screen work, but I have read his Marvel stuff, from which this seemed a definite step up. The real revelation, though, was the art by Jason Shawn Alexander. It's a little Dave McKean, a lot Ray Fawkes, and perfect for immersing the reader both in this declining city and the outbreaks of bloody chaos, yet then lightening up for the flashbacks and the moments of human connection.
(Edelweiss ARC)
December 5, 2021
The city of brotherly love has been getting a beating in comics. First, Kirkman obliterated some of it in Oblivion Song, then Barnes threw it to the vampires. Well, if there was ever a city deserving of a good beating…
But vampires…vampires are a tough sell with me. So often they are just done wrong. And now and again someone gets it right. Midnight Mass got it right. American Vampire comics got it right. And this one does it too. Because, you see, vampires are meant to be scary – not glamorous, not fancy – scary. Scary in a primal apex predator exsanguinating way. Something to get one’s reptilian brain shrieking with fear.
Barnes gets it, for he creates a story that not only terrifies in the present but has fascinating and resonating sociopolitical and racial connotations that echo through time. And just sheer kudos to the guy for making John Adams the lead antagonist – it’s so freaking imaginative. Second POTUS, undead and determined to make America some kind of great, and his army of the vampires. That’s just rad. The next American revolution will be awash in blood…unless some intrepid detectives get in his way.
Random aside…one of those detectives, Sangster Sr., looks uncannily like the actor who plays Vic Stone’s father on Doom Patrol. Uncannily, like lawsuit for likeness appropriation so.
Anyway, this was a fun story. And absolutely gorgeously drawn. The art is a thing of beauty, it’s realistic and yet almost portrait-quality proper art-like. Loved it. Loved the art, liked a story a lot. Kind wish it just ended when it did, it was rounded up so nicely, but then again no one ever seems to leave a good story along, so on to the sequel for me. Recommended.
But vampires…vampires are a tough sell with me. So often they are just done wrong. And now and again someone gets it right. Midnight Mass got it right. American Vampire comics got it right. And this one does it too. Because, you see, vampires are meant to be scary – not glamorous, not fancy – scary. Scary in a primal apex predator exsanguinating way. Something to get one’s reptilian brain shrieking with fear.
Barnes gets it, for he creates a story that not only terrifies in the present but has fascinating and resonating sociopolitical and racial connotations that echo through time. And just sheer kudos to the guy for making John Adams the lead antagonist – it’s so freaking imaginative. Second POTUS, undead and determined to make America some kind of great, and his army of the vampires. That’s just rad. The next American revolution will be awash in blood…unless some intrepid detectives get in his way.
Random aside…one of those detectives, Sangster Sr., looks uncannily like the actor who plays Vic Stone’s father on Doom Patrol. Uncannily, like lawsuit for likeness appropriation so.
Anyway, this was a fun story. And absolutely gorgeously drawn. The art is a thing of beauty, it’s realistic and yet almost portrait-quality proper art-like. Loved it. Loved the art, liked a story a lot. Kind wish it just ended when it did, it was rounded up so nicely, but then again no one ever seems to leave a good story along, so on to the sequel for me. Recommended.
October 7, 2020
4.5 stars rounded up to 5. Amazing -- and genuinely scary! -- comic. Can't wait for more of this story arc in a second volume. No idea where it could go from here!
I understand the movie rights to KILLADELPHIA have already been purchased by bigtime Hollywood players. That's great news, because this will make one hell of a scary movie in the right hands!
I understand the movie rights to KILLADELPHIA have already been purchased by bigtime Hollywood players. That's great news, because this will make one hell of a scary movie in the right hands!
November 14, 2020
One of my favorite comic reads this year.
July 17, 2020
Received an ARC through Edelweiss. Opinions are my own. This comic melds horror with noir detective fiction with action. It's meant to be aesthetic fun. The art is a stand out. The dramatic poses and muted colors worked well with the melodrama. Even when blood isn't being spilled, the art of the vampires is still unsettling. I don't think the story was supposed to be that serious - megalomaniac big bad must be stopped. The characters are trope-y: hard-nosed detective dad, estranged son, love interest. If I'd been more into the history and this genre meld, I wouldn't have minded as much, but the story wasn't doing much for me.
November 7, 2021
I picked this up because of JSA, and because Jordan Peele gave it a rave review. It started out slow, but from about halfway through issue #4, I was hooked. In retrospect, the slow start is probably justified, otherwise the later issues wouldn’t make much sense or have any emotional value. I’ll definitely plan to pick up the next trade. It also makes me want to re-read The Strain.
September 9, 2021
I own this book.
Killadelphia is one of those books that was recommended to me time and time again, but it took ages for me to actually get my hands on. This book follows James Sangster Jr after the death of his father who was a detective in Philly and was killed on assignment. The Jr never had a good relationship with his father and feels weird going back to where his life started and his bad relationship with his father lay. When he gets there, being a police officer himself, when he's told weird things about the case his father died in, he begins to unravel the mystery and finds himself in the middle of a centuries-old story including vampires and the second president of the united states. John Adams is looking to build a new world and Jimmy has to enlist the help of his dad's old partner, and well, his dad to get to the bottom of this uprising army of the undead.
This art in this book is incredible, genuinely scary, a little gory here and there and that storyline is genuinely so unique. Seriously, I would never have thought anything about John Adams and vampires if somebody asked me to write a non superhero comic. I found this to be a great read, really enjoyable and I would definitely continue with this series to see where it goes next.
Killadelphia is one of those books that was recommended to me time and time again, but it took ages for me to actually get my hands on. This book follows James Sangster Jr after the death of his father who was a detective in Philly and was killed on assignment. The Jr never had a good relationship with his father and feels weird going back to where his life started and his bad relationship with his father lay. When he gets there, being a police officer himself, when he's told weird things about the case his father died in, he begins to unravel the mystery and finds himself in the middle of a centuries-old story including vampires and the second president of the united states. John Adams is looking to build a new world and Jimmy has to enlist the help of his dad's old partner, and well, his dad to get to the bottom of this uprising army of the undead.
This art in this book is incredible, genuinely scary, a little gory here and there and that storyline is genuinely so unique. Seriously, I would never have thought anything about John Adams and vampires if somebody asked me to write a non superhero comic. I found this to be a great read, really enjoyable and I would definitely continue with this series to see where it goes next.
September 22, 2024
Brutal, bloody, and thrilling, the first volume of Killadelphia tears down the city of brotherly love and leaves it beaten, with a small glimmer of hope. President John Adams has spent three hundred years planning the rise of the vampire. Will he succeed?
July 20, 2023
3* but just to make it clear it’s an average 4* for the art, 2* for the plot.
Spoilery stuff ahead
John Adams- as in the 2nd president of the US of A- is a vampire with a huge inferiority complex that made him plot a coup 200 years in the making to change his status as footnote in the history books. Wonder what’s the beef between Barnes and Adams.
But I don’t mind, not really. What I do mind on the other hand is the poorly paced plot (too fast, too slow, too fast again), the unnatural reaction of people, the lack of characterization of the protagonists, the corny dialogues.
Still, the idea isn’t so bad. It’s dark, bloody and violent like it should be. There’s even attempts to deal with social and historical issues- even if clumsily- that I relate to.
And there’s Jason Shawn Alexander art, just perfectly suited for this kind of gritty story.
So if Barnes pulls his shit together, tightens the plot and develop actual characters this series might actually be worth it.
Spoilery stuff ahead
John Adams- as in the 2nd president of the US of A- is a vampire with a huge inferiority complex that made him plot a coup 200 years in the making to change his status as footnote in the history books. Wonder what’s the beef between Barnes and Adams.
But I don’t mind, not really. What I do mind on the other hand is the poorly paced plot (too fast, too slow, too fast again), the unnatural reaction of people, the lack of characterization of the protagonists, the corny dialogues.
Still, the idea isn’t so bad. It’s dark, bloody and violent like it should be. There’s even attempts to deal with social and historical issues- even if clumsily- that I relate to.
And there’s Jason Shawn Alexander art, just perfectly suited for this kind of gritty story.
So if Barnes pulls his shit together, tightens the plot and develop actual characters this series might actually be worth it.
March 16, 2022
Pretty damn good. Excited to see where it goes.
I really like Jason Shawn Alexander’s art, but I don’t always think it tells the story clearly. Also, the narrative style is a little disjointed for my tastes. It jumps around a lot.
Those are minor gripes, though. All in all, this is a very unique, interesting, spooky and fun horror series. The first arc is a nice set up, and I definitely look forward to the rest.
I really like Jason Shawn Alexander’s art, but I don’t always think it tells the story clearly. Also, the narrative style is a little disjointed for my tastes. It jumps around a lot.
Those are minor gripes, though. All in all, this is a very unique, interesting, spooky and fun horror series. The first arc is a nice set up, and I definitely look forward to the rest.
February 16, 2021
My boyfriend got this for me for Valentines day. Perfect read since he knows how much I like vampires. Great solid plot all around with the perfect gritty artwork to match. I will be picking up volume 2 to see how it ends.
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