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The killer #3-5
The Killer, Volume 2
A brutal, bloody, and stylish noir story of a professional assassin lost in a world without a moral compass. This sequel to The Killer follows our nameless narrator as he tries to track down the trail of those behind an attempt on his life, while trying to avoid the kind of personal entanglements that make the life of a professional assassin all the more difficult…
176 pages, Hardcover
First published April 12, 2000
22 people are currently reading
116 people want to read
About the author
Matz
176 books47 followers"Matz" is the pseudonym for French writer Alexis Nolent. He has written scripts for video games, a novel, and as Matz, a number of comics including Triggerman by Walter Hill. His graphic novel, Du plombe dan la tete a.k.a. Headshot, was adapted into the 2012 film, Bullet To The Head.
See http://www.dargaud.com/bd/Auteurs/Matz for a bio in French.
See http://www.dargaud.com/bd/Auteurs/Matz for a bio in French.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
November 1, 2021
Things changed for our nameless killer, now he has an equally nameless girlfriend and another accidental friend. He doesn't like this lonely thing anymore and that slowly changes the dynamics of the novel.
I'm not sure I want to keep reading it, feels like a good place to end. Like a decent movie.
I'm not sure I want to keep reading it, feels like a good place to end. Like a decent movie.
October 23, 2023
If Volume 1 was merely a prelude, this volume is a proper first act, with its own story told from start to finish. The noir tropes (narration, warring organizations, non-linear storytelling), which I sometimes find exhausting in film, feel more inspired and refreshing in this graphic novel format. Bodes very well for the rest of this series.
May 26, 2024
A decent follow up, showing the growth of our protagonist.
But the initial premise of an enforced debt and the risks inherent in that slowly bleed to a pretty standard conspiracy that turned more into an excuse for reiterating the previous volumes pontificating.
Enjoyable but less fresh than V1
But the initial premise of an enforced debt and the risks inherent in that slowly bleed to a pretty standard conspiracy that turned more into an excuse for reiterating the previous volumes pontificating.
Enjoyable but less fresh than V1
July 30, 2011
The second volume offers an opportunity to check up on the nameless Killer from Matz's original volume. We see that he has opened up a hunt for those who may have set him up and are looking to bring him in. Despite allowing others to appear in the fringe of his life - a loyal grilfriend who accepts him and his job, a killer-in-training who can never shut up, and an ex-cop screwed over by to system he used to uphold - our protagonist is caught between the safety of solitude and the fear of living.
November 17, 2023
(Zero spoiler review) 3.25/5
An improvement on volume one, although not by any considerable margin. Mostly because The Killer stops talking like a bratty teenage know it all. His fumbling inner monologue is instead replaced by some reasonable dialogue at times, though he still remains the most unappealing character and the weakest link here. A one-dimensional cardboard cut-out, lacking any real personality or likeability. The plot overall is decent, although Matz's page to page execution leaves a lot to be desired. The Killer is also a frustrating bundle of contradictions, repeatedly contradicting his beliefs or actions from one chapter to the next, with either the writer being oblivious or too stupid to pick up the dichotomy.
Jacamon's art continues to be the main star here, it's just a shame that his human models can't match his sublime backgrounds. Quite why an artist with that much talent has chosen to draw his humans in such a simplistic way (not to mention too facially similar at times) is a tad frustrating, although nowhere near that of the narrative. Decent, although could and should be better. 3.25/5
OmniBen.
An improvement on volume one, although not by any considerable margin. Mostly because The Killer stops talking like a bratty teenage know it all. His fumbling inner monologue is instead replaced by some reasonable dialogue at times, though he still remains the most unappealing character and the weakest link here. A one-dimensional cardboard cut-out, lacking any real personality or likeability. The plot overall is decent, although Matz's page to page execution leaves a lot to be desired. The Killer is also a frustrating bundle of contradictions, repeatedly contradicting his beliefs or actions from one chapter to the next, with either the writer being oblivious or too stupid to pick up the dichotomy.
Jacamon's art continues to be the main star here, it's just a shame that his human models can't match his sublime backgrounds. Quite why an artist with that much talent has chosen to draw his humans in such a simplistic way (not to mention too facially similar at times) is a tad frustrating, although nowhere near that of the narrative. Decent, although could and should be better. 3.25/5
OmniBen.
October 25, 2023
If Vol.1 was The Killer in existential crisis then Vol.2 is The Killer in rebirth.
Matz's storytelling expands out on both scope and psychology. It's undoubtedly a step up.
Jacamon's art evolution is something else altogether. It's more a leap than a step. His ability to render landscapes is astonishing. The way scenes reflect in The Killer's glasses is shiny. His depth of colour is visceral and filtered to the location. His shadows are genre chiaroscuro. The way he switches from detail to simplicity matches the scene perfectly whether we readers need to focus on surroundings or characters.
There's a few panels in this volume that take the breath away from the lush green of South America to the neon lights of NYC to the blood red as The Killer carries out a personal close quarters kill to the vivid fireball of an exploding car.
Through it all, The Killer remains philosophical and stoic. He's a classic Noir hitman protagonist for the ages. A man who finds a new lease of life and a reason for living.
He's my kind of Killer.
Matz's storytelling expands out on both scope and psychology. It's undoubtedly a step up.
Jacamon's art evolution is something else altogether. It's more a leap than a step. His ability to render landscapes is astonishing. The way scenes reflect in The Killer's glasses is shiny. His depth of colour is visceral and filtered to the location. His shadows are genre chiaroscuro. The way he switches from detail to simplicity matches the scene perfectly whether we readers need to focus on surroundings or characters.
There's a few panels in this volume that take the breath away from the lush green of South America to the neon lights of NYC to the blood red as The Killer carries out a personal close quarters kill to the vivid fireball of an exploding car.
Through it all, The Killer remains philosophical and stoic. He's a classic Noir hitman protagonist for the ages. A man who finds a new lease of life and a reason for living.
He's my kind of Killer.
December 1, 2023
This is the second volume of the graphic novel series, The Killer. Where the first volume was a cool origin story for the titular hit-man, this volume seemed like origin story for the cast of characters that will presumably be reoccurring throughout the series. It starts with the hitman ready to retire with his girlfriend, but a Colombian Cartel has other ideas. They think he owes them for inadvertently killing one of their people in an earlier hit and ask him to do a few more hits to even the bill. The nephew of the Colombian king pin becomes friends with the hitman along with an alcoholic ex-cop that lives in his building. Now we have a Scooby gang of four people that are working together.
They are doing hits and trying to figure out the what happened in the hit gone wrong from the first volume. It was kind of all over the place and lacked some of the focus of the first volume. I might stop reading this series here since it felt like a complete story. On the other hand, Now that we know the hit-man and his Scooby gang, it will be interesting to see where they go from here.
They are doing hits and trying to figure out the what happened in the hit gone wrong from the first volume. It was kind of all over the place and lacked some of the focus of the first volume. I might stop reading this series here since it felt like a complete story. On the other hand, Now that we know the hit-man and his Scooby gang, it will be interesting to see where they go from here.
August 26, 2023
This assassin business is such a smooth ride. From one sorta-problem to another kinda-dilemma, this guy is just all basic logic and common sense. He's grounded while being able to see the big picture, and he works through things without being an overthinker. He's just a dude with a gun who gets it with a lot of blood on his hands.
September 7, 2023
THE HARD PART IS NOT THE LONELINESS. THE HARD PART IS CHOOSING THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO HAVE AROUND YOU, WHEN YOU FINALLY DECIDE TO HAVE PEOPLE AROUND YOU. LONELINESS OFFERS GUARANTEES THAT VANISH AS SOON AS YOU TRY AND TRUST SOMEONE. STEPPING AWAY FROM IT IS RUNNING A RISK.
This volume is really GOOD.
This volume is really GOOD.
June 20, 2017
Read our book club conversation at https://bookthreat.com/2017/06/14/tot...
December 30, 2022
What started out as an interesting new take on the hitman genre; the lonely hitman full of philosophical thoughts, falls flat in this average volume two where he isn't lonely anymore.
February 19, 2023
Continua divertido, mas não necessariamente empolgante. Mesmo assim consegue me manter interessado em ler outras histórias nesse universo.
September 2, 2023
Superior a el volumen 1 con el desarrollo de personaje y el aumento en la historia.
November 16, 2023
Loved the first book, picked up this one and it's still quite good. Rather chatty for a killer, though.
November 19, 2023
Same art style as volume one. Again comics and graphic novels aren't really my thing, but the killer is an interesting take on a hitman story.
February 2, 2024
Great, hope to write a full review shortly.
December 4, 2017
What I liked about the second volume, was how the colour palette influenced the whole atmosphere of the story. The green of the island, the alligators, the swamp and the other scenes from the past that were drawn in different tones of green really suited that kind of eerie sphere. The main character is on the run, which doesn’t scare him at all. The way the story evolves is crazy. It is worth reading. Definitely.
December 30, 2012
After the events of The Killer, Volume 1, we follow our [still nameless] protagonist around as he tries to find out who had a hit put on him. Along the way he becomes a [temporary] hitman for a Colombian drug lord, then befriends said drug lord's godson, as well as a worn-out cop.
Not really a hard-boiled crime story (as the blurb would have you believe), it's really an exploration of the mind of a professional hitman (...who gets double-crossed and then seeks revenge on his wrongdoers). I like that the art is vibrant & colourful and that the story takes place in a wide variety of locales (Venezuela, New York City, Gibraltar, Paris, Colombia, and more...). Also, reading about the adventures of a hitman was, for me, a new experience.
The most important thing for me about this book is that the plot threads laid out in volume 1 get resolved. Too often you have to follow a series through many volumes before getting any kind of resolution, but that is not the case here. It's therefore safe to assume that subsequent volumes will deal with new stories.
Not the greatest piece of crime fiction you'll find, but definitely worth a read (after reading The Killer, Volume 1, of course!)
Not really a hard-boiled crime story (as the blurb would have you believe), it's really an exploration of the mind of a professional hitman (...who gets double-crossed and then seeks revenge on his wrongdoers). I like that the art is vibrant & colourful and that the story takes place in a wide variety of locales (Venezuela, New York City, Gibraltar, Paris, Colombia, and more...). Also, reading about the adventures of a hitman was, for me, a new experience.
The most important thing for me about this book is that the plot threads laid out in volume 1 get resolved. Too often you have to follow a series through many volumes before getting any kind of resolution, but that is not the case here. It's therefore safe to assume that subsequent volumes will deal with new stories.
Not the greatest piece of crime fiction you'll find, but definitely worth a read (after reading The Killer, Volume 1, of course!)
February 13, 2017
Even better than the first volume. The story evolves in a way that allows for interest in the characters to grow naturally without necessarily siding with them or their views. It's very well written.
August 17, 2016
Well, it was ok. I liked the first half of it for sure.. then it got kinda repetitive with volume 1.
I really like the artwork on this series as a whole. Really beautiful.
Now, the story on this one, is kinda... like the 1st volume... so.. that kinda sucks.
I mean, same plot give or take, same motives give or take, same things, same theme. Same inner dialogue. I get it, I like The Killer's theme. I get that he mostly talks to himself and he's preaching about life, death, murder, right or wrong. I get it. I really liked that in the first volume.
It was fresh. But now, well, this one didn't do it for me. Wasn't exciting. Towards the end I was even looking up to see how many pages I have left to read because this was getting old. That means, I wasn't really into it.
I wouldn't really recommend this one, it was fun at the start of the volume.. maybe the first 50 pages or so. Oh well!
I'll read the next one for sure, bought it awhile ago so I'm definitely giving it a try.
I really like the artwork on this series as a whole. Really beautiful.
Now, the story on this one, is kinda... like the 1st volume... so.. that kinda sucks.
I mean, same plot give or take, same motives give or take, same things, same theme. Same inner dialogue. I get it, I like The Killer's theme. I get that he mostly talks to himself and he's preaching about life, death, murder, right or wrong. I get it. I really liked that in the first volume.
It was fresh. But now, well, this one didn't do it for me. Wasn't exciting. Towards the end I was even looking up to see how many pages I have left to read because this was getting old. That means, I wasn't really into it.
I wouldn't really recommend this one, it was fun at the start of the volume.. maybe the first 50 pages or so. Oh well!
I'll read the next one for sure, bought it awhile ago so I'm definitely giving it a try.
January 29, 2014
Our protagonist keeps painting a picture that he doesn't care about humanity or what he does, that he only cares about himself. Yet we see more of his rules being broken and connections being made: his girlfriend is still his girlfriend and he's far more protective, and he finds friends in the godson of a Columbian drug lord and a former cop who has been setup to take a fall. His jobs are also getting increasingly (intentionally) messy. He's needing to make examples of people instead of them dying in a way that looks accidental and the stakes are being raised as a result. What makes matters worse is he seems to be getting closer and closer to the Columbian drug lord, yet another string he'll have to worry about later. This is one of the best comics I've read lately and I'm really looking forward to where the series is going.
August 30, 2013
Somehow I preferred Volume 1 to Volume 2.
Or perhaps I came with very high standards after Volume 1.
My complain with Volume 2 is quite the opposite of my praise with Volume 1. The story or at least what we have as a plot (which like Volume 1 again is quite predictable and one which you must have read / heard / seen a gazillion times) takes center stage. Matz's stories in my opinion are no trailblazers - it is his way of writing - it his choice of entry into the mind of the hitman rather than what he does / or happens to him that is his forte.
This book could have been a lot lot better but yet not disappointing by a long shot.
In fact after reading 2 volumes of Killer it is going to be very difficult for me to go back to the American comics.
Or perhaps I came with very high standards after Volume 1.
My complain with Volume 2 is quite the opposite of my praise with Volume 1. The story or at least what we have as a plot (which like Volume 1 again is quite predictable and one which you must have read / heard / seen a gazillion times) takes center stage. Matz's stories in my opinion are no trailblazers - it is his way of writing - it his choice of entry into the mind of the hitman rather than what he does / or happens to him that is his forte.
This book could have been a lot lot better but yet not disappointing by a long shot.
In fact after reading 2 volumes of Killer it is going to be very difficult for me to go back to the American comics.
June 26, 2012
Volume 1 of The Killer leaves off with the progtagonist retired and happy, ready to enjoy the fruits of his labor. Alas, his past comes calling and he's pulled back in. The second volume of Matz and Jacamon's series follows the nameless hitman as he trains another man, makes some friends, and tries to find a way out from under the shadow his career has cast over the rest of his life. Not bad, but not great either. The comic seems to be moving toward a more nuanced kind of ethic, one that suggests sometimes it might be wrong to kill.
March 8, 2017
Fantastic noir. The final chapter in the book has a great sense of urgency, and the ending does a good job of leaving just enough questions for the sequel volume (this one was the conclusion of the initial miniseries).
April 12, 2010
An excellent examination into the mind of a professional assassin. One thing I noticed about the art in this book was that the backgrounds are gorgeous! The plot take us to places like Paris, New York, and Columbia and each locale is rendered in beautiful colors.
June 28, 2011
Builds on the promise of the first volume to a satisfying conclusion. The art is serviceable and propels the story along well (that doesn't sound like a very ringing endorsement, does it?). I quite enjoyed this one.
November 17, 2011
A great mini series with one of the most interesting Assassins i have read. Plus the cool French art was really striking.
Looking forward to the sequel that's coming in 2010.
Looking forward to the sequel that's coming in 2010.
August 14, 2010
The first book I liked but i felt that it lacked something, and what it really was was the rest of the story which this takes care of. Combined with Vol 1 this is a really good.
August 26, 2010
Killer! heh heh! yes it is. A most excellent noir/thriller following the exploits of an assassin, one whose amoral musings border on existentialism. Superbly written and illustrated!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews