Trevor Hogg reviews the final chapter in the ten part series which brings the blood splattered tale of retribution to a mind-bending resolution…
“Song’s uncle, her sole remaining family, is killed while in government custody. Enraged, will Song seek vengeance for his death, or try to find inner peace so she can finally lead a normal life?“
With the arrival of the tenth instalment comes the conclusion of the series created, written and drawn Raffaele Ienco which revolves around a genetically enhanced heroine endowed with the superhuman skills of Neo from The Matrix (1999) while inflicting violent retribution in a yellow jumpsuit which resembles the one worn by The Bride in Kill Bill 1 & 2. The opening scene features a trail of blood following the badly wounded Song who collapses in the bleak winter forest setting and is accompanied by the ominous caption, “This is the beginning…of the end of me.”
The childhood memory of her family being killed haunts the lethal assassin so much so it has become the source of her internal drive to survive. Song allows herself to be captured in an effort to allow her body to heal and be taken to where she hopes to discover the whereabouts of her beloved uncle; while in captivity she reflects upon her life and in the process of doing so becomes more mentally in synch with the biological bots which were inserted into her body long ago by her vanished relative. The hesitation of the captors to eliminate their prisoner has fatal consequences as she unleashes the full potential of her power in a telepathic outrage which concludes with Song revisiting the moment which forever altered her life.
Epic Kill #10 arrives a day short of when issue #1 was published in 2012. Creator, writer and artist Raffaele Ienco has crafted a heroine’s journey with a body count that combines the sensibilities of Joseph Campbell with those of Quentin Tarantino. There is simplicity to the storytelling which utilizes an uncluttered layout and the narration of the protagonist’s thoughts help to bring the proceedings to an understandable and personable ending. The one misgiving is that there is feeling that all of the loose ends get wrapped up rather quickly. On the interior black and white cover page is the line, “If you have been here for the entire ten issue ride…my sincere thanks.” The feeling is mutual Raffaele.
Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer who currently resides in Canada.
Originally published May 1, 2013. Updated April 14, 2018.
