• Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket

Comic Book Review – Pretty Deadly Vol. 1: The Shrike

January 11, 2015 by Gary Collinson

Michelle Herbert reviews Pretty Deadly Vol. 1: The Shrike…

KELLY SUE DeCONNICK (Avengers Assemble, Captain Marvel) and EMMA RÍOS (Dr. Strange, Osborn) present the collected opening arc of their surprise-hit series that marries the magical realism of Sandman with the western brutality of Preacher. Death’s daughter rides the wind on a horse made of smoke and her face bears the skull marks of her father. Her origin story is a tale of retribution as beautifully lush as it is unflinchingly savage.

Pretty Deadly Vol. 1 is a graphic novel that follows the story of two girls who are much more than they first appear to be, as told by Bunny and Butterfly. They lead us into this mythical western and introduce us to an extraordinary story about life, death, loss and hope.

Bunny and Butterfly introduce us to Sissy, a young girl whose guardian is a man called Fox. They travel this land recounting The Song of Deathface Ginny which focuses on The Mason and his overwhelming love for his wife Beauty and how he took her for granted. Deathface Ginny is by all accounts a haunting figure, a fine gunslinger and also skilled with a sword. Sissy and Ginny’s lives are entwined on many layers, which are masterfully revealed throughout the volume.

Along with Ginny, Sissy and Fox we meet a host of interesting characters along the way. Some are good and some are bad, but these aren’t their defining features; most have secrets that if revealed bring an added depth to the story. Pretty Deadly is a character-driven story that gives us a lot of information without feeling overwhelmed, there is a lot of duality amongst the characters and they make for some interesting dynamics, especially when you find out how these characters meet and why they act like they do.

The art work in this volume is incredible. The characters are drawn against grand vistas of open sky, reminiscent of the Hollywood Westerns of the past. The sky is shown in different hues from blue, purple and orange depending on where you are in the story, nothing feels static. Some of the artwork feels like they could be dreamscapes. The colours on the page also enhance the action; issue 2 in particular has a lot more violence, which is drenched in orange, making the fight scenes feel more fluid.

DeConnick now has a large and diverse body of work, which includes a huge cast of characters. Some are creator owned, whilst others are long running characters from larger comic companies, and each story she writes brings something new to the world of comics. With Pretty Deadly the lyrical nature of the story blends seamlessly with the artwork of Emma Rios and the colours of Jordie Bellaire; I wanted to continue staring at the pages long after I had read the dialogue and then go back to reread the page again. There is something hypnotic about this book, I feel like it resonates with my soul.

Michelle Herbert

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Z2vq4CudKRk&list=PL18yMRIfoszFJHnpNzqHh6gswQ0Srpi5E

Originally published January 11, 2015. Updated April 13, 2018.

Filed Under: Comic Books, Michelle Herbert, Reviews Tagged With: Image, Pretty Deadly

About Gary Collinson

Gary Collinson is a film, TV and digital content producer and writer, who is the founder of the pop culture website Flickering Myth and producer of the gothic horror feature film 'The Baby in the Basket' and the upcoming suspense thriller 'Death Among the Pines'.

FMTV – Watch Our Latest Video Here

WATCH OUR MOVIE NOW FOR FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

Great Korean Animated Movies You Need To See

10 Great Action Movies from 1995

The Essential Man vs Machine Sci-Fi B-Movies

3 Spectacular Performances in James Gunn’s Superman That Stole The Movie

Johnnie To, Hong Kong Cinema’s Modern Master

Seven Superhero Comedies to Add to Your Watchlist

10 Great Neo-Western Movies You Need To See

Ranking Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Post-Governator Starring Roles

Maximum Van Dammage: The Definitive Top 10 Jean-Claude Van Damme Movies!

10 Great Modern Horror Classics You Have To See

Top Stories:

10 Essential Comedy Movies From 1995

10 Great Horror Movies with Villainous Protagonists

Movie Review – Eden (2025)

The Next 007: 3 Actors Who Could Lead James Bond Into the New Era

Movie Review – Pools (2025)

Movie Review – Honey Don’t! (2025)

Smallville cast talk series’ legacy at Fan Expo Canada

Movie Review – Eenie Meanie (2025)

STREAM FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

FEATURED POSTS:

Underrated Movies from the Masters of Action Cinema

Ranking Video Game Movie Sequels From Worst to Best

Lock, Stock and The Essential Guy Ritchie Movies

Great Forgotten Supernatural Horror Movies from the 1980s

Our Partners

  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

© Flickering Myth Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of the content without permission is strictly prohibited. Movie titles, images, etc. are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.


 

Flickering MythLogo Header Menu
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket