While Seesaw has an important meeting and an apology to make, can Savage Dragon’s dad help him understand the actual conflict? Find out in Killadelphia #34 from Image Comics!
KILLADELPLHIA #34
Writer: Rodney Barnes
Artist: Jason Shawn Alexander and Germán Erramouspe
Colorist: Lee Loughridge
Letterer: Marshall Dillon
Editor: Greg Tumbarello and Chris Robinson
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: March 27, 2024
Previously in Killadelphia: We meet Harold, a young man who plays chess with a mysterious person who lives beyond a hole in the wall of an apartment. He also occasionally harvests rats for this person. On one of his trips, a gang of young men approaches him. He takes them back to the apartment. They are dragged inside and a little while later, body parts fly out. Anansi and Savage Dragon continue to fight until Anansi manages to knock him out with magic. When he regains consciousness, he is with Seesaw. Dragon pulls his gun, Seesaw grabs him, and both of them are transported to Purgatory.
CLARIFYING THE CONFLICT
Killadelphia #35 continues to build on the crossover event it has been setting up. I am not generally a fan of these, but this conflict has been set up so elegantly that each time a new character makes an appearance, it feels appropriate. Not only that, but each new character shifts the power balance in fascinating ways.
The story opens with a scene of a Black family making their way into Philadelphia in a pickup truck. They stop at a gas station for gas and snacks, and some young men approach them, interested in whatever they might have in their truck. What they have is a coffin. What the coffin is full of is Prince Mamuwalde, Blacula, who takes care of the young men by feeding on them. I think this may be a flashback, but it is difficult to tell for certain.
In Purgatory, Savage Dragon comes face to face with his father. Dragon almost cannot believe it. Seesaw tells him his father may be able to tell him more about what is going on, then he leaves. Pops reminisces briefly about his death and then talks about how spending time here has given him time to think, time to reflect on his own life. Dragon wonders why he would ever question being a hero. Pops believes he is here to question his own actions. To Dragon, his actions are perfectly clear. Some Angels told him the Dark Realm had taken over Philadelphia, so there he went. Just like Pops would have done. Ah, impetuous youth!
Lord Satan is cranky, to say the least. His demon army has been turned into sludge. He does not want to hear from Dracula about the current doings of Prince Mamuwalde. Dracula persists. Mamuwalde has fled from Hell. Satan’s demons have been destroyed. Might this not make Satam appear vulnerable? Satan orders Dracula to find and retrieve Mamuwalde.
Seesaw has his own mission. He goes to find Ray, who in death is eternally the boy he was when he died. Ray is overjoyed to see his friend again. Seesaw apologizes for his actions, or inaction, that led to Ray’s death. Ray stops him. He is content with where he is. He knows Seesaw loved him. And it is not yet Seesaw’s time. They will meet again, but not yet.
Pops explains that while the Light is waging a war against those created by the Dark Realm, they are not the enemy. They Angels have become disconnected from humanity, focusing on God and indicting anyone who is not like them. Savage Dragon starts to understand that things may be complicated, which is a terrific metaphor for many world conflicts.
Seesaw and Savage Dragon return to Anansi and the battle. Toussaint challenges him to resume the battle. He does, shooting Toussaint.
Back at Jimmy’s house, Tituba arrives with a badly injured Werewolf. Tituba briefly explains what is going on. Jimmy introduces her to Nita Hawes. Then there is a knock on the door.
A NEW PARTICIPANT MAKES A DRAMATIC ENTRANCE
The character portrayals continue to be fantastic in Killadelphia #34. Blacula’s introduction is a wonderful example of this. One of the young men pulls the tarp aside enough to reveal a coffin and then we get the coffin’s-eye view of him pulling the lid off. This is followed by a full-page panel of Blacula with intensely bright eyes that draw our attention to his fangs. He wears a long cloak that floats around him and almost seems to have a life of its own as its coils blend into the night shadows around him. It is a grand entrance.
The story is dark and full of tension, yet it takes time for some quiet and frankly positive moments. When Savage Dragon encounters his father, we see his surprise, which does not quite border on disbelief because his father also appears quite real. Their meeting shows their affection, Dragon’s almost idolizing of his dad, and his father’s patience in trying to explain how things can be quite complicated. There is an echo of this in Seesaw’s visit with Ray which is deeply emotional. Ray was the bright spot in Seesaw’s life, and he continues to hold that brightness with him.
BOTTOM LINE: RICHLY ROLLICKING HORROR FARE
Horror, otherworldly conflict, deep interpersonal connections, social commentary, and a thread of humor – Killadelphia #34 has it all. The gripping story does not fear turning unexpected corners, and it is a delight to read.
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Killadelphia #34
In the grand struggle between Light and Dark, what are the sides really fighting for?
By day, she’s a mild-mannered bureaucrat and Ms. Know-It-All. By night, she’s a dance teacher and RPG player (although admittedly not on the same nights). On the weekends, she may be found judging Magic, playing Guild Wars 2 (badly), or following other creative pursuits. Holy Lack of Copious Free Time, Batman! While she’s always wished she had teleportation as her superpower, she suspects that super-speed would be much more practical because then she’d have time to finish up those steampunk costumes she’s also working on.