Most college kids when they need a little pocket change will just hit up Mom and Dad for some help. When that fails, a part-time job is in order. You know, delivering Pizzas, working at a local store, that kind of thing. But not for Kim. She found a job people were just dying to have. (Yes, I went there). Kim is the assistant to THE Grim Reaper. Helping to Shepard lost souls to the great beyond. Thus she became Kim Reaper and picked up a stylish Scythe to complete her gothic ensemble. Joined in her adventures by her girlfriend Becka, Kim is working her fingers to the bone while also managing a relationship and college. Just a typical college kid in the world writer and artist Sarah Graley made. In this second series of the Kim Reaper saga, Graley has put Kim, Becka, and her roommate Tyler off to explore “Vampire Island.”
Spoilers ahead: If you haven’t read this book and plan to, here is where you get off. If not, put your tables and trays in an upright position and continue.
In issue #2 of Kim Reaper: Vampire Island, We find Becka and Tyler being carried by a Vampire that claims to be a friend of Kim’s while they are being chased by other vampires. (It IS “Vampire Island” after all). As he flies into a building with them, he explains he is going to swaddle them to protect them while he lands, but “not in a weird way” he assures them. Since being on a Island of Vampires is not weird enough on its own.
Once they land in a room, he tells Becka and Tyler to help him board up the entrances to help keep the vampires out. They start to work but Becka asks Tyler if he is concerned that they are boarding out the other vampires but at the same time, boarding themselves in with this one. Tyler’s thought is that since they HAVE boarded up the exits and or entrances, it’s too late to have that debate. While they are talking, their toothsome new friend comes up behind them and startles them. He apologizes for scaring them and remarks that they won’t be around to be scared much longer. Becka doesn’t particularly like how that sounded and tells him to back off. He is both hurt that she thought he meant them harm and offended at the same time. He reminds them that he promised to help them and if they would like, he would tell his plan which would come as a great personal sacrifice to him.
Part one of the plan: He placed a pizza order using an old style land line phone. This alone knocked major cool points from his resume as far as he was concerned. That was sacrifice #1. Sacrifice #2 was his reputation with the pizza place as he would be ordering 100 garlic pizzas with the idea that the smell would incapacitate the vampires so they could escape. Sacrifice #3 was that since HE was a vampire, the garlic would knock him out too and when all the vampires would awaken, they would be extremely upset at him and want him more dead than he already is. He told them that he promised to help them because of his friendship for Kim and he needed THEIR help to escape as well.
Becka listened to him and asked him if they escaped, would the vampires follow, how does he know Kim and most importantly, WHO IS HE? At that moment, Kim returned, greeting him warmly and revealed that his name is Charlie and said he is her best friend. Which was quite a blow to Becka who thought as Kim’s girlfriend, SHE should be Kim’s best friend. Tyler tried to talk her off the ledge by explaining that he and Becka were good friends and it didn’t seem to bother Kim. Somehow, even when appearing to make good sense, Tyler still comes across as annoying. Perhaps that is why Kim introduced him to Charlie as Becka’s annoying housemate.
After the introductions, Kim and Charlie proceed to tell Becka and Tyler about their friendship. It seems before both were immortal, they were both “Mortal as Hell” as Kim describes it. Charlie was a Vampire Hunter and Kim was his good friend who humored his unusual hobby. Charlie admitted he really “didn’t even believe in Vampires at the time, he just wanted an excuse to hang with Kim.” They would hang out in the woods looking for Vampires, not really believing they would find any…until they did. Unfortunately, that meant they found them as well. During the pandemonium that ensued, Kim and Charlie got separated. Charlie ran for a bit, stopped to rest and soon became a vampire chew toy. Kim felt bad for her old friend but he assured her that since he will now live forever, he will HAVE forever to get over it. But Charlie wanted to know what happened to Kim after they were separated. She explained that because it was such a wet night, as she tried to run away, she slipped and hit her head hard. She awoke to find the Grim Reaper standing over her. She asked him what he was doing? He was taken aback by the fact she could see him. As far as he knew, she shouldn’t been able to. He pondered for a moment and asked her, “Are you Special?” She responded, “My Mom seems to think so.”(This would have been my line as well. Stop stealing my material, Kim). He nodded and said, “Good Enough for me.” He then gave her a choice. Become a Grim Reaper like him or take an eternal dirt nap. It didn’t take her long to decide that the Not-Dying proposition seemed like a better choice. So that’s how Kim became a Grim Reaper. Kim Reaper to be exact.
After listening to their back story, Becka told Kim that while she knows she all in on going to “Vampire Island” and having an adventure and all that, but after being here for a few hours, she has pretty much decided that she would like to go home and never return. Kim was a bit confused, as to her way of thinking, they had just gotten there. Becka acknowledged that but there was also the matter of the large group of Vampires that were outside the room that wanted to eat her and Tyler. Kim asked what she meant by the “vampires wanting to eat her” comment when they burst through the blockaded door. The Vampires wanted to pay Charlie back for betraying them, but at that moment, someone else entered the room. The Vampires, including Charlie, began dropping to the floor. Their Garlic Pizza had arrived. The Vampires were dropping like flies. Kim scooped up Charlie and Becka asked her to get them out of there. They left, leaving the Pizza Man knowing, “He wasn’t going to get paid, that’s for sure!”
As they journeyed back, Becka was complaining that Kim’s work made her miss a lot. Kim tried to explain that she didn’t WANT to be at work all the time. Meanwhile, Tyler was trying to get their attention to let them know that Charlie was not looking well. Kim was frantic as she knew how toxic garlic was to Vampires and Charlie’s plan had been too dangerous. Becka suggested that if Garlic was bad, they needed to find something good to give him to restore the balance. But what?? Charlie coughed and gave them their answer…Blood! Which is where you are left…until the next issue.
Thoughts:
First off, in the interest of full disclosure, Kim Reaper is probably not the kind of comic I would read. However, it is clearly not aimed for my demographic. It is pointed directly at younger readers and not the over 50 stick in the mud’s like me. So when I look at it in those terms, it nails its intended audience. Kim Reaper is a lot of fun. If you are someone who likes encountering vampires and other types of creatures. Sarah Graley has a wicked sense of humor and it comes out in her writing. It is an easy read and for some reason, when I read it, I imagine what each of these characters might sound like. I believe that is the epitome of skillful writing when the dialogue lends itself to imagining a certain voice. I have no idea if anyone has ever approached her about animating Kim Reaper, but her characters as presented in her comics are almost screaming for it. The art itself would lend well to animation if she ever chose to go that route. Another thing I appreciate is that in this issue, she allowed some space to give some background on the main character which is appreciated. It should never be assumed that the first issue is the one a reader might pick up. If when reading a new book and you find you have no idea what is going on, who the characters are and why they are doing what they are doing, that first glimpse may be the last. In this case, Graley leaves nothing to chance by expounding on how Kim came to “Grim Reaping.” But even if she didn’t do that, it was still easy enough to follow. Whether she does that in deference to her intended audience or not, it is a wise choice and one I sometimes wish other creators would do.
Bottom Line:
Kim Reaper Vampire Island #2 does what it intends to do. It tells a story aimed at younger readers with just the right amount of cuteness, humor, and a small does of scary. Creator Sarah Graley makes sure no reader is left behind even if this is the first issue of Kim Reaper that they have read. That in itself is a skill. Oh, and if someone hasn’t already approached you for possible animation and they do in the future, you’re welcome.
Kim Reaper: Vampire Island #2
Artist/Writer: Sarah Graley
Age Rating: Young Adult Audiences
Genre: Humor/Adventure
Senior Writer at GeekVibesNation – I am a 50 something child of the 70’s who admits to being a Star Trek/Star Wars/Comic Book junkie who once dove head first over a cliff (Ok, it was a small hill) to try to rescue his Fantastic Four comic from a watery grave. I am married to a lovely woman who is as crazy as I am and the proud parent of a 18 year old boy with autism. My wife and son are my real heroes.
