A Comic From IDW by Andrew Wheeler and Ilias Kyriazis
Cat Fight #1 – Venice by Andrew Wheeler and Ilias Kyriazis is a new comic series following the exploits of Felix Lamarr, a career criminal who comes from a crime family that just happens to have a rather large affinity to felines. While Felix has tried to leave that life behind him and move forward in his own way and on his own terms, stories like this have a tendency to force the hero back into a corner they’d rather not be in. After summoned by his grandmother, the matriarch of the family, Felix tries to make it clear that he wants no part of the life she wants for him, only to get forced into a game of cat and mouse (see what I did there?!) What follows in an interesting book that could turn out to be something special.
“Caught up in the glamor and excessive lifestyle of an international career criminal, Felix Lamarr lives only for the thrill of the next big score. Suddenly contacted by his estranged and wealthy grandmother, he is shocked to learn that she is a storied career criminal herself—the lithe and legendary burglar Kitty Midnight—and that she wants him to partner with her cat-themed associates on a lucrative upcoming heist. Unaccustomed to collaboration, Felix declines Kitty’s offer…but a shocking incident sends his life into a sudden, chaotic tailspin. Framed for murder and on the run from a mysterious syndicate, he leaps at full-throttle from one international hot spot to the next in a deadly game of cat and mouse!”
With this being the first chapter, I was somewhat surprised that a large majority of the book was exposition. The book opens with a chase scene, then goes directly into nearly all of the background plot for the remainder. This is a somewhat atypical style for something like this, but I suppose getting all of that out of the way is a great way to move forward with a “bad guy of the week” sort of narrative that I assume this will go to. While the heavy exposition may have caught me by surprise, it can also serve as a solid foundation for the story that unfolds.
As mentioned before, the book introduces a series of menacing characters with cat-themes, which can be seen as a gimmick to a lot of people. While this choice may raise concerns about repetitiveness, it can also be intriguing if executed well. The key lies in how these characters are developed throughout the story, whether they evolve, and how they interact with the protagonist Felix. It will be interesting to see how Felix deals with this syndicate of antagonists and how the author manages to keep the storyline fresh and engaging.
Despite the initial surprise of the heavy exposition and the potential pitfalls of a cast of almost entirely cat-themed characters, it is worth keeping an open mind and giving the subsequent issues of this series a chance. Issue one was really well done and has gorgeous artwork, so I can’t imagine they won’t stick the landing. I will be sure to check out more of this book if I can, and in the meantime, be sure to check out the solid artwork in all of the variant covers that were released that I have posted below. While, Cat Fight #1 – Venice by Andrew Wheeler and Ilias Kyriazis may not be the cat’s pajamas, it’s a well-done first chapter of what I assume will turn out pretty good. So don’t pussyfoot around and grab a copy of this book today!
I was provided a copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review from the