Vile
This book was not very enjoyable. I am not a prude and I understand that everyones tastes are not the same as mine so don't dismiss this review an unthoughtful slam. This comic has some of the most vile crimes one human can do to another. It is grotesque and awful. That said it lacks in composition and story as well. There will be some spoilers revealed but believe me it will be worth reading on.
Painkiller wakes up and is an average tormented character like Punisher. The thing is it is never said why she is so tormented. This would be important since she puts her own gun in her mouth by page three. Not only that but the image frame is more pornographic looking than tormented. It seemed as if the artist was using the barrel of the pistol as a phallic image.
Then we have Painkiller Jane find the victims of a monstrous man who tortures woman by cutting them up and literally stitching them together. It would later be revealed that these are young girls who are used and tortured to fill the fantasies of three generations of this family. Painkiller even calls one of the girls kid. It is strongly hinted that these are girls under 18. It really turned my stomach. The crimes that are visually depicted are reminiscent of Josef Mengele. The crimes are so awful that there is nothing Painkiller could do to make you feel better about a resolution.
Let me be clear just so I don't get in trouble but it is strongly hinted that they are young woman in the three issue series. They are obviously teen-aged. At the very least 18-19 years. I think the writer is putting them at 18 years but in dialogue they mention them as being young and Painkiller who is not that old refers to one of the victims as kid. It has been brought up that maybe Painkiller uses kid like Wolverine uses bub, but I have never seen or read her refer to anyone as kid at any other time. So I have my doubts. It is still pretty sick stuff no matter what.
So, Painkiller kicks ass and does the unthinkable she makes a decision so stupid as to make me hate her as a character. She leaves these young tortured woman in the hands of one of the bodyguards and tells him to call the police. He does this but of course he has connections with the police and everything is swept under the rug.
I would not recommend this book to prop up an uneven table leg. I understand being sensitive to the work of others but this book is flat out offensive. I wish I could give it a zero rating. The only nice thing about this book is the art is not that bad. It is not my favorite and it is irrelevant to my rating because I only rate on story not art. Do not buy this book.