Now I’m a bit confused about the title of this one. Hunter Killer? Is that to imply a group of people that kill hunters? Or do they hunt killers? Or do they perhaps Hunt and Kill something that is as of yet unnamed? Well, actually it’s that last one. Super humans that posses strange powers and tattoo like images on their skin called “techoderms” plague the world. (Which perhaps hints that they were created rather than just naturally occurring?) Anyway, as you can imagine, most of these use their powers for awesome (that is, evil). So it is up to Hunter Killer, a group of these “Ultra-Sapiens,” to destroy or detain their nare-do-well brethren. Also, it seems that all of these super humans posses killer bodies and wear clothes that are as tight as possible or else as little as possible, making them as superior visually as they are physically.

Mark Waid’s story goes to the tune of: there’s this guy with unique powers, and both the good guys and the bad guys want him. But he was raised without knowing his ability, and now that his parents are dead, he is confused, angry, and doesn’t know which side to trust. Mostly he just wants everyone to leave him alone so that he can figure stuff out. Now I know it’s not super original or anything, but this comic is actually pretty fun to read. It’s true that if you are looking for literary innovation, this is not the place to get it, but there are some cool aspects. First of all, though the “Ultra-Sapiens” may seem a lot like the Marvel mutants at first glance, they are actually different. They don’t wear costumes, for one thing, their powers tend to be subtler, and as I said before, it seems like they were created, not natural. The dialogue is actually very good, and it is neither campy nor pun filled, which automatically makes it better than most comics out there. Also, the comic is full of interesting little things, such as teleporting mailboxes and coffee scalded drivers. It really is a good mix of action, humor, and a hot girl that has something for everyone.

The artwork Mark Silvestri (pencils) and like six inkers, is very motion oriented, and uses a lot of line work. It reminds me a little of Spawn, and a lot of Michael Turner. Though the art gets kinda sketchy at times, Silvestri shows immense creativity in the variety of characters, cool vehicles inside and out, and even the backup troops are all unique and so cool. (I love the gas mask guys!). You should also check out the cool cover by Joseph Linsner (Dawn).

Basically, this comic is just fun to read. I was very surprised at how Samantha (hot girl) took up relatively little of the cells, where most Top Cow comics focus almost solely on their leading ladies. This is definitely worth checking out for anyone who likes to be entertained, unfortunately that means no one who will read this ridiculously long review.

-Fumanchu