I’ve found the older I become, the more respect I acquire for our brave men and women who lay their life down to defend their freedom. Whether it has been the army, navy, marines, air force or coast guard – you have my undying respect. From the bottom of my heart, I seriously mean that. I’ve had the pleasure to watch some friends and family go into various services. Sometimes, the aftermath of that service is a harder war to wage than the service you’re returning from. A friend of mine, Tim Sterling, shared on our podcast about the PTSD he faced and how drugs became his coping mechanism. You can hear his full story here.

PTSD has been a very present reality for some of our men and women coming home from service. For some of the veterans, it comes in the forms of sleepless nights, alcohol, drugs, and addictions among other things. For other vets, it comes in the form of depression and suicide. It becomes a bit too much for them to handle and they turn to suicide as a final form. Twenty-two veterans take their life each and every day. If you are a veteran or know someone who is and they are considering suicide, please consider our veteran resources that we have, simply click here. From everyone at Victims and Villains, thank you for your service. You do have value and worth.

I think that sometimes we do mistreat our veterans. We don’t know how to handle these brave men and women who have become riddled with trauma. For some veterans, they simply fade under the radar. That’s where we find the protagonist of the book, Appalachian Assassin. In his follow-up to Who is Darius Key?, Petty introduces audiences to Jesse, a former special forces soldier who marries an abuse survivor and trains her to become an assassin. There is something special that Petty creates here. While the story is far from perfect, Petty’s approach to the material is raw and beautiful. His exploration of deeper themes of war, abuse and PTSD manage to establish some excellent characters, intimate moments and pieces of a compelling narrative.

The book is divided up into four acts. I almost kind of wish it wasn’t done in that way because you can really start to see where the book loses itself. The first acts, while as bizarre as it may get, deliver a compelling story that will draw readers in. These first two acts really grabbed me. You get the characters of Jesse and John, who both served with one another. Both dealing with the fallout of war and its mental anguish. While on the other side of the narrative you have Jo Betty, a victim of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Jesse basically buys Jo Betty and that’s how their stories collide. Like I said, it’s a bit bizarre but these first two acts present a promising story.

Unfortunately, that promise runs out prematurely. The third act begins the transformation of Jo Betty. By the time, readers get to the training portion, it feels like the pacing that Petty manages to establish leaves the book in favor of a rushed narrative that hits play when it pleases it. There is a portion within this third act that feels like a montage had this been a different type of medium. If it was a television show or movie, it would have been welcome, but unfortunately, as a comic it doesn’t translate well. It feels awkward, clumsy and like the sense of time is absent from the book.

The fourth act entirely feels like a complete misfire. Taking its’ time to tell a story that not only uproots the narrative but offers little to nothing for character development either. The end result is a rushed ending that comes at a bitter price. What started off as something so promising falls victims to distractions. The book finds some redemption in its art team of Carl Embalzado & Sherrie Hunt. Think back to the early 90s when Image was still finding its footing, this is where you would find Appalachian Assassin. The art is rough and raw. Which manages to capture the tone of these characters’ arcs. Even in the midst of its raw nature, the art still manages to be vibrant. It’s a weird combination that Embalzado and Hunt manage to pull off with ease.

Overall, Appalachian Assassin isn’t as elegant as the characters hope their journey is. A rough and raw approach to its art, thanks to Carl Embalzado and Sherrie Hunt, allows the book to thrive on nostalgia. Taking readers back to the early days of Image Comics and the indie book of the early 90s. The art beautifully reflects the tone and mature themes of the book. Adrian “Asia” Petty takes over on writing duties. Petty presents a compelling narrative that doesn’t always fall in line with pacing and character decisions. At its’ core, Assassin is equally an empowerment story and a love story. It starts off strong in establishing its characters, goals and visions. However, by the time, readers come to the competition of those goals and visions – readers are treated to bizarre character moments, awkward pacing and a less than satisfying ending. Appalachian Assassin has a lot to offer readers, I just wish it took its’ time a bit better.

RORSCHACH RATING:

If you or someone you know is reading this right now and you are struggling with suicide, depression, addiction, or self-harm - please reach out. Comment, message or tweet to us. Go to victimsandvillains.net/hope for more resources. Call the suicide lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Text "HELP" to 741-741. There is hope & you DO have so much value and worth!

Victims and Villains is written Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey (and produced by), Caless Davis, Dan Rockwood, & Brandon Miller. Music by Mallory Johnson and others. This post was edited by Cam Smith. Appalachian Assassin is property of Jericho Projects. We do not own nor claim any rights. Appalachian Assassin is available on now on physical and digital, click here .

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