Publisher: Mad Cave Studios
Writer: Olivia Cuartero-Briggs
Artist: Martina Niosi
Colorist: Simone D’Angelo
Letterer: Becca Carey
Release Date: 29th January 2025

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As elevator pitches go, they don’t come much better than this: In a somewhat drastic attempt to control the recent population explosion, New York has introduced the “Kill Train” system, which sees subway trains being picked at random and all the passengers being… well… killed at the end of the line.

As part of this twisted near-future version of the world we currently live in, series writer Olivia Cuartero-Briggs introduces us to Vanessa, a recently-divorced single mother going through a nervous breakdown and clinging to her mildy toxic new relationship like a drowning woman clinging to a life preserver. Vanessa makes for an intriguing and likeable protagonist for the most part, clearly trying to pull her life together and do the best for her daughter Kay, but finding herself facing obstacle after obstacle – not least of which includes a recent train journey she is forced to take that ends up predictably kill-y.

There’s a faintly futuristic feel to the world Vanessa inhabits, with a new form of currency and high-tech “moving pods”, but it’s clear that this is intended to be a ‘worryingly not-so-distant future’ as opposed to a ‘flying cars and spaceships future’ , which certainly helps the premise to land with a little more relevancy. Cuartero-Briggs is clearly delivering some satirical social commentary with her approach here, and I particularly like the fact that the stubborn, “it’ll never happen to me” New Yorkers are STILL USING THE GODDAMN TRAIN, which is absolutely believable as something that would actually happen.

Matrina Niosi does a solid job with the artwork, although there are some puzzling facial expressions and confusing perspectives along the way. One thing she clearly excels at though is the aforementioned killing, and with this first issue featuring the somewhat troubling news that the professional, government funded assassination teams have quit their jobs in outrage and have secretly been replaced by criminally insane psychopaths, the Italian artist is definitely going to be given ample opportunity to flex her creative muscle when it comes to violence and gore – something we get a brief glimpse of in the final couple of pages of this issue.

An A-tier premise delivered with wanton B-movie gusto, this new series blends violence, humour and wry social commentary into a truly intoxicating mix.  Well worth a look.

Rating: 4/5.

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[PREVIEW ARTWORK – CLICK TO ENLARGE]

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