Monster Kill Squad: How To Fight Parodies With Camp
Monster Kill Squad from Bad Idea leaves an odd impression. You have the monsters of people's nightmares, the macho soldiers to combat them. But both in and out of the story, it doesn't really feel as dire as it should. Frankly that's the point, so what if there's an apocalyptic scenario brewing, sometimes it's good to revel in camp.
Monster Kill Squad: A Campy Bad Idea
The way Christos Gage writes Monster Kill Squad has an overdramatic flair to it. I mean to introduce our titular military unit, they fight a group of Pennywise knockoffs. And that's after making an impression on the standard soldiers who spend more time reacting to the footage of the clowns. The way the kill squad show off their equipment and brush off the threats these jesters feels otherworldly.
But maybe that has to do with how they share the usage of cheesy movie reference dialogue. The clown are aware they're ripping off It and their attempts to sound edgier makes them feel more like failed comedians. Unlike the squad commander who with a quote from the late Raul Julia feels like a respectful tribute to campy movies.
My favorite part of Monster Kill Squad comes from how the data analyst who isn't really part of the action. Yet he plays the good cop scenario where he finds a way to connect with a captured clown to fish intel. It gives off the impression that there's no gatekeeping between anyone; in fact the audience feels like they connect to this crazy world a little better through him.
Get A Poster For The Wall
The art by Tomas Giorello and colors of Diego Rodriguez give Monster Kill Squad a striking aesthetic. To go along with their memorable dialogue, each character's unique design and equipment stands out. Take for example a fully weaponized prosthetic arm or a pagan priestess whose wardrobe tells her past. Even the grotesque monster designs stand out, octopus clowns and a gorgon are just many creatures that could be figures.
Are You Ready To Open Pandora's Box?
Monster Kill Squad is one of those series people won't be able to forget. The dialogue and monster designs can keep up people's interest, but it's the characterizations of the squad that keep people around. As fan of camp, I can compare this to another Bad Idea, Tankers. Right now, I give this series 8/10.
Thanks for coming to the end and as always remember to look between the panels.