The Supermarket

Wow.

After reading Brian Wood and Kristian’s Supermarket issues 1-4 in one sitting, I just had to take a deep breath and relax. Pella Suzuki is the offspring of Yakuza and Swedish Porn Mafia parents who have tried to live a normal life leaving their criminal pasts behind. But, that past catches up to them and Pella comes home to murdered parents. From this point on, she is on the run for her very life.

Brian Wood is one of my all-time favorite writers. He is able to tell powerfully, evocative stories that tug at readers’ sympathies. He does this with the trappings of your best mob stories firing from all cylinders from the very beginning. Pella’s character is the type that I don’t normally feel for: spoiled, rich kid not appreciating her lot in life. But, through the radical turn of events, Wood creates an opening for readers to jump in and see things from her point of view. Any preconceived notions about Pella’s rich-kid antics melt away as Wood’s writing wins over readers’ sympathies as we run side by side with Pella.

Brian Wood’s world captures and combines the best and worst of a city greatly influenced by Japanese style and Euro-sleek architecture. Pella’s city can be both harsh and beautiful at the same time.

Kristian’s artwork is truly awesome. His use of edgy manga-influenced art along with his masterful use of his uniquely colored palette filled with splashes of oranges, pinks, greens, purples and fuchsias over a storyline concocted of wild imagination and madness-inspired layouts creates a vivid, multi-colored, kaleidoscopic journey that is absolutely a joy to behold.

If you are into reading some great, fast-paced, suspense-filled storytelling, then buy it. If you are into seeing artwork unlike any other on the market today, then buy it. However, if you’re into reading a great story with likewise accompanying artwork, then feast your eyes on this creatively-kinetic gem and watch your head explode! You’ve been warned.