Calamity Kate #1

Calamity Kate #1 comic reviewThe first issue of Calamity Kate introduces us to our title character: a monster hunter from back east with a troubled past who shows up on the door of her college roommate in sunny California after five years without a word. Kate Strand has arrived in Los Angeles to make her fame and fortune as the West Coast’s new premier monster hunter. Often referred to as “Calamity,” it doesn’t take us long to discover why Kate got that nickname.

Writer Magdalene Visaggio and artist Corin Howell set-up the world, our core characters, and the purpose of our hero: setting out to destroy the Seven Fabled Beasts of Yore (from which all monsters apparently come from). Kate fits into mold of a messy hero that certainly knows how to take care of herself on the battlefield but struggles in any other context.

While I’m not sure I’ll stick around for all four issues of the mini-series, Calamity Kate #1 is a fun read bouncing between Kate monster hunting and her less successful human interactions. Worth a look. For fans.

[Dark Horse, $3.99]