The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys: California

by Gerard Way, Shaun Simon, Becky Cloonan (Illustrator)

Overview

Years ago, the Killjoys fought against the tyrannical megacorporation Better Living Industries, costing them their lives, save for one—the mysterious Girl. Today, the followers of the original Killjoys languish in the Desert while BLI systematically strips citizens of their individuality. As the fight for freedom fades, it's left to the Girl to take up the mantle and bring down the fearsome BLI! Collects The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys #1–#6 and "Dead Satellites" from Free Comic Book Day 2013.

* From Gerard Way, creator of the Eisner Award–winning The Umbrella Academy!

* Hardcover limited to 2,500 copies!

* Hardcover includes an extensive sketchbook with artwork from Becky Cloonan, Gabriel Bá, Paul Pope, Gerard Way, Fábio Moon, Rafael Grampá, and Brian Ewing.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781595824622
Publisher:	Dark Horse Comics
Publication date:	05/20/2014
Edition description:	14+
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	83,916
Product dimensions:	6.50(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

Gerard Way is a singer, songwriter, and comic book writer who is perhaps best known as the lead singer of the band My Chemical Romance. With My Chemical Romance, Way found fame and acclaim and toured with the band from 2001 to 2013. In addition to his music, Way is the Eisner Award–winning writer of The Umbrella Academy and The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys. 

You can learn more about Way and his art at gerardway.com.

Shaun Simon is the former keyboardist for the New Jersey band Pencey Prep, which he founded with Frank Iero and John McGuire. Following the band's breakup in 2002, he accompanied Gerard Way's band, My Chemical Romance, on tour. It was while on tour that many of the ideas for the Killjoys comic book took shape. At the 2012 New York Comic Con, it was announced that a first look at the series would be released on 2013's Free Comic Book Day. The series is drawn by artist Becky Cloonan and edited by Sierra Hahn. Simon has also worked outside the comics medium and was the winner of the Preditors & Editors readers poll for his flash fiction story "Snowman." The author lives in Montclair, New Jersey.

Becky Cloonan is a comic book artist, writer, and creator. Cloonan was educated at New York's School of Visual Arts. After graduating, she began working on Channel Zero: Jennie One. Cloonan is known for her work on 9-11, MySpace Dark Horse Presents, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Conan the Barbarian. 

You can learn more about Cloonan at beckycloonan.net.

Editorial Reviews

06/02/2014
Although it is visually energetic and brimming with interesting artistic choices, this story, derived from the eponymous album and videos by Way’s (Umbrella Academy) former band My Chemical Romance, still struggles to provide much in the way of narrative momentum. Cloonan’s (Conan) bright, energetic art buoys the action, which follows a gang of ragtag but fabulous (they are based on rock stars, after all) freedom fighters on their crusade against Better Living Industries, a sinister megacorporation, but the dystopian plot quickly loses steam. Evoking a sense of gritty excitement and sand-baked glamor, the artwork establishes a desert world in which everything looks worn and battered. Way and Simon never fully embrace to the world devised by Cloonan’s pencils, constantly getting sidetracked by half-formed ideas, especially in the long stretches that focus on futuristic youth culture. Fans of Way and Cloonan will definitely enjoy the story, but others may just look at the pictures. (May)

Publishers Weekly