SDCC’13: Saint Chaos #1

Written by: Laura Hong-Tuason, CC2K Comics Editor

Looking for an indie comic that’s dark, gritty, and horrifically insane? No really, I’m talking about a comic that’s a game changer. It’s called “Saint Chaos”. I know there are plenty of dark comics out there, but trust me this one is a keeper. That is, if you like this kind of stuff so read on if you do.

Saint Chaos #1

Writer: Noah Dorsey
Illustrator: Zsombor Huszka

Saint Chaos #1 is positively and addictively sickening. How those words can come together makes no sense whatsoever, but there is no better way to explain the vibe that resonates in every fiber of your being when reading it. Let’s start from the top.

Saint Chaos is about Simon Monroe, a guy who has just had enough of his unfortunate life. After witnessing his cat commit suicide, he’s determined to be brave and do the same. Already a page in, I’m thinking this is terrible and depressing…in a good way. It makes me sound twisted, but I credit my way of thinking to writer Noah Dorsey’s crafty writing. He makes you think Simon is crazy and overdramatic, yet at the same time you to get into his psyche and understand him. You don’t root for his death and plight per se, rather you’re rooting for something unknowingly bigger.

Anyways, Simon doesn’t have the guts to kill himself so he goes off to try to find someone who can. He ends up getting kidnapped by a psycho killer named Honeycomb. Weird name, but it gets explained later in the first issue. After Simon pleads to Honeycomb to end his misery—and there is a reason aside from his cat—Honeycomb agrees to kill Simon in four days. Simon won’t know when or how he’ll die, but it’ll happen. With that established, Simon is tossed back out into the world to live out the rest of his days.

With the day of his death set, Simon becomes happier than he’s ever been in a long time. Though he fears death, he no longer fears getting a rush out of life by becoming somewhat of a reckless and brutal vigilante. After all, who cares if he dies in the process if he’ll die anyways in four days? That’s basically the gist of Saint Chaos #1, with juicy details left out. I can’t give it all away.

This is why Saint Chaos is positively and addictively sickening. It’s a grotesque story that makes your stomach curl, but you want more. As for the art? It’s stylistically black and white with a splash of red, yellow, or orange here and there and touches upon film noir. The imagery readers are presented with is horrifying, but wonderful.

Saint Chaos is not for the faint of heart. If I can describe Saint Chaos in one word, it would be “oxymoron”, because that’s how I feel when I read it. If I’ve peaked your interest, give it a try.

Saint Chaos is only available exclusively for order at Mile High Comics. For more information, give @thenoahdorsey a tweet. Tell him @laura2hong sent you. Happy reading, sort of…