Tarantino Comics - Issue 53

Lately I’ve been watching a lot of westerns.  I enjoy the great American films by Ford and Hawks, but my tastes prefer a topping of marinara.  Instead, I gravitate towards those infamous westerns by Leone and Corbucci.  Although their protagonists aren’t as virtuous as John Wayne or Jimmy Stewart, their characterizations tend to be more complex.  If anything, the Spaghetti Western heroes show greater similarity with Batman rather than Superman (hence maybe an explanation for my preference).  They’re resourceful and often work outside the law to save others.  However, their motivations are frequently fueled by vengeance.

Although KILL BILL doesn’t fall into Tarantino’s “Western Trilogy”, cinephiles know each volume is loaded with references and homage to the genre:  The music, the cinematography, and most of all the themes.  Revenge is often a common motif -  Someone has been wronged, they must rebuild themselves, and ultimately they retaliate.  In the case of the Bride, she was beaten until she “lost” her child, retrained her comatose essence, and pursued payback against all those who wronged her.  Going along with this theme of retribution, Savy Lim displays the denouement of the grand duel between the Bride and O-Ren Ishii in TARANTINO COMICS #53.

Pistols are traded for Samurai Swords.  Savy’s dynamic style is displayed by the Bride slicing through her enemy’s scalp.  This is another great tribute to the westerns where the Indians (and sometimes cowboys) scalp their enemies to attain vengeance (in particular, see NAVAJO JOE).  He composes the picture with our hero is the foreground while surrounding her with a serene snow-filled Japanese background.  This contrast is further emphasized by the abundance of red blood exploding across the page to an overall black and white image.  Savy also includes the pop of yellow from the Bride’s jumpsuit, signifying the clash of genre showcased in KILL BILL.  I’m a huge fan of Savy’s linework and fluidity, making this another great entry into the TARANTINO COMICS cover gallery.