Review: Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman #0
With Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman #0, be prepared to immerse yourself in the gritty and mystical world of Cabra Cini, a former victim turned avenger, whose life takes a dark yet empowering turn with the discovery of voodoo magic. This is a double-sized dose of supernatural action and origin storytelling, setting the stage for a thrilling crossover with Sam Johnson's other series, Geek-Girl.
No longer willing to allow her boyfriend/pimp to treat her poorly, Cabra Cini sought revenge with the help of voodoo magic - and enjoyed it. Voodoo is her new interest alongside her new career as a hitman. Now, drug dealer Jacob Trencher has hired Cabra Cini to find the person responsible for robbing and shooting him. This puts Cabra on a collision course with 'It girl' turned Superheroine Geek-Girl, as it seems that the person responsible is a member of Geek-Girl's new Super-Team.
There are two stories contained within this comic. The first features art from Burno Letizia, who also letters. The second is by C Granda with Paul McLaren lettering. Both are somewhat similar in style, so the comics fit together quite well without suddenly feeling like they're two stuck together or like an anthology. Both showcase a style with meticulous attention to detail, where Letizia focuses more on the foreground, and Granda adds more depth with cityscapes and insides of buildings. Cabra Cini's portrayal echoes the aesthetics of the 2000s, aligning seamlessly with her demeanour.
There's also an incredible page showing a flashback where the panels are bordered with skulls, which Letizia must have found pretty fun to draw. The artwork features magical/Voodoo, cityscape, and limbo elements, enhancing the action and character experiences, while the skilful use of heavy shadows allows colours to shine through in other areas, which is more notable with Letizia, who uses heavier shadows than Granda.
As for the colouring, Chunlin Zhao colours both stories and uses a nice mix of muted and dull tones in some panels while using bright and eye-catching colours in others. The sky, in particular, stands out prominently against the dark shadows in the art. At times, the background changes entirely in colour to showcase the mood change between panels, which is a nice touch. The use of the same colourist helps keep the style looking fairly similar and the cohesion between them flowing.
Paul McLaren letters the second story and does a solid job of keeping everything clean and clear, using a font that screams of some older comics which suits the style of the rest of the comic.
The story written by Sam Johnson introduces Cabra Cini, providing a backstory for new readers and adding depth for existing fans. The initial adventure effectively sets up her powers, methods, and obstacles she faces, incorporating action and mystic elements. In the second part, the story links to the Geek-Girl aspect and delves into Cabra Cini’s background, expanding the comic's world and hinting at future possibilities.
Overall, Cabra Cini: Voodoo Junkie Hitwoman #0 provides an engaging introduction to a dark and mystical universe where vengeance and voodoo magic rule. The detailed artwork and cohesive storytelling in the comic set the stage for an exciting crossover with the Geek-Girl series, offering a rich narrative for both new readers and long-time fans. With its mix of supernatural action and character development, this issue creates a strong foundation for an expanded comic book world to explore. Check it out whilst it's still on Kickstarter!
Rating: 4/5