‘We Only Kill Each Other’ Written By Stephanie Phillips And Illustrated by Peter Krause – Comic Book Review

Growing up, reading comics was always a thrill for me. At a young age, we relied on friends giving us a short review or their thoughts on comics, and with no internet, it was virtually impossible to know what to read if I wasn’t for word of mouth. Now with the internet, we have so many ways to catch up on comics, whether it’s being able to reserve your favorites or even read them digitally. I love physical media, but digital media comes in handy. And, of course, there are some people who enjoy doing the digital only aspect of media.

I recently got the chance to read the comic, We Only Kill Each Other, written by Stephanie Phillips and illustrated by Peter Krause.

The plot:

The year is 1938. The threat of World War II looms over the United States, where Nazi sympathizers and fascists have taken root on American soil in alarming numbers. In New York City, resistance to the American Nazi movement grows amongst the ranks of Jewish-American gangsters. Enter Jonas Kaminsky, a rising small-time gangster who’s embroiled in a turf war with Levi Solomon, an old-time mob boss with millions tied up in gambling and booze. When thrown together in an unexpected circumstance, it turns out that the one thing these gangsters hate more than each other is the Nazis. 

We Only Kill Each Other is a great story that captures the intrigue and love for both history and mob drama. We see a side of history that is horrific and disturbing. As the old adage goes, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” and in this comic, we see the foundation of a mutual bond between two rival gangs whose main goal—aside from profiting off their crimes—is the elimination of Nazis. Jonas and Levi are complex characters from both the young and old generation.

The artwork in We Only Kill Each Other is also what captured my attention, from the detail of the faces to violence and the background. My only complaint is that I got so deeply intrigued in the story, only to find the first issue has ended on a cliffhanger, leaving me wanting more. I just want to binge the entire comic in one sitting. This is the mark of a good comic. Even in the age of streaming movies and TV shows, reading a comic has that same effect on us… we want more.

Overall, I would say We Only Kill Each Other is one to check out.