Quotes don’t get much better than “It’s blood and death is what it is.”

• The Beef #1
• Written by Richard Starkings & Tyler Shainline
• Art by Shaky Kane
• Published by Image Comics

The Beef, the long-touted project from Richard Starkings (plot/script), Tyler Shainline (plot/script), and Shaky Kane (art/coloring), finally arrives on comic shelves February 28th, 2018. I’ll admit without shame that I agreed to review this comic on the title alone but was thrilled to see both such a unique story and original artwork between the (digital) pages that I was really glad I made the call. Like many #1 issues, the first issue of The Beef has a lot of heavy lifting to do to establish characters, develop plot, and provide momentum to the next issue within its pages, but it does it so well. Without revealing too much, the main character is Chuck Carter, who was mercilessly picked on as a young teen and grew up to fill his father’s shoes in the local meat-packing plant. His gruesome job at the plant is to man “the bolt,” the sinister execution device used to slam a steel rod into the brain of countless cattle before slaughter. Yeah, safe to say not everything in Chuck’s life is great. That’s certainly no thanks to Gaelen and Khristos, two bullies from childhood whose torment continues into Chuck’s adult life.

You don’t need to understand another language to know things could quickly go South in ‘The Beef.’

Issue #1 of the miniseries, which certainly isn’t for kids, doesn’t shy away from the brutality of either the meatpacking industry or adolescence. The narrative sticks with Chuck throughout, but the timeline shifts to show some childhood backstory that leaves plenty of questions, which I have a feeling will be address in future issues (e.g., What’s the real story behind Chuck’s father’s fate?). With plenty of childhood references I can easily identify with – such as a Goonies T-shirt and Barry Sanders trading cards – I hope the timeline-shifting narrative continues. One thing that is constant throughout? The Beef. Whether you’re talking about the cows and the slaughterhouse, the restaurant named “The Beef,” the countless hamburgers consumed by their patrons (including Chuck), or the longstanding grudge between Chuck and the rest of the world, the comic’s title is no misnomer. While reading this, I honestly thought the whole comic was headed toward No Country for Old Men territory, but without giving away spoilers, the comic takes a turn toward the fantastic and certainly makes you want to closely inspect the ingredients in your food. The Beef is mature with language, gore, and sexual innuendo throughout, so tread lightly with kiddos. For adults, however, I highly recommend picking this one up. Image continues to do a great job of giving a platform to unique voices, and The Beef is certainly unique. I can’t wait to see where it takes readers next – but hopefully to some serious butt kicking! For now, I’m off to congratulate myself for avoiding a “Where’s the beef?” joke in this review. (Darn it! Never mind.)