Review: My Buddy, Killer Croc

Overview: In My Buddy, Killer Croc, a young boy named Andy becomes fixated on the supervillain Killer Croc. When the middle schooler has an unlikely encounter with his idol, he finds himself with a moral dilemma that threatens to tear his entire world apart.

Synopsis (spoilers ahead): Andy is a middle-schooler new to Gotham City. The young boy relocated to Gotham after his father was incarcerated. He’s currently being cared for by his aunt Meredith, a society columnist trying to get the hang of being a parent. A cooking accident has left a permanent mark on Andy’s face, something which his new classmates take great joy in teasing him about.

However, Andy’s life has some moments of joy. The boy loves to draw, and he’s currently working on a comic strip with his classmate Maggie. But Maggie isn’t the only friend Andy has. Unbeknownst to his aunt, Andy has been sneaking into the sewers to hang out with Killer Croc. Andy has idolized Killer Croc ever since the criminal’s wrestling days.

Andy feels his aunt and Maggie don’t understand him, but Killer Croc does. The two spend hours in the sewer talking about life lessons and more. Of course, Killer Croc is a criminal at heart, and it isn’t long before Andy’s friendship leads him down a path he may not be able to return from.

Analysis: I’ve said this in the past when I’ve reviewed DC’s other young reader graphic novels, but it’s important to remember who the target audience for this is. This comic is not meant for older readers who have been following the characters for years, but they can still enjoy it. My Buddy, Killer Croc is meant for elementary and middle school readers. It’s the type of book you would pick up at the Scholastic Book Fair. It’s important to keep that in mind and not judge the book as a companion piece to the latest issue of Detective Comics.

This book was a pleasant surprise. I found myself emotionally invested in Andy’s story, with my heart breaking during the final act. Andy puts Killer Croc on a metaphorical pedestal, and when that pedestal breaks, I was surprised to find myself slightly choked up. Any book that can elicit an emotional response from me has done its job. It’s not easy to get a reader to respond emotionally to a character, especially if it isn’t a pre-existing one.

I give full credit to the writer Sara Farizan and the artist Nicoletta Baldari for pulling it off. They tell Andy’s story heartwarmingly, and it’s a collaborative effort. Farizan lets many scenes sit and breathe and allows for many quiet moments. This is where Baldari gets their chance to shine, with their artwork telling a lot of the story.

One thing I like a lot about My Buddy, Killer Croc is how it allows things to be left unsaid. For example, Andy feels a kinship to Killer Croc because both have skin deformities. The book doesn’t spell it out; instead, it trusts the reader to make that connection. The narrative also implies that Andy is latching onto Killer Croc because he lacks a strong male role model in his life after the arrest of his father. Once again, the book presents these ideas through the narrative without spelling them out. It’s rare to see that kind of subtlety in young reader books, which I appreciated.

Conversely, there were times when I felt like the book should have spelled more out. Andy is a quiet kid by nature, and the book doesn’t show his internal monologue. Protagonists usually serve as narrators in young reader novels, allowing the audience to get to know and identify with them. It was hard to understand how Andy felt about his aunt and certain aspects of his life.  Baldari’s art went a long way in filling those blanks, but there was only so much she could do. Leaving out Andy’s thoughts was an interesting narrative choice, and I’m not sure it was always the best decision for the book.

Editor’s Note: DC Comics provided TBU with a copy of this comic for review purposes. You can find this comic and help support TBU by purchasing this edition digitally either for Comixology through Amazon or as a physical copy in a paperback form at Amazon or from Things from Another World.