Billy gets totally strung out in Gunning For Hits No. 5
Gunning For Hits exposes the depravity of the music industry
Everyone knows the music business is a world of cut-throats and backstabbers; ACDC once said “it’s a long way to the top if you want to rock ‘n roll“, and they were right. For the last four issues, we’ve been following along as a late ’80s talent scout finds, signs, and exploits the next big thing, while a once-famous star from the ’70s also tries to take advantage of the up-and-coming superstars in a bid to reclaim his lost relevance. We’re shown the ins and outs of the recording biz, from the backroom signing deals to the drug use, told to us by Jeff Rougvie, a person intimately involved in the music scene during the times depicted (he secured the rights to David Bowie’s music catalog from ’69-’80, during the big CD boom of the early nineties). Drawn by the talented Moritat, lettered and colored by Casey Silver, with a cover from Dan Veesenmeyer, Gunning For Hits is a thrilling slice of the music life well worth the read.
Image Comics
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Bad albums and bad people converge in Gunning For Hits
In the last issue, Martin Mills got Brian Slade’s bodyguard fired, Brian Slade tried to take advantage of Stunted Growth’s lead singer, and the album that the two made was ready for release. This issue starts out with Martin’s boss giving him a hard time about the album, even though Martin is blinded by his fandom for Slade. Martin meets up with Slade’s manager, who reveals Slade’s own album cover, which looks terrible. Gunning For Hits is taking shots at the music industry in general, but they’re pretty on the nose about it. Martin brings Slade’s album back to the office and sends copies to trusted associates, and everyone but Martin thinks it sucks.
Image Comics
Gunning For Hits shows the dangers of drug use
Stunted Growth is blowing up all over the place, but the Billy, the frontman, is deep into a drug-fueled spiral of creative doom, causing him to attack his manager/girlfriend, Diane. Martin hires the bodyguard he got fired earlier to take care of Billy in a sort of “personal handler” kind of situation. Martin continues to get more feedback about the crappy album he will soon be forced to release (contractual obligations), and it finally sinks in that the stinker of an album will tank his own career. Martin and his friend Melch get hammered, and Martin stumbles across a risky plan to fix everything: if Brian Slade dies, everyone will be too busy mourning and buying his albums to critique his latest effort. Martin plans to shoot Slade dead live on stage during the upcoming multinational TV broadcast of Slade’s album debut.
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Gunning For Hits is now dabbling in serious high drama; when the ex-assassin record executive plans to murder his idol onstage to hide the fact that the idol’s latest album sucks, you know that things are no longer based in reality. Although, who really knows what kinds of things happen behind closed doors at music production companies. 9/10, recommended if not for the plot than for the insights into music thirty years ago. Let us know what you thought in the comments section below.