This comic was bleak. It truly felt like a story about a woman who was raped written by a man. The way it was written did not show an understanding of women or trauma at all. I was deeply unimpressed.

Decent historical-noir comic book, that I liked but not sure I loved. The illustrations are really good and fit well with the story, but it just didn't leave me desperate to read more immediately, which is my normal measurement of something amazing. I'd certainly order a copy for the library, but just the one.

A new noir series set in the seedy side of 60's L.A.  In one story, a young socialite has been recently assaulted and resultedly lost her hearing.  She's become a high end cat burglar in the intervening months.    On the other side is a police detective investigating the murders of young women who are brutally stabbed and then posed for Playboy style pinups.  It's apparent at some point these two stories will collide.  There's lots of steam and sex as everyone seems to be sleeping with everyone else behind one's backs.  Anyway.  Good art.  An intriguing story.  What more can you ask for?

A gorgeously drawn graphic novel with an interesting narrative, plot, and concepts. Definitely recommended for fans of this genre.

This should've been more interesting to me where it was essentially about hunting down a serial killer, but I ultimately found it boring and hated the main protagonist. He was nothing but a classic chauvinistic, misogynistic a-hole who didn't care about anyone. I would've enjoyed this more if it was more focused on the serial killer and the killings themselves. Will definitely not be continuing this series.  Especially since you only get one murder per issue.  Just not enough to keep me interested.

Received via Netgalley. All opinions are expressly my own.

Hmmm…  Reasonable crime comic, but not one to make me rush back for the other three parts.  In 1961 LA someone has suddenly taken it upon themselves to snatch, rape and mutilate pretty women, tagging them on some post mortem Polaroids as Miss January, February, etc.  One cop has been assigned to the task of working out the connections, and preventing March going out like a lamb.  Meanwhile there's a real-life Catwoman, who keeps on stealing high-brow artefacts to fund the search for the man who tried to rape her and accidentally knocked her cold deaf.  Was she just a dry run, or will she become the title character?  The cop investigating her robberies wants the Calendar Girls murders gig, forcing them to make some threads of the book become very clunky investigations into how paternal a real American Man can get to be, but the biggest flaw is the sheer implausibility in the whole thing.  In decades of comics we've never had someone become a masterful alarm-sensor-busting badass as vengeance on becoming deaf, and we've never had that for a reason!  The cops spend half their time shagging someone in cute undies doggy, and one person per case is surely not to be taken realistically.  Finally, the several years before it was rushed to the translators' and the speed it finally limped over the netgalley line suggest even the publishers don't think it vital that we find out what the full story is.  Two and a half stars.

Interesting, but is not my kind of comics. It is not for the children, but is interesting the deficiencies of the protagonists  and how they build their relationships (Miss October, Clegg..)

My thanks to Europe Comics for a digital edition via NetGalley of ‘Miss October: 1. Playmates 1961’ script by Stephen Desberg and art by Alain Queireix in exchange for an honest review. It was translated from the French by Edward Gauvin.

This is the first in a four-volume vintage crime noir series set in Los Angeles in the early 1960s.

In 1963, a glamorous woman breaks into a museum. The cops show up and she flees, only to be intercepted by Lt. Clegg. They appear to know one another rather well .....

Flashback to 1961. Following a blow to the head, the beautiful Viktor Scott woke with no memory of the attack that left her permanently deaf. Her rich father has stifled any investigation by the police and claims that she was in a car accident. Viktor seeks out Juanita, a private detective, to assist her in uncovering the truth. Oh, and as a hobby Viktor enjoys a bit of cat burglary. 

Meanwhile, Lt. Clegg and his team are seeking a serial killer who poses his victims as Playboy centrefolds. Viktor believes that her attacker is the killer and that she narrowly avoided becoming one of his victims. At the end of Volume 1, she meets Clegg for the first time.

This was superb! Very much crime noir in the tradition of James Ellroy. Alain Queireix’s art is very striking with a bright palette and images that perfectly evoke its period setting.

I am pleased that Vol 2 is currently available on Kindle Unlimited and that the other two volumes are available at a moderate price. I expect that I will be continuing with this series as it’s right up my alley.

<i> I received a finished copy of this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. </i>

I am not usually one to read comic books of graphic novels but I enjoyed this one.
I really liked the 1961 L.A. setting and the drawings.
And I really appreciated the feminist turn with the protagonist and female private detective teaming up.
There was a bit too much unnecessary and graphic sex scenes for my tastes but the story is captivating enough that I can look past it.
I might go on with the series.

It seems weird to describe this book as "fun" - it's a murder mystery, after all. But it's thoroughly enjoyable, light without being fluffy, and it'll keep you guessing until the end.  That cover is fabulous, too.

This was a really interesting graphic novel. I liked the noir detective vibe and the murder plotline was interesting and I'd like to see where it goes! This was definitely dark and gritty with maybe a little too many sex scenes. I enjoyed the story of the deaf girl who turns into a burglar and hope she finds her answers.

I really really enjoyed this book I was again looking for something a little different to my normal reading habits and this  graphic novel fitted perfectly.

Miss October, Playmates 1961 is the first book in a series of graphic novels about a serial killer who kills young women, and is set in the 1960s.

Our main protagonist is Viktor, a young woman who was attacked and since then has been deaf.  She is also a cat burglar, something that she hides from her wealthy parents whom she lives with.

This was a fine piece of escapism, but I found some bits odd (you don't know Viktor is deaf to begin with).  There's nudity and sex in here, so not a graphic novel for those who might take offence.

I thought it was OK.  Not a series that I feel the need to continue and I found it a little confusing.

 Miss October, Playmates 1961  came out in 2018, and is available on  Amazon. 

 I couldn't find any social medial or websites for either Stephen Desberg or Alain Queireix.  I believe Stephen Desberg is Belgian, and has written other comics.

If you're interested in other graphic novels, then have a look at the  Graphic Novels  I've reviewed!

I was given this book for free in return for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to  Europe Comics  (the publishers) for this book.

The premise of the story was very interesting for me, but I confess that I found its development a little confused. The story ended without any explanation and with many things open. Another thing that bothered me was the exaggeration in the sex scenes, especially for a graphic novel that is only 50 pages long - it was not something I was expecting. The story has potential, but it could have been better developed in that first volume.

This was just not for me at all. If it wasn't so short it probably would have been one that I DNF'd unfortunately and I don't feel compelled to carry on with the rest of the comics. The premise sounded intriguing but sadly I didn't enjoy it and half of the time found the plot cliche and at times confusing, especially with a lot of the characters being indistinguishable.

I really love this book more than any other that I've read before! I reaply loved this graphic novel!

The premise for this  graphic novel is fantastic. What is not fantastic is the copious amounts of sex. I know that particular era did not paint women in the best of light, but come on. 
 
I would have rated higher, but the sex scenes were over the top and tasteless, in my opinion. 

The best parts of this graphic novel were the artwork and the storyline revolving around the murders. The storyline, at times, became confusing. The rest, for me, at least, made no sense and really wasnt needed for the story.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, Stephen Desberg, and Alain Queireix for an ARC in return for an honest review

3.75 Stars (I received an e-arc from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review)

The illustrations in the graphic novel are gorgeous and classy and I was intrigued by the story, there are some bad-ass women trying to live in a man's world. Murder, corrupt police force, sex and female spies oh my! It's the kind of story you just have to go into without knowing a lot about the plot. Thoroughly enjoyed this read.

Comic with a really interesting story, and lovely artwork, which I immediately fell in love with. I cannot say that I am disappointed since my expectations were not high, but it was a pretty quick and funny read, that I'll probably re-read in the future. So, if you want to read an original comic with a pinch of a detective plot, try this one!

I grew up just south of Los Angeles, so I've always been a sucker for LA, West Coast, bright sunshine and beaches, seedy underbelly of the city of angels noir.  And this comic fits right into that tradtion, with what looks like a feminist twist. This is only volume one of the story, however, and instead of being energized to follow past the cliffhanger and continue the series, I'm going to put reading further on the back burner.  It was a fine plot with an interesting female socialite/burglar protagonist, but the art was flat (and  several characters were distinguished only by their hair),  the plot was a bit by the numbers, the sex seemed a bit gratuitous and cynical (everyone is cheating on everyone with everyone else!), and the noir was pretty conventional (down to the Chinatown-ish direction the plot looks to be going).  A fine read for an afternoon but nothing that knocked my socks off.