Light It, Shoot It!

by Graham Chaffee

Graham Chaffee's first graphic novel in seven years, Light It, Shoot It! is a classic tale of noir below the spotlight. Fresh out of prison for an arson conviction, clueless 20-year old Billy Bonney finds himself drifting through the seedy and unsavory world of cut-rate moviemaking, even more out of place amongst his peers than he felt as a teen six years earlier when he got busted. Following his brother to the sets of grade B and exploitation 1970s Hollywood seems like a path of least resistance, until he accidentally lands a job as a handler to a has-been actor. But the bright lights burn harsher and show more than he anticipated as he steps lucklessly into a gangster-driven plot to burn down a studio for the insurance money, and finds himself in over his head. Drunken, washed-up stars. Scrambling, past-their-own-prime producers. Teenage girls on the make, slick hustlers, and violent fixers. Drawn in bold brushstrokes, and hand-painted in subtle washes, Chaffee brings vintage LA to the page in a propulsive adventure. Black-and-white illustrations throughout

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fiction

208 pages, Paperback

Published April 2, 2024

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

"ALRIGHT - SETTLE DOWN! You're all in a tizzy - have a drink . . . Well, have another one, then . . . and pour ME one. I'll come over there, and we'll figure this out, okay?" -- Kate Kelly, page 143

Chaffee's Light It, Shoot It! is a grungy ensemble piece graphic novel detailing the alarming and then increasingly felonious happenings during the troubled production of a low rent B-grade horror movie in 1970's Hollywood. Tarantino-esque, you might say? Correctamundo! While the intended primary characters are supposed to be two brothers from the Midwest, both in their mid-20's - one of whom was just paroled after serving a five-year hitch for arson, the other a lowly production assistant at a movie studio - the more affecting and ingratiating player was producer Kate Kelly. A no-nonsense chain-smoking woman in her late 40's, she pleasantly - because she occasionally endures silly insults in reference to her 'old' age - becomes the de facto heroine of the piece when forced to deal with all sorts of plot complications colliding in the third act. (Speaking of that third act, it felt sort of rushed and abrupt, but Ms Kelly shines in badass mode, and she is deserving of a subsequent volume.) Kelly is the sort of part that late actress Anne Bancroft would've absolutely nailed if she would've had the chance to perform it. As for the rest of the story, it was okay, but I enjoyed the random references to the various 70's-era TV shows made by Universal Studios (apropos for the story's setting) and the one character - the uncle of the two brothers - resembling the real-life growly tough guy actor and ex-convict Lawrence Tierney (best known as Joe in Reservoir Dogs) in both appearance and behavior.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A hot and wild ride through 70s moviemaking, complete with a ton of characters you'll kinda loathe. There's a lot of dark fun to be had as the movie in question goes from an ill-advised production to a crime scene. That said, Light It, Shoot It! meanders almost plotlessly, particularly in the extended story-within-a-story sequence. The simple art is excellent.

[Kit Charlton · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

This is a compelling story with a well-stylized setting and aesthetic that is accompanied by a mostly-effective art style that is occasionally just a little too muddy for its own good. The plot is complex but not convoluted. There's a satisfying amount of sleaze and our main character of Billy is eccentric and lovable-in-a-dopey-way enough to make him really stick as a protagonist. The ending is extremely abrupt, allowing the fairly significant climax very little room the breathe--50 more pages would have not gone astray, or perhaps 50 earlier pages could have been repurposed. A satisfying enough use of a Sunday morning.

[Timothy Grubbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Passions are enflamed in this noir set in the time Hollywood…

Light It, Shoot It! by Graham Chaffee is a story about a pair of brothers, a scandalous city, and assorted figures with their own devious schemes…

This graphic novel follows a young man fresh out of prison…a convicted arsonist. With few options, he heads to California to meet with his brother only to find even more trouble than he left back home…

The bright lights of Hollywood, the fiery heart of an arsonist, and the all consuming greed of studio bigwigs are just some of the emotions that are able to consume the cast and city before the story is done…

It was a weird story, but it was entertaining enough…

[Ilya Scheidwasser · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light It Shoot It is a noir-style story about Billy, a pyromaniac young man who just got out of jail and moves out of his hometown to live in L.A. with his brother, a camera assistant in '70s Hollywood. The evil executive producer overseeing the brother's current movie wants to move the production elsewhere so that he can burn down the set and collect insurance money.

Thus, we follow Billy as he struggles to start a life for himself in Hollywood while dealing with his mental issues and the larger drama of this insurance fraud. The book is really more of an ensemble piece, though; Billy is the main character, but we also spend a good deal of time with his brother, as well as with the two lower-level producers who are more directly involved with the film.

The book moves pretty quickly; it's a light and easy read, with simple but effective art. True to the noir genre, the tone is fairly dark, with most of the characters being damaged, jaded, manipulative, or outright evil. Overall, though, the book feels slight. Billy is a nothing character, a one-note nervous earnest kid with the same dopey sad expression on his face in every panel, and the book has just enough time to tell its main story without room to really live in its world and establish deeper characters and subplots. It's an enjoyable read, but for me it ended up being pretty forgettable.

[Rick Ray · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fresh out of prison, Billy Bonney returns home to find his opportunities limited due to the local factory having burnt down years prior and the expected alienation from some of his friends and family. But his Uncle Larry comes through with a potential new career - star in low budget Hollywood B movies. Light It, Shoot It! is classic noir in tone, with Graham Chaffee's artwork effectively capturing the pervasive '70s Hollywood sleaze and corruption. Chaffee's script is also exceedingly naturalistic which does add to the general realism of the story, though at times it does feel a little at odds with the slightly caricaturized artwork. The main problem I have here is the lack of focus in the story as Chaffee's critique of early Hollywood culture seems more indulgent and paramount to the actual narrative and characters. Little is resolved by the conclusion, leaving behind a comic that feels a little bereft of meaning. Chaffee's artwork is stunning though, particularly the use of deep blacks to evoke a creeping sense of dread across the panels.

[Tom Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover and concept caught my eye on this one, a 70's era Hollywwod story. It's done in a very noir style, sort of the comic-book equivalent of a latter-day film noir crossed with low-budget Roger Corman. While it starts out focusing on a recently-released juvenile pyromaniac named Billy, shipped to Los Angeles by his small-town folks, he is really just the spark that sets off a figurative bomb in the personal, professional and criminal plans of those around him. Going back to the movie comparison, it's like discovering a little-known b-movie that turns out to have more depth to it than one might expect, sort of like your first time watching an early Coen Brothers film. It may not be for everyone, but this hit the right notes for me.

[Kyle Vernier · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light It, Shoot It isn’t going to change your life or anything but it is an entertaining read. It is like so many b-noirs out there, a fun distraction.

You read these hoping that one transcends the genre and becomes something more than the sum of its parts. But most are just a fun way to spend a bit of time.

[Chr*s Browning]

Kinda just reads like someone’s movie script that they wanted to make five years ago with Jeremy Allen White. Smooth though, exceedingly flowy.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thrilling noir story that excellently captures the seamy world of 1970s B movies.

[Caleb Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Underwhelming with such a strong premise that never really goes as far as it could. Loved living in the worlds but just felt a little let down by its rushed third act.

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Chaffee's drawing for a long time - totally underrated. I enjoyed the 1970s Hollywood setting, the clothes, the characters and the zingy plot in this fun noir graphic novel.

[Carol Tilley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Keith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the drawings of LA

[Jonathan Harford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled across this and got completely sucked in. I loved the dialogue.

[Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Graham Chaffee can really draw. Perfectly realized, I love that these comics take place in the same universe. Great noir comic.

[doowopapocalypse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much of a muddle. Individual elements never gel.

[Izzy Pilares · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really loved the artwork of this one, but I was consistently put off by the bro-y 70’s culture of Hollywood. I realize that’s part of the setting/culture of the time, but it wasn’t done in a way that felt entirely necessary for the plot. Also, the story just kinda ends…which is fine I guess? Ultimately, I didn’t feel super invested in any of the characters enough to really feel the emotional crescendo the author wanted me to feel.