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Violent Love, Vol. 1: Stay Dangerous
GOOD LOVE IS NOT SAFE
Daisy Jane and Rock Bradley were two of the most notorious bank robbers in the American Southwest. And then they fell in love.
Join Frank J. Barbiere (Five Ghosts, The Revisionist) and Victor Santos (Polar, The Mice Templar) for a pulp infused criminal romance oozing with style and action! Collecting issues #1-5 from the new hit series!
Daisy Jane and Rock Bradley were two of the most notorious bank robbers in the American Southwest. And then they fell in love.
Join Frank J. Barbiere (Five Ghosts, The Revisionist) and Victor Santos (Polar, The Mice Templar) for a pulp infused criminal romance oozing with style and action! Collecting issues #1-5 from the new hit series!
160 pages, Paperback
First published May 24, 2017
6 people are currently reading
368 people want to read
About the author
Frank J. Barbiere
174 books42 followersFrank J. Barbiere is a #1 Amazon.com best-selling writer from New Jersey.
Frank is a former English teacher with degrees from Rutgers University and the Graduate School for Education.
After breaking into the comics industry with the creator-owned hit Five Ghosts (Image Comics), Frank has since worked for every major publisher in the U.S., as well as having a global presence in France (Glenat Comics), Italy (Cosmo Editoriale), and Spain (Norma) with his creator-owned work. He has written notable runs on Avengers World and Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. at Marvel Comics, as well as the creator-owned series Black Market and Broken World (BOOM! Studios), The Revisionist (Aftershock Comics), Violent Love (Image Comics), and The White Suits (Dark Horse Comics).
In 2017, Frank began working as a writer and narrative designer in the video games industry. He has since contributed to the Destiny franchise and was lead writer on Darksiders Genesis and Ruined King: A League of Legends Story. He currently works as a Lead Writer at Skydance Interactive.
Frank is a former English teacher with degrees from Rutgers University and the Graduate School for Education.
After breaking into the comics industry with the creator-owned hit Five Ghosts (Image Comics), Frank has since worked for every major publisher in the U.S., as well as having a global presence in France (Glenat Comics), Italy (Cosmo Editoriale), and Spain (Norma) with his creator-owned work. He has written notable runs on Avengers World and Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. at Marvel Comics, as well as the creator-owned series Black Market and Broken World (BOOM! Studios), The Revisionist (Aftershock Comics), Violent Love (Image Comics), and The White Suits (Dark Horse Comics).
In 2017, Frank began working as a writer and narrative designer in the video games industry. He has since contributed to the Destiny franchise and was lead writer on Darksiders Genesis and Ruined King: A League of Legends Story. He currently works as a Lead Writer at Skydance Interactive.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
November 6, 2017
To stay dangerous, Good love is not safe.--Beach slang, cited by Barbiere
A kind of seventies pulp story in the tradition of Bonnie and Clyde. Daisy Jane and Rock Bradley were two of the most notorious bank robbers in the American Southwest. And they fell in love. And then all hell broke loose. The art reminds me of the kind of angular, colorful work Darwyn Cooke did in his adaptations of Robert Parker's books. The action is grindhouse violent and sort of fragmented in the telling, as if the purpose was disorientation. 3.5, with a bump up for the cliffhanger, which made me smile.
A kind of seventies pulp story in the tradition of Bonnie and Clyde. Daisy Jane and Rock Bradley were two of the most notorious bank robbers in the American Southwest. And they fell in love. And then all hell broke loose. The art reminds me of the kind of angular, colorful work Darwyn Cooke did in his adaptations of Robert Parker's books. The action is grindhouse violent and sort of fragmented in the telling, as if the purpose was disorientation. 3.5, with a bump up for the cliffhanger, which made me smile.
April 4, 2019
A throwback to the grindhouse cinema era. Reminiscent of Darwyn Cooke's Parker adaptations. Violent Love is the story of Daisy, a good girl who watches her family die in front of her and seeks revenge at all costs. The art is a stylized homage to Darwyn Cooke and Bruce Timm. Looking forward to reading more.
Received an advance copy from Image and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Received an advance copy from Image and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
June 8, 2017
Actual rating: This lies somewhere between a 3.5 and a 4...so I guess a 3.75?
--
I saw an ad for Violent Love at the end of another Image comic that I was reading via Comixology (I can't recall which comic it was), and I'm not going to lie to you, this was a cover buy. I just loved the way the cover was designed and I knew I was going to buy/read this comic based on that alone. I then read the synopsis and I was even more excited to pick this one up. A Bonnie & Clyde-esque story? Yes please.
This first volume was more of an introduction into the backstory of Daisy (our Bonnie character) and how she eventually meets Rock (who I assume will end up becoming our Clyde character). I'm excited to see how their story develops, especially after reading this first volume.
Also...that ending though! I love a good cliffhanger and that was a good one! Can't wait for volume 2!
November 25, 2017
A sexy young college student becomes a bank robber to finance her vendetta against the gangster who tortured her father to death, seducing sexy young hoodlums along the way to show her the ropes and help her find the man she intends to kill. (Also, a retired cop babysitting a 10yo girl tells her a monumentally inappropriate story full of sex, torture, and death. wtf??)
Pretty standard (albeit well-executed) Bonnie-and-Clyde fare in which the bad guys are the good guys and the reader is pretty much okay with that.
The twist ending is telegraphed pretty hard but still plenty satisfying.
Pretty standard (albeit well-executed) Bonnie-and-Clyde fare in which the bad guys are the good guys and the reader is pretty much okay with that.
The twist ending is telegraphed pretty hard but still plenty satisfying.
February 11, 2018
Violent Love (like the Oingo Boingo song) is rock-solid. It is a well-told pulpy story with mafiosos, cartel gangs, and Daisy primed for revenge. The Bonnie and Clyde bank-robbing stuff hasn't gotten going yet, but the action is fast and furious and there's definitely a well-thought plot here taking Daisy from her days as a waitress taking care of her poppa to the bandit on the run she eventually becomes.
September 17, 2018
Hikaye güzeldi aslında, son bölüm merak uyandırıcı şekilde de bitti ama çizimler o kadar karışık ve kötü ki... Dört puan veremezdim.
Iron Man diye yola çıktım, Violent Love okudum. Pişman değilim 😇😇
Iron Man diye yola çıktım, Violent Love okudum. Pişman değilim 😇😇
June 24, 2017
Revenge Bonny and Clyde style gangster noir that hits the ground running in blood and gunpowder.
Perfect
Perfect
August 28, 2017
Bullet Review:
Isn't it funny that these days, all you need to mention is Bonnie and Clyde, and boom, everyone knows kinda what you're talking about?
While this volume doesn't have the Bonnie and Clyde figures together until past the halfway point, that is nonetheless how Daisy and Rock's relationship is described. They are the murderous duo madly in love with each other - and that's fine, but of course, their murdering spree is Totes OKTM because revenge. And if you've watched those FBI shows on Netflix (what?! I'm not weird!), you see that many times, the person murdered by the Murderous Lovers is probably not that deserving of murder.
But anyway, it was decent. The art style was fun, even if some panels were drawn really goofy and over the top (hard to describe, sorry!). I had to chuckle at the last page twist - I guess again in this day and age we ALL expect a twist of some sort.
Not bad, but it's not that unique. But if you like the formula, why not?
Isn't it funny that these days, all you need to mention is Bonnie and Clyde, and boom, everyone knows kinda what you're talking about?
While this volume doesn't have the Bonnie and Clyde figures together until past the halfway point, that is nonetheless how Daisy and Rock's relationship is described. They are the murderous duo madly in love with each other - and that's fine, but of course, their murdering spree is Totes OKTM because revenge. And if you've watched those FBI shows on Netflix (what?! I'm not weird!), you see that many times, the person murdered by the Murderous Lovers is probably not that deserving of murder.
But anyway, it was decent. The art style was fun, even if some panels were drawn really goofy and over the top (hard to describe, sorry!). I had to chuckle at the last page twist - I guess again in this day and age we ALL expect a twist of some sort.
Not bad, but it's not that unique. But if you like the formula, why not?
July 15, 2017
I received this from Edelweiss and Image Comics in exchange for an honest review.
Very good story in 70s pulp type, and that includes the art. Lots of fun, even thought it is a pretty typical convoluted story of revenge.
I'll definitely keep reading this series.
Very good story in 70s pulp type, and that includes the art. Lots of fun, even thought it is a pretty typical convoluted story of revenge.
I'll definitely keep reading this series.
March 31, 2019
Super cool art that reminds me of deadly class and an interesting revenge plot line with a hate to love romance.
June 26, 2018
A great Bonnie and Clyde story set up, with artwork that reminds me of Darwyn Cooke's excellent Parker adaptations. If you like pulp, if you like Ed Brubaker, you should give this a shot.
May 25, 2017
Sexy electric paced crime drama with great 70's flair and a leading lady whose story keeps me coming back for more.
Writing - 3/5 maybe a little cliche at times but good pacing and a couple of intriguing twists that will bring me back for volume 2.
Art - 3.5/5 a little Timm, some Cooke, some Bone and layouts that are all his own combine for good looking pages that tell the story clearly.
Writing - 3/5 maybe a little cliche at times but good pacing and a couple of intriguing twists that will bring me back for volume 2.
Art - 3.5/5 a little Timm, some Cooke, some Bone and layouts that are all his own combine for good looking pages that tell the story clearly.
Read
May 23, 2017What initially looked like a Bonnie & Clyde riff (albeit more the shorthand than the real story) turns out, thus far at least, to be more about one young woman's quest for revenge, and the beau who just can't keep up. Victor Santos' art is the big attraction here, rendering Daisy Jane as a Darwyn Cooke beauty in a shabby Paul Pope world. But while the script isn't helped by the letterer's overuse of bold, Barbiere has definitely come a long way since the last Image work I read from him, the quite astonishingly terrible Five Ghosts.
(Edelweiss ARC)
(Edelweiss ARC)
April 12, 2020
4.5
When I first picked up this title I was under the assumption it was going to be True Romance or Natural Born Killers. Violent Love starts off innocently enough before it turns into something with purpose. Frank J. Barbiere is a new name to my collection and I honestly hope they give us volume 2.
Why the 4.5?
I don't know if the storyline is true, but I enjoyed the storyline and art. Unique setting and the only issue I had with storyline was the retelling aspect. Strong first volume that deserves another volume, but when Image Comics release a book with volume 1 it's not guaranteed we're getting volume 2. The story escalates uncontrollably and leaves our characters in a unique position in the end.
When I first picked up this title I was under the assumption it was going to be True Romance or Natural Born Killers. Violent Love starts off innocently enough before it turns into something with purpose. Frank J. Barbiere is a new name to my collection and I honestly hope they give us volume 2.
Why the 4.5?
I don't know if the storyline is true, but I enjoyed the storyline and art. Unique setting and the only issue I had with storyline was the retelling aspect. Strong first volume that deserves another volume, but when Image Comics release a book with volume 1 it's not guaranteed we're getting volume 2. The story escalates uncontrollably and leaves our characters in a unique position in the end.
April 26, 2020
Great read. Mafia, cartel, feds, it has everything. Daisy gets caught up in a revenge plot that becomes larger than she wanted. Flashback and present story lines. The art was great. The only thing holding it back was the story wasnt overly original. Its been done to death a million times. However it was still a great read.
July 21, 2018
Sass, violence, tragedy and vendettas. Bring on volume 2!
April 21, 2019
Muy Bonnie y Clyde. Me gustaron mucho tanto el guion como el dibujo.
December 7, 2017
not that good to begin with and very predictable
June 15, 2017
Fair storytelling and an art style that wasn't bad but didn't thrill me. The overall plot was interesting but it sometimes stumbled a little page-to-page. Artistically, there were some cool visual effects used to depict characterization. All together - not terrible and not amazing. Solid middle-ground.
June 17, 2017
This is presented in a very appealing style. All cheese and sensation. Bonnie and Clyde romance / crime thing, and I was keen as mustard to get involved. Pre-ordered it after about a minute of seeing it online. It doesn't quite live up to the promise, though. Doesn't quite crackle. I did like it, though, and will go back for more.
July 16, 2017
Ugly art, lousy dialogue, stupid story. Immediate regret for reading.
November 30, 2019
Delivering heavily on the first part of the title, first volume of Violent Love focuses on Daisy's past from teenage years to criminal beginnings. She has a troubled relationship with her father, which becomes an unresolved regret and an (apparently) endless vendetta against a sadistic organized crime boss. All of this is told in flashback by a cop who used to know Daisy from back then to the little girl he's babysitting. At the end of the first volume we get an idea who the little girl is.
The art is dynamic and fast-paced, but at times confusing with too much zooming in and out. The action is explosive at times, which is challenging on the page and I almost felt like it could use just some backing up for a bigger picture look (like an establishing shot in film or a long shot or a crane shot...) more often.
The story is very much grindhouse blended with noir and works well with the subject matter. Hopefully Daisy will mature and show character development as she grows older. It's refreshing to see a character make mistakes and not be a perfect kick-ass from the beginning.
Recommended for those who like ordering pizza, Mexican standoffs, and nails.
The art is dynamic and fast-paced, but at times confusing with too much zooming in and out. The action is explosive at times, which is challenging on the page and I almost felt like it could use just some backing up for a bigger picture look (like an establishing shot in film or a long shot or a crane shot...) more often.
The story is very much grindhouse blended with noir and works well with the subject matter. Hopefully Daisy will mature and show character development as she grows older. It's refreshing to see a character make mistakes and not be a perfect kick-ass from the beginning.
Recommended for those who like ordering pizza, Mexican standoffs, and nails.
May 27, 2017
I found Frank Barbiere's Violent Love, Vol. 1 to be a fun and visually enjoyable throwback to pulp fiction without being too over-the-top with cliches and stereotypes. There are cliches and stereotypes but that is what makes it a throwback, it is not having too many that makes it fun.
Like any good story this gives the reader a chance to feel some empathy for the characters even if they live and act outside of accepted norms. This first volume absolutely makes me want to read more. The artwork is probably not the most innovative (I am no expert by any means) but since books are meant for readers I am qualified to talk about whether the artwork helped or hurt the story, and it definitely helped the story. Let those more schooled in the techniques critique whether they think a different style would have been better, and they may be right. But this style works very well from the perspective of a general reader.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via Edelweiss.
Like any good story this gives the reader a chance to feel some empathy for the characters even if they live and act outside of accepted norms. This first volume absolutely makes me want to read more. The artwork is probably not the most innovative (I am no expert by any means) but since books are meant for readers I am qualified to talk about whether the artwork helped or hurt the story, and it definitely helped the story. Let those more schooled in the techniques critique whether they think a different style would have been better, and they may be right. But this style works very well from the perspective of a general reader.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via Edelweiss.
June 19, 2018
What a ride! Endless style, thrilling action. Great, pulpy romance and noir twists. I was in bad love the whole way through. Daisy Jane, college student, becomes Daisy Jane, bank robber and murderer, when her father is tortured to death and revenge is the only recourse. Great! Things don't work out smoothly, of course, and she soon finds herself paired up with Rock Bradley, a hunk of sharp-shooting man who can help Daisy kill her way to the top cat in the crime ring.
Okay, so the plot is wacko nuts (I didn't even mention that the framing device is a retired cop telling this story to 12 year old), but it's really the pacing and the small character details that make Violent Love so good. If you enjoyed Darwyn Cookie's Robert Parker series, this is the flip-side, grindhouse version of that series. Beautiful and deadly. And that last page twist! Not a shocker, but a very welcome surprise.
Okay, so the plot is wacko nuts (I didn't even mention that the framing device is a retired cop telling this story to 12 year old), but it's really the pacing and the small character details that make Violent Love so good. If you enjoyed Darwyn Cookie's Robert Parker series, this is the flip-side, grindhouse version of that series. Beautiful and deadly. And that last page twist! Not a shocker, but a very welcome surprise.
November 12, 2020
Loved Violent Love!
It's hard to think of a bad thing to say about this GN. It doesn't take itself too seriously, which is one of the reasons I like it so much. Daisy and Rock are meant to be perceived as just fun-loving bad guys who you can enjoy taking a thrilling ride with. The illustrations are beautifully done, with just enough balance against the story so that neither takes away or outshines the other. I won't give spoilers, but there are some actually heartfelt, moving scenes between the pair that offer a tonal shift in odd moments without taking away from the fun, tongue-in-cheek nature of this GN.
Recommended for those who enjoy dark love stories and tongue-in-cheek tales with a bit of a macabre edge.
Happy reading!💥
It's hard to think of a bad thing to say about this GN. It doesn't take itself too seriously, which is one of the reasons I like it so much. Daisy and Rock are meant to be perceived as just fun-loving bad guys who you can enjoy taking a thrilling ride with. The illustrations are beautifully done, with just enough balance against the story so that neither takes away or outshines the other. I won't give spoilers, but there are some actually heartfelt, moving scenes between the pair that offer a tonal shift in odd moments without taking away from the fun, tongue-in-cheek nature of this GN.
Recommended for those who enjoy dark love stories and tongue-in-cheek tales with a bit of a macabre edge.
Happy reading!💥
September 4, 2025
3,5
Daisy Jane es una atracadora de bancos que ha sobrevivido a un profundo trauma y busca vengarse. Un día conocerá a Rock Bradley, el guardaespaldas de otro delincuente, y empezarán una historia de amor violento a través de la venganza.
Entretenido. El uso del color me ha parecido interesante, pero el tebeo en sí no me ha dado mucho más.
Daisy Jane es una atracadora de bancos que ha sobrevivido a un profundo trauma y busca vengarse. Un día conocerá a Rock Bradley, el guardaespaldas de otro delincuente, y empezarán una historia de amor violento a través de la venganza.
Entretenido. El uso del color me ha parecido interesante, pero el tebeo en sí no me ha dado mucho más.
August 25, 2017
The story just sucked me in!
After witnessing a horrible incident, Daisy Jane is out for revenge in this fast-paced series. The story is engrossing, told through memories to a young girl. The story and the art just fit so well together, I can't wait for volume 2!!!!
After witnessing a horrible incident, Daisy Jane is out for revenge in this fast-paced series. The story is engrossing, told through memories to a young girl. The story and the art just fit so well together, I can't wait for volume 2!!!!
August 25, 2017
This is the tale of Daisy Jane told through the memories of an old man to a young girl. Daisy is on the hunt for revenge after someone she loves is murdered. The plot is interesting and drew me in right away, and the artwork fits perfectly! ~ Elisa
October 2, 2017
I'm so starved for good interesting romance comics and this really hit the mark for me. It was a good balance of drama, action and violence. Violent Loves feels like something old and maybe something that has been done before but I love it dearly.
August 5, 2018
Really enjoyed the first half of this story. Highly recommend any story that has Victor Santos handling the art chores. This makes Frank Barbiere 2 for 2 with this and Five ghosts. Both are top notch stories.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews