Syd Homes is an ex-cop. He’ll tell you all about it in his act at the local stand-up comedy club. That’s where he gets most of his jokes. What isn’t a joke is when he’s suddenly wanted for murder.

That’s the setup of IDW’s new crime comic, Dying is Easy. We meet Syd and see a few minutes of his act, and we meet the other comedians he hangs around with. One of those comedians, Carl Dixon, has a habit of stealing other guys’ jokes, including Syd’s, and Syd beats the crap out of him for it. When Carl is found dead the next day, Syd is the prime suspect.

Dying is Easy #1 is written by Joe Hill. Hill is, of course, best known for his horror work, both as a novelist and in comics, so it’s nice to see him tackling another genre. Hill gives his sardonic wit quite a workout, and the jokes he puts in Syd’s mouth are not always funny but are always excellent writing. 

The art by Martin Simmonds (with color assistance from Dee Cunniffe) is gritty and realistic, appropriate for a hard-boiled tale like this. As a story about stand-up comics, this book is almost entirely just people talking, but Simmonds makes every page dynamic and interesting to look at. Simmonds and Cunniffe work together to create the atmosphere of a seedy late-night club beautifully, and the lettering by Shawn Lee keeps the dialogue-heavy script flowing.

Dying is Easy #1 is a solid first issue, introducing the major players and the world of the story well. The cover page makes it seem like this might be the first in a series of adventures for Syd Homes, so here’s hoping that future issues are as strong as this one.

Grade: A