Green River Killer: A True Detective Story

So, I'm all for the whole art-imitating-life thing. Even when the "life" in question isn't necessarily that pretty. But the Green River Killer getting his own comic book? It's just not the same as a movie about Jack the Ripper starring Johnny Depp or Aileen Wuornos starring Charlize Theron. Making a serial killer the "hero" of a comic book feels very, very wrong somehow.

The Green River Killer, aka Gary Ridgway, murdered at least 48 women in the Seattle area during the 1980's and 90's (he later confessed to killing as many as 71 women). He was by no means an easy criminal to catch (obviously, if he got away with knocking off that many victims). In fact, detective Tom Jensen spent two decades trying to track Ridgway down in a cinema-worthy game of cat-and-mouse.

I guess if there's anybody who has the right to tell Jensen's story, it's the author of Green River Killer: A True Detective Story ...

Jeff Jensen, Tom's son and a writer for "Entertainment Weekly", is the force behind the new graphic novel. And one could argue that it's Jeff Jensen's birthright to tell his father's story.

I'm sure Green River Killer ... is well-written and compellingly illustrated. I don't doubt its merit as a creative work. My concern is the context. Even "bad guys" in comic books are charismatic figures. I mean, come on, the Joker is badass. Won't Gary Ridgway hold the same kind of exotic fascination for readers? Except the Joker wasn't real, and this guy ... this guy is all too real.

In all fairness, I'm not a huge comic book/graphic novel person, so it's possible I'm missing the point here. But to me, serial killers and comic books are an uncomfortable combination.

I really don't see the difference between a graphic novel about the hunt for a killer and the same story told in a different medium... there has already been an A&E miniseries about the hunt for this killer, along with the film Zodiac about that murderer, Monster with Charlize Theron, etc. There's also plenty of ficitonalized serial killers in media... every episode of Criminal Minds, for instance! I can see feeling like true crime isn't your cup of tea, but I don't see the difference between differing formats- graphic novel, standard novel, tv show, film... it just doesn't seem any different to me. Villains can be charismatic on screen as well... though I'm betting that the focus of the story will be more the detective's perspective than the killer's.

I actually run a website about the Green River Killings and posted my review recently about the book. This book definitely does not glorify or make Ridgway out to be a "hero" in any way. It shows his crimes as truly horrifying and presents Gary Ridgway as a really messed up individual. I have read nearly every book on the case, but this book really stood out. Reading this book, I felt sadness for the victims, their families, and even the detectives. I definitely did not feel sadness for Gary Ridgway. I can understand your concerns about presenting Gary Ridgway as some type of hero, but this definitely was not done with this book.