Six Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton: Murder Mystery
Discover Image/Skybound's hit murder mystery where six former TV sidekicks must solve the death of their monstrous co-star in a Stuntman War.
đź“– Image Comics / Skybound Entertainment • Started 2021
Trigger Keaton—the most insufferable action star alive, now murdered—had a talent for making enemies. The suspect list spans everyone who’s ever crossed him, which is practically everyone. When his six former TV sidekicks (whose careers he systematically demolished) become prime suspects in his death, they realize there’s only one play: find the real killer before the cops—or the killer—find them.
That blistering premise powers Six Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton, a 2021 dark comedy from writer Kyle Starks and artist Chris Schweizer. Published under Image Comics’ Skybound imprint, this six-issue series (collected into a trade paperback in 2022) walks a tightrope between gut-busting absurdity and genuine emotional stakes—and never once stumbles.
Schweizer’s artwork is the engine that drives the whole mad machine. His highly stylized, impossibly expressive character design ensures every sidekick in the ensemble leaps off the page as an instantly distinct personality—no small feat with six leads and a rogues’ gallery of supporting players. Visual gags land with perfect comedic rhythm, matching Starks’ razor-sharp dialogue beat for beat. As Sequential Planet noted, “Starks’ wit matched with Schweizer’s comedic timing is a recipe for absurdity that delights from start to finish.”
Critical acclaim followed fast. The series landed on Polygon’s Best Comics of 2022 list and earned a spot on the New York Public Library’s Best New Comics of 2022 for Adults. Chip Zdarsky praised Schweizer as “an astounding artist, mastering both perfect expressions and wild action scenes in jam-packed, eye-popping pages.”
Though the collected edition brings this story to a satisfying close, Starks and Schweizer have hinted there’s more chaos waiting in the wings. For now, Six Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton remains a perfect storm—two creators operating at the peak of their powers, delivering a murder mystery that’s as heartfelt as it is hilarious. Fans of Schweizer should also explore his all-ages historical adventure series The Crogan Adventures and his middle-grade horror series The Creeps.
Perfect for fans of Chew, Assassin Nation, and murder mysteries that aren’t afraid to get silly.
