Each Friday, we'll be letting a different DC.com writer share what they'll be reading over the weekend and why you might want to check it out. Here's this week's suggestion for a perfect Weekend Escape!
 

Now that DC Vertigo is back, it’s the perfect time to look at its back catalog to see why the imprint has been so popular. To help, all four Weekend Escapes this month will highlight some of our personal Vertigo favorites.

If you’re a fan of crime thrillers and other underworld tales like I am, look no further than The Kitchen. It’s a tense drama about three housewives who become crime bosses after their gangster husbands are incarcerated. You may recall the 2019 film adaptation starring Melissa McCarthy. Now you can read the eight-issue comic that inspired it.
 

THE PREMISE:

It’s the 1970s and New York City is ruled by criminals. Angie, Kathy and Raven are three housewives married to members of the Irish mob. When their husbands are incarcerated, the women attempt to take over their protection racket. One thing leads to another, and the three women soon become some of the most powerful figures in Hell’s Kitchen. However, power comes with a price.

Some of New York’s mobsters aren’t thrilled about working alongside women, and the former housewives have to fight for their lives to prove that they’re just as tough as their husbands. Angie, Kathy and Raven also have their own ideas about how to run their empire, and a rift soon develops between the three. It isn’t long before the lies, betrayals and sacrifices catch up with them, leading to a shocking final act that will keep your heart racing.
 

LET’S TALK TALENT:

The Kitchen is written by Ollie Masters, a British comic writer known for thrillers like Snow Blind and Slow Burn. The Kitchen is one of Masters’ most celebrated comics, and it isn’t hard to see why. Masters crafts a gripping character-driven drama about the price of power and the lengths people will go to in order to keep it. The story is paced well, with the tension building in each chapter before it crescendos in the final act as Angie, Kathy and Raven are faced with the consequences of their actions.

The limited series is penciled by Ming Doyle, a gifted and versatile artist who is also known for her work on Constantine: The Hellblazer and DC Comics: Bombshells. As the daughter of an Irish-American sailor, Doyle adds a touch of authenticity to The Kitchen, which focuses on the Irish-American mob in the ’70s. The Kitchen contains many pages with little to no dialogue, allowing Doyle’s art to tell the story, and what a story it tells. The fight scene in the final chapter (no spoilers) is intense, the violence throughout the series is gripping and grotesque, and Doyle’s artwork makes you feel like you’re there in the streets of 1970s New York City as it’s all going down.
 

A FEW REASONS TO READ:

  • If you like crime dramas like The Godfather and The Sopranos, The Kitchen will become your latest obsession. Not only does it capture the vibe of these popular mob stories, but it also manages to put a new spin on the genre, which is something we don’t see very often.
     
  • Is crime fiction not your thing? It’s also a character drama about ordinary people falling from grace. Think of it like Breaking Bad, except it’s set in New York City, leans more heavily into organized crime and stars three women.
  • Girl power! There’s something satisfying about seeing three powerful, but entirely disregarded women kick butt and take names. Every time Angie, Kathy and Raven outsmart and outfight their male competitors is likely to bring a smile to your face.
     
  • The Kitchen is a period piece set in 1970s New York City. Ming Doyle’s artwork really allows NYC to come alive, which makes this DC Vertigo limited series a great snapshot of the past.
     

WHY IT’S WORTH YOUR TIME:

The Kitchen is one entertaining comic book featuring a trio of strong feminist protagonists, a tragic character arc, criminal intrigue and jaw-dropping violence. At eight issues, the story is just the right length for a relaxing weekend read (or you can read it on a weekday, we won’t tell your boss). The story of Angie, Kathy and Raven building their empire is addicting from the first page, and once you begin reading, you’ll be on the edge of your seat until the final chapter. The Kitchen gives you all the joy and thrills you get from watching a prestige crime drama packed into one gorgeous graphic novel.

The Kitchen is also one of those series that reminds us why Vertigo exists. If the only thing you know about comics is superheroes, this is the perfect chance to explore a new type of story—one that isn’t as heady and demanding as DC Vertigo can get at times. Or if you’re someone who has never read a comic book before, this is a good entry point. Since it’s a standalone story with original characters, you don’t need to know anything about the DC Universe or its history to get started.

The Kitchen is a shining example of why DC Vertigo is an exciting imprint, and it’s a worthy choice for your next Weekend Escape.
 

The Kitchen by Ollie Masters, Ming Doyle and Jordie Bellaire is available in bookstores, comic shops, libraries and online retailers as a softcover graphic novel. It can also be read in full on DC UNIVERSE INFINITE.

Joshua Lapin-Bertone writes about TV, movies and comics for DC.com, is a regular contributor to the Couch Club and writes our monthly Batman column, "Gotham Gazette." Follow him on Bluesky at @joshualapinbertone and on X at @TBUJosh.

NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Joshua Lapin-Bertone and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.