Crimes Against Nature #1 — Mattia Monaco and Eliot Rahal Serve Hollywood Neo-Noir with Gorilla Power
When a Hollywood animal trainer and his gorilla best friend are framed for a crime they didn’t commit, their only way out is to expose their darkest secrets. Mattia Monaco and Eliot Rahal team up for a sharp, stylish buddy crime comedy that feels like The Usual Suspects meets Pineapple Express.
There is a specific flavor of Hollywood noir that works best when the stakes are absurdly high but the tone remains grounded in character. That is exactly the vibe Eliot Rahal and Mattia Monaco are channeling here. This isn’t just another crime thriller; it is a buddy story set against the glittering, treacherous backdrop of the entertainment industry, where everyone has an angle and no one is who they seem.
The setup is immediate and compelling. We meet Dr. Kermit Groeden, a famous Hollywood animal trainer, and his best friend, Amigo the Ape. Yes, Amigo is a gorilla. He is also the first gorilla ever nominated for an Academy Award. It sounds ridiculous on paper, but Rahal treats the world with a straight face, grounding the absurdity in the genuine bond between the two. When they are framed for a major crime, the dynamic shifts instantly from professional partnership to survival mode.
What makes this debut shine is the creative tension. Mattia Monaco’s art brings a sleek, atmospheric quality that fits the neo-noir genre perfectly. His rendering of the LA landscape and the characters’ expressions conveys a sense of paranoia and exhaustion that pulls you into their world. You can feel the weight of the frame-up pressing down on Kermit and Amigo as they try to navigate a city that is actively hunting them.
As the pair goes on the run, the narrative peels back layers of their shared history. Rahal uses the crime plot as a vehicle to explore the secrets and sins that both men have been hiding. The question isn’t just whether they can clear their names, but whether their friendship can survive the truth coming to light. It is a story about loyalty, identity, and the lengths we go to protect the people we love, even when those people are primates with Oscar ambitions.
If you enjoy books that balance witty dialogue with genuine emotional stakes, this is a must-read. The chemistry between Kermit and Amigo feels authentic and fresh. Mattia Monaco’s cover art promises a stylish ride, and the interior artwork delivers on that promise with every page. Trust me on this one — it is a unique voice that deserves to be heard.