Goon: Deaths' Greedy Comeuppance TPB

Eric Powell rarely gets to show off his two sides so clearly in one collection. The first few issues in this collection are a wonderful bit of fun, with Frankie and the gang trying to help the Good celebrate his birthday. It's hijinks and silliness, and well deserved for the cast after the last storyline. This book had been in a pretty dark place for awhile, so seeing everyone go back to their old insanity is quite welcome. The second Goon issue is a fun "silent" issue that only works because we know these characters so well.

The rest of the trade collects the three-issue Buzzard limited series. It's interesting, but it never quite lives up to the absolutely brilliant covers. It's hard, because Powell has a good story here, and Buzzard is a character with a ton of pathos. The problem is he's had so many heart-breaking stories over the years, I came into the story expecting those moments. Again, Powell does a good job, especially with the tease of a meaningful life for the old Buzzard. And that last line, it's almost enough to give me hope for him.

The art is wonderful, brilliant, and stunning. The ancient monster's evil-nose powers are funny and horrifying at the same time. All that, plus Powell can draw ladies too!

Just gorgeous stuff.

Fair

The Goon TPB 8: Those That is Damned

I sort of begrudge Eric Powell's decision to include a bunch of Goon work by other creators in this trade. It's not that the other folks do a bad job on the Lonely Street gang, in fact, some of the short stories are quite fun, but I'm so dang involved in Powell's ongoing story that I'm desperate to read the next chapter.

The trade opens with the disturbing history of Horse Eater Swamp and the curse that fouls Lonely Street. Buzzard shows up to tell the Goon that the folks in town will never be happy, that the curse draws horrible things and the Goon is the only hope they have for protection. Goon of course weighs the decision, and starts to leave, but there are too many bad dudes in need of a knife to the eye for Goon and Franky to actually leave. The trade also includes the outing of a traitor in Norton's pub after the spy arranges an ambush that leaves one of Goon's bog lurk buddies dead. It isn't too hard to catch the guilty party, and I have to admit I was bummed to see this character go out like he does. Goon doesn't have mercy for someone turning on him, and this character really has a rough time of it after he's caught. Remind me never to cross the Goon.

Eric Powell's art is fantastic as always. He uses his lush pencils on the Goon and most of the bad guys (those zombie babies are so gross!) but uses a simpler Orphan Annie or Dennis the Menace look for the Lonely Street kids. I've grown to love those kids, they're a great addition to Goon's squad of allies.

Main story - Good
Backups - Fair

The Goon vol 7: A Place of Heartache and Grief

Damn, Eric Powell is fantastic. It amuses me that a writer who infuses so much oddity in his work can still deliver the drama and angst that makes the Goon work so well. I mean, one issue of this trade opens with a deformed cat talking with a deformed monkey. They look totally ridiculous and funny, but damn if it wasn't an ominous scene anyway. Another contrast is how the Goon is heading off to blow up a cursed burlesque house inhabited by evil bird women, but he's distracted on the way by a gigantic mutant transvestite that needs killin'. I mean, that is just crazy, right? So this is a humor book. So why am I so distressed when the Goon's gypsy friend is gunned down in the street my zombies? This book gives you a dash of everything and it totally works.

Things are getting serious at this point too. The Goon, Franky, and the rest of the gang are pretty established as the top guys in town. The kids love them, everyone owes them money, and they've taken care of the zombie problem on Lonely Street. So that's why it is so ominous that a strange foreign priest has shown up and rededicated the local forces of evil to take out the Goon. And since they have the power to take out a gypsy and then negate the scrying of another, these guys are not to be trifled with. I love the callback to Dr. Alloy too, he is in jail to control his homicidal tendencies, but he's still helping out the Goon with some sweet walkie-talkies.

Eric Powell's strengths as an artist are well known. He draws horrific monsters and zombies, animation style violence, and great dames. His work has such a great mix of pencil and painted, these issues are beautiful to look at.

Good