Powell-a-Palooza

Billy the Kid's Old Timey Oddities #4

Writer, Cover Artist & Interior Colors: Eric Powell
Interior Artist: Kyle Hotz



This is a damn fine ending to a damn fine miniseries.

Damn.

The story is engaging, funny, suspenseful, touching and exciting. All in four issues! A band of sideshow freaks personalities has hired Billy the Kid as a "Tactical Specialist" to assist them in retrieving an item of great value. Powell doesn't pull any punches with Billy's personality. He's an uncouth, belligerent jerk but he's a supernaturally good shot. The friction between Billy and the rest of the troupe works well. The ending wraps up the story in a very satisfying way. Hotz's art (+ Powell's colors ) is exactly the right combination of dark and garish for this twisted tale.

Fans of creepy circus stories and/or tales featuring Cthulian medical experiments won't be disappointed.

The Goon #13

Eric Powell writes and draws this comic.



This is the second issue of The Goon I have ever read but it certainly won't be the last. This one's in my hold box, now. The Goon is (as his name might suggest) a tough guy who is not unfamiliar with the criminal element. Hell, he is the criminal element. The art is gorgeous, cartoonish and like nothing else in comics. Powell gives The Goon substance. He looks like he was slapped together with a trowel. I get the sense that he could jump off the page and smack me around if I give him any guff. I keep my mouth shut while reading The Goon.

Issue #13 finds The Goon in prison. There are a couple of panels which reference every well-known prison movie from the 40s through the 60s. Nice stuff. Things don't turn out as you'd expect them to (or if you've read a lot of this comic, maybe you did expect it) which makes for a funny story. The secondary characters are hilarious and the tough-guy interactions make me want to go rough some guys up.

I'm glad the earlier issues are out as trades. I'm gonna get 'em.