You know what’s a great series? “The Goon,” Eric Powell’s seminal series about a particular bruiser and his adventures. Some of the stories are hilarious, some are quite tragic, but it never the less remains one of the most consistent books in comics — and with this year’s re-launch of the series, it’s actually one I’m surprised doesn’t get talked about more (which is, admittedly, perhaps partially our fault, as we should talk about it more).
Well, it looks like Powell has big plans in store for the Goon as next year sees the release of ‘Once Upon a Hard Time,’ the second of the new connected minis that will hopefully bring back the Goon to the forefront of comics. Following up ‘Occasion of Revenge’, the book is teased as a huge moment for the Goon that will have massive ramifications for fans of the series based on fallout of ‘Revenge.’ While I’ll avoid going into it to avoid spoilers, it’s perhaps easy to note that a book called ‘Occasion of Revenge’ has been relatively dark overall, if not still full of Powell’s penchant for off-brand humor, and it’s been a great revitalization of “The Goon” overall. Whatever comes in ‘Once’ is certainly building off some nice hype.
I’ve liked the return of “The Goon” to a darker feel. While Powell made the book a bit of a gonzo comedy for a while, my favorite “Goon” book remains ‘Chinatown,’ which tells the origin of the character in one of the darkest, most heartbreaking stories I’ve ever read, and the latest story has been similar to that, as opposed to the more wild and weird opportunities Powell has taken to just make fun of the industry in a completely non-subtle way. While I find it hard to classify “The Goon” sometimes, whether it’s a horror book, a comedy book, a noir book or something else, it does remain one of those remarkably dependable titles that’s always worth diving into when we get the chance — so if you ask me, 2015 can’t come soon enough. I’m very anxious to see what Powell has in store, and if you’ve never read “The Goon” now certainly seems to be the time.
For the full press release from Dark Horse, please see below.
Dark Horse Press Release
Created by Eisner Award winner Eric Powell (Billy the Kid’s Old Timey Oddities, Chimichanga), The Goon is set to take 2015 by storm!
Once upon a Hard Time is a climactic miniseries that has major consequences for the Goon and his supporting cast. If you’re a Goon fan, you can’t miss this.
After the tragic events of Occasion of Revenge, the witch coven believes that control of the unnamed town will soon be in their grasp and the Goon’s tragic soul will contribute to the curse that increases their power. But has their plot destroyed the Goon or created a monster too savage for them to withstand?
The Goon: Once upon a Hard Time #1 is on sale February 4, 2015, from Dark Horse Comics. Preorder your copy today!
Also Available:
The Goon Volume 14: Occasion of Revenge Book 1
The Goon: For Want of Whiskey and Blood
Praise for Eric Powell’s The Goon:
“Powell’s story is sweet when it needs to be, warm and touching when it wants to be, and brutal and gruesome when it has to be.”—Bloody Disgusting
“There is no match for this comic in look or content.”—Comic Bastards
“There aren’t many characters like the Goon in comics and there aren’t many creators as unique and enjoyable as Eric Powell.”—IGN
About Dark Horse
Founded in 1986 by Mike Richardson, Dark Horse Comics has proven to be a solid example of how integrity and innovation can help broaden a unique storytelling medium and establish a small, homegrown company as an industry giant. The company is known for the progressive and creator-friendly atmosphere it provides for writers and artists. In addition to publishing comics from top talent, such as Frank Miller, Mike Mignola, Neil Gaiman, Brian Wood, Gerard Way, Felicia Day, and Guillermo del Toro, and comics legends, such as Will Eisner, Neal Adams, and Jim Steranko, Dark Horse has developed its own successful properties, such as The Mask, Ghost, Timecop, and SpyBoy. Its successful line of comics and products based on popular properties includes Star Wars, Mass Effect, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Aliens, Conan, EVE Online, Halo, Serenity, Game of Thrones, and Domo. Today Dark Horse Comics is the largest independent comic book publisher in the US and is recognized as one of the world’s leading publishers of both creator-owned content and licensed comics material.
