Written by Evan Dorkin
Illustrated by Eric PowellGoon and Franky stumble upon a bizarre freak show at Brigadoon’s Dreamland Carnival, where the evil barker pits the Goon against a horrendous, bacon-eating behemoth, the Ten-in-One!
– Goon creator Eric Powell teams with acclaimed writer Evan Dorkin (Beasts of Burden)!
This comic is not the part of any reboot. It’s not going to change a universe as we know it. But it’s a great comic from two superb creators, as well as easily the most hilarious book of the month.
In short, save 49 cents and buy this book you mooks. Find out why after the jump.
When I first heard that Evan Dorkin was going to be writing an issue of The Goon, I thought “man…that is a good fit.” After all, this is the guy whose Milk & Cheese was, in many ways, a precursor to the type of comic book funny that Eric Powell has achieved with The Goon.
In theory, this should be a good pairing. In application? It’s an incredible one.
This book is absolutely the funniest damn thing I’ve read all year. Dorkin not only tells a damn good yarn that is very, very funny, but his true genius lies in perfectly emulating the cadence and vocabulary of Powell’s book. I mean, when I read this book, this wasn’t like someone trying to impersonate Powell – this was like someone creating a pitch perfect rendition of the essence of Powell while also throwing their own variation upon it.
The plot of the issue hits on the the insanity of The Goon at its best, finding The Goon and Franky in the middle of a circus gone straight up bonkers and what they do once they suss out the truth behind it. The genius of the plot that Dorkin and Powell deliver is that it hearkens back to The Goon’s history on the midway while also delivering us into a situation that is guaranteed to hit the type of funny we’ve all come to expect from the book.
And the funny comes out of the woodworks, as Dorkin and Powell deliver it in every panel they can fit it into. Whether it’s Franky dealing with a sassmouthed monkey, the boys at Chupa Loco’s after a night of whiskey pinatas, or Franky and The Goon squaring off with midgets of all nations, this book squeezes every inch of funny they can get out of each page.
As per usual, it is accompanied by spectacular art from Powell. We featured Powell on art for Artist August, and the reason why is that he is one of the most consistently stellar artists in the market. Ever since colorist Dave Stewart joined up, the book has moved up to another level, and this issue is yet another good example of that.
It is also a great example of the way Powell can use his visuals to sell the humor. Midgets of all nations, for example, could be a so so bit in the hands of a less talented artist. With Powell? Funny as all hell. Personally, I’m a supporter of the Chinese and the French midgets, but there is something for everyone in this bit.
This book is great on average, but pairing Dorkin and Powell? Man, this book just kills, literally and in terms of quality.
Final Verdict: 9.5 – Buy
