The total number of days between Wednesday, November 27th, 2013 and Wednesday, June 25th, 2014 is 210, equal to six months and 29 days. That is how long it has been since a Goon comic has been published. Does Eric Powell have cobwebs for his latest issue, and is it good?
The Goon: One For the Road (Dark Horse Comics)
What better way to get back into the Goon-verse than with a one-shot? There’s nothing to remember about the series, because it’s a one off adventure anyway. This issue is all about a sailor who can’t find his buddy. He runs into Goon and Franky, who decide in their goodness graciousness to help the sad sod. The issue follows them as they check every bar they know of, because where else would a sailor go at night, and decide to drink a beer at each establishment they enter. It’s kind of like a heroic beer crawl!
On this journey Eric Powell has them run into weird men trying to get a child to smoke and drink, an ex-WW2 vet who’s trapped in his own nightmares and a giant man-eating Aryan gorilla. As you’d expect hilarity ensues, although I did find this issue a little less funny than usual. The gorilla segment is great, but leading up to that there are some celebrity cameos, albeit with some slightly different names like Johnny Crash and Crank Sinatra, that sort of just sit there in the comic with no purpose at all. It was as if Powell drew some caricatures and decided to use them in the issue for no good reason.
The issue also takes a good three pages to get started with very little humor beyond the customary Powell playing with language gags. Essentially this issue’s comedic timing is off and when it is funny it’s too late to salvage what has come before.
Needless to say though, the art is exceptional, and Powell spares no expense at some great drawings. The pacing is wonky, but as far as pretty pictures this is yet another feather in Powell’s cap.
Is It Good?
Unfortunately this issue isn’t that good, but more of a kick start or practice dry run for Powell having been out of the game for so long. There’s some humor to be had and the art is good as always, but this is a very skippable one-shot.
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