Sunday Trade: The Goon

The Goon in Chinatown and the Mystery of Mr. Wicker by Eric Powell, with colors by Dave Stewart

The Goon is normally a a dark and crude humor title that mash-ups horror, noir and pulp. For the "Chinatown/Mr.Wicker" story Powell basically drops the humor. As the first page says, "This Ain't Funny". The Goon is a crime boss in a world with zombies, demons and other monsters. He maintains his hold on his territory by being the meanest, toughest bastard around. Here we get two similar points in his life when he questions how he got there. The first is a flash back to The Goon re-encountering his childhood love Bella. The second deals with the incursion of a would be rival, the mysterious Mr. Wicker...

Its hard to adequately describe the pathos of the doomed relationship between Bella and The Goon. A series of full-page panels after the two part ways, where The Goon simply stares at his own brutish face and is left devastated, is emotionally riveting. As is The Goon's rage-fueled, blood-soaked killing spree thru a gang of encroaching Chinese...

I'll admit that Powell's normal run doesn't work for me. The few times I've looked it over the humor to it left me cold. But here, stripped of any attempt to be funny, Eric Powell creates a dark masterpiece...

Death at a Funeral

So Dad dies, family gathers, Dad's boyfriend attempts to blackmail sons so that Dad is kept in the closet, comedy ensues. Even allowing that I'm an easy mark for anything with Peter Dinklage, a very enjoyable and funny movie. Plus drugged out Alan Tudyk...