Smokedog Blog: Eric Powell & The Goon

If you take a muscle-bound lug with a heart of gold (sort of), mix in some zombies & robots, throw in a little action and a lot of humor, and what do you get?

The Goon, of course!

I just finished reading most of The Goon comics to date, and it’s an entertaining ride. To date, there have been eight self-published issues and about sixteen issues from the current ongoing Dark Horse series. Most of the early issues are available in trade paperbacks.

The Goon is about a big bruiser-type guy who along with his pal Franky controls a portion of a Chicago-style town. What’s unique about this town is that normal people live side-by-side with monsters and aliens who also live in the town like normal Joes. The Goon’s world revolves around protecting his turf and the people who live in it, as well as breaking the legs of those who owe him protection money.

One of strengths of the comic lies in the ever-growing cast of characters, including Merle the lonely werewolf, the Muds who live in a tree stump, Dr. Alloy the evil-good-evil scientific genius, and Nameless One the Zombie King, the Goon’s arch-nemesis.

My personal favorite is the Psychic Seal; in this scene the Goon and Franky visit the seal for information on a friend in danger:

Sure, it’s a one-note joke, but I get a big laugh every time I think of it.

Eric Powell is a guy who didn’t really gain notoriety until he started publishing The Goon. Artistically, you can see a lot of Will Eisner, Jack Kirby, and Wally Wood influences in his work. You can also see his love for old science fiction and horror movies. He’s pretty much the guy who came out of nowhere with some really well-developed drawing and writing skills, and he keeps getting better. It’s nice to see how his skills have developed since the early issues. Currently, he’s using a hand-rendered shading style that you don’t see a lot of anymore. It’s a nice touch from a guy who cares about his work.