The Goon Volume 5: Wicked Inclinations (2nd Edition)

In a period of a month I have picked up pretty much every Goon trade paperback but I am still waiting for Chinatown, which makes each of the references to what happened there all the more teasing. This latest chapter has Buzzard discovering a reason to live once again as he attempts to demolish the Zombie Priest while at the same time knowing that it is in the Goon's hands to lay him low in the end. But as he says, ain't nothing over. Ain't nothing over by far. The Zombie Priest will surely have plenty more up his sleeves for the Goon to contend with. As for the requisite twisted humor, Satan's Sodomy Baby, or the lack thereof, is a great punchline. I think I got far more out of Franky's review of it than I could ever get out of actually reading that story. Another great Goon volume.

I can't wait to see the next issue. I was feeling the momentum in 4 but 5 really pushed the anticipation and excitement b/t Buzzard and the Zombie Priest. And now I'm really curious about this Satan Sodomy Baby!

I've just recently discovered Eric Powell's riotously wicked, noir-ish horror comic, The Goon and I'm kicking myself for coming on board so late. I guess that's what back issues and trade paperbacks are for. The 5th trade paperback volume, Wicked Inclinations is out, and collects issues 14 - 18 of the regular series. Thankfully, Powell has taken newbies like me into account and provides readers with a brief overview of past events that quickly got me up to speed. The story opens with Goon's ally The Buzzard, the sentry who stands guard over the cemetery, puts the fear of the Almighty Himself into the zombie priest by revealing the Priest's true name. This immediately freaks the Zombie Priest out as he is now desperate to come up with a plan of action to try and reverse his recent defeats. With nearly all his zombies destroyed, Priest performs a horrific sacrifice to an old hag zombie named Mother Corpse. The Goon and sidekick Franky have their own problems. It seems a gypsy woman has come to town bent on getting revenge on Jalia who runs the tavern where Goon and Franky kick back for a few tall cold ones. The Gypsy wants an engagement ring that belongs to her family after Jalia's cousin reneged on a planned marriage. Goon can offer no aid as he will be cursed himself if he does. That leaves Goon and Franky forced to improvise a solution to the dilemma. What isn't too love about this book...zombies, demons, gangsters, union busters, guns blazin', fists flyin', and funny as all get out. Eric Powell does it all as far as the main story arc which makes up about 80% of the book. The rest features several Goon short stories written by the likes of Tom Sniegoski and Mike Hawthorne and art by Neil Vokes, Kyle Hotz, and Michael Avon Oeming. The Goon is one of the most imaginative and original comic books on the market today and as I proved, it's never too late to start reading this fantastic title by Eric Powell and Dark Horse Comics. Reviewed by Tim Janson