The boys have a little “something” for you. But is it a present?
Cover Price $2.99
Published by Image comics
“Four more tavern tales” is what the cover says and that’s what we get; Skullkickers style. Opting to do a short story anthology issue so as to give the regular creative team some much needed time to prep the ongoing stories is a smart move. It creates the perfect jumping on point and maintains the exceptional polish the series has had for both of the major storylines that have been released thus far.
“Band of Bothers”
Written by Jim Demonakos and Kyle Stevens
Art by Joe Ng with colours by Mike Luckas and Espen Grundetjern
Lettered by Marshall Dillon
This tale is essentially a bar brawl with a literal band of assassin’s bent. Violent and inventive in the dispensing of it. The art is good in that it is close to how Edwin Huang does the regular issues. I was quite impressed with how the drum kit was pencilled (read it and see why)
“Hornery Horsification”
Written and coloured by Jim Zub
Art by Joel Carroll
Written by the twisted and talented regular Jim Zub this tale is Dwarf-centric and is an amusing take on a contract to get a unicorn horn. The art is more toony but what goes on and the depiction of it is most certainly not cute. Kind of the standout story for me.
“Twang”
Written by Howard Tayler
Art by Mike Luckas
Lettering by Marshall Dillon
Imagine an anti-hunting tale but with the warped sensibility of Skullkickers. Shocking in that way that makes you guilty for laughing along with how awfully cruel and irreverent the main characters are. Some Australians may take umbrage at how obviously “Outback” the hunter is but it’s only good-natured ribbing.
“The Beholder”
Written by Zack Weiner
Art by Ben McSweeney
Colours by Espen Grundetjern
Easily the most impressively drawn piece and in some ways the art style is very evocative of Eric Powell’s The Goon. That is a very good thing as for me The Goon is the benchmark of absurdist action comics. Skullkickers inhabits a fantasy world and this expands on that by riffing on some of the Conan comic styles with a tongue in cheek love for them too.
The short version is that Skullkickers 12 is a great issue to jump onto or if you’re a fan get a friend as a gift to show them why you’re a fan.
8/10
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