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Kareem Ali 4.5

The Goon: Occasion of Revenge #2

 

  • The good

    Excellent character development and effectively shows why the town is valuable to both sides. Very engrossing parts.

  • The bad

    Actual story progression seems to be minimal barring the potential way(s) the story threads can tie together

  • The ugly

  • The Goon: Occasion of Revenge #2 continues the war between Goon and the Coven, who would stop at nothing to gain complete control over the town. Even though the Coven didn’t have knowledge of the inner workings of the town, they would be able to entice those who did know to join their cause by promising some material gain. This gave the Coven an advantage, and those they couldn’t entice with material gain they sought to destroy with their ruthlessness. Longfingers took great joy in this since he fed off of pain and sorrow, and Goon recounted the tale of what he did to one resident named Rosita. Longfingers knew that it was difficult for her to have a child but was able to have one late in life. So he deliberately targeted her child knowing the pain it would cause her, and this was one of the many reasons Goon wanted to finish off Longfingers more than anyone else in the Coven. His ruthlessness was incomparable. After months of fighting with the Coven gaining more ground each day, Goon knew that his forces wouldn’t be able to contend with the Coven by themselves much longer. He knew that he would have to recruit more help in order to stand a chance. But has the Coven gained too much ground for help to turn the tide or will help arrive in time to defeat the Coven?

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    The first issue was really cool, and I enjoyed it immensely. The issue was so thorough that it felt like a self-contained story as opposed to being the first issue in a series. So taking that into consideration it made sense that this issue would open up by giving a summary of what has been occurring in the town since then. In that was the risk of treating these events so casually that it would prevent them from being engrossing. However that wasn’t the case due to the excellent writing and the example of what Longfingers did to Rosita. His depravity simultaneously created a personal context for all that was occurring in the town to residents as well as justified Goon’s focus on wanting to stop Longfingers more than anyone. And the artwork was awesome once again as it told a story just as much as the words. And the fact that Eric Powell wrote and drew this issue shows in the perfectly harmonious relationship between the art and words in each panel. However unlike the first issue this one would be separated into parts with each one almost feeling like its own short story. This works for the most part as each one offers an intriguing narrative but in terms of overall story progression there isn’t as much, barring how it all ultimately ties together. However, while you’re reading you’ll be so engrossed in each part that the overall story will take a backseat in your mind. And that’s due to the bold way the material in each part is addressed, which is sure to evoke some kind of emotion or thinking without it feeling cheap. For example, part 2 gets deeper into Goon and Ramona’s relationship with them clearly being deeply love but also apprehensive about losing each other due to the Coven taking over the town and one being killed. It’s a very touching moment that is handled in a way true to the 2 characters. Yet it stands in stark contrast to Sandy’s situation who is haunted by Fred’s corpse/ghost and their deep cutting exchange that holds no punches. So one thing that makes this series so enjoyable so far is its ability to stamp its identity on every situation so whether it’s giving the backstory of a resurrected corpse or just has 2 characters engaging in a conversation it feels unique in a Goon-y way. And in this case that’s a very good thing.

     

    SUMMARY

    The Goon: Occasion of Revenge #2 is an excellent follow-up issue if not in terms of story progression then its great character development and consistent tone that is bold and indelible. Separating this issue into distinct parts worked since each part was engrossing, and the artwork in each panel was as wonderfully haunting as last issue. The characters have really made their mark on me, and I’m really curious to see how, or even if, the different story threads tie together. But at the very least each one adds to the overall  mystique of the town and the world it inhabits. And so it’s effective in showing why the town would be so valuable to the Coven because of the terrible things it can do to people but also what truly matters and is so endearing to those striving to defend it from the mischievous invaders. And so I’m looking forward to seeing what’s in store for Goon and his squad.

     

    Release Date: 8/27/14

    Writer: Eric Powell

    Artist: Eric Powell

     

  • Rating ( 9.25 )
  • Total score 9.3

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