Eric Powell ‘The Goon: Nothin’ But Misery’ Review

Written by: Matt Molgaard

Our first venture into the realm of graphic novels is what I would call an outstanding success. See, The Goon is a tough as nails, no-nonsense dude who gets his kicks by bashing in the heads of zombies and an assortment of other creatures. This big fella just isn’t one to mess with. He rarely loses a tussle, and emits enough confidence to make Hellboy stop in his tracks. Honestly, he’s a bad, bad dude.

Nothin’ But Misery plays as an anthology of sorts rather than a single ongoing story. Sure there are major connections within these tales, but each little narrative stands on its own, offering an array of compelling plot lines. In one moment he’s saving his pal Franky from a man-eating succubus or two, the next he’s riding a werewolf to retrieve a few children who’ve been eaten… by the most unassuming bastards you could imagine. The journeys Goon embarks on are exciting on all fronts. Eric Powell’s ability with words as well as illustrations is magnificent. He’s got a wild enough imagination to ensure boredom is no issue.

Nothin’ But Misery is 100-plus pages of brilliant artwork, insane monsters and some extremely successful comedy. In fact, the comedic tone of the book may be the true highlight. Powell hits the one-liners with perfection, and the laughs work to counter the savagery of some of these tales.

I’m not out to tell you this is a petrifying graphic novel, because it’s not. But I will tell you this: The Goon: Nothin’ But Misery is supremely entertaining. It’s an infectious read that brings a pair of highly memorable characters to the spotlight, and thrusts a fantastic ensemble of villains in the reader’s face. For my money, The Goon is a stud character, and Eric Powell is one hell of a creator.

You can order this one right here.

Rating: 4/5