After last month’s exposition-heavy issue of The Goon, we’re back to something that’s relatively on-track. Fixing a boxing match is nothing out of the ordinary for our main character scoundrels, but like many things, the introduction of witchcraft will ruin best-laid plans.

Things I liked:

• I really liked the “side story” setup to this issue, as the world of the Goon usually has really entertaining secondary characters. Introducing the concept of a rigged fight fits in with the rough-and-tumble setting, and having the heavy lifting of the plot done by other people serves the story well.
• The cover to this issue is amazingly done with a high level of detail - I really hope it’s made into a poster or something else that I can just mount on my wall. Well, I could just stick the book up, couldn’t I?
• As per usual, the issue is full of a nice mix of humour and action, with fight scenes being carried out with a nice visual flow. I enjoy how the Goon fights: rough and blunt with little room for finesse.
• Bringing in the Zombie Priest, who was the focus of last issue, was a good move because it allows us to keep him focused in our mind. Having some major developments happen only to have him fade away into the background for a couple issues would do a disservice to striking while the iron is hot, so to speak.

Things I didn’t:

• While I mentioned the “side story” above, there’s a flip side to that: when the plot happens to other people besides the Goon, there’s a problem where he actually isn’t in his own book that much. Having something set up only for the Goon to come in and just go through the motions devalues him as a character, since we don’t really see a lot of what’s happening from his end. Of course, these storylines are great every once and a while, but if used too often they can really water a book down.

The Goon #42
Dark Horse Comics
$3.50

The Verdict: While I like reading the Goon, something is giving me trouble in grading this issue; while it’s definitely above the 3/5 middle of the road, I don’t think it really reaches the “almost perfect” 4/5, either. Nothing too spectacular happens in this issue that really reached out to me; sure, all the common Goon elements are there, but that’s the point - it’s become a bit standard, and I don’t feel anything tugging at me and wanting me to rush out and buy the next issue.