The best comparison for this issue of The Goon would be the epic poem The Odyssey. As Odysseus ventures to return home to his beloved wife, the sailor encounters monsters, magicians, and madmen on the quest. A hapless sailor from Atlanta, Georgia wants to find his compatriot, Harvey, so the two could return back to their vessel before getting in trouble. Before the sailor can do that he must encounter a Giant, Man-Eating Gorilla, a witch and two wizards, and shell-shocked soldiers.

Luckily, the sailor has The Goon and Franky there to guide him through all the treacherous domains—and by that I mean bars—on the way to finding Harvey.

Powell’s art, a bastard love child resulting from a three-way between Norman Rockwell, Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, and Robert Crumb, outshines nearly all of the dedicated illustrators filling their days with penning books.

The only element of the comic to exceed the art is the writing. Great in-jokes, satirical jabs at celebrities, and punchy asides coalesce into an ongoing story (that hits an occasional delay every now and then) of The Goon doing his best to defend Lonely Street from every macabre beast and voodoo priest that comes along.

Okay, I acknowledge that a seven-month delay exists between the release of issue #44 and the current offering. However, I am willing to concede some time because Powell runs the show himself. Because of the unparalleled quality in every aspect of this book, I will always give The Goon slack. I, like everyone else, would love to have monthly installments of the book. It’s that damn good. I will be patient, though. Absence makes the heart grow fonder; I am very fond of this book.

Score: 4/5

Writer/Artist/Creator: Eric Powell Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 6/25/14 Format: Print/Digital