By Daniel Vlasaty

Rock Candy Mountain has been one of my favorite books of the year. In it, Kyle Starks has created a world that is weird and full of history and life – and hobos, bums, tramps, and Satan. He’s decided to focus the attention of the book on a population and community that is never really looked at favorably, either in fiction or in the real world. I don’t really know where I’m going with this, other than to say Rock Candy Mountain with issue #5 is back, my dudes, and I am super freaking excited about that.

Issue #5 of Rock Candy Mountain starts off the new story arc. It’s essentially Jackson’s origin story. In this issue, we learn how he went from being a normal, everyday family man (which took a second to wrap my head around – we’re talking about badass kung-fu hobo Jackson here) to the mysterious dude we all know and love. The kind of dude that has dealings with Satan himself. The kind of dude who can fight anyone man and win. But every myth and legend has to begin somewhere and we finally get the insight into where Jackson came from. What made him the man he is now.

For this, Starks takes us all the way back to 1945 when our boy was drafted to fight in the war. He gives us an entirely different side to Jackson than we’ve ever seen before. Pre-war/pre-hobo Jackson is a peaceful man with a loving wife and a young daughter. They’re the only things that get him through the hell that is war. But we’re starting to see the man he will become. Because Jackson is serious, man. He’s going to get back home to his family. Even if that means he’s got to kill a whole bunch of motherfuckers to do it.

One thing that stood out to me in this issue is how toned-down the humor is. Rock Candy Mountain is a comic book that usually has been busting up with laughter. But that’s not the case here. This issue has a very serious and somber feel to it. And I get that. It makes sense here. It’s because of Jackson’s past. The harshness of it, the tragedy that is his history. It wouldn’t work using that usual Kyle Starks humor. It would have felt forced or put-on. This issue wouldn’t have the impact that it does if it had been written as a comedy.

I can only imagine the level of research that had to go into writing this book. And I’m talking about Rock Candy Mountain as a whole here, not just this individual issue. It’s weird because I never really think about comic books as needing a bunch of research to come across as authentic. It just kind of seems to be at a different level than with, say, a novel or something. And I think that has to do with the delivery method. I don’t know. I’m pretty sure that doesn’t make any goddamn sense. But, anyway, Starks has really done a great job showing his knowledge of hobo culture. There’s an authenticity to this book that goes all the way down to the dialogue and the slang used by the passing characters. It really adds to the reading experience.

I don’t even know why I’m going to waste my time or yours talking about Kyle Starks’ art. Shit’s just good, flat-out. I’d say it’s probably some of the best and most original comic art out there today. I like that it’s (a good kind of) sloppy and that there aren’t many details. I like that his characters’ noses are just big, weird squiggly shapes, that their eyes are only dots, and that their hands are only kind of shaped like hands. It works for me. But I could see how or why some people might not feel the same way, might be turned off by it. And everyone’s entitled to their own opinions and blah blah blah. But no, fuck that, those people are wrong. The art is great. It works, and I am a fan.

There’s life in his art. The way it flows and moves. And the fight scenes are fucking awesome. They are bloody and violent and excessive – and I don’t mean bad-excessive, I’m talking straight up good-excessive.

Rock Candy Mountain is just a fun book. It has been from the beginning. Things got a bit more serious and heavy in issue #5, sure, but it works because now there’s an emotional connection. Jackson’s not just this super-human kung-fu hobo warrior. He’s a real man that adapted to his current life. He’s anybody who’s ever loved and lost. He’s me if just a few more things go wrong in my life. He’s you if – you get the point. The first arc won me over by its over-the-top ridiculousness, and I have a feeling that some of that is going to carry over into this arc but also I’m thinking this go-round is also going to be a bit more emotional and humbling. I’ve been a fan of Kyle Starks for a while now. He does crazy, wackiness better than anyone else, but I’m glad to see him adding some new elements to his work.

Score: 5/5

Rock Candy Mountain #5
Image Comics