After a few month hiatus, Skullkickers is back for its final story arc. Everything is at stake, as our main characters (I can't in good conscious call them heroes) and a few alternate reality duplicates enter an inter-dimensional bar. That bar also happens to have been taken over by evil tentacle monster Thool, who plans on using the inter-dimensionality of the bar to invade everywhere. So yeah, a giant fight in a bar is bound to happen.
"You're probably wondering if this entire story arc is just going to be one gigantic bar fight. I don't want to ruin the surprise for you, but...in a word...yes." -Skullkickers narration boxes from Skullkickers #31
If the above direct quote from the book doesn't give you an idea of what to expect, I can't do a better job. There isn't much plot to cover here. The main characters enter a bar, face hugging mini Thools are controlling all of the patrons and staff, Thool then politely gives beer for our protagonists. The Dwarf downs a beer, and with a very suiting Glassault (tossing a pint glass at Thool), a brawl starts. I was reading this comic at work during lunch, and when I saw the panel where the Dwarf tosses the glass I got a giant grin on my face and hunkered down for the epic brawl. The brawl continues for the rest of the issue.
AND IT IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!
If you can't tell I love this comic. It is a brilliant slap stick fantasy romp. If you ever played Dungeons and Dragons, especially when you were or with teenagers/early 20 somethings, you will recognize the protagonists. They are the players who don't give a shit about the plot and just want to kill things. The DM, in sheer frustration just forces the plot upon them as best as they can. But the players just keep killing everything they can. Forget consequences, just do awesome things. That is the kind of book you are getting into here. I for one have loved every minute of it and will be missing it when it ends at the end of this arc.
If you like fun in your comics, read this book. If you like fantasy, read this book. If you ever played a campaign ruining maniac in a roleplaying game, you really need to read this book. You honestly could jump in now and just enjoy some awesome quipy dialogue alongside some beautifully choreographed action. Or you could go buy the first trade for like $10, or if you are someone without a soul who can't pay for comics, you can go read the comic for free at comic.skullkickers.com a website the creators of the book have created to share the book with everyone. You have no excuse why this book isn't in your life.
So really there isn't a lot of plot or comic points to properly review so instead here is a run down of the top three sound effects of the comic. If you aren't aware, during action scenes, instead of just random BAM or POW, there are elaborate and hilarious sound effects with what it indicates in parenthesis.
3: Pre-Jump (indicating the Human is about to leap in the next panel) 2: Perfect pour (Thool may be a tentacle monster but he can pour the perfect pint) 1: Two-capitate (one of the alternate reality Dwarf decapitates two enemies with one swing)
Score: 5/5
Skullkickers #31 Writer:Jim Zub Art: Edwin Huang Publisher: Image Comics Price: $3.50 Release date: 3/25/15 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital