An Occasion for Revenge Part 4 (of 4) So much hype goes to such valueless pieces of shit that a work of pure genius like The Goon not being talked about, hyped up, or optioned for the cinema makes me ashamed to be part of the comic media circle.

No miniseries has presented such depth in a character as “An Occasion for Revenge.”  The story arc concludes with the title hero picking up the pieces of Kid Gargantuan’s revenge due to deception as detailed in the previous issue.  For those critics who claim The Goon as one dimension, eat your shit with a side of toast because in this last chapter the hero endures everything from rage to hopelessness—all in the span of a few pages.  The emotional shifts the Goon undergoes are so vivid and gripping that I was angry and hurt after reading this book.  That’s correct.  I empathized so much with the character that it left me shaking and thinking about this beautiful sequential art for hours after.

When the usually laconic Goon spouts his lines of dialogue in this issue, the words will cut to the core.  Through the text readers will encounter and share his disappointment, his hurt, and his emptiness.  I could not but feel so low when The Goon looks at the Magpie Witch who had disguised herself and duped the Goon to believe she was Ramona, his lover.  “You gave me hope,” he laments.  And then he unleashes a berserker rage that will leave readers stunned and appalled.

Just as imposing as the Goon’s dialogue is his moments of silence.  The last panels in which the Goon speaks not a word but conveys mountains of emotion and information will go down, for me, as the most brilliant visual representation of a story that I have seen.  Only few films created by genius directors managed to present such raw brilliance.

I cannot speak highly enough of the panels that look like rough pencil sketches yet bear more artistic breadth than any of the painted books on the stacks.  Art schools can use this issue as a primer to teach everything from shadows to depth to coloring—and we readers need only pay a mere $3.50 to savor the richness of Powell’s opus.

Best of all, this whole machination was not to divert The Goon but to break his spirit.  As the book concludes, one will know that the enemies have won.  Such clever plotting could be found in only the best classical offerings.

So take your hand off your dick and stop jacking off to Kim Kardasian’s fat ass.  Put down the protest signs and the misdirected sense of protest.  Read this book and gather some people together.  Tell them that someone in our time is creating something as beautiful as a piece by Mozart or a sculpture by Da Vinci.  Talk about how this book is a pure product of creativity and art.  Enrich yourself and aspire to be something better.  Powell sets the example with The Goon; we need only to continue.

Score: 5/5

Writer/Artist/Creator: Eric Powell Publisher: Dark Horse Comics Price: $3.50 Release Date: 12/10/14 Format: Ongoing; Print/Digital