The Goon, Vol. 7: A Place of Heartache and Grief

Taking place in a 1930s slum that's a cross between H.P. Lovecraft and Little Orphan Annie—where homicidal refugees from the Little Rascals fight over fish guts, zombies are almost commonplace, but the appearance of a colossal transvestite is a matter worthy of interrupting a mission to dynamite a haunted evil burlesque house—the crazy, wonderful and macabre adventures of the Goon continue in this new collection that gets only one criticism: it is much too short, even at 128 pages. It's a dense package, a masterful blending of story and art, but newcomers to the series may find themselves adrift. The Goon, a hulking giant, is still dealing with the Zombie Priest, but other, more powerful and evil villains are working behind-the-scenes, and the return of the Bird Girls is a portent: old foes are out of the grave, especially one very angry nemesis. It seems Labrazio, the Goon's original archenemy, is on the streets, spreading mayhem and murder—or is he? Creator Powell uses humor and his offbeat imagination to take what could be a grim story—the bad guys always seem to have the upper hand—into a colorful, breathless page-turner. (June)