Shaolin Cowboy
(Shaolin Cowboy, by Geoff Darrow & Robert Doherty)
Yes, I know. I’m still working on the Free Comic Book Day roundup post. In the meantime, I want to point out the sheer awesome that is Shaolin Cowboy.
Shaolin Cowboy is kind of like what would happen if Quentin Tarantino directed Samurai Jack while he was plastered. The first issue introduces our hero, the nameless Shaolin Cowboy and his steed, a donkey. Soon, he is ambushed by a veritable legion of crooks and murderers, out for his blood. When they threaten his life, he immediately begins to massacre the lot of them. In ways that make Sin City look tame.
I really dig the wriggly lines Geoff uses to draw everything. Gives it a sense of style, and overall helps to convey the mood of the action: Preposterous. I’d ruin it for you if I gave you the highlights, but one bit is when he slices out a layer of a man’s neck in the blink of an eye, then kicks it out (which is then caught hungrily by a jack russel terrier in the background).
Issue 2 is where a bit of back story comes in, mainly the origin story of someone who hates the Shaolin Cowboy with all the rage he can muster. A king crab. A king crab that has studied the martial arts, in order to take down the Shaolin Cowboy. A king fucking crab. With Nazi tattoos. Along with all the other talking animals.
This book is totally off the wall humor with balls to the wall action. It’s damned good, and I suggest you pick it up at your local comic shop.
May 10th, 2005 at 4:03 pm
Geoff Darrow is one of those great examples of what happens when you get creators more interested in being creative than seeing how much pandering they can do. I mean, I understand the desire to pander: It can get you money, even lots of it.. But it’s very rare to see good things come from the practice. More often than not, you just get shite people are ashamed to admit that they liked at one point.
I’m looking at you, American Idol
May 10th, 2005 at 5:38 pm
*cough*SPAWN*cough*
I totally agree with you, though. I found Shaolin Cowboy to be pretty non-pandersome. It looks like it’s really trying to be its own thing, which I always appreciate.
May 12th, 2005 at 8:45 am
Heh. Dave Sim cries everytime he thinks of the guest issue he did…
Speaking of not pandering: I think it’s time to share your picks for the WCCAs