The Shaolin Cowboy #1
An aged man emerges from hell covered in sweat and grit. He claws his way to sweet freedom, and blesses the ground he never thought he’d walk on. Yet the second he feels any respite, the ground trembles beneath him. He turns his head only to find that hell has followed. Luckily for this man, he has two chainsaws tied to the end of a bamboo stick and he is not afraid to use them. If this sounds like something you might be interested in, than Geof Darrow’s The Shaolin Cowboy #1 is the book for you.
After a 6 year hiatus, Geof Darrow brushes off his pen and returns the cult favourite character to comic book stands. If you have never read any of the previous stories, which I personally haven’t, frett not, this issue is packed with a very long introduction. I mean looooong. I actually didn’t even finishing reading it till the second go around. But that means those of you who have no base knowledge, can jump in all willy-nilly and feel right at home. For this debut issue Darrow, pulling both story and art duties, keeps it mean and lean.
The premise is simple. Our unnamed hero escapes hell, only to be chased by thousands of zombies. As I stated before, his weapon of choice is a bamboo stick with 2 chainsaws attached on the end. I can’t remember the last time I have ever been so excited to see someone use a weapon in a comic book and yes, it lives up to the hype. The reader is treated to a visceral massacre that only gets better as the pages turn.
By using minimal dialogue, the reader has no choice but to focus on the art that Darrow has laid out for us. Each panel is packed with stylistic detail that must have taken months to create. The expression’s that Darrow is able to convey with a single stroke of his pen is unheard of. For an over-the-top action romp, the characters feel surprisingly human which makes us love the story even more. The colouring by Dave Stewart serves as a perfect complement to Darrow’s style. By showing restraint with his palette, Stewart helps raise the tension by bringing this fantastical story down to earth.
Action packed, expertly plotted and jammed with detail, The Shaolin Cowboy #1 is bound to create some new die-hard fans, this reviewer included. Now where do I get those back issues?!
The Shaolin Cowboy #1
Story & Art: Geof Darrow
Colours: Dave Stewart
Letters: Peter Doherty
Publisher and Coach: Mike Richardson for Dark Horse Comics
After a 6 year hiatus, Geof Darrow brushes off his pen and returns the cult favourite character to comic book stands. If you have never read any of the previous stories, which I personally haven’t, frett not, this issue is packed with a very long introduction. I mean looooong. I actually didn’t even finishing reading it till the second go around. But that means those of you who have no base knowledge, can jump in all willy-nilly and feel right at home. For this debut issue Darrow, pulling both story and art duties, keeps it mean and lean.
The premise is simple. Our unnamed hero escapes hell, only to be chased by thousands of zombies. As I stated before, his weapon of choice is a bamboo stick with 2 chainsaws attached on the end. I can’t remember the last time I have ever been so excited to see someone use a weapon in a comic book and yes, it lives up to the hype. The reader is treated to a visceral massacre that only gets better as the pages turn.
By using minimal dialogue, the reader has no choice but to focus on the art that Darrow has laid out for us. Each panel is packed with stylistic detail that must have taken months to create. The expression’s that Darrow is able to convey with a single stroke of his pen is unheard of. For an over-the-top action romp, the characters feel surprisingly human which makes us love the story even more. The colouring by Dave Stewart serves as a perfect complement to Darrow’s style. By showing restraint with his palette, Stewart helps raise the tension by bringing this fantastical story down to earth.
Action packed, expertly plotted and jammed with detail, The Shaolin Cowboy #1 is bound to create some new die-hard fans, this reviewer included. Now where do I get those back issues?!
The Shaolin Cowboy #1
Story & Art: Geof Darrow
Colours: Dave Stewart
Letters: Peter Doherty
Publisher and Coach: Mike Richardson for Dark Horse Comics
A Look Inside
