Finally, My Balls Hurt!

You know, I love comics. Always have. I mean, the sequential art story format is just something I've been into since I was a kid. I love the way the pictures and words form a great story unlike anything you’d see at the movies or at the bookstore. I don't care if it's superhero action or zombie horror or slice of life drama, I can appreciate a good story told the comic book way. Good comics, bad comics, it's all comics, and that's okay in my book (for the most part, anyway). Yep, I'm total comics apologist. But I gotta be honest, there's a lot of garbage out there these days. Probably no more than there's ever been, I suppose, but the editor in me, the guy who just wants to read a good, solid story, cringes after every trade collection or graphic novel I suffer through. And right now, it's gotten me a little down. Comics have so much potential, and I absolutely hate to see the format squandered on poorly told stories. Can't someone just develop a great book that takes me by the balls and doesn’t let go until that final reveal? Ladies and gentlemen, enter Elk’s Run. That’s right, I finally read such a book, and by God I have a new faith in the world of comics. Someone say hallelujah. If you don’t believe me, go out and read the first chapter of Elk’s Run. It was so fucking hardcore, I read it twice before moving on to the rest of the story. I said "Oh shit" and "Oooh, nice" and "Holy fuck" after practically every page, and I was saying it in this high-pitched sissy voice because the story had my balls in a very snug grip. Lucky for me, that grip never slackened too much. Sure, there were one or two moments when I felt like I could breathe again, but only momentarily. That’s not to say the story races along. It’s a quick paced book, sure, but Josh Fialkov treats the reader with just enough characterization to fully feel for the poor bastards of Elk’s Ridge. And that art. Fuck! Noel Tuazon’s panels tell more of a story than most artists could do with an entire book. The facial expressions alone speak volumes. And Scott Keating’s colors not only set the tone, but yank you around emotionally along the way. If you like good comics, go read this one. Please. You owe it to yourself as a fan of comics. It’s not a superhero book. It’s not an underground indie book. It’s just a solid story executed about as well as any comic you’ll see this year. Josh, Noel, Scott, and Jason, I owe you all a drink…just as soon as I ice my swollen nuts.