The Goon Volume 5: Wicked Inclinations (The Goons) (v. 5) [Paperback]

Eric Powell (Author, Artist)

Book Description

Series: The Goons | Publication Date: December 12, 2006

The tide has turned in Goon's war against the undead hordes of the Zombie Priest - or has it? With Buzzard now preventing the harvest of any fresh corpses from the cemetery, the Priest grows desperate. So desperate, that he unleashes incantations of previously unseen power to create a whole new breed of minion - one that may be beyond even the strength of the Goon to contain. But one pays a price for conjuring such evil into the world, and the Zombie Priest quickly discovers that the cost of such power may be far more than he bargained for.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

There's a certain joy knowing that a cartoonist of great skill is filling his or her own comic with the elements they love. Powell clearly loves drawing big tough guys, zombies, ghouls, men in fedoras and various combinations of the above. The fifth Goon trade paperback has all that and a Hitchcock reference to boot, a treat for fans but still accessible to new readers. The appeal is how Powell conveys that enthusiasm by drawing every creature and monster so darned well. His style continues to evolve as the book now has a lush painted look to it. This only adds to the well-rounded depth that all of Powell's figures possess and to the spooky atmosphere that the stories demand. The main story relates how the Goon's nemesis the Zombie Priest is coming up with a new kind of menace for our hero and his town. That plot often takes second place to the humor, which is so cheerfully rude and crude that it's positively endearing. At this point all the characters of Norton's Pub gel so well that their interactions are chummy enough to be entertaining no matter what chaotic destruction might be headed their way. (Dec.)
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From Booklist

Powell likes to start each new arc of his horror-gangster parody with a bit of backstory. Here we learn the Goon's shrouded-in-the-mists-of-time origins and why he is shepherded by an undying ghoul called the Buzzard. This is all rendered like a sequence from a selectively tinted black-and-white movie, vintage 1931, much grayer than but similar to the movie Sin City. There are more and brighter colors when the "contemporary" story resumes, but god forbid that the sun should ever flat-out shine on The Goon. Goon and Franky are still fighting the Priest and his horde of zombies. The latter minions having been pretty much overcome, the Priest conjures a legion of baby ghouls that can amalgamate into giant carnivorous insects, and for a rousing conclusion, the giant lizard unleashed by currently arrested Dr. Alloy joins the fray. The book fairly bursts with fisticuffs, gore, bad attitude, and running character gags, and the appended five short stories by other hands add more of same. Prime ghastly fun. Ray Olson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Paperback: 136 pages
• Publisher: Dark Horse (December 12, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593076460
• ISBN-13: 978-1593076467
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 6.6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #78,833 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #85 in Books > Comics & Graphic Novels > Graphic Novels > Mystery

More About the Author

Eric Powell is a writer and artist who has contributed work on such comics titles as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Hellboy: Weird Tales, Star Wars Tales, The Incredible Hulk, Black Panther, The Avengers, The Hood, MAD Magazine, Devil Dinosaur, Swamp Thing, the Avengers, She-Hulk, the Simpsons, Arkham Asylum: Living Hell, Action Comics, and Creepy. Although eking out a meager living in the comics field since 1995, Eric didn't find true success until he launched his critically acclaimed dark comedy series The Goon. The Goon was subsequently picked up by Dark Horse Comics and boasts a diehard cult following.

Recently, Eric has been working in collaboration with acclaimed director David Fincher, Blur Animation, and Dark Horse Entertainment to bring the Goon to life on the big screen as an animated feature film.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A PEFECT BLEND OF HORROR, ACTION, ANDCOMEDY, January 16, 2007

By 

Tim Janson (Michigan) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Goon Volume 5: Wicked Inclinations (The Goons) (v. 5) (Paperback)

I've just recently discovered Eric Powell's riotously wicked, noir-ish horror comic, The Goon and I'm kicking myself for coming on board so late. I guess that's what back issues and trade paperbacks are for. The 5th trade paperback volume, Wicked Inclinations is out, and collects issues 14 - 18 of the regular series. Thankfully, Powell has taken newbies like me into account and provides readers with a brief overview of past events that quickly got me up to speed.

The story opens with Goon's ally The Buzzard, the sentry who stands guard over the cemetery, puts the fear of the Almighty Himself into the zombie priest by revealing the Priest's true name. This immediately freaks the Zombie Priest out as he is now desperate to come up with a plan of action to try and reverse his recent defeats. With nearly all his zombies destroyed, Priest performs a horrific sacrifice to an old hag zombie named Mother Corpse.

The Goon and sidekick Franky have their own problems. It seems a gypsy woman has come to town bent on getting revenge on Jalia who runs the tavern where Goon and Franky kick back for a few tall cold ones. The Gypsy wants an engagement ring that belongs to her family after Jalia's cousin reneged on a planned marriage. Goon can offer no aid as he will be cursed himself if he does. That leaves Goon and Franky forced to improvise a solution to the dilemma.

What isn't too love about this book...zombies, demons, gangsters, union busters, guns blazin', fists flyin', and funny as all get out. Eric Powell does it all as far as the main story arc which makes up about 80% of the book. The rest features several Goon short stories written by the likes of Tom Sniegoski and Mike Hawthorne and art by Neil Vokes, Kyle Hotz, and Michael Avon Oeming.

The Goon is one of the most imaginative and original comic books on the market today and as I proved, it's never too late to start reading this fantastic title by Eric Powell and Dark Horse Comics.

Reviewed by Tim Janson

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars more, more, more, March 11, 2007

By 

p. art - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Goon Volume 5: Wicked Inclinations (The Goons) (v. 5) (Paperback)

I can't wait to see the next issue. I was feeling the momentum in 4 but 5 really pushed the anticipation and excitement b/t Buzzard and the Zombie Priest. And now I'm really curious about this Satan Sodomy Baby!

4.0 out of 5 stars Inclined to love this, September 5, 2011

By 

Sam Quixote - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Goon Volume 5: Wicked Inclinations (The Goons) (v. 5) (Paperback)

Reading the Goon has become something I now do when I feel like reading something fun and familiar. Whether it's the art or the characters or the whacky tones coupled with the gothic madness and gallows humour and noir presentation, I love this series and every book, forgive the cliché, feels like meeting old crazy friends again.

In Volume 5, the story of the Zombie Priest is given centre stage as he tries to stage a massive coup against Lonely Street. The only thing stopping him? Goon, Franky, and Buzzard. Let the blood run not at all, because these are zombies, but let the bodies hit the floor!

This is probably the most action oriented Goon book so far and I loved it. Powell's artwork assumes a kind of weird choreography on the page as Goon swings his massive mitts against a variety of foes and Buzzard strikes a variety of poses that are just badass. There's one of the first page where I wish I had it as an A1 painting on my wall, it's so cool.

There's also a series of short strips at the back written and drawn by fellow artists that are silly and fun. It's also good to see Goon depicted differently on the page, I think it adds to the reader's perception of the character.

"Wicked Inclinations" (great title) is a fine addition to this series and a must read for any fans of the Goon. Keep it coming, Powell!