Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
Writer: Eric Powell
Artist: Eric Powell
Editor: Scott Allie
Release date: 7 October 2015
Price: $3.50

If you haven’t encountered The Goon before, this is probably a not the best place to start for continuity. But then again, The Goon is one of those comic book characters you will find yourself going back to the back issues for. And The Goon Once Upon A Hard Time #4 will get you smitten and if you don’t take The Goon to your heart, well, comic books are obviously not your first love.

The Goon: Once Upon A Hard Time #4 is the final instalment of a four-part story arc that wraps up the storyline from sixteen years ago with the very first issue of The Goon. That’s a heck of a lot of backstory to catch up on and no leeway is given to help newcomers figure out who’s who and what’s what and what is going on here exactly.

The Goon is a big bruiser of a guy with a guilty conscience who seems to be slugging it out with various supernatural nasties until we get what passes for a happy ending. If that’s not enough to float your boat, then go look elsewhere but you’d be doing yourself a dis-service. Stylised, skilful and highly reminiscent of Will Eisner in subject matter and tone this is pure comic book genius.

For The Goon: Once Upon A Hard Time #4 forget that you don’t have a clue what’s going on and just luxuriate in the sheer artistry that fills these pages. Drink it all in and then promise yourself you won’t miss out on the next sixteen years (and hunt down those back issues with a supernatural vengeance) because comic characters like The Goon don’t come along often enough.

Reviewer: Gary Orchard
Reviews Editor: Steve Hooker