The Mighty Skullkickers #1
Story by Jim Zub
Pencils by Edwin Huang
Inks by Edwin Huang and Kevin Raganit
Colors by Misty Coats and Mike Luckas
Color Flatting by Ludwig Olimba
Letters by Marshall Dillon
Covers by Edwin Huang and Jim Zub, Chris Stevens
Image Comics
Release Date: April 24, 2013
Cover Price: $3.50

The current Skullkickers story arc has been in many ways a commentary on mainstream comics. Although it may seem like I’m making a proverbial mountain out of a blood-soaked-talking-ape-heavy molehill, the team behind Skullkickers have done something that exposes the clearly visible cracks in the veneer that is modern comic publishing.

When DC’s New 52 announcement came down the pipes, most of us thought the same thing, “this is lame, they are just trying to sell more comics.” Then we bought all of them, and a solid portion were terrible. It’s these marketing gimmicks that Jim Zub and the Skullkicker’s team are lampooning with their current story arc. However, when writing commentary into any story, sometimes a plot and solid characters are sacrificed in the name of sticking it to the man. Luckily, the appropriately titled The Mighty Skullkickers #1 delivers a one-two punch of gorgeous art and wit-drenched writing.

Skullkickers, Volume 1
1000 Opas and a Dead Body
Written by Jim Zub
Art by Edwin Huang and Chris Stevens
Colors by Misty Coats and Chris Stevens
Price: $9.99
Image Comics
Release date: March 9, 2011

Skullkickers is a relatively new series from Image that has quickly found an audience and built a buzz. Their first trade paperback collection, “1000 Opas and a Dead Body”, collects the first storyline and their earlier appearances in the Image comics anthology Popgun.

Skullkickers follows the infamous exploits of two unnamed bounty hunters, a short, rude dwarf and a giant bald fellow who we shall refer to as “Dwarf and Big Guy”. They are fighting a werewolf and breaking up a cult. Later we learn that they are performing these acts for a fee. Soon after disposing of the werewolf, they witness the murder of a chancellor. The chancellor’s associates pay them 1000 opas to bring the killer to justice. Of course, what seems like a simple jobs becomes a madcap adventure that involves demons, gypsies, monsters, and the fate of an entire kingdom.