REVIEW: Crossbones

Written and lettered by JD Gonzales

Illustrated by Roman Gubskii

With Me|Bones

Crossbones, from Covenant Comics, is a redemption story with superhero and crime drama influences. Crossbones, the eponymous character, is part of a cartel that terrorizes the border town, San Diablo. He’s committed many atrocities throughout his life. He is killed but is brought back to life to essentially right the wrongs he’s committed in his past. However, now he can control his bones! The story is Gonzales’ take on the question, can an evil man become good? And what does it take?

Story

1-star

In my indie comics reading, I’ve read a few stories that center around a drug war and a character seeking redemption. It’s not a new concept; in fact, it’s been done numerous times, both well and poorly. Crossbones stands out among these various stories for its unique twist and well-crafted tale. Gonzales’ story weaves together redemption, magic, myth, and memorable characters in a compelling way. 

We follow the story of Crossbones, a henchman for the local drug cartel. One night, after failing to notice a situation was a set-up, his employer murders Crossbones. 6-months later, Crossbones awakens in a grave with strange new powers. The story is drug cartels meets Wolverine meets John Constantine, and as odd as that may sound, it lands perfectly!

Art

.75-stars

Gubskii’s art is excellent! Balancing a desert landscape, the supernatural underworld, and unique characters, Gunskii delivers with very little distraction or ambiguity in the panels. The art moves the story along and shows off Crossbones powers nicely!

Dialogue

.75-stars

Gonzales’s scripting of the dialogue is solid. He peppers in enough Spanish to make you feel like you’re watching an authentic conversation. Crossbones interactions, in particular, build the character and his backstory without disrupting the flow of the story. I will note, the initial DEA conversation in issue 3 felt a little forced and cliche; aside from that one instance, the script is solid.

Editing

1-star

No issue with editing!

Mechanics

1-star

The structure of the story, flow, paneling, lettering, bubble placement, and character arcs thus far in the series is superb.

Crossbones is a unique and intriguing series that I highly recommend. You can check out the series at https://www.covenantcomics.com/store/