Reviews
REVIEW: The Shaolin Cowboy: Cruel to be Kin #2
Book Title: The Shaolin Cowboy: Cruel to be Kin #2
Book Description: The Shaolin Cowboy finds out if Colts and Kung Fu will guarantee him herd immunity when a flock of new enemies are trying to put him and his newborn charge on the endangered species list!!!!!
Book Author: Geof Darrow
Book Format: Paperback
Publisher - Orgnization: Dark Horse Comics
Publisher Logo:
Illustrator: Geof Darrow
- Story(3)
- Interior Art(3.5)
- Cover Art(3.5)
- Dialogue(3)
- Mechanics(3)
- Editing(3.5)
Summary
The Shaolin Cowboy: Cruel to be Kin #2 is a trippy ride. Colorful characters fighting in a desert landscape. It resembles what you might remember after tripping out on psychedelics. Geof Darrow puts together a strong narrative voice and distinct visual style that fits well together. Singular but insular.
The story in this issue plays back up to the visual journey and style. It stays in place, with no building tension or any actual resolution. It stays in there, right where it began, in the journey.
The art is unique and works well in the world that Geof is building. Characters stand out by appearance, and you feel like you are inside someone’s head. This visual aspect is the strongest part of the book.
The dialogue is fun. It sounds like a good time. It was written like the old cartoon shorts, fun and works but inconsequential for the most part. You could substitute most of the writing and still get the same conclusion.
There’s a lot to unpack because this is a very visual book. The mechanics and editing work. The most important and unique aspect is art. I love some of the visual choices, but the story itself isn’t fully developed. Easy to follow, but the art takes you on a visual journey. The story just can’t.
With The Shaolin Cowboy: Cruel to be Kin #2, Geof Darrow has written and illustrated a unique wonderland that feels fully realized but not fully translated. So far, it’s been a trip. I’m interested in seeing how it goes.
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