Shaolin Cowboy #1

By Geof Darrow & Dave Stewart

Shaolin Cowboy #1 picks up six years after the end of the previous storyline. The Cowboy has resurfaced in the desert, but is pursued by an undead army. He tries to escape, but returns to battle the creatures with what appears to be a makeshift chainsaw bo-staff (pretty awesome to be honest) and save a carload of jerks. This draws the attention of people who work for his nemesis, King Crab.

This was a fairly straightforward issue. There was no dialog for the majority of it. The Shaolin Cowboy only spoke one phrase, praising Buddha. He fits the archetype of someone who speaks when he has something of worth to say or speaks through his actions. Writer and artist Geof Darrow focused on his art in this book. The majority of the issue is spent depicting the Cowboy’s trek through the desert. Being that several pages were devoted to this, Darrow clearly conveys how vast the desert is.

Geof’s character sketches are top-notch and his zombie designs are so revoltingly eerie while Dave Stewart’s colors enrich the work. The color palette he uses is predominantly muted; the exception is the Shaolin Cowboy. His sweatshirt is red and he wears a bright yellow bandana. Also, the weapon he wields is yellow. It’s a visual treat to see the main character contrast with everything else in the panel or on the page.

The fantastic artwork kept this book riveting, but it has to supplement the story, which sadly was lacking. Yet, I’m curious to see where the story goes. Count me in for the next issue!