Skullkickers #27

By Jim Zub, Edwin Huang, Kevin Raganit, Misty Coats & Ross A. Campbell

Skullkickers has been such a fun series for a number of years now, but things keep getting better somehow. Jim Zub has recently been delving into some interesting new territory with the most recent arcs, especially the current A Dozen Cousins and a Crumpled Crown story, which really highlights the dwarves. As usual, issue #27 was a great read.

This latest installment deals with Rex and company, as well as Rolf’s predicament, while bringing both sides of Skullkickers back together by the end of the book. This particular arc has been especially well-organized and executed and this aspect really shows in issue #27. Of course, the usual dose of laughs is included along the way with some great humor throughout. The narration was some of the funniest we’ve seen and adds another fantastic dimension to the story. There were also some really big developments in the current story, with a finale that will leave readers wondering how the heck they’ll continue next month! Finally, the flashbacks featuring Rolf’s backstory also continue and, again, this was a highly enjoyable sequence.

Recently, the core art team of Edwin Huang and Misty Coats was expanded to include Kevin Raganit assisting with inks, and Ross A. Campbell assisting with colors. However, the overall appearance of the series remains perfectly consistent with what has come before; really, you can’t even tell the difference. Perhaps the book has a bit more visual depth overall, but everything retains the same Skullkickers style, which is undeniably unique to this series. The illustrations have a wonderful, cartoony vibe that enhances the fun tone of the book, but there is still a lot of attention to detail throughout. The designs for both characters and environments look wonderful, and the visuals also help enhance the humor. As usual, the colors are among the best in the business. Every panel is astonishingly vibrant, and the color work really amplifies the visual depth of the book.

Jim Zub and crew have been moving towards some really great areas with this story, and the current arc has really paid off so far in this regard. Skullkickers #27 was another fun and exciting installment in an already terrific series.