The Goon #1

Dark Horse's 2003 relaunch of The Goon opens with a cover by Eric Powell that sets the tone perfectly: a massive, flat-capped bruiser and his wiry, fedora-wearing companion sprint forward while a nightmarish crowd of zombies, skulls, and grinning ghouls looms large behind them. The contrast between the grounded, almost pulpy hero and that swirling horde of undead faces is atmospheric and genuinely arresting. With Powell handling virtually every creative role inside — writing, art, inks, lettering, and coloring alongside Robin Powell and Barry Gregory — this is a labor of love that wears its horror-comedy heart right on its sleeve.