The Uncanny Skullkickers #1
Written by Jim Zub
Pencils by Edwin Huang
Inks by Edwin Huang & Kevin Raganit
Reviewed by Steve Seigh
Wow. Okay, so the first two pages of The Uncanny Skullkickers #1 is rather daunting at first sight. I’m no stranger to having to bring myself up to date on past events when jumping onto a series, but I will admit that I was rather intimidated by the amount of information given to me at the start of this comic. However, with that being said, Jim Zub does a fine job of giving you the lowdown. The information you need is all there and is delivered to you in a rather entertaining fashion. While I still feel as if I were jumping onto something much larger than I was equipped to handle when asked to review this book (I’ve never read a single page of the Skullkickers series), I felt invited into this story and was more than willing to jump in.
The first thing I’d like to say about The Uncanny Skullkickers #1 is that it’s got a lot of personality. Rex, a hulking brute from another time and place, and a rather um … let’s just go with athletic elf named Kusia, are stuck on a desert island and appear to be all but fucked for getting off of it. But what matters now is seeking proper shelter and downing some rum. Jack Sparrow had wanted to know where all the rum had gone? My guess is that it’s most likely in the bellies of our two main characters. Both Rex and Kusia are likable characters from the start, and each of them gives off an immediate sense of having a long history and friendship with one another. Having never read the Skullkickers series I felt this right away and was immediately taken by both of their opposing but complimentary personalities.
The bulk of this first issue revolves around character introduction as well as the exploration and foraging of the island itself. Cleverly done through a series of montages that will more often than not make you chuckle, The Uncanny Skullkickers #1 dishes out a daunting but comfortable continuation of prior events while dazzling its reader with a series of colorful and impressive panels of things to come. And just so I don’t forget to mention it, in regard to the art, I really enjoyed the playful manner in which the way the characters interacted with their environment was displayed throughout the book. In several panels you’ll find words like “RUMMAGE”, “SURVIVAL SMASH”. “MORE RUMMAGING” and so on. I’m not sure if other people will find it nearly as entertaining as I did but I fell in love with this aspect of the book. I found myself chuckling at these visual gems just as often as the snappy dialogue of the characters.
When all was said and done, and to my surprise, if only for the sake of that I had no idea what to expect, I very much enjoyed The Uncanny Skullkickers #1. While I do feel as if I’ve missed a whole lot due to events and arcs that have obviously lead to the penning of this particular series, I don’t feel as if I can’t jump onto this book and start my adventure with Rex and Kusia. I get the impression that if I have patience that things will be explained to me and that eventually I might even go back within the series to fill in the gaps that are so obviously there.
VERDICT
Check it out. The Uncanny Skullkickers #1 is a fun read for sure. The book boasts a lot of personality and the art is just plain fun all around. You’ll laugh, you’ll laugh some more, and you might even get drunk on rum. It’s fun for the whole family!
* This review was written while listening to the album Age of the Fifth Sun by the band God is an Astronaut.
