Filed under: Arcana Comics, Comic Reviews | Tags: Adam Mrowzowski, aliens, Arcana Comics, beer, Blake, Bruce Brown, Chip Christell, Clay County, Coleman, Hot Dog, Motherchucker, Root, SF-92, Vern
What do you get if you take a group of Rednecks and an Army Sergeant and face them off against an army of Aliens?…….that’s right…..you get Clay County. While that may not sound like much this is another hidden gem among Arcana’s releases.
Set 1 year after their invasion of Earth, the Aliens are desperately scouring the planet for SF-92 – a fuel source that they are prepared to kill to get hold of. In steps Sergeant Coleman on the run from an Alien hunting party and they’re all heading for the favourite bar of the small town residents. Crashing through the front door, Coleman’s attempts to warn Blake, Vern, Hot Dog & Root of their impending visitors see the unlikely group band together to find SF-92 ahead of the Aliens. Although the real quest for the rednecks is their next beer and taking on their threatened existence with an innocent, naive approach that gets some infectious laughs throughout the title.
With ray guns blasting everything including the bar – we soon see them fighting fire with fire……well…..lazers with tractors – which has to be seen to be believed. Just take note that they have their very own pumpkin/tractor throwing trebuchet…..more commonly known as the ‘MotherChucker’. They inevitably get captured but the thirst for beer and the belief that some alien anal probing counts as a colonoscopy see the lack of concern an in-jokes continue. The controlled military approach by Coleman mixed with the beer-hunting antics of the rednecks just makes the title flow so easily and with a savvy back-story it’s easy to get hooked on this one…..in a laugh-out-loud kinda way.
Writers Bruce Brown & Chip Christell have been able to harness that comedy and set a story in fairly unrealistic circumstances…..but while making the characters believable and real….a quirky tale with smarts, humour and real feeling of caring for the people involved. The art from Adam Mrowzowski is well suited too and helps bolster the mixed elements of the story, emphasizing the humour and action with ease.
A cracking read, one that I’d recommend anyone to take a shot at subtle jokes give it a very human edge, the battles are well-paced, well-drawn affairs and the characters are instantly likeable….even Coleman as the sense of reason helps keep the dangerous situations real while the redneck group treat them as an interference in the pursuit of beer. If anything, I’d say sit down with a beer and read this…..it’s only fitting.
Get on over to the Arcana site now to get this and more of their titles……you’ll have to supply your own beer though:
9/10
G-Man
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