Dethklok Vs. The Goon—Metal Culture Comes To Comics

When we rolled out the May PREVIEWS, I freaked out when I flipped through the front of the catalog.

It had finally happened. The circle was now complete, because what I had waited to see for over 10 years had finally come to pass as metal had meshed with comics, and it would  make for murderous mayhem. It was the perfect marriage, and it would happen within the pages of Dethklok Vs. The Goon from Dark Horse Comics.

A one-shot comic that would combine the irreverent comedy and violence of Eric Powell's The Goon with the irreverent comedy and violence of Adult Swim's Metalocalypse cartoon, this book was something that I just had to put into perspective for readers who may not know how long I and others like me had rooted for comics and metal to come together in an un-civil union.

Yes, I concurred. This 40-something Web Editor and metal head was obligated to give readers a Wayne's World flashback to show just how far metal had had come along in pop culture. Metal had, for the longest time, been seen as nothing but "noise" that was crude, without merit, and above all, "satanic."

They said that because we listened to Judas Priest we worshipped the devil. A woman told me this when I worked as a stock clerk at a grocery store. She told me that she would never let her kids listen to Black Sabbath or Judas Priest. She didn't want them to become possessed should they try to play their records backwards. I laughed at her. Then I showed her my "Shout at the Devil" tour shirt.

It was the 1980s, and the Washington wives known as the PMRC were on the March for civility in our record stores. Tipper Gore and company argued on Capitol Hill what kind of legistlation should be passed by their husbands in the Senate and House so as to not taint future generations with that, that, that...garbage! That...metal rock n' roll! But, Dee Snider, Blackie Lawless, Frank Zappa, and others gave testimony as to how this kind of music was art, and should be left to flourish. It didn't need warning labels, and those of us who listened to it didn't call it "rock and roll." We called it "metal." And we loved it. And nobody better mess with it. So back off, man.

Because, much to the chagrin of the Washington wives, we got the joke. We knew it was all entertainment. We knew that people like Vincent Price — although a renowned villain in movies — was nevertheless an everyday guy once he took off his Hollywood makeup. And we took pains to tell our persecutors that Vincent Price wrote cookbooks in his spare time. The man, despite his onscreen persona, was literate! How shocking! So why not give that same level of respect to metal madmen like Ozzy Osbourne or Alice Cooper? Yes, they pranced around a stage, and were covered in blood. And then at the end of the night, they went home to their families like everyone else who paid taxes. And should the stormtroopers enter the homes of these metal pioneers anyway, it would be to their eternal shame that they would not find one inverted crucifix in a kitchen or bedroom.

So who was fooling who?

The last time we checked, it wasn't metal musicians sticking it to the people. Quite the contrary. They were helping us to put up with the B.S. from those who said they had our best intentions at heart: politicians, and parents.

But I digress.

Just like we knew it would — despite what the nay-sayers told us — metal survived the 80s. And even though it was watered down by the likes of Poison and power ballads, metal continued to spread throughout the world as the ultimate vehicle for angst and agression turned up to "11."

And then with the 1990s came the arrival of death metal. Bands like Morbid Angel, Deicide, and Cannibal Corpse hit the stage, and changed forever how metal would be played, performed, and pumped through a bass amp. It was raw. Dangerous. The next layer of Hell. And those of us, the faithful, loved it.

This form of metal, I once noted, was straight out of a Chaos! comic book.

It was obnoxiously loud and brutal. It blew your head off. No quarter. No mercy. It was just like those "crazy" comics I was given when I first came into the PREVIEWS bullpen back in 1996.

One the more high profile comic companies that was kind enough to be putting out the violent blood and guts was Chaos! Comics.

In many cases, Evil Ernie appeared in one-shots where he was given free liberty to mutilate costumed do-gooders that were parodies of DC and Marvel heroes. Being the extreme personality in the PREVIEWS bullpen, it was my job to cover these books, and promote them to the masses.

And I remember thinking back then that all these things needed was a good blast-beat tempo, and we'd have one hell of a comic book revolution that would take over the world, and lay waste to the posers.

I'm happy to say, folks, that day is finally upon us. And although it does not come with portable speakers so you can chase away unwelcome guests from your home, the Dethklok Vs. The Goon comic book does come with a murderous attitude. Eric Powell's Goon is never one to talk as his fists can negotiate for him. And Dethklok is not some poser band that's going to sing about how every rose has its thorn.

Now comics has teamed up wit' dem guys from Scandanavia. Those loud guys who play metal in the mouth of volcanoes. We see them in Adult Swim's Metalocalypse, yah, and dey play music that they want you to share in old folks homes, played loud, especially next to zem people with pacemakers. The American/Scandenavian death-metal band Dethklok has conquered the world, and its record sales now determine the value of the U.S.'s gross national product. And now, these cartoon musicians "have come to make crossovers metal" with The Goon — a comic book with a cult following much like those who will pay $50 for a tour shirt.

Dethklok Vs. The Goon is a battle cry for metal heads and horror geeks throughout the world. The Goon is one of the few comics that could host a bunch of guys who make their living singing about death and destruction. And its probably why Metalocalypse creators Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha signed on for the comic. They know the fans will "get it."  They already know who the fans are if you're watching the Adult Swim cartoon. It's why they drop in subtle hints like a record store named "Carpathian Forest" (an incredibly intense black metal band). The whole thing is an inside joke, and it's all in good fun. And it's done really, really well (which is probably why Mark Hamill does voice-overs for several characters).

But now death metal rockers William Murderface, Skwisgaar Skwigelf, Nathan Explosion, Pickles, and Toki Wartooth are about to meet The Goon — the one dude in comic books who has done more than anyone to take on zombie brawls in the world of comics.

He's been doing it so well, in fact, that he's soon going to be seen in a major motion picture!

The Goon comic, in the words of Eric Powell is a "weird dark comedy about a street thug in a fantasy noirish world full of monsters."

The Goon, the character, and his sidekick Franky (with Little Orphan Annie eyes ) often get tied up in brutal slugfests and situations in relation to evil zombie gangs under the command of the Nameless Zombie Priest. It's very bizarre, surreal stuff that fans of Archie Comics might want to avoid. In short, the Goon is a big thug enforcer who has taken over a mobster's operation. He collects money and knocks off deadbeats, maintaining the mob boss he works for is still alive (which is a lie, because he crushed the guy's head in with a rock).

The Goon claims that he is just an "enforcer." However, as it looks that he's now going to be taking on the band Dethklok, he may want to change his Facebook status to "headbanger."

Because as I said from the start, folks, the circle is now complete. Metal heads and comic fans unite! In the one corner, guys who ignore public safety to make their music. In the other corner, the champion of Eric Powell’s quirky, noir-horror comic series that's been going strong since death metal got it's start in the state of Florida. Get ready for brutal fun, folks. Get ready for Dethklok Vs. The Goon.

Get ready to rumble, as not only does this comic offer a Variant Cover Edition by Dethklok band designer and series director, Jon Schnepp, but in late 2009 Dark Horse Comics will unleash the Metalocalypse comics series!

Item Code

Title

Price

MAY090053

DETHKLOK VS THE GOON

SRP: $3.50