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Southern Bastards
Southern Bastards, Vol. 2: Emparrillado
Craw County, Alabama, pertenece a un hombre: el entrenador Euless Boss. Pero no siempre fue así. Alguna vez Euless fue solo un muchacho dispuesto a sangrar por el futbol americano. ¿Cómo el peor jugador de la preparatoria de Craw County creció para convertirse en el hombre más temido y poderoso del pueblo? ¿Cuál fue el oscuro precio que pagó para conseguirlo? El segundo arco argumental de SOUTHERN BASTARDS revela la historia secreta del entrenador Boss, el bastardo más grande de todos.
127 pages, Hardcover
First published April 29, 2015
27 people are currently reading
814 people want to read
About the author
Jason Aaron
2,360 books1,677 followersJason Aaron grew up in a small town in Alabama. His cousin, Gustav Hasford, who wrote the semi-autobiographical novel The Short-Timers, on which the feature film Full Metal Jacket was based, was a large influence on Aaron. Aaron decided he wanted to write comics as a child, and though his father was skeptical when Aaron informed him of this aspiration, his mother took Aaron to drug stores, where he would purchase books from spinner racks, some of which he still owns today.
Aaron's career in comics began in 2001 when he won a Marvel Comics talent search contest with an eight-page Wolverine back-up story script. The story, which was published in Wolverine #175 (June 2002), gave him the opportunity to pitch subsequent ideas to editors.
In 2006, Aaron made a blind submission to DC/Vertigo, who published his first major work, the Vietnam War story The Other Side which was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Miniseries, and which Aaron regards as the "second time" he broke into the industry.
Following this, Vertigo asked him to pitch other ideas, which led to the series Scalped, a creator-owned series set on the fictional Prairie Rose Indian Reservation and published by DC/Vertigo.
In 2007, Aaron wrote Ripclaw: Pilot Season for Top Cow Productions. Later that year, Marvel editor Axel Alonso, who was impressed by The Other Side and Scalped, hired Aaron to write issues of Wolverine, Black Panther and eventually, an extended run on Ghost Rider that began in April 2008. His continued work on Black Panther also included a tie-in to the company-wide crossover storyline along with a "Secret Invasion" with David Lapham in 2009.
In January 2008, he signed an exclusive contract with Marvel, though it would not affect his work on Scalped. Later that July, he wrote the Penguin issue of The Joker's Asylum.
After a 4-issue stint on Wolverine in 2007, Aaron returned to the character with the ongoing series Wolverine: Weapon X, launched to coincide with the feature film X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Aaron commented, "With Wolverine: Weapon X we'll be trying to mix things up like that from arc to arc, so the first arc is a typical sort of black ops story but the second arc will jump right into the middle of a completely different genre," In 2010, the series was relaunched once again as simply Wolverine. He followed this with his current run on Thor: God of Thunder.
Aaron's career in comics began in 2001 when he won a Marvel Comics talent search contest with an eight-page Wolverine back-up story script. The story, which was published in Wolverine #175 (June 2002), gave him the opportunity to pitch subsequent ideas to editors.
In 2006, Aaron made a blind submission to DC/Vertigo, who published his first major work, the Vietnam War story The Other Side which was nominated for an Eisner Award for Best Miniseries, and which Aaron regards as the "second time" he broke into the industry.
Following this, Vertigo asked him to pitch other ideas, which led to the series Scalped, a creator-owned series set on the fictional Prairie Rose Indian Reservation and published by DC/Vertigo.
In 2007, Aaron wrote Ripclaw: Pilot Season for Top Cow Productions. Later that year, Marvel editor Axel Alonso, who was impressed by The Other Side and Scalped, hired Aaron to write issues of Wolverine, Black Panther and eventually, an extended run on Ghost Rider that began in April 2008. His continued work on Black Panther also included a tie-in to the company-wide crossover storyline along with a "Secret Invasion" with David Lapham in 2009.
In January 2008, he signed an exclusive contract with Marvel, though it would not affect his work on Scalped. Later that July, he wrote the Penguin issue of The Joker's Asylum.
After a 4-issue stint on Wolverine in 2007, Aaron returned to the character with the ongoing series Wolverine: Weapon X, launched to coincide with the feature film X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Aaron commented, "With Wolverine: Weapon X we'll be trying to mix things up like that from arc to arc, so the first arc is a typical sort of black ops story but the second arc will jump right into the middle of a completely different genre," In 2010, the series was relaunched once again as simply Wolverine. He followed this with his current run on Thor: God of Thunder.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 340 reviews
January 17, 2023
After the shocking end to volume one, we get to take a breather with Boss's origin as such it is? Breather... yeah, this kind of breather..
Deftly used red, orange and brown pallet art - check
Completely unpredictable storylines - check
Dirty dirty dirty South - check
Messed up relationships across the board - check
No compromising on story or artwork - check
A maelstrom of dirty South darkness and minimalist storytelling with no respite and completely undisguised candour, this book puts Aaron truly on the map for me. Two words - read it.
A easy Four Star, 9 out of 12.
2019 read
Deftly used red, orange and brown pallet art - check
Completely unpredictable storylines - check
Dirty dirty dirty South - check
Messed up relationships across the board - check
No compromising on story or artwork - check
A maelstrom of dirty South darkness and minimalist storytelling with no respite and completely undisguised candour, this book puts Aaron truly on the map for me. Two words - read it.
A easy Four Star, 9 out of 12.
2019 read
May 19, 2015
On it's own this book would be a three star but combined with the first volume I'm going with a four star. This volume is more builder for hopefully what is to come.
Coach Boss's obsession with football is the back bone to this one. His violent history with his father is told in flashbacks and all he wants to do it prove his daddy proud.
I did miss Earl Tubbs and his big stick in this one but these books are going to take no prisoners or looks like they are not going to leave any alive either.
Coach Boss's obsession with football is the back bone to this one. His violent history with his father is told in flashbacks and all he wants to do it prove his daddy proud.
I did miss Earl Tubbs and his big stick in this one but these books are going to take no prisoners or looks like they are not going to leave any alive either.
July 17, 2015
Son of a motherfucker, does Latour ever grind up his characters into some of the most grizzled, tough-as-oak bastards I've ever not met.
This is tense reading, trying to decide whether to hate or pity the man that is and was Euless Boss. As a boy with the worst possible chances given him by that evil monster called Life, he's a complete sad sack with no reason to even look at him. As a boy so low he'll do whatever weird-ass things it takes to make the team, he's slightly admirable in his misery.
(And it gives me great pleasure to see butter used in such a hilarious context.)
These two Jason's are quite the masters of southern misery aren't they? This second collection absolutely wallows in collective shitting on the heads of people who already earned their lifetime supply. It's vivid, it's easy to believe you're right there, and it's oddly enjoyable to wallow this close up.
Yes, we come to understand Coach Boss in a way I never expect to find of a villain - even after Aaron's Scalped made the arch-villain into a tragic hero. Yes, Aaron is way too sympathetic to his bullies - or maybe likes to make them live deep in the muck of their own making.
Gorgeous book - entirely useable and appropriate in this story, and gives us some shades of grey to go with our moral outrage. No way this doesn't make the next book with the daughter go down like a glass of broken glass.
This is tense reading, trying to decide whether to hate or pity the man that is and was Euless Boss. As a boy with the worst possible chances given him by that evil monster called Life, he's a complete sad sack with no reason to even look at him. As a boy so low he'll do whatever weird-ass things it takes to make the team, he's slightly admirable in his misery.
(And it gives me great pleasure to see butter used in such a hilarious context.)
These two Jason's are quite the masters of southern misery aren't they? This second collection absolutely wallows in collective shitting on the heads of people who already earned their lifetime supply. It's vivid, it's easy to believe you're right there, and it's oddly enjoyable to wallow this close up.
Yes, we come to understand Coach Boss in a way I never expect to find of a villain - even after Aaron's Scalped made the arch-villain into a tragic hero. Yes, Aaron is way too sympathetic to his bullies - or maybe likes to make them live deep in the muck of their own making.
Gorgeous book - entirely useable and appropriate in this story, and gives us some shades of grey to go with our moral outrage. No way this doesn't make the next book with the daughter go down like a glass of broken glass.
April 3, 2015
The second Southern Bastards arc, Gridiron, is told mostly in flashback. The main story is more or less frozen while we’re told the secret origins of the villain of the series, Coach Boss, instead of what happened after Earl Tubbs mumblemumble...
When he was a kid, Euless Boss wanted to be a Runnin’ Reb (the local high school football team) more than anything. Unfortunately the Boss family have a rep in Craw County as no-good troublemakers who steal, and Euless’ dad is the worst one. As Euless trains himself up for the squad, his dad keeps pissing off the wrong people, and all of it bodes poorly for Euless’ dreams.
Gridiron’s not a terrible story but it’s not a great one either and definitely not as enjoyable as the first book’s. It was much too predictable for me, and not just because we know things don’t work out for Euless as he becomes the leader of the local mob. It was his redneck daddy, playing the evil redneck character we’ve seen a thousand times before; it was the blind, black ballboy who mentors Euless like a Miyagi or Yoda; it was Euless being picked on by the other players, knowing he’ll show them later in the story; and it was his corny motivation of hoping his daddy would love him if he succeeded at something. All this stuff feels unoriginal and stale.
But it’s more than just showing us familiar tropes - the tale itself isn’t that gripping. A teenager wanting to get onto the local high school football team? Eh. Not a terribly interesting setup. That said, it does what it’s supposed to, fleshing out Coach Boss’ character, even making him sympathetic up to a point.
Jason Aaron ups the intensity with Euless’ rotten home life and near-crazy father, but it’s still weak sauce from a writer who’s produced far more compelling comics before. And again, you can tell what’s going to happen to his dad from a mile off.
Jason Latour’s art is wonderfully grimy and tortured-looking, much like the characters, and the heavy dark red overtones to the pages continue to make the South look like hell on earth. It’s the perfect look for this series.
I like where the story is headed from those last pages, even if they’re pretty much the same as the last pages of the first book, so I’m looking forward to a more exciting and full-on third volume. This second one, though? It’s alright and just about makes the cut though from this creative team you’d expect a more convincing victory.
When he was a kid, Euless Boss wanted to be a Runnin’ Reb (the local high school football team) more than anything. Unfortunately the Boss family have a rep in Craw County as no-good troublemakers who steal, and Euless’ dad is the worst one. As Euless trains himself up for the squad, his dad keeps pissing off the wrong people, and all of it bodes poorly for Euless’ dreams.
Gridiron’s not a terrible story but it’s not a great one either and definitely not as enjoyable as the first book’s. It was much too predictable for me, and not just because we know things don’t work out for Euless as he becomes the leader of the local mob. It was his redneck daddy, playing the evil redneck character we’ve seen a thousand times before; it was the blind, black ballboy who mentors Euless like a Miyagi or Yoda; it was Euless being picked on by the other players, knowing he’ll show them later in the story; and it was his corny motivation of hoping his daddy would love him if he succeeded at something. All this stuff feels unoriginal and stale.
But it’s more than just showing us familiar tropes - the tale itself isn’t that gripping. A teenager wanting to get onto the local high school football team? Eh. Not a terribly interesting setup. That said, it does what it’s supposed to, fleshing out Coach Boss’ character, even making him sympathetic up to a point.
Jason Aaron ups the intensity with Euless’ rotten home life and near-crazy father, but it’s still weak sauce from a writer who’s produced far more compelling comics before. And again, you can tell what’s going to happen to his dad from a mile off.
Jason Latour’s art is wonderfully grimy and tortured-looking, much like the characters, and the heavy dark red overtones to the pages continue to make the South look like hell on earth. It’s the perfect look for this series.
I like where the story is headed from those last pages, even if they’re pretty much the same as the last pages of the first book, so I’m looking forward to a more exciting and full-on third volume. This second one, though? It’s alright and just about makes the cut though from this creative team you’d expect a more convincing victory.
October 22, 2019
An interesting premise, decent art. A football coach in a small southern town rules the town with his players / coaches being the local gang.
October 8, 2018
Volume two takes the story in an entirely different direction by focusing on the antagonist of volume one, Coach Boss. Coach Boss is a thoroughly unlikeable person in the first volume, but after reading about how he became coach, he's a bit more sympathetic. He's basically a victim of the society he was born into, and he's doing everything he can to carve out a place for himself in that society.
This book delves deep into the concept of 'white trash'. It's a term I don't like because it basically labels whites who are not living up to the potential of being white, so it is a term connected to racist ideas. However, it is a relevant term in this story, because the people in this story believe in this concept. Coach Boss is from a poor background. For this he is brutally bullied by the other members of the team. His teammates, coach, and other people connected to the high school football team abuse him and do everything they can to make sure that someone from his background doesn't play football. Boss loves football, so he refuses to give up. Without spoiling the story, let's just say that he will do anything to keep playing football.
Two things in particular make Coach Boss more sympathetic. First, the people in this small Alabama town don't respect African-Americans. Coach Boss, on the other hand, does. When he is fighting for his place on the team, he trains with an African-American, who basically becomes a father figure for him. On becoming coach, Boss makes sure to include this man on his coaching staff. Second, he points out the hypocrisy of polite white society in his town. He has spilled blood to get to where he is, but the people around him pretend that nothing has happened. That people pretend they don't know what he has sacrificed and suffered to get to where he is really bothers Coach Boss.
Being born and raised in the South, there are a lot of criticisms of southern society in this story that I feel are accurate and that need to be talked about more. I'm looking forward to the next volume.
This book delves deep into the concept of 'white trash'. It's a term I don't like because it basically labels whites who are not living up to the potential of being white, so it is a term connected to racist ideas. However, it is a relevant term in this story, because the people in this story believe in this concept. Coach Boss is from a poor background. For this he is brutally bullied by the other members of the team. His teammates, coach, and other people connected to the high school football team abuse him and do everything they can to make sure that someone from his background doesn't play football. Boss loves football, so he refuses to give up. Without spoiling the story, let's just say that he will do anything to keep playing football.
Two things in particular make Coach Boss more sympathetic. First, the people in this small Alabama town don't respect African-Americans. Coach Boss, on the other hand, does. When he is fighting for his place on the team, he trains with an African-American, who basically becomes a father figure for him. On becoming coach, Boss makes sure to include this man on his coaching staff. Second, he points out the hypocrisy of polite white society in his town. He has spilled blood to get to where he is, but the people around him pretend that nothing has happened. That people pretend they don't know what he has sacrificed and suffered to get to where he is really bothers Coach Boss.
Being born and raised in the South, there are a lot of criticisms of southern society in this story that I feel are accurate and that need to be talked about more. I'm looking forward to the next volume.
March 5, 2016
Well! There were some surprises in this volume! We start by finding out that the thing that we thought Coach Euless Boss did to Earl, the-big-guy-with-the-big-stick, really did happen, which was a surprise to me. Most of the story happens within unsurprising tropes set up in the first volume, but now it takes place mostly in flashback, so we can understand bastard Coach Euless Boss. That the volume is about him, that was surprising to me. He's guy we really see is a bastard, a kind of stereotypical character, and in the way of literature, we come to learn why he is the way he is. What happens finally between Boss and his own Dad, whom he always wanted to please, is a bit of a surprise to me.
Boss wanted to be on the football team, was treated mercilessly by the other boys and the town thanks to his Daddy being a bastard, so we get some background about why football and being the Coach (boss) of a high school football team in a southern Alabama town might be so important for Euless. He finally makes the team, and then he continually "remakes" the team. Power. Revenge. It's about football ("Gridiron") so none of it is THAT surprising, maybe, but it was still pretty interesting to me. Why IS football so interesting to old boys in the south? We get some insight into history.
That big stick passed down through at least a couple generations is the central image in this series, and Coach Boss has it now.
That we come to pity him a bit in this process, a guy who is a mere cliche of a southern bastard, this is a surprise to me. It's a father-son story to parallel the first volume's father-son story, which is interesting and satisfying. That Earl's daughter is coming home, the daughter and granddaughter of two southern bastards, information we learn at the end, that could be interesting. Makes you curious where that big bloody stick might end up next.
Boss wanted to be on the football team, was treated mercilessly by the other boys and the town thanks to his Daddy being a bastard, so we get some background about why football and being the Coach (boss) of a high school football team in a southern Alabama town might be so important for Euless. He finally makes the team, and then he continually "remakes" the team. Power. Revenge. It's about football ("Gridiron") so none of it is THAT surprising, maybe, but it was still pretty interesting to me. Why IS football so interesting to old boys in the south? We get some insight into history.
That big stick passed down through at least a couple generations is the central image in this series, and Coach Boss has it now.
That we come to pity him a bit in this process, a guy who is a mere cliche of a southern bastard, this is a surprise to me. It's a father-son story to parallel the first volume's father-son story, which is interesting and satisfying. That Earl's daughter is coming home, the daughter and granddaughter of two southern bastards, information we learn at the end, that could be interesting. Makes you curious where that big bloody stick might end up next.
May 27, 2015
Firstly, thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC! I'm happy to give my review in exchange for the chance to have read this.
Following up on the events of Vol. 1, this story focuses on Coach Boss, and how he got to where he is. Cue about every terrible thing that could happen to a kid, and that happened to him as a kid. Deadbeat Dad would be mildly putting it...he only wanted to play football, and through the determination and help of an older Black man, of course, he turns into a demon. But he injures himself badly, and the coach does everything he can to make sure that Euless Boss won't go to College to play ball.
This need for football in his life leads Boss to a fateful decision, which ends up having repercussions in the modern day as well.
Again, the last few pages set up the return of Tubb's daughter, which I hope we finally get around to next issue.
I think I finally figured it out though; this series is about how growing up in the South, and with a complex Father-figure, most of the characters are Bastards in some way, in that they're without the guidance of the father or the father is dead. Just so happens they're also bastards in the other way too.
I think I liked the first Volume better, but it speaks to Aaron's skills as a writer that we nearly forget just how gruesome Boss' crimes were and he's almost a sympathetic figure.
Still, it's a solid series, and I'll definitely be continuing to read.
Thanks again NetGalley & Jason(s)!
Following up on the events of Vol. 1, this story focuses on Coach Boss, and how he got to where he is. Cue about every terrible thing that could happen to a kid, and that happened to him as a kid. Deadbeat Dad would be mildly putting it...he only wanted to play football, and through the determination and help of an older Black man, of course, he turns into a demon. But he injures himself badly, and the coach does everything he can to make sure that Euless Boss won't go to College to play ball.
This need for football in his life leads Boss to a fateful decision, which ends up having repercussions in the modern day as well.
Again, the last few pages set up the return of Tubb's daughter, which I hope we finally get around to next issue.
I think I finally figured it out though; this series is about how growing up in the South, and with a complex Father-figure, most of the characters are Bastards in some way, in that they're without the guidance of the father or the father is dead. Just so happens they're also bastards in the other way too.
I think I liked the first Volume better, but it speaks to Aaron's skills as a writer that we nearly forget just how gruesome Boss' crimes were and he's almost a sympathetic figure.
Still, it's a solid series, and I'll definitely be continuing to read.
Thanks again NetGalley & Jason(s)!
January 20, 2019
No primeiro volume da série ”Southern Bastards” com argumento de Jason Aaron (n. 1973) e desenhos e cores de Jason Latour (n. 1977), os dois autores situaram a acção no condado de Craw e apresentaram-nos o seu residente mais temido, Euless Boss.
Neste segundo volume é aprofundado o passado de Euless Boss, explorando os problemas que o atormentaram enquanto jovem. Um reinado de brutalidade associado ao futebol americano com a equipa dos Runnin´Rebs da qual é o seu treinador.
Confesso que não sou adepto de futebol americano, mas tenho interesse noutros desportos e facilmente associo as questões relacionadas com a prática de uma modalidade desportiva e a necessidade imperiosa de coragem e determinação para superar as inúmeras dificuldades que se colocam no caminho e nas aspirações para o sucesso.
Mais uma vez o estilo e as cores de Jason Latour são perfeitas, extremamente adequadas para a acção e para a paisagem em que se enquadra a narrativa.
A qualidade deste segundo volume ”Sangue e Suor” mantêm-se e é adicionado um contexto suplementar – uma viagem ao passado, num confronto atroz entre o amor absoluto pelo futebol americano e gratidão pelo seu mentor,Big - as únicas qualidades redentoras que Euless Boss possui -, e a ridicularização a que foi submetido, sob diversas formas, incluindo a familiar, que condicionam a sua vivência no passado e no presente.
Particularmente interessante a forma e o enquadramento sobre um determinado tipo de líderes; nomeadamente, em acções distorcidas da realidade, quase sempre brutais e desumanas, sem lugar ao remorso.
September 29, 2015
Bullet Review:
Huh. Huh. After the first volume - well, let's just say this turned in a different direction than I expected. Not really sure how I feel about it to be honest.
The way this volume ends, however, is enough of a tease that I know I'll be back for Volume 3.
Huh. Huh. After the first volume - well, let's just say this turned in a different direction than I expected. Not really sure how I feel about it to be honest.
The way this volume ends, however, is enough of a tease that I know I'll be back for Volume 3.
February 18, 2016
This series took a turn I didn't quite expect but its still very well written and fascinating as hell!
July 11, 2015
So, can't give this five stars. Even though the beginning, when you find out that what you think happened to Earl really DID, is freaking awesome, it's still a story about Euless Boss. His whole rhyme and reason for everything he's ever done has been football. Oh, and also to make his drunk, no-account, abusive father pay attention to him - it's a story that's more than been done before. For a story that's kind of filler, it's definitely worth reading. Now I'm just excited for the next one, to see what kind of shit=storm hits town when Earl's daughter shows up!!!
May 19, 2015
This volume is cover to cover football. If that's your thing, you'll love it. If not...
I loved the artwork and the storyline but the content was a little overkill on the football. Yeah, that was the whole point but it's also why I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as volume 1. I have nothing against the sport but I don't love it enough to comfortably wade through 100+ pages of graphic novel covering the topic. That said, it was still a pretty damn good story.
One other negative was the absence of the character from volume 1 who pretty much carried the story until his untimely demise which led the way for the backstory of our MC in volume 2. I really liked that guy. He was practically a superhero.
That covers the two star gap between volumes 1 & 2. I still can't wait for volume 3 though anyway, just to see who it's about.
I loved the artwork and the storyline but the content was a little overkill on the football. Yeah, that was the whole point but it's also why I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as volume 1. I have nothing against the sport but I don't love it enough to comfortably wade through 100+ pages of graphic novel covering the topic. That said, it was still a pretty damn good story.
One other negative was the absence of the character from volume 1 who pretty much carried the story until his untimely demise which led the way for the backstory of our MC in volume 2. I really liked that guy. He was practically a superhero.
That covers the two star gap between volumes 1 & 2. I still can't wait for volume 3 though anyway, just to see who it's about.
December 16, 2016
What the heck happened? After the solid events that took place in the first volume, this Gridiron book takes an unexpected turn. I won't be spoiling it for you, so let us just say that volume two focuses on the other main character of the series, Coach Boss.
The plot of Gridiron is a flashback story of how Euless Boss gets to be the coach of Craw County's Runnin' Rebs football team. And what can you expect from a Jason Aaron? Of course this backstory gets twisted and very ugly. He may not be as strong and physical as that old bastard bear Earl Tubbs, but Boss gets what he wants regardless of the price. The the sort of man Boss is.
The other Jason (Latour) on the other hand perfectly paints the gritty and bloody tone of Aaron's writing style. Latour is the best artist to draw the ugliest faces, and yes that is a compliment. I mean, most of the faces here are like ugly caricatures of politicians in editorial cartoons! But again, I love the awfulness. You cannot fully enjoy Southern Bastards with pretty and clean faces.
Southern Bastards may have been excellent in painting the ugly setting, but with eight issues in, the readers are still in the gray as to the exact plot of the series will be. Nonetheless, I still have my full trust on Aaron on where he will bring us with the story. If this guy delivered excellently in Scalped, then why not with Southern Bastards?
The plot of Gridiron is a flashback story of how Euless Boss gets to be the coach of Craw County's Runnin' Rebs football team. And what can you expect from a Jason Aaron? Of course this backstory gets twisted and very ugly. He may not be as strong and physical as that old bastard bear Earl Tubbs, but Boss gets what he wants regardless of the price. The the sort of man Boss is.
The other Jason (Latour) on the other hand perfectly paints the gritty and bloody tone of Aaron's writing style. Latour is the best artist to draw the ugliest faces, and yes that is a compliment. I mean, most of the faces here are like ugly caricatures of politicians in editorial cartoons! But again, I love the awfulness. You cannot fully enjoy Southern Bastards with pretty and clean faces.
Southern Bastards may have been excellent in painting the ugly setting, but with eight issues in, the readers are still in the gray as to the exact plot of the series will be. Nonetheless, I still have my full trust on Aaron on where he will bring us with the story. If this guy delivered excellently in Scalped, then why not with Southern Bastards?
February 5, 2017
This was a better volume than the last. It had a lot of backstory about Coach and Boss, and how they became who they were. The history of these characters is grimy, fucked up, and interesting. Some of it is over the top, and sure I don't believe all the dialog at times, but when it hits...man does it hit. The father moment in the forest was amazing and the end result showed us who Coach is.
I think the negative comes from some of the side characters. I just can't seem to connect. I'm hoping it improves there, gives each character a voice, where I can like them or atleast understand what they are about and who they are.
Overall it's a better volume and gives us a much needed look back at our villain, if you can even consider him a fully realized villain. The ending also gets you hyped for the future.
I think the negative comes from some of the side characters. I just can't seem to connect. I'm hoping it improves there, gives each character a voice, where I can like them or atleast understand what they are about and who they are.
Overall it's a better volume and gives us a much needed look back at our villain, if you can even consider him a fully realized villain. The ending also gets you hyped for the future.
September 26, 2015
Hoowee! That's a sequel, there. Coach Boss the empathetic protagonist? Yes, sir. Only person who had it worse than Earl Tubb is maybe Euless Boss. How's that for irony? Funny how Vol. 1 ended with a hint of Roberta Tubb returning from Afghanistan and she's still doing the same thing at the end of Vol. 2. Maybe be Vol. 10 she'll make it back. Helluva job well done here, Jasons. Can't wait for Vol. 3. May just purchase the set eventually.
March 26, 2021
(4,6 of 5 for awesome "southern gothic" crime-drama)
After the cliffhanger in the first book, this took an unexpected but well-needed detour. This again proves how good a storyteller Aaron is, especially when he's in his well-known field. I really enjoyed acquaintance with coach boss, it helped to wash the whites and the blacks into all shades of grey - just how Aaron likes it in his crime stories. No one is entirely saint, no one is entirely devil.
This is a great and thrilling read.
After the cliffhanger in the first book, this took an unexpected but well-needed detour. This again proves how good a storyteller Aaron is, especially when he's in his well-known field. I really enjoyed acquaintance with coach boss, it helped to wash the whites and the blacks into all shades of grey - just how Aaron likes it in his crime stories. No one is entirely saint, no one is entirely devil.
This is a great and thrilling read.
July 7, 2015
My use of the 5 star here feels warranted by the back story and its germane value to the over all tale. This, citizens, appears to be going as dark as The Scalped series. Waiting impatiently for the next leg of this journey.
November 21, 2021
If there's one thing you can count on Jason Aaron for, it's getting inside a character's head, seeing what makes him or her tick. Many of the best parts from Scalped come from the character focused issues where we saw what makes them tick, how they operate, why they do what they do, and no one quite does it like Jason Aaron can.
Everyone loves the underdog, though Coach Boss wouldn't be the first person you'd think of when you think of the underdog. Such movies like Rudy, The Fighter, and Warrior express the power and appeal of the underdog story, as we often see ourselves in them as we were all underdogs at one point or another. But Aaron decides to take a much darker approach with this trope, and offers a much more sinister take on the concept of the underdog. Certainly, we're not meant to admire Coach Boss in his journey to find acceptance for himself, but we are meant to understand where he's coming from and why he is the way he is.
Aaron does love his sympathetic villains, and he does sympathetic villains very well. It's kind of surprising how often people forget that villains can be just as human as the rest of us, I fear it is this forgetfulness that caused people to dislike The Last of Us Part II so much, as many people tend to forget that the people who harm us are also human, flawed and conflicted as the rest of us, and it is this that Aaron gets so well and what makes this arc so good and intriguing. The arc, much like the last one, is well paced and written for the most part. While it may go into southern machismo from time to time, it certainly doesn't revel in it much like some other works that I've read. The focus is on the story, and Jason Aaron seeks to tell it well.
It's quite nice to see such coherent, well thought out storytelling in Southern Bastards, considering that I often complain about pacing in comics and even found issues with the pacing in Aaron's previous series Scalped, where he often wildly cut from one period of time to another. His use of flashbacks even seem reasonable and well utilized throughout the pace of this story, showcasing the backstory of the rather tragic Coach Boss and showcases a more human side to him, while also not allowing us to escape the fact that he is the villain of the story, even if he doesn't see it. We sympathize with his plight, and respect him because despite the adversity that he constantly goes through, he keeps getting back up. But we can't forget who he is and what he's capable of.
The strongest aspect of this arc is, much like the first one, the story of Euless Boss and how he was twisted into becoming the monstrous dictator of Craw County. The most alarming thing about his story is how relatable and understandable is is. I felt his passion and intense love for the sport that gives him his sense of purpose, and yet I can't shake the uncomfortable feeling that I get when I see him becoming what he always wanted to be.
Latour's art, as usual, brings a bouncy yet grounded charm to the series when he's drawing it. His monochromatic style, complimented by the gorgeous colors, really gives the series its sense of character and place. I do still have some issues with it, like his thing with eyes where he draws them as really beady...or even seemingly nonexistent, but I think that he captures the ugliness and grit of the people well throughout this series, and he's often good with facial expressions as well, particularly when it comes to anger and bitterness.
It's kind of amusing how good a comic about angry, unpleasant men doing angry, unpleasant things can be. Yet somehow the two Jasons continue to pull it off as this second trade comes into full swing.
Everyone loves the underdog, though Coach Boss wouldn't be the first person you'd think of when you think of the underdog. Such movies like Rudy, The Fighter, and Warrior express the power and appeal of the underdog story, as we often see ourselves in them as we were all underdogs at one point or another. But Aaron decides to take a much darker approach with this trope, and offers a much more sinister take on the concept of the underdog. Certainly, we're not meant to admire Coach Boss in his journey to find acceptance for himself, but we are meant to understand where he's coming from and why he is the way he is.
Aaron does love his sympathetic villains, and he does sympathetic villains very well. It's kind of surprising how often people forget that villains can be just as human as the rest of us, I fear it is this forgetfulness that caused people to dislike The Last of Us Part II so much, as many people tend to forget that the people who harm us are also human, flawed and conflicted as the rest of us, and it is this that Aaron gets so well and what makes this arc so good and intriguing. The arc, much like the last one, is well paced and written for the most part. While it may go into southern machismo from time to time, it certainly doesn't revel in it much like some other works that I've read. The focus is on the story, and Jason Aaron seeks to tell it well.
It's quite nice to see such coherent, well thought out storytelling in Southern Bastards, considering that I often complain about pacing in comics and even found issues with the pacing in Aaron's previous series Scalped, where he often wildly cut from one period of time to another. His use of flashbacks even seem reasonable and well utilized throughout the pace of this story, showcasing the backstory of the rather tragic Coach Boss and showcases a more human side to him, while also not allowing us to escape the fact that he is the villain of the story, even if he doesn't see it. We sympathize with his plight, and respect him because despite the adversity that he constantly goes through, he keeps getting back up. But we can't forget who he is and what he's capable of.
The strongest aspect of this arc is, much like the first one, the story of Euless Boss and how he was twisted into becoming the monstrous dictator of Craw County. The most alarming thing about his story is how relatable and understandable is is. I felt his passion and intense love for the sport that gives him his sense of purpose, and yet I can't shake the uncomfortable feeling that I get when I see him becoming what he always wanted to be.
Latour's art, as usual, brings a bouncy yet grounded charm to the series when he's drawing it. His monochromatic style, complimented by the gorgeous colors, really gives the series its sense of character and place. I do still have some issues with it, like his thing with eyes where he draws them as really beady...or even seemingly nonexistent, but I think that he captures the ugliness and grit of the people well throughout this series, and he's often good with facial expressions as well, particularly when it comes to anger and bitterness.
It's kind of amusing how good a comic about angry, unpleasant men doing angry, unpleasant things can be. Yet somehow the two Jasons continue to pull it off as this second trade comes into full swing.
September 29, 2015
I liked the first TPB but wasn't sure where the story would go after that. Well, I still don't but I know I'm in for the ride!
As much as i liked Aaron's mainstream stories, I sure missed what he put into Scalped. I don't know if Southern Bastards will rate as high in the long run (5 stars as far as I'm concerned) but it seems to go in the right direction. Can't wait for the next run, podna!
As much as i liked Aaron's mainstream stories, I sure missed what he put into Scalped. I don't know if Southern Bastards will rate as high in the long run (5 stars as far as I'm concerned) but it seems to go in the right direction. Can't wait for the next run, podna!
November 9, 2016
A deeper understanding of all the southern bastards is found in volume 2. We get the backstory to Boss and it is damn good. Jason Aaron transitions so well into volume 2 I actually think it is better than vol.1. I'm starting to see Jason had a grand plan from the get go and it is masterful. The whole volume is dedicated to the battered and ugly up history of Boss. His struggle with the football team and his rise to power was really an awesome story arc. Looking forward to vol. 3
April 9, 2017
Picking up around the time the first volume left off, the series picks up on the backstory of main antagonist Euless Boss. Boss is the winning high school football coach that more or less runs Craw County, Alabama. He's just murdered Earl Tubb, son of the late sheriff, with Tubb's own baseball bat. And now he wants it to be known that not only does he not feel guilty, but he wants no one to forget what he did or the shared guilt of the community that largely stood by and let him get away with it.
But this is also the story of how one boy, the self-same Euless Boss, just wanted to play football, and how he had to overcome the many obstacles that came mostly as a result of his white trash father, a man who fits just about every definition of "white trash" a person can think of. There's some sympathy to be had for Euless, suggesting that a man like him might not have turned out any other way, but he still wants it to be known who he is and how he isn't going anywhere.
Though we do see Earl Tubb's Marine Corps daughter Roberta is coming home, so this story is far from over.
But this is also the story of how one boy, the self-same Euless Boss, just wanted to play football, and how he had to overcome the many obstacles that came mostly as a result of his white trash father, a man who fits just about every definition of "white trash" a person can think of. There's some sympathy to be had for Euless, suggesting that a man like him might not have turned out any other way, but he still wants it to be known who he is and how he isn't going anywhere.
Though we do see Earl Tubb's Marine Corps daughter Roberta is coming home, so this story is far from over.
March 4, 2018
3.5*
Continues a good story but just didnt feel like it hit the same highs. Some backstory, some new characters arrived. However after the ending of Vol 1 I expected a different plot or direction. It seems the ending of Vol 2 also ends in a similar way. Artwork is cool and has pretty cool red earthy tones which suits the violence.
Continues a good story but just didnt feel like it hit the same highs. Some backstory, some new characters arrived. However after the ending of Vol 1 I expected a different plot or direction. It seems the ending of Vol 2 also ends in a similar way. Artwork is cool and has pretty cool red earthy tones which suits the violence.
May 30, 2018
Me encantan las historias con malos de un gris oscuro intenso.
En este segundo volumen todo sigue en forma.
En este segundo volumen todo sigue en forma.
July 31, 2017
Coach Boss... How can one man has his entire grip on an entire town?
Through many series of flashbacks, we get to see how this evil man came to be.
Started of as a nice innocent kid with bucket loads of determination. But people change...
Through many series of flashbacks, we get to see how this evil man came to be.
Started of as a nice innocent kid with bucket loads of determination. But people change...
October 9, 2015
Kind of a slow start with this one and I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this as much as I did the first volume. You don't have to be a football fan to get into this story. If you like crime dramas, mysterys or gritty dramas you may enjoy this book. Not okay for kids to read. This volume reveals Coach Boss's background history, and how he became the coach.
May 12, 2015
Not quite as good as the first volume and a bit predictable, but still a compelling read. (Also, wehre are them ribs?)
Coach Boss is a hell of a villain but I couldn't help feeling sorry for him.
Can't wait for "Homecoming", I want to see more of Bert Tubb.
Coach Boss is a hell of a villain but I couldn't help feeling sorry for him.
Can't wait for "Homecoming", I want to see more of Bert Tubb.
February 11, 2022
Well Coach Boss certainly made the impression on me in the last volume, so it makes sense that Jason Aaron takes a step back to show us a bit more about the character in this one.
We flash back to see how he became Coach, and more importantly, why he became Coach. And this being a story about the darker parts of Southern living and Aaron being Aaron, it was a bit rough. I mean, Coach Boss did not have an easy childhood to say the least. And these things that happen mold what at first seems like a character that is overcoming his past to be something better, to instead a creature that is born from that chaos. In the end, he becomes part of that darkness and is stronger because of it. Great villain origin stories like this make characters so much more rounded out and real. Jason Aaron has a knack of really imbibing his characters with these moral grey zones that flesh them out in very really way.
The art by Latour is once again, messy and ugly and most importantly - perfect for this book. His style adds to the overall feeling that the book is conveying in a big way. I think Latour has a way of really getting to the grit of a scene through his artwork, and being able to carry this type of tone successfully isn't easy to do.
Overall this is shaping up to the a great series by both Aaron and Latour. Now we have the setup and backstory, lets see what the next chapter holds.
We flash back to see how he became Coach, and more importantly, why he became Coach. And this being a story about the darker parts of Southern living and Aaron being Aaron, it was a bit rough. I mean, Coach Boss did not have an easy childhood to say the least. And these things that happen mold what at first seems like a character that is overcoming his past to be something better, to instead a creature that is born from that chaos. In the end, he becomes part of that darkness and is stronger because of it. Great villain origin stories like this make characters so much more rounded out and real. Jason Aaron has a knack of really imbibing his characters with these moral grey zones that flesh them out in very really way.
The art by Latour is once again, messy and ugly and most importantly - perfect for this book. His style adds to the overall feeling that the book is conveying in a big way. I think Latour has a way of really getting to the grit of a scene through his artwork, and being able to carry this type of tone successfully isn't easy to do.
Overall this is shaping up to the a great series by both Aaron and Latour. Now we have the setup and backstory, lets see what the next chapter holds.
April 3, 2017
Where volume 1 dealt with Earl Tubb returning to Craw, Alabama, coming to terms with his past under his deceased father's shadow, volume 2 follows a different path: Euless Boss, now "Coach Boss" of the Runnin' Rebs football team, then a sad-sack linebacker mocked by teammates ("Euless" becomes "Useless"). With the aid of the blind ball boy, Euless becomes a force to be reckoned with in the football field---and his deadbeat dad's schemes pull him into the world of the Dixie Mafia. His rise in the football world coincides with his rise in organized crime, and by the end, he's the most feared and respected man in town.
Along with Jason Latour's gritty art and the series' rich Southern atmosphere, characterization continues to be a standout element of Southern Bastards; I didn't expect to sympathize with Coach Boss after his introduction in the first volume (especially after its double-whammy cliffhanger). But here I am, more aware and understanding of how a young football-minded teen could become a ruthless crime baron. I'm still not entirely sure what he's a crime lord of, or what pies he has his fingers in, but his association with the Dixie Mafia is all I need to know for now.
I really like where the story is heading after these two volumes, and things are set up well for volume 3. This is a lush, gorgeous book with a lot of depth to its story, and if its style of Southern-fried noir sounds appealing I'd recommend you give volume 1 a try.
Along with Jason Latour's gritty art and the series' rich Southern atmosphere, characterization continues to be a standout element of Southern Bastards; I didn't expect to sympathize with Coach Boss after his introduction in the first volume (especially after its double-whammy cliffhanger). But here I am, more aware and understanding of how a young football-minded teen could become a ruthless crime baron. I'm still not entirely sure what he's a crime lord of, or what pies he has his fingers in, but his association with the Dixie Mafia is all I need to know for now.
I really like where the story is heading after these two volumes, and things are set up well for volume 3. This is a lush, gorgeous book with a lot of depth to its story, and if its style of Southern-fried noir sounds appealing I'd recommend you give volume 1 a try.
May 4, 2025
vol 2 focuses on coach boss’ origin - jason aaron does a great job highlighting how the social landscape and family circumstances influenced the kind of person he grew up to be. you almost feel bad for him and i appreciate its placement in the series
can’t wait for earl’s daughter to fuck it up in vol 3
4/5.
can’t wait for earl’s daughter to fuck it up in vol 3
4/5.
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