Hillbilly Volume 4: Red-Eyed Witchery From Beyond

Hillbilly #4

by Eric Powell, Simone Di Meo (Artist), Brennan Wagner (Colorist)

Writer Eric Powell (The Goon) and artist Simone Di Meo (Old Man Logan) bring you the next chapter in the tale of Rondel the wandering Hillbilly. A terror from beyond the stars has descended on the hills to spread fear among the people. When Boss Krugen employs Rondel to find out what this black power has done with his lost kin, Rondel may have found an evil beyond even what the wielder of the Devil's Cleaver can handle. The fourth volume in Eric Powell's Hillbilly series promises to be the strangest yet!

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Horror, Fantasy

112 pages, Paperback

Published June 25, 2019

About the author

Eric Powell has contributed work on such comics titles as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Hellboy: Weird Tales, Star Wars Tales, The Incredible Hulk, Black Panther, The Avengers, The Hood, MAD Magazine, Devil Dinosaur, Swamp Thing, the Avengers, She-Hulk, the Simpsons, Arkham Asylum: Living Hell and Action Comics.

Although eking out a meager living in the comics field since 1995, Eric didn't find true success until he launched his critically acclaimed dark comedy series The Goon. The Goon was subsequently picked up by Dark Horse Comics and boasts a diehard cult following.

Reviews

[Fx Smeets · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hillbilly's ancestors are Conan and Solomon Kane. There is something non descript about reading these stories, a first degree dark power that drags you into their lair and does not let go. As basic and crude as they are, they explore a primitive universe where evil is rampant, death is certain, choices are simple and the air tastes of freedom. With all the black and tortured soul of the American puritan they meet the French prehistoric worlds of Rosny Aîné or of Roger Lecureux - and I read them with the same childish mix of terror and elation.

[Jesse A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun until a weak ending.

[Fuzzy Buzzy · Rating 2 out of 5]

First I wanted to give it 3 stars but decided to rate it 2 stars instead as a warning to those who read 3 first ones and liked them.

Compared to the rest of the series this one was done poorly. Preferred the other artwork. Preferred Rondell to fight the witches. I missed the other characters. I didn't like the ending how Rondell fought the evil. I wish that sometimes publishers/artists would just leave the next instalment alone as in some cases it can ruin the whole concept. I wish that the artists move on on to another ideas.

Volumes 1-3 are worth reading but this one is a different world and I was disappointed with it.

[Peter Derk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the key to getting down to one cup of coffee a day is to get a job I like. If I had a job I liked, I think I wouldn't need to drink as much coffee because coffee wouldn't be the only enjoyable thing about the day. This might be wishful thinking, and maybe I would feel bad about myself if I failed, but I guess I'm at the point where I'd like to fail myself at work for awhile rather than feeling failed by the workplace.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a fan of the art by Simones Di Meo and D'Armini, but the story is excellent. Powell really captures the feel of those Robert E. Howard Conan stories in which the Cimmerian encountered some sort of Lovecraftian cosmic horror. I just hope this is not the last of Rondel's adventures, because I want to read more of them.

[Luke Shea · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Goon is one of my favorite things ever, and I like Hillbilly even more than the Goon. This one is TRAGICALLY only partially illustrated by Powell, but if that's what's gotta happen for me to get more Hillbillys and Goons written by Powell, I guess I'll take it.

[Shaun Stanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hillbilly is one of my favorite comics but I just could not get into this arc as much.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most fun and outrageous spins on horror fantasy now brings in aliens. And it still works.

[Craig Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

more Hillbilly.

[N. Niemeier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wood Boogers!

[Ken Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve seen a lot of people complain about the art. Most of them are mad because Powell didn’t draw it himself. While disappointing, the art work of Simone Di Meo is still really good. Also, being written by Powell, the story has the same feel. I can’t tell you what to like, but if you like Hillbilly for the story, and not just for the wonderful art of Eric Powell, you’ll still like the book.

Don’t judge a book just because the artist changed. That kind of thing happens all the time in comics. Judge the book as a whole. All the parts make the story. And this one, at least to me, is worth a read.

[Byron Oneal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a big fan of Eric Powell. That said, this isn’t the strongest of the Hillbilly offerings. Having multiple artists working on illustrating the story arc was a bit of a letdown. The continuity of Powell’s foray into Appalachian lore depends largely on his own deft hand bringing to life the characters from his mind. Volumes 1-3 are then much more vivid. Still, not since Manly Wade Wellman have I read something that takes me home more than Hillbilly does so I’ll stay with it.

[David Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

After Very disappointing vol 3 this was a great comeback! The aesthetic is Still a bit too wonky and resolutions are built too much on the premise "lets put Rondel into progressively worse situations and then - he will Just make it!" - but that is far from the point of this. The heavy referencing to Lovecraft was maybe a bit overdone, but I got a compact horror story with great atmosphere. Back on track I would say!

[MrBuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

zgodnie z oceną 5 - arcydzieło, 4 - bdb, 3 - db, 2 - dostateczne, 1 - marne dzieło.
Czyli bdb!
Taka ocena za zapach komiksu, rysunki, klimat, wciągnięcie w historię o czwartej nad ranem i czerwony kolor. Ale w sumie wolałem czarno białe poprzednie części.
Historia nawiązuje do komety ATLAS która obecnie jest w układzie słonecznym - taka moja luźna interpretacja... Co też to diabelstwo nam przyniesie? Oby nie zgubę 90 - 99 proc fauny i flory...

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hillbilly is typically excellent but Powell only drew one issue of this. Without his art and subtle colors, this looked awful. That combined with a lesser story of Rondel fighting aliens just wasn't a good fit.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the main witches storyline better but hey.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review is for four volumes read consecutively.

Appalachian Hellboy.

Yep, if you understand that, you'll love it.

[Mee Too · Rating 3 out of 5]

This almost felt like a different writer. Or like an imitation of the original 3 volumes. Not bad by any means and also nowhere near as good.

3.4🌟