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The Goon #3
The Goon, Volume 3: Heaps of Ruination
Beware all undead minions and other variegated doers of badness! Rouse up trouble with the honest folks of Lonely Street and it's the Goon you'll answer to! Robot or alien, werewolf or vampire, zombie or gorilla (or zombie-gorilla), it makes no difference to the Goon — he'll serve you up a mouthful of broken teeth right quick, as evidenced by the fine tales collected in this fine volume — the third in the ever-expanding line chronicling the triumphs and tragedies of the lone man brave enough to stand against the Zombie Priest and his ghoulish army of ... um ... ghouls. This volume also includes a very special guest appearance by Hellboy co-written and drawn by award-winning Hellboy creator, Mike Mignola!
128 pages, Graphic novel
First published February 22, 2005
1 person is currently reading
257 people want to read
About the author
Eric Powell
505 books281 followersEric 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
July 18, 2024
I like that Powell keeps the stories down to one issue but then has returning characters. It's kind of the best of both worlds. Any new reader can jump on at any point and long term readers are rewarded. The Goon gets the gang together to rescue the Buzzard. A giant kaiju battle, a Hellboy crossover, and a vampire story. I loved the Hellboy crossover. I liked how Powell and Mignola worked it out so they both got to pencil some pages. The two characters have a lot of similarities and work great together. I love the irreverence of this title.
December 27, 2024
Hellboy crossover was pretty cool
August 29, 2011
The Goon saga continues with Goon and co. planning a breakout for one of the more mysterious characters in their world, the Buzzard, an undead sheriff cursed to live forever with the deaths of those under his care weighing on his conscience. Also included is a monster movie spoof, a collaboration with Mike Mignola where Goon and Hellboy enter into a dark and bizarre Wonderland type tale, and rounding out the book with, why not, a vampire story.
The book is as good as the others preceding it with Eric Powell's strong sense of the way these strange stories are meant to be told with equal parts crazy and brio. The artwork is always brilliant and Mignola contributes a few pages for his team-up with Powell in their issue.
The only one I wasn't crazy for was the monster movie spoof but that's only because I was never a fan of those campy flicks. Otherwise, all the stories here are great fun, as always.
A nice continuation of this increasingly interesting series, "Heaps of Ruination" is a great, original comic book to read.
The book is as good as the others preceding it with Eric Powell's strong sense of the way these strange stories are meant to be told with equal parts crazy and brio. The artwork is always brilliant and Mignola contributes a few pages for his team-up with Powell in their issue.
The only one I wasn't crazy for was the monster movie spoof but that's only because I was never a fan of those campy flicks. Otherwise, all the stories here are great fun, as always.
A nice continuation of this increasingly interesting series, "Heaps of Ruination" is a great, original comic book to read.
May 22, 2018
This was a fantastic rebound for me after the last volume. There were some stories in here that called back to older volumes and it was nice to see that even if these volumes aren't going to be super linear, they are at least connecting characters.
HELLBOY makes a cross-over appearance here and it's pretty great for both characters. The Buzzard is back and has an oddly sad, compelling tale that was really interesting. I hope it's setting up more for down the road because I've really enjoyed the character and the perspective he brings to Goon himself.
Dr. Alloy has a couple of good moments and some very silly moments. There is a "Rampage" style fight that is more enjoyable than it really has the right to be.
All-in-all a great addition to The Goon cannon and a fantastic reminder that comics can be fun, original, and strange all at the same time.
HELLBOY makes a cross-over appearance here and it's pretty great for both characters. The Buzzard is back and has an oddly sad, compelling tale that was really interesting. I hope it's setting up more for down the road because I've really enjoyed the character and the perspective he brings to Goon himself.
Dr. Alloy has a couple of good moments and some very silly moments. There is a "Rampage" style fight that is more enjoyable than it really has the right to be.
All-in-all a great addition to The Goon cannon and a fantastic reminder that comics can be fun, original, and strange all at the same time.
March 31, 2020
(4,4 of 5 for super fun (except Frank Darabont superlong foreword) comics and Hellboy crossover)
Well, people can have an opinion on Eric Powell as a person, but you can't deny he's kind of comics genius. The stories, the fun and thrill inside, the art, the work with panels, everything. And Goon is his masterpiece. I recently realized it resembles me the Chew - it is a similar wacky, funny, thrilling (and in the case of Chew it even hits right into feelings), original, very catching and greatly amusing. The storytelling is great, even if it's not some dramatic and deep stuff so the bar is not that high (you usually have higher expectations from drama than from comedy). I think making comments on Goon will be hard to do because I have anything much to say. Goon is great, for the series, I do not summary the story and I do not go into plot unless there is something wrong about it. With Goon everything is right. Powell created a perfect dish, I just want to eat it and then just say: "More!".
Well, people can have an opinion on Eric Powell as a person, but you can't deny he's kind of comics genius. The stories, the fun and thrill inside, the art, the work with panels, everything. And Goon is his masterpiece. I recently realized it resembles me the Chew - it is a similar wacky, funny, thrilling (and in the case of Chew it even hits right into feelings), original, very catching and greatly amusing. The storytelling is great, even if it's not some dramatic and deep stuff so the bar is not that high (you usually have higher expectations from drama than from comedy). I think making comments on Goon will be hard to do because I have anything much to say. Goon is great, for the series, I do not summary the story and I do not go into plot unless there is something wrong about it. With Goon everything is right. Powell created a perfect dish, I just want to eat it and then just say: "More!".
Read
August 26, 2022A Hellboy crossover! A vampire encounter which reads like a What We Do In The Shadows crossover before turning surprisingly moving! A Frank Darabont introduction suggesting the whole series is a covert Spirit crossover! Plus ballooning communist cephalopods, oracular seals in need of a whupping, and a kaiju issue in which the narrator can't conceal his disappointment that none of them have suitably giant breasts. You know, the usual.
July 11, 2012
The Hellboy crossover really won me over. I loved seeing Hellboy in a more colorful universe. He stuck out like a sore thumb but still seemed like he somehow belonged there. Also floating communist octopuses is always a golden ticket to my heart.
July 26, 2010
The more amusing material finally emerges. Buzzard, the zombie-eating lawman, returns for revenge. The random werewolf from the early chapters is now a standard figure at the bar and is dragged out for transportation - that's right, Goon rides a werewolf to go fight crime. There is less emphasis on flashbacks and more on the growing feud between Goon's mob and the undead-raising Priest. Goon continues to thrash people like some noir Hulk, but his world is more colorful (not only because some of it's been colorized), with nonsense like a jungle of primitive hobos. The zanier Powell approaches this story, the better.
April 14, 2015
Na třetího Goona jsem se hodně těšil a Powellův humor mi tady vůbec nesednul - téměř nic mi nepřišlo vtipné, recyklují se postavy z minulých dílů a přijde mi, že až na Goona a Frankýho všichni mluví strašně knižně. Zklamání.
November 25, 2022
Better than the last book, there's better comedy and better action. But it still feels like something's missing.
February 20, 2025
This issue brings us our first team-up of all our "heroes." I honestly didn't expect to see Heironymous Alloy again so soon, or for him to team up with the Goon and Co. The initial fight against the Zombie Master was a lot of fun, not to mention the kaiju fight in the second story. What most shocked me is how much I felt for the Buzzard. Wonder if he'll come back... We're also getting a little more spice about Goon, his love, and whatever happened in Chinatown. I'm excited for Volume 6.
But, for the reason I think I started being interested in Goon in the first place, this volume has the Hellboy crossover, and it was a lot of fun. HB is transported into the comic book world of Goon (?). He helps fight the Zombie Master, and fittingly some giant octopi. Seeing the disagreements and Hellboys pure confusion about the world he is in was a blast, I just wish him and Goon got to talk shop a little more.
But, for the reason I think I started being interested in Goon in the first place, this volume has the Hellboy crossover, and it was a lot of fun. HB is transported into the comic book world of Goon (?). He helps fight the Zombie Master, and fittingly some giant octopi. Seeing the disagreements and Hellboys pure confusion about the world he is in was a blast, I just wish him and Goon got to talk shop a little more.
November 5, 2017
The good:
-Great humour.
-There are some twists in the plot. I like a lot how characters from previous volumes return in this one and you can know more from them.
-The Vampire story at the end of this volume is simply gorgeous. This will break your heart.
-The Eisner joke is pretty good. At the time this came out, this would've been polemic.
The bad:
-The plots are sometimes too simple.
-I expected more from the Hellboy/Goon crossover and instead I got a very simple story.
-Great humour.
-There are some twists in the plot. I like a lot how characters from previous volumes return in this one and you can know more from them.
-The Vampire story at the end of this volume is simply gorgeous. This will break your heart.
-The Eisner joke is pretty good. At the time this came out, this would've been polemic.
The bad:
-The plots are sometimes too simple.
-I expected more from the Hellboy/Goon crossover and instead I got a very simple story.
June 6, 2022
Another light one. The art is still astonishing and the introductory essay from frank Darabont makes a good case for Powell being a direct descendant of Will Eisner. Then we get some knockabout melancholy with giant monsters, decapitated zombies and lovelorn vampires. There's also a Hellboy cameo in this one which was bags of fun. I'll keep looking for these volumes at reasonable prices because they give me nothing but pleasure.
August 3, 2022
the goon is quickly evolving from a one-of-a-kind novelty funnybook to one of the most genuinely moving comics I've read. it's still a one-of-a-kind novelty funnybook, but now we can go from a guy shitting in his pants and rubbing his shit all over his face and then Franky shooting him in the head to a sad and poetic story about a doomed soul who only wants to be loved in the exact same issue.
not to mention the art is fuuuuuuuuuucking incredible. absolutely seeing this series through to completion
not to mention the art is fuuuuuuuuuucking incredible. absolutely seeing this series through to completion
March 31, 2025
Not my favourite Goon volume. Not that funny and a couple of the jokes tip over the silly side of offensive into just cruel. The buzzard one rocks though
February 19, 2014
This volume was a little uneven. I didn't care for the finale of the Buzzard's story - thought it was a bit too heavy - and the Hellboy/Goon crossover was just OK. On the other hand, Lagarto Hombre was hilarious. And of course "The Vampire Dame Had to Die!" was awesome because, well, classic vamp movies and this series are both awesome. Still hooked!
May 19, 2015
I am not the kind of person that is into books with short plots and a ton of mini-stories. However, if you are, these books are great and loads of fun. Each one has 2-4 tales of The Goon and his sidekick, battling some random, bizarre monster, trying to save their town. The graphics are absolutely wonderful and the plots are filled with Mafia-style one-liners, brawls, and the Goon always prevailing against his evil idiot arch nemesis, The Priest.
This book and the last finally begin to unveil some of the backstory of the characters, giving them even more depth and meaning to their rivalries.
This book and the last finally begin to unveil some of the backstory of the characters, giving them even more depth and meaning to their rivalries.
May 31, 2017
More great fun from the Goon. This one starts with a prisoner break, works in a nice Monster in a Rubber suit homage, takes a funny detour with Hellboy and ends on a somber note with Goon married a Vampire! Eric is a master storyteller with his art and a master humorist. I love seeing Dr. Aloy again and I love to see how characters like the Nameless man and the Buzzard help give these stories a bigger arc without sacrificing the fun one and done stories. An amazing series, love the humour, the art and the unique and wonderful characters.
April 27, 2013
Et encore une victoire pour le Goon !
Cette fois ci nous avons un cross over avec Hellboy, et une très belle histoire avec une femme vampire. Il y aussi les débuts délirants del hombre del Lagarto.
Mais surtout il y a un épisode sur Busard qui est pour moi tout simplement magnifique.
C'est toujours drôle, délirant, tendre, méchant (la petite fille qui se fait dégommer par le Goon et Franky !!!).
Je continue ma lancée !
Cette fois ci nous avons un cross over avec Hellboy, et une très belle histoire avec une femme vampire. Il y aussi les débuts délirants del hombre del Lagarto.
Mais surtout il y a un épisode sur Busard qui est pour moi tout simplement magnifique.
C'est toujours drôle, délirant, tendre, méchant (la petite fille qui se fait dégommer par le Goon et Franky !!!).
Je continue ma lancée !
October 1, 2008
This volume reads disjointed as compared to the first 3 volumes. While Powell still has humor and wit throughout its just bogged down by a let down of a Buzzard story and crossover with Hellboy. The final two stories start off on the right path though with the usual Goon greatness making the book half bad and half good.
July 4, 2012
In this volume, Powell explores the depths of the Goon's emotions as well as the heights of humor with his take on the old monster movie classics. The end of Buzzard is heart-wrenching, and the destruction of the vampire succubus is definitely bittersweet. Powell also leaves a comic response to his Eisner Award and its review committee, which is hilarious.
June 3, 2008
Zombies and Film Noir, and hugely funny combo
April 15, 2019
Read second time. Seeing Hellboy and Goon together was charming but predictable.
September 6, 2011
Fantastic art underscores this unusual, cool and funny graphic novel.
August 3, 2014
Ah Goon, what a romp. And that cross-over issue, what a treat!
December 29, 2015
If you don't actually laugh out loud with these glorious pages then you need to get your funny bone checked!
December 27, 2024
A fun volume with a giant monster battle, vampires, and a Hellboy crossover.
May 25, 2011
Fantastic art and a great laugh!
July 9, 2012
The hellboy crossover was the best. It cracked me up. Awesome book.
April 3, 2024
"Heaps of Ruination" feels like the most complete entry in the ongoing The Goon series. Still taking on the form of interconnected short stories, the stories here center on the Goon and his various allies taking on supernatural and sci-fi adversaries. The first story focuses on the Buzzard who has been captured by the Zombie Priest. Psychic Seal makes his return here as the lovable "Intelligible Unintelligible" who everyone can comprehend despite only barking. He's a fun character in the series - probably my favorite due to his sassiness. The next story has the Goon assembling a roster of allies to take on a growing threat, but the real charm is the interplay between characters like Merle the werewolf, the Mudd Brothers and the mad scientist Dr. Alloy. The next story is a similarly enjoyable short story about a kaiju in its death throes delivering some hilarious monologues - a first time I really found the humor in Powell's writing.
A Hellboy crossover is included in this volume and it works really well. To be sure, there is a lot of similarity in Mignola's Hellboy universe and the types of stories contained within The Goon thus far, but it's how tonally similar the two series are that makes this a seamless fit together. Mignola contributes a few pages here as well which was a pleasant surprise for me.
Capping off this volume is "The Vampire Dame Had to Die!" which features the Goon taking on a group of hapless vampires with humorous ease. There is a touching moment where one of the vampires tries to connect with the Goon, which adds an interesting dimension to the overall narrative thus far.
Easily my favorite volume yet, and one where more of the disparate elements in the series have really begun to click. Powell's layouts are fantastical and growing ever more refined, making this a more satisfying reading experience in general.
A Hellboy crossover is included in this volume and it works really well. To be sure, there is a lot of similarity in Mignola's Hellboy universe and the types of stories contained within The Goon thus far, but it's how tonally similar the two series are that makes this a seamless fit together. Mignola contributes a few pages here as well which was a pleasant surprise for me.
Capping off this volume is "The Vampire Dame Had to Die!" which features the Goon taking on a group of hapless vampires with humorous ease. There is a touching moment where one of the vampires tries to connect with the Goon, which adds an interesting dimension to the overall narrative thus far.
Easily my favorite volume yet, and one where more of the disparate elements in the series have really begun to click. Powell's layouts are fantastical and growing ever more refined, making this a more satisfying reading experience in general.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews