Southern Bastards #10

Hands down one of the best books on the shelves today, every issue gives you a punch to the dick and kicks you while you're down, but in a good way, y'know? So pour yourself a beer, get some BBQ and dive right in to this one. Yall can thank me later. Read Full Review

If there's a more visceral and unsettling comic book out this week, I don't wanna know what it is. Read Full Review

Southern Bastards continues its streak of excellence with issue #10 despite lacking the depth of its preceding issue. I always go into Southern Bastards expecting a small dip in quality because the standards have been set SO high. Issue #10 may not be a contender for issue of the year (like issue #9) but Aaron and Latour’s vision of this world and its characters is more powerful and brilliant than 90% of comics out there, even in its lesser issues. Read Full Review

The story by Aaron only continues the excellent work he has done thus far with this marvelous series. Latour, is a *pun insert* ‘tour de force,' as his illustrations feel right at home. Aaron and Latour were made to write this series and I am so glad that it will soon be a TV show on FX. Overall, a great story arc, and cannot wait for what this series will bring next. Read Full Review

Esaw Goings is one evil bastard. Judging by this issue, he's going to bring a heaping amount of trouble to Craw County in the near future. Read Full Review

Don't dismiss this issue as a pointless one-off, Esaw might have to carve your skull out. Read Full Review

This issue certainly did its job in filling in most of the gaps we had, concerning Esaw's life. I do look forward to when we get to see more of his back story which is alluded to here; something tells me learning more about his history just may be even more entertaining/horrifying than that of Coach Boss. The next issue promises to introduce a character referred to only as "The Bowhunter", so that sounds pretty freaking ominous, doesn't it? That issue could see the series calm back down just a bit, or we could come to realize the time we saw Esaw's heehaw was only the beginning. Read Full Review

Once a new scene is set the following cells often use single color backgrounds with the detail generally being saved for the beautifully drawn characters. They are harsh and complex just like the world these people inhabit. Read Full Review

It's doubtful that issue #10 will be anyone's favorite of the series, but from strictly a storytelling standpoint it's hard to argue against the sheer power such a hard read generates. Read Full Review

The whole issue reads like a blend of The Killing Joke, Pain and Gain, and Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job. It's a dive into the deep end of the latent human ugliness that hides behind the myth of idealized Americana that avoids slipping into nihilism because it understand that the mentality of "all humans are awful" is just the most pathetic of those same myths and false legitimacies. Read Full Review

So, what really happens here? Not very much, and I'm basically just waiting for the next issue to focus on a different person in town. Read Full Review

Southern Bastards #10 is the first time the series has let me down. Jason Aaron presented us with a very unappealing and ugly individual in Esaw and unlike he usually does — did nothing with the individual at all and reiterated points we already knew about him. Combined with a lack of strong characterization across the board and lack of story, this is the weakest issue of the series to date. If Esaw doesn't sound like the type of character that's enough to carry an issue for you, you might be better off waiting until you can get the next issue as well. Read Full Review

Dagstar

Jul 30, 2015

The "weakest" story of the series so far: shock without substance. It just seemed too generic and hollow for what Aaron is capable of, and what we've seen so far. Then again, maybe the point of this issue was to show us just how empty and lost Esaw is, and that he's just a bad guy without any twist or understanding behind it. It was entertaining none-the-less.

nlindsay

Jul 30, 2015

Finally! A villain I can really hate. No chance the Jason's pull any type of sympathetic note out of Eslaw's bio - despite his religious daddy issues. This guy is just plain nasty. I wonder if his 'no finess, hit em hard' philosophy will put him at odds with the new bowman hinted at in the letters pages? And speaking of the extras after the story, that essay/rationale by Latour regarding his awesome fundraising variant cover was a fantastic touch. This issue did a lot to remind us just how terrible and lawless Craw County can be, which we needed as we've been focused on the horrors around football lately, but needed a reminder that Boss and his boys are horrible in most all aspects.

JBL Reviews

Jul 18, 2016

Focus on Esaw and a Christian trying to evangelize him.