Cartoonist: Jeff Martin Publisher: Rent-A-Thug Comics
This review covers the latest volume of the Hockeypocalypse series, and I have not covered the first 3 on my site. That being said, Jeff Martin does a fantastic job of catching you up on what you need to know, so you can jump right in without feeling lost.
WHAT IS IT?
The 4th volume of a fun, humorous, hockey-based sports comic appropriate for all ages.
It reminds me of a more family-friendly version of the old Monster League cartoon/video game.
WHAT'S IT ABOUT?
(Minor Spoilers)
It’s a nuclear winter in Canada, and the mutated masses use hockey as their version of warfare. They win a game, they get resources from the loser. They lose? Well, it's best not to lose.
Our home team is the Edmonton Atomics. Their first line has to scout for supplies on a dangerous road trip into unknown territory.
The B plot is about the Atomics’ second line having to defend their land when rivals find out their out their best players are gone. They have to play multiple games virtually back to back, fighting good teams and their own growing exhaustion.
Will the team be able to defend their land and resources? Will the Atomics's best players be eaten by a mythological Canadian sea monster? Will I spoil the comic by answering those questions here?
Absolutely not. Pick up the comic and find out for yourself!
WHAT WORKS?
Excellent transitions between the A and B plots through unity of action
“Ticker technology” (shown in the image below) keeps score for fans and readers throughout the telling of the story and adds color commentary
I loved this!
It felt like the kind of commentary you'd get at a real game, and gives each page a humorous touch or builds suspense by showing the scoreboard
Clear line work and well-done inking helps give perspective, especially when it's most needed in the action sequences
Pages and panels feel dynamic and have a good flow
Not too dialogue heavy
Jeff Martin knows when to lean into the action and when to fill the page with wit & banter
Good, clean, Canadian fun! (like hockey and Tim Horton’s)
It looks like Jeff Martin hand-lettered it!
Sound effects are well integrated into the art
Jeff Martin's really great at building suspense and working that rising action, even for folks like me who aren’t hockey fans or sports fans, even
Fun backmatter including cover art, sketches and more
WHAT DOESN'T WORK?
No color in the interior (if that bothers you), but the line art and shading are very well done
There were only a couple times where I felt that color would have helped clarify busy panels
In order to raise the suspense, unity of time doesn’t exist
For example, one game for the main characters would go on for the same amount of time it took for multiple days to pass in the B Plot
People are picky when it comes to comedy -- maybe this is your thing, maybe it isn't
WHY SHOULD I READ IT?
I'm not a huge sports fan, or even a hockey fan, but Hockeypocalypse is a D E L I G H T. It's tense, but light-hearted, humorous, but not trying too hard. Take a break from some of those heavier titles, filled with doom and gloom, and check out Hockeypocalypse.
WHAT DO I READ NEXT?
If you like the writing:
Hell, Inc. by Jeff Martin
WWE, Vol. 1 by Dennis Hopeless, Dan Mora & Serg Acuña
Gallant And Amos by Rob Barnes
If you like the art:
Redcoats-Ish: Jeff Martin's War Of 1812 by Jeff Martin
Fantasy Sports: Book 1 by Sam Bosma
Bish & Jubez by Adam Reck
ABOUT THE CREATORS
Jeff Martin – Cartoonist
Multitalented: Does all the writing, line art, lettering, and coloring the covers
Test of Time: Has been drawing comics full-time since 2013
Outlander: Lives in Edmonton, Alberta
HOW DO I BUY IT?
Click one of these:
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