John’s ProFan Review: Southern Bastards #2

Previous issue: “Southern Bastards #1”

This second issue of Southern Bastards takes the southern even more south and the bastards even more bastardly. We’re introduced to something that’s very pivotal in the social circles of any southern town: Friday night high school football, and of course, the fans are even more barbaric than the players on the field.

Jasons Aaron and Latour continue to craft the town of Craw County, Alabama, into a full-fledged, genuine southern town, full of all the usual bastards you expect to find. In the previous issue, we took a trip to Boss BBQ, the local eatery where everyone who’s nobody hangs out in Craw County. This week, we took another step into southern staples with the introduction of the Craw County High football team and their coach: Coach Boss. He’s so self-important that his name is just two titles; I love it. His full name is Euless Boss, but “Coach Boss” is just so awesome. Coach Boss is basically a heartless hard-ass who wouldn’t piss on you if you were on fire. He’s a big-bad our protagonist, old man Earl Tubb, will surely find himself butting heads with several times.

Speaking of Earl, this issue really drives home just how much he hates this town and how badly he wants to get away from it and the ever-looming shadow of his father. He doesn’t want the life and legacy of his father, but circumstance keep reminding him that he’s a natural at it. One thing you’ll notice in this issue is how well Jason Latour’s terrific artwork captures the wrinkled and haggard faces of both Earl and Coach Boss; it lets you know, if it wasn’t already clear enough, these are absolutely not young men who are about to begin fighting a young man’s fight.

One last thing, the way Southern Bastards captures the unique small town atmosphere is terrific; from ubiquitous novelty tees to those lifetime residents who know everyone, the world of Southern Bastards feels so lived-in that you almost think you’re intruding on someone else’s home… a bastard’s home, but it’s still his, nonetheless.

Let me know if you’re reading along with me-I hope someone is-and be sure to come on back next time when I’ll be reviewing Southern Bastards #3, which I’m sure will be all about meth and moonshine, if the pattern of southern staples holds true.