Written by Jason Aaron

Art by Jason Latour

Review by Alex Krefetz

My favorite Jasons in comics released the seventh issue of Southern Bastards this week, part three in the story of a young Coach Euless Boss. It’s taken considerable storytelling ability to make me care about this wimpy kid who later grows into a murderous crook, but I think I’m enjoying this second arc more than the first. The third part of the story follows Euless after he was shot in retribution for his father’s many vices. Despite walking around in a cast, Euless still focuses only on his dream of playing football.

Written by Jason Aaron
Art by Jason Latour
Review by Alex Krefetz

My favorite Jasons in comics released the seventh issue of Southern Bastards this week, part three in the story of a young Coach Euless Boss. It’s taken considerable storytelling ability to make me care about this wimpy kid who later grows into a murderous crook, but I think I’m enjoying this second arc more than the first. The third part of the story follows Euless after he was shot in retribution for his father’s many vices. Despite walking around in a cast, Euless still focuses only on his dream of playing football.

Following young Euless has been an interesting trip to see how he came from being the often picked on and wimpy lineman to the most feared person in Craw County. Aaron’s work often focuses on family, and this arc has been no exception. Weather it be the physical ramifications or the intangible, Euless cannot distance himself from his family name no matter how hard he tries. You can see his anger and disappointment with his father, particularly in an interaction halfway through this issue. At the same time, Euless is unable to completely write him off – he’s his father after all. To see these conflicting ideas side by side makes for a too-real and captivating story.

For as much development as Euless Boss has seen since issue one, I’m also drawn to Craw County and how little it seems to change. Between this arc and the opening, it’s been at least 50 years. While its interesting to see how the characters have changed over time, it’s equally striking how much Craw hasn’t changed. The football games are still full of drunken idiots, even through the fresh eyes of a hopeful Euless. There’s also a feeling of lineage, especially in a scene with Earl Tubb’s father sitting in a squad car with his famous bat. The ability to build such a rich setting and history in just seven issues is a testament to Aaron’s plotting skills.

It’s hard to find more ways to compliment the art, which is a shame because Latour has brought his A-game since issue one. I’ve grown to really appreciate his stripped-down style of storytelling. We’re seeing comics today like Hawkeye and Multiversity that have been creating beautiful and thought-provoking layouts. Latour’s basic structure works wonders for a story in a backwards southern county, and each shot is as gritty as the story the book tells.

Southern Bastards is the book I read first every week it comes out. When the creators are able to make the issue leading to the finale feel as fresh as the first issue, it’s clear a lot of time and thought went into producing the whole work. At only 7 issues in, Bastards has already built one of the most captivating worlds in comics today.

5 Runnin’ Rebs out of 5