Sometimes Ya Gotta Resort to Fisticuffs...
...or, how a gentleman enjoys his evening.
My newest Blind [Squirrel] Review is here!
I was fortunate to get review copies of Fred Schwartz’s FISTICUFFS #1 and #2, so I’m going to share some campaign info, first, then my review beneath it.
Okay, first the campaign prelaunch info:
His name is Nick Roark-
A disappointing drunk of a son, comfortable to live a low-key, low-stakes life.
But when he discovers an explosive ability (that he completely RESENTS)-
Nick’s thrown into sudden conflict with otherworldly monsters and his inner demons!
Rock bottom—
Has TRAP DOORS!
Welcome to FISTICUFFS!
A twisted take on super powers.
For Fans Of…
Deeply personal drama spiked with dark and raunchy comedy. This is a hard, spectacularly violent book!
Imagine The Boys, Deadpool or Preacher if they were directed by Quentin Tarantino or Martin Scorsese.
This book is for MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY.
Visit the FISTICUFFS Homepage for more information.
American Yakuza - Acts 1-4 of our Japanese murder-mystery!
Xavier seeks a killer, Masashi craves the American Dream, and Kyomi wants justice—but in Japan’s underworld, survival comes first...
And now, for my review:
Holy shit!!!
Okay, now for the fuller review…
I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into but man I’m glad I agreed to get into it. Fisticuffs 1 & 2 present a terrific, well-crafted intro into a story that will surprise you. Fred has given me—a comics reader and fan—something new and fresh to enjoy and for that I’m grateful.
He also gave me—a fellow comics creator—a fucking complex. I’m jealous of how incredibly good this book is and now I’m thinking more about doing some rewrites on unpublished works instead of writing this damn review. 😂
Seriously, it’s one of the best comics I’ve read in a long time. Within the first ten pages I started feeling like I was reading a J. Michael Straczynski work. It was very human, with very real dialogue, very human problems, and a very fucked up turn to introduce the main character’s1 powers. I love it.
Issue One…
…introduces us to Nick Roark, a living-with-his-mum alcoholic bum who’s “stuck” in regular AA meetings because of a DUI (I think he actually killed someone(s) in the incident), but this jackass clearly hasn’t learned anything. Great start right…?
We also meet Kyle, who’s not quite his BFF—hell, I’m not sure they’re even really friends—but Kyle (who also lives with his ‘rents and little brother) is Nick’s shield and good luck charm. At least, that’s how it seems. That may be exactly what he is, but there’s an enigmatic aura about Kyle that leads me to believe he’s got more to him than just saving Nick’s ass weekly.
Oh, and there’s an I’m-not-hooker chick (Denise) who goes home with Nick to do naughty things.
FYI: she likes it rough.
—Fast-Forward Past the Spoilers—
The shit hits the fan. Our trio is in trouble. BIG trouble. Oh, boy.
Issue Two…
…yeah, so we pick right up where we left off in Issue One, appropriately enough. Nick and Kyle haven’t spoken in weeks. Denise hasn’t been heard of since that night. Nick is struggling with something that happened that night (that’s called a teaser, kids) and, surprisingly, hasn’t full-on fell into The Bottle™.
Kyle thinks Nick should become a superhero.
And that’s about when the weird shit starts to happen. Cut scene. Fade to black.
And I really need Issue #3. Today.
The Final Word(s)
Obviously I enjoyed this book. I didn’t talk about Stan Yak’s incredible artwork or the deftness of Dave Sharpe’s lettering craft, but do I really need to…? These guys are absolute pros and they’re no less-so in this series. In fact, kudos to Fred for writing a story that matches their professionalism point-for-point and panel-to-panel.
This is a book that I will be re-reading to learn how to better craft an exceptional book, and collecting to enjoy for years to come. The only other person in indiecomics I’ve met who can turn a very mature story like this into a masterful compilation of characters, dialogue, and story is Pat Shand2.
Kudos to this entire creative team for one of the best indiecomics of the year! This one should win awards. Period.
Fuck you if you disagree 🙃
I hesitate VERY strongly to call him a “hero,” or even a “protagonist.” You’ll have to read it for yourself to understand why. That’s on you now.
But be on the lookout for New Kids™ Anthony Stokes and Chris Moses! These guys put out consistently DOPE books and I’m proud to call them collaborators on my American Yakuza title.
I'm sold.
Following the campaign!! Thanks for bringing it to my attention.