Rock Candy Mountain Vol. 1
Image Comics
Story / Art / Cover by: Kyle Starks
Variant Cover: Chris Schweizer
There are times when I want my comic book pages full of action. Other times I want fun, and bright colors. Then there are times I want to be told a great story with some amazing art. Rock Candy Mountain fits the bill there! Volume One is a collection of 4 comics written and drawn by Kyle Starks. Not many people could make the life of a hobo seem so interesting. There are times while I am reading that I feel like hopping on the rails myself. But then either the hobo Mafia, or the Devil himself pops out, and I am glad to be in my safe home.
We get to experience the life of a hobo safely as we follow Jackson. He is on a journey to find Rock Candy Mountain, the mythical hobo utopia that became a popular song. I have to admit that I have kno
wn that song most of my life and never once thought about what its lyrics were talking about. Along with Pomona Slim, a new hobo trying to make his way, Jackson has to struggle with the afore mentioned Devil and Mafia, along with the FBI and other troubles of the road.
The story is set in post World War II, and the art matches terrifically. I could imagine somebody buying an issue of this in the early 20th century. While it is very exaggerated, it has a real feel to it. Starks has created a universe that these people really live in. It does not feel overly clean, or force-ably dirty. It is a world where things are going on off the page, and I hope to see more come from it.