Goner #4 (Image Comics)
Written by: Jocob Semahn
Art by: Jorge Corona
Goners #4 by Jacob Semahn and Jorge Corona has certainly put the great paranormal hunters, the Latimers, through the ringer and nothing will prepare you for what happens in this issue. The fate of the world pretty much still rests on the narrow shoulders of the remaining living members, the youngest of the Latimers, Josiah and Zoe. And if things weren’t bad enough, it’s about to get really awkward.
This being a horror comic and all, it’s only fitting that one of most horrific things you’ll ever see is your parents naked. Well, poor Josiah, who was unresponsive at the end of the last issue visited the other side where his dad presented him a vision of parental coitus. Sure, it sounds awful and out of context, it sounds downright gratuitous, but fear not, it leads to an important twist that warrants the awkward afterlife visit. Josiah’s job isn’t done and his time isn’t up just yet.
Meanwhile, in the city Francis and other survivors are up to their necks in monsters. The Skin Walker is mysteriously shopping for a clean corpse, but has to go through a gauntlet of firepower first. It’s this splash page that is one of the best of the series and that’s saying something. If this battle scene becomes available as a print, buy it, frame it and brag to your friends about it. It’s that good.
It’s no surprise how gorgeous the art is as Corona has been consistently providing a fun cartoon look that takes the edge off a little of the gore and violence. Gabriel Cassata brightens the pencils with lush colorful hues that draw the eyes to every inch of each panel. As spectacular as the action scenes are, the closeups of anguish and pain in the faces of Zoe and Josiah are so transcendent that they evoke an emotional response from the reader. If you don’t get a little choked-up you may not be human.
Semahn continues to build this chaotic world that seems almost limitless. So immersive that the focus could change issue to issue and not skip a beat. However, at its heart, it’s about the Latimer kids and their love and trust of each other, trying to make sense of such devastating loss while fighting monsters just as their parents always had. Amid the calamity their familial bond is both inspiring and relatable.
Goners is a horror book that delivers the visuals and gore while subversively tugging at your heartstrings. The good news for new readers is that this adventure is just getting started. Buy back issues get caught up and enjoy the ride.