Hillybilly #1, 2, and 3
Albatross Comics
Done by: Eric Powell
Hillybilly is something that I’ve got to admit I was pretty late about. It’s not so much that I took my time reading my issues or that I hadn’t heard about it until just recently. Instead, I couldn’t get my hands on a copy and every comic shop or website I searched was sold out. Until I found my way into a small shop tucked away in the corner of a shopping center that still had a single copy of all three issues currently out. Instantly purchasing them, I was glad to find that Powell keeps up his creativity with this series.
If you’re a fan of Powell’s work with the Goon, then you’re very likely to find yourself enjoying his work with the Appalachian Hillbilly. This series centers on a lone wanderer through the Appalachian mountains and his adventures in hunting down witches for an injustice done to him in his childhood. There’s already a good deal of lore piling up around our protagonist but one thing that we’ve come to understand in the series is that stories can be a bit muddled as their passed around.
If you’ve read works of Powell before, like ‘The Goon, ‘Big Man Plans,’ or even ‘Action Comics,’ you’re likely to witness his signature style of writing and art. ‘Hillbilly’ holds true to the work that Powell has done before and we even come to recognize a character or two that make an appearance. This is a series drawing heavily upon the idea of lore and myth as it comes to touch upon most everything in the story from talking bears to the Devil’s own meat cleaver. Ultimately, Powell does an amazing job of weaving together action 
and humor, per his usual style, to deliver an interesting lineage of short stories that each can lean on one another or stand alone just as easily.
I’m glad to have been able to start reading his work so early in the process since I don’t want to end up trying to track down back issues like I still am with ‘The Goon.’ I think this is a series that has a lot of potential and I’m incredibly excited to see where it goes from here. Maybe it has something to do with my being from the Appalachian area and having spent time in the mountains Powell writes about, or it could simply be that I’ve come to appreciate his art and writing. If you’re lucky enough to find a copy still sitting on the shelf, I would suggest you not hesitate to pick it up. Be sure to also keep your eyes out for the upcoming fourth issue on November 2nd!