James Stokoe's Orc Stain Is Back!
By Dan Horn
March 6, 2012 - 11:32
Image Comics
Writer(s): James Stokoe
Penciller(s): James Stokoe
Inker(s): James Stokoe
Colourist(s): James Stokoe
Letterer(s): James Stokoe
Cover Artist(s): James Stokoe
$2.99 US
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Thankfully, there are books like Orc Stain to keep the pop culture sphere on its toes. At first glance, Orc Stain may seem like it's simply just another graphic sword and sorcery adventure, but even a second cursory glance would elicit the absurdist, gonzo comic vibe that permeates James Stokoe's artwork and storytelling. The bizarre nature of this book is readily apparent in its dedication to creating organic mechanisms and fashion and weird creature designs, its predilection for penis flashing, and its intrinsic and esoteric lore, which coincidentally involves quite a bit of gronch-chopping (the act of lopping off dicks as trophies or for making chits--Orc currency). It's a kaleidoscopic whirl of fantasy cliches, warped by psychotropic-induced originality and vague social commentary.
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Orc Stain appropriately follows an Orc, named One-Eye for his distinguishing physical feature. Endowed with the supernatural ability to locate the weak spot in practically anything, One-Eye literally has an eye for safe-cracking. When he's betrayed by a thieving accomplice, Pointy Face, he finds himself not only outrunning a "punch-up" in the plains city of Skrubtown, but also evading the Orctzar's encroaching hordes of the Deep South, who are looking for a one-eyed Orc of prophecy. In his attempts to flee, One-Eye encounters a swamp-dwelling Poison Thrower, Bowie, and her living garment companion, Zazu. Bowie's original intent is to sell One-Eye to the Orctzar's spindly-limbed minions, but when One-Eye is stolen from her and is imprisoned in the belly of an enormous, impenetrable beast, Bowie sets out to save One-Eye and, out of principle, kill as many Orcs as possible in the process.
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I couldn't think of a more perfect book to be our first spotlight during our Image Comics celebration. I urge everyone to beg, borrow, steal, gronch-chop, and safe-crack to get your hands on Orc Stain 6 and 7, and also the gorgeous Orc Stain Volume 1 trade, which collects issues 1 through 5 and has quite a bit of informative, brilliant, and hilarious supplemental materials.
Let the head-raking commence!
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James Stokoe's Orc Stain Is Back!