John the Swamp Dude: The Last Outpost #1 ©2020 PLB Comics

Last December I did a review of a comic I really enjoyed, John the Swamp Dude: Who Killed Mobie Graye? (Has it really been a year already??) This time I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of the first issue in the next storyline, The Last Outpost, by Josh Shockley (story, pencils & inks) and James Dufendach (letters and edits) once again. This is the twenty-first release by PLB Comics. 

Once again I enjoyed the artwork. I always love getting to read a black and white comic. It’s a refreshing change. The character design is great, and I’d say even improved upon the work in the previous release. Another thing I always like are the Shockley’s backgrounds. Some of the shading and lines are so great, providing a perfect backdrop for the characters and story.

Speaking of the story (I’ll stay spoiler-free as usual), this was probably my favorite thing about the issue. In particular, the world-building is super deep and well thought out. Things in this world aren’t spelled out for you – rather, bits and pieces fit together over the course of the story to gradually paint a picture of the fantastic environment.

The Last Outpost is a 4 part story that you can jump right into, although having read Who Killed Mobie Graye? beforehand will definitely set the tone. Also there are some refences to it in The Last Outpost which I was glad to known ahead of time, since they tie things together nicely. The comic has some strong content (language & fighting) meant for a mature audience, so keep that in case you’re shopping for younger readers. The issue is available now.

5/5

Check out PLB Comics here.

-Clint