Image Comics reviews 8/17/22 – Do a Powerbomb #3, Undiscovered Country #20

Do a Powerbomb #3

I don’t think you have to be a wrestling fan to appreciate Do a Powerbomb, but if you do writer/artist Daniel Warren Johnson is making a no holds barred title that’s impossible not to mark out for with every page.

Cobra Sun and Lona Steelrose enter The Deathlyfe Tournament — an epic, galaxy-spanning tag team tournament where the winning team gets to resurrect a loved one. Lona thinks she’s fighting to save her mother alone, not realizing her tag team partner and wrestler who accidentally killed her mother is her father. That was an epic swerve from Johnson that fully played into wrestling kayfabe.

Just as fun is that Sun and Steel are the only team participating where wrestling is scripted. For the other teams, wrestling is very real. Johnson has imagination to spare for this issue as the first opponents are a pair of chimpanzees. It’s ludicrous, just completely over the top and the most fun I’ve had reading a comic all year. Johnson pulls out another twist in making these matches surprisingly emotional beyond the high spots.

In a very fun approach, Johnson adds effects for the team’s special effects that are too good to spoil. Johnson’s art is wild, unrestrained and raw. And it masterfully conveys the high-energy tone of the book. Maybe it wouldn’t work with other titles, but it is ideally suited for this one.

Colorist Mike Spicer has a lot to juggle with so much chaos coming through on every panel and helps to distinguish the important visual elements. Rus Wooton’s lettering is also very important as finisher names pop up on the panel.

Do a Powerbomb hasn’t missed a spot yet. It’s absurdly entertaining and connects on every level Johnson envisions. It’s one of my favorite books to check out each month.

Rating: 10 out of 10