Image Comics 12-20-22 — Junkyard Joe #3

Junkyard Joe is really shaping up to be a special comic. It’s got a flair of a Disney or Pixar film, the charm of E.T. and heavier, weightier topics like veteran PTSD that make this a very unique entry on the shelves.

Writer Geoff Johns has a wonderful concept with Muddy Davis sleepwalking through life after the death of his wife a year ago. When his old war buddy, the robot he based his comic strip for decades, Junkyard Joe, arrives at his door, Muddy doesn’t know what to make of it.

Slowly, Muddy starts to find a reason to smile again as he and Joe lean on each other through the civilian world as much as they did the battlefield.

Meanwhile, Muddy’s new neighbor, Sam is trying to do right by his kids, but they’re a little resentful about relocating from San Francisco and their racist new classmates.

This is the only area where it felt like Johns leaned too hard on a trope — in this case school bullies — to position the characters in place.

Everything comes together smoothly by the end of the issue. This is largely due to the highly expressive manner artist Gary Frank draws the characters.

Their sadness, anger, frustration and fleeting moments of happiness feels natural and genuine.

Colorist Brad Anderson delivers bold, piercing colors that are dazzling. Rob Leigh’s lettering is clean with just the right of dramatic emphasis on certain words.

Junkyard Joe is quickly becoming one of my favorites on the stands. The concept is such a welcome hybrid of fantastic plots making for a comic that is thriving less on action, but compelling character drama.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

Photo Credit: Image Comics