Welcome to the Pound

Sometimes, super heroes take all the fun out of comics. With colorful costumes, super powers and super villains galore, it’s a tried and true formula that works, but every once in a while, a better story, involving the average Joe comes along.

While it’s not completely tame, as it’s wrapped in supernatural elements, “The Pound” [The first issue is available for free on IDW’s I-Pad app] is essentially about two guys down on their luck. Considering the state of the current economy in the United States, this title comes along at a great time. Easily identifiable, it’s a solid book for the average comic book fan or anyone looking for a quick laugh.

With its visual story, it would make an excellent television show as well.

However, while the art by Karl Waller is colorful and vibrant and allows the reader to quickly feel at home, the easily accessible characters are the reason why this book is so enjoyable. Rather than wait around and collect their severance packages or unemployment after Cleveland Animal Control lays them off, Scott Allison and Howard Lynch take control of their future by starting their own company.

Their relationship is a fun one, with Scott [and his awesome Triple-H inspired mustache] being more of a father figure to the often-anxious Howard. Add in a bit of Abbott and Costello hi-jinx and werewolves and you have a fun first issue of a five part series that is sure to entertain.

Writer Stephan Nilson does a stellar job in the first issue and develops these characters in ways that make them likeable. Scott is experienced and a bit of a wiseass and hustler, but tough when he has to be. His relationship with his wife and family is incredibly authentic as well. This provides the book with the kind of depth it needs to thrive.

Is there anything better than a man willing to capture wild animals to put food on the table for his family?

On the other hand, Howard is young and impressionable, but is eager to please. Through his impulsive actions, the story is able to continue at several moments of the first issue. While a bit boneheaded, he’s an effective catalyst. Ultimately, it all works well and together, they form a fun duo that is entertaining with every flip of the page.

With this buddy animal cop/thriller formula in place, the first issue of “The Pound” is worthy of your eyes and mind’s most deepest and relaxed atention. It won’t make you laugh out loud, but it will induce a smirk in the first few pages that won’t leave until the last.

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About Patrick Hickey Jr. 14230 Articles
Patrick Hickey Jr. is a full-time Assistant Professor of Communication & Performing Arts and Director of the Journalism program at Kingsborough Community College and is the chairman of the City University of New York Journalism Council. He is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of ReviewFix.com. He's also a former News Editor at NBC Local Integrated Media and National Video Games Writer at Examiner.com where his work was mentioned in National Ad campaigns by Disney, Nintendo and EA Sports. Hickey was also the Editor-In-Chief of two College Newspapers before he received his BA in Journalism from Brooklyn College. Hickey's work has been published in The New York Daily News, The New York Times, Complex, The Hockey Writers, Yahoo!, Broadway World, Examiner, NYSportScene Magazine, ProHockeyNews.com, GothamBaseball.com, The Syracuse Post-Standard, Scout.com and the official sites of the Brooklyn Aces and New York Islanders. His first book, The Minds Behind the Games: Interviews With Cult And Classic Video Game Developers was released in April 2018 and is chock full of interviews with legendary developers. His second book in the series, The Minds Behind Adventures Games, was released in December 2019. His third book, The Minds Behind Sports Games, was released in September 2020. His fourth book, The Minds Behind Shooter Games, was released in March 2021. The Minds Behind Sega Genesis Games and The Minds Behind PlayStation Games were released in 2022 and The Minds Behind PlayStation 2 was published in January 2023. Hickey is also a contracted comic book writer, currently penning his original series, "Condrey," as well as "The Job," "Brooklyn Bleeds" "Dem Gulls" and "KROOM" for Legacy Comix, where he serves as founder, owner and Editor-in-Chief. Hickey Jr. is also a voice actor, having starred in the 2018 indie hit and 2019 Switch, PS4 and Xbox One release, The Padre (also serving as English language Story Editor), from Shotgun With Glitters. The sequel, The Padre: One Shell Straight to Hell was released in February 2021- Hickey also served as a Story Editor and Lead Voiceover performer. He has also done narration and trailers for several other titles including The Kaiju Offensive, Relentless Rex and Roniu’s Tale. Hickey is also the lead voiceover performer on Mega Cat Studios’ upcoming title WrestleQuest, responsible for nearly 90 characters in the game, as well as Skybound's Renfield: Bring Your Own Blood, where he voices both Dracula and Renfield, as well as several other characters. He also stars in Ziggurat Interactive’s World Championship Boxing Manager 2, where he performs the VO of nearly every male character in the game. He also worked on the Atari VCS’s BPM Boy.

2 Comments

  1. I’ll echo Stephan, thanks for the wonderful review. The Abbot and Costello take on their interaction is a charming surprise as I was going with more of a “Gilligan+Shaggy” feel with the way I handled Howie. Looking back through the story, uh………..it IS Abbot and Costello, you nailed it.
    Thanks again………………………………Karl

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