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Writer's pictureByron O'Neal

HOCKEYPOCALYPSE, SEASON 4


Cartoonist: Jeff Martin Publisher: Rent-A-Thug Comics


Hockeypocalypse, Vol. 4 (tpb), cover, Self-published, Jeff Martin

This review covers the latest volume of the Hockeypocalypse series, and I have not covered the first 3 on my site. That being said, Jeff Martin does a fantastic job of catching you up on what you need to know, so you can jump right in without feeling lost.

WHAT IS IT?

The 4th volume of a fun, humorous, hockey-based sports comic appropriate for all ages.

It reminds me of a more family-friendly version of the old Monster League cartoon/video game.

WHAT'S IT ABOUT?

(Minor Spoilers)

It’s a nuclear winter in Canada, and the mutated masses use hockey as their version of warfare. They win a game, they get resources from the loser. They lose? Well, it's best not to lose.

Our home team is the Edmonton Atomics. Their first line has to scout for supplies on a dangerous road trip into unknown territory.

The B plot is about the Atomics’ second line having to defend their land when rivals find out their out their best players are gone. They have to play multiple games virtually back to back, fighting good teams and their own growing exhaustion.

Will the team be able to defend their land and resources? Will the Atomics's best players be eaten by a mythological Canadian sea monster? Will I spoil the comic by answering those questions here?

Absolutely not. Pick up the comic and find out for yourself!

WHAT WORKS?

  • Excellent transitions between the A and B plots through unity of action

  • “Ticker technology” (shown in the image below) keeps score for fans and readers throughout the telling of the story and adds color commentary

  • I loved this!

  • It felt like the kind of commentary you'd get at a real game, and gives each page a humorous touch or builds suspense by showing the scoreboard

  • Clear line work and well-done inking helps give perspective, especially when it's most needed in the action sequences

  • Pages and panels feel dynamic and have a good flow

  • Not too dialogue heavy

  • Jeff Martin knows when to lean into the action and when to fill the page with wit & banter

  • Good, clean, Canadian fun! (like hockey and Tim Horton’s)

  • It looks like Jeff Martin hand-lettered it!

  • Sound effects are well integrated into the art

  • Jeff Martin's really great at building suspense and working that rising action, even for folks like me who aren’t hockey fans or sports fans, even

  • Fun backmatter including cover art, sketches and more

WHAT DOESN'T WORK?

  • No color in the interior (if that bothers you), but the line art and shading are very well done

  • ​There were only a couple times where I felt that color would have helped clarify busy panels

  • In order to raise the suspense, unity of time doesn’t exist

  • For example, one game for the main characters would go on for the same amount of time it took for multiple days to pass in the B Plot

  • People are picky when it comes to comedy -- maybe this is your thing, maybe it isn't


Hockeypocalypse, Vol. 4 (tpb), Self-published, Jeff Martin

WHY SHOULD I READ IT?

I'm not a huge sports fan, or even a hockey fan, but Hockeypocalypse is a D E L I G H T. It's tense, but light-hearted, humorous, but not trying too hard. Take a break from some of those heavier titles, filled with doom and gloom, and check out Hockeypocalypse.

WHAT DO I READ NEXT?

If you like the writing:

  • Hell, Inc. by Jeff Martin

  • WWE, Vol. 1 by Dennis Hopeless, Dan Mora & Serg Acuña

  • Gallant And Amos by Rob Barnes

If you like the art:

  • Redcoats-Ish: Jeff Martin's War Of 1812 by Jeff Martin

  • Fantasy Sports: Book 1 by Sam Bosma

  • Bish & Jubez by Adam Reck

ABOUT THE CREATORS

Jeff Martin – Cartoonist

  • Multitalented: Does all the writing, line art, lettering, and coloring the covers

  • Test of Time: Has been drawing comics full-time since 2013

  • Outlander: Lives in Edmonton, Alberta

HOW DO I BUY IT?

Click one of these:

The image(s) used in this article are from a comic strip, webcomic or the cover or interior of a comic book. The copyright for this image(s) is likely owned by either the publisher of the comic, the writer(s) and/or artist(s) who produced the comic. It is believed that the use of this image(s) qualifies as fair use under the United States copyright law. The image is used in a limited fashion in an educational manner in order to illustrate the points of the author and not for the purpose of entertainment or substituting the original work. It is believed the use of this image has had no impact on the market value of the original work.

All Jeff Martin characters and the distinctive likeness(es) thereof are trademarks of and copyright Jeff Martin or their respective owners. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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