Review #5: Community's "Kickpuncher"

Kickpuncher

Writer: Donald “Troy Barnes”Glover

Artist: Jim Mahfood

Published: Sony, 2010

This is an interesting piece. For a belated birthday gift to my dear elder brother, I got him Community Season 1. He let me borrow it the other night, and upon opening the case, a tiny comic fell out. I held in my hand Kickpuncher, issue #1.

So, what is Kickpuncher? Not to be confised with Cockpuncher, it is a creation of Troy Barnes, the character in Community portrayed by Donald Glover. The comic is based around a fictional movie of the same name that is featured in episode 15. In the show, Troy and Abed also make their own short-film homage, in which the cyborg-cop Kickpuncher is said to possess the power of punches that are as hard as kicks.

The funny little intro by the fictional Troy includes a “coupon for a free makeout if you are a hot girl”. This sets the tone for the level of maturity of what lies ahead. The story begins as any regular episode of the show would, with the study group going over their Spanish homework, when they are suddenly attacked by SNAKE MEN! The evil snake men take the young and attractive Annie and Britta hostage, so that they will wash their cars in their panties. Troy and Abed alert the Dean, who in turn summons Kickpuncher. After flying to Cairo [“because that's where snakes evolved”], Troy, Abed and Kickpuncher confront the snake men in their pyramid lair. The bad guys are subsequently kickpunched. Upon being rescued, Annie and Britta announce that they have fallen in love while in captivity and proceed to make out. The end!

As you can see, it is a rather short, straightforward comic. It is only eight pages, including this centrefold:

I liked it. The comic, though brief, captures the quirks of Community's characters [waoh, alliteration!] and seems like something that would spring from the mind of man-child Troy. The writing is funny and the art is very fast and loose, resembling the amateur work it is emulating. It kind of reminds me of the Buttman comics that my good friend Chris and I made back in the sixth grade, except better.

In conclusion, go out and buy Community Season 1 on DVD, because it is probably the only way to get your hands on the magnum opus that is Kickpuncher, issue #1.