Thursday 8 October 2015

(Comic) Can't get the Butcher Back....a look at Oink: Heaven's Butcher


This comic was recommended by a guy I met recently when I went to see Kevin Smith and Jay Mewes at the Sydney Opera House. 

I never got his name, but apparently he went by the handle "Crowboy" on Ebay. He was in the row in front of me, so if you happen to know the guy, let him know that this one is for him.

In an Orwellian Dystopian future, humans make slaves of men/pig hybrids and force them to slaughter pigs for food. They are poorly treated and indoctrinated into a belief that they are not worthy of "heaven" because of their forms. A young priest goes to see the Oink, the pigman who butchered heaven for his final confession before he is executed. The pigman tells his story.

As a young slave, Oink sees one of his brethren brutally killed, but as far as his cellmates and the clergy are concerned, that pigman was "saved."

Questions burning in his heart, Oink challenges the system and burns it to the ground. 

Throughout history, pigs have always been a representation for uncleanliness. This comic is no exception, complete with half man, half pig hybrids. As far as most would be concerned, this is the height of abomination and filth. 

I turned the pages with a mix of fascination and horror. These people who stand at what they consider to be heaven mistreating these hybrid folk because they were different. It was unforgiving in its storytelling and was visceral in its visuals.

The art style looked to be digitally coloured and drawn and looked like it was made up of slash markings, which I found beautiful, yet difficult to look at. Like watching someone get tattooed. 

In any case, this brutal and hellish comic is more than worthy of 5 stars.

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