Graphic Novel Review: The Scumbag Volume One: Cocainefinger by Rick Remender and artists Lewis Larosa, Andrew Robinson, Eric Powell, Roland Boschi, and Wes Craig

Posted on May 16, 2023 at 6:27 am by Gene Ambaum

The Scumbag Volume One: Cocainefinger by Rick Remender and artists Lewis Larosa, Andrew Robinson, Eric Powell, Roland Boschi, and Wes Craig. Image, 2021. 9781534318908. Contains #1 – 5. Publisher’s Rating: M / mature.

Ernie Ray Clementine is a “profane, illiterate, drug-addicted ne’er-do-well with a fight-grade education. And the only thing standing between us and armageddon.” As the book opens Ernie is trying to buy some drugs from Spanish Larry. Ernie steals charitable donations to make the purchase and prepares everything on a sidewalk with his pants down, having diarrhea, as he gets ready to shoot up. (Yes you see it all.) About then that he ends up in the middle of a super-powered fight and gets powers himself. This makes him the only person who can save the world from the evil plans of Scorpionus (imagine a more insane, less politically correct Cobra Commander). Ernie’s demands for helping out include a suitcase of drugs, Judas Priest concerts, a muscle car, and a sex robot.

If my father or his hard-partying friends had survived into their 70s I’d be buying gift copies of this ironically for them, and they’d have loved it anyway. And you will too if you’ve ever hung out with folks like them. You’ll probably like it if you haven’t too.