20 funny comics to lighten your mood and make you laugh

Skullkickers (Cover image via Image Comics)

2. Skullkickers

The world of superheroes isn’t the only comics genre that is ripe for a little snark. What about action and adventure? That entire genre — you know, the one that’s full of beefy guys wielding improbably large swords or too many projectile weapons at once — could use a little bit of teasing, at least.

That’s where Skullkickers comes in. This Image Comics series is also available online, thanks in part to creators Jim Zub (also the writer) and Chris Stevens. It follows two mercenaries, who remain nameless but are often referred to as “Shorty” and “Baldy” (guess which is which when you’re reading, won’t you?). The adventure throughout their realm, fighting plenty of standard foes with decidedly un-standard sass and humor.

Why would they fight eldritch horrors and creepy fairy people? Fame and fortune, naturally. That’s partially what sets Skullkickers apart from more staid fantasy and action tales, which are often infected by a dour sensibility. There’s too much there about dignity and honor. No concerns about that here, however. Indeed, there is no fantasy trope in Skullkickers that is above skewering (figuratively or literally).

Edwin Huang’s manga-inspired artwork is a great complement to Jim Zub’s script. That’s pretty important when your main characters are traveling across dimensions and fighting unbelievable beasts. The stretchy, almost-unreal art helps support the ultimate insanity of the story.

Though Image Comics clearly loves to play with tropes and indulges in silly, often violent humor, this series is all of that and more. Skullkickers is fun like a crazy, dual-ax wielding berserker.