As the first story arc draws to a close, can fans rest easy knowing that the latest iteration of this iconic character continues beyond this point?  Read on to find out.

The official description from IDW:

The red-hot Joe Palooka comic book series, recently featured on the top-rated Fox & Friends morning show, reaches a thunderous climax as Joe meets his adversaries inside the cage as well as outside. Don’t miss a moment, when the action spills over into the Las Vegas Strip, as Joe fights for his life in a packed Las Vegas arena in order to earn a spot on billionaire Tommy Chang’s fight team.

When it comes to spinning a yarn about an MMA fighter on the run from a misunderstanding, this creative team has excelled at perpetuating a fun but not always believable tale.  It’s even more true in this outing but nonetheless by the time its dedicated audience reaches the final page they’ll be pleasantly surprised at how satisfying this experience was.

Our hero has reached a very happy crossroads and like any good author, Mike Bullock, knows that he needs to put him through the proverbial wringer before he lets him attain his happiness.  That’s what happens in this script but be warned this is not the conclusion of this journey but merely the ending of a chapter in our protagonist’s life.  The dialogue as always carries an air of charm that will surely sell almost anyone on the majority of its conent, but sadly there are a couple pivotal moments where the text just fell a bit short.

Fernando Peniche uses his pencil work to deliver yet another chaotic but well-defined world.  He effortlessly realizes the dynamic action sequences while embracing the few slower moments that this jaunt calls for.  There are several panels where the work is a bit too free flowing and features seem to be overly distorted but eventually you’ll accept this as part of his unique style.

Joe Palooka #6 is not perfect by any stretch, but like the issues before it the creative delivers something fun and entertaining.  Recommended.

3.5/5