Comics / Spotlight

James Stokoe's Orc Stain Is Back!

By Dan Horn
March 6, 2012 - 11:32

It's safe to assume that William Tapley--you know, that guy that sees phalluses everywhere he turns and believes it's a sign of impending global cataclysm--would have an aneurysm after a reading of James Stokoe's Orc Stain. For the non-neopuritanical, however, Stokoe's vibrant and meticulously-detailed fantasy comic book series is that little bit of mainstream evidence for which jaded readers were hoping which illustrates that mad cult subversives do in fact continue to thrive in the industry today. Without Image Comics' dedication to uncovering strangely wonderful books like this, there would be no creator-owned comic reawakening. Vertigo would be withering, even after its modest "relaunch." Marvel, without serious independent competition, would undoubtedly drop their relatively young Icon imprint. Dark Horse would continue recycling its same three properties into infinite miniseries.

Thankfully, there are books like Orc Stain to keep the pop culture sphere on its toes. At first glance, Orc Stain may seem  like it's simply just another graphic sword and sorcery adventure, but even a second cursory glance would elicit the absurdist, gonzo comic vibe that permeates James Stokoe's artwork and storytelling. The bizarre nature of this book is readily apparent in its dedication to creating organic mechanisms and fashion and weird creature designs, its predilection for penis flashing, and its intrinsic and esoteric lore, which coincidentally involves quite a bit of gronch-chopping (the act of lopping off dicks as trophies or for making chits--Orc currency). It's a kaleidoscopic whirl of fantasy cliches, warped by psychotropic-induced originality and vague social commentary.

Orc Stain appropriately follows an Orc, named One-Eye for his distinguishing physical feature. Endowed with the supernatural ability to locate the weak spot in practically anything, One-Eye literally has an eye for safe-cracking. When he's betrayed by a thieving accomplice, Pointy Face, he finds himself not only outrunning a "punch-up" in the plains city of Skrubtown, but also evading the Orctzar's encroaching hordes of the Deep South, who are looking for a one-eyed Orc of prophecy. In his attempts to flee, One-Eye encounters a swamp-dwelling Poison Thrower, Bowie, and her living garment companion, Zazu. Bowie's original intent is to sell One-Eye to the Orctzar's spindly-limbed minions, but when One-Eye is stolen from her and is imprisoned in the belly of an enormous, impenetrable beast, Bowie sets out to save One-Eye and, out of principle, kill as many Orcs as possible in the process.

With issue 7, readers see the newly liberated One-Eye and Bowie start a tenuous camaraderie as they attempt to make their getaway through Mondo Pass. Readers are also treated to a glimpse of One-Eye's past, when he would have been more appropriately titled Two-Eye. Stokoe's cartooning is lush and his coloring is intensely vivid. The deepening dynamic between One-Eye and Bowie is titillating, and Bowie herself may be one of my favorite characters of all time. She's that girl that everyone has known in real life and with which everyone has an ongoing love-hate relationship--that manic, independent, dignified beauty. Zazu is of course quite the conflicted badass as well, wrestling with his unfettered dedication to Bowie, but also his unbridled scorn for One-Eye and all Orcs. Zazu gets a good amount of page time here, demonstrating his interesting personality as well as his uniquely illustrated skill set.

I couldn't think of a more perfect book to be our first spotlight during our Image Comics celebration. I urge everyone to beg, borrow, steal, gronch-chop, and safe-crack to get your hands on Orc Stain 6 and 7, and also the gorgeous Orc Stain Volume 1 trade, which collects issues 1 through 5 and has quite a bit of informative, brilliant, and hilarious supplemental materials.

Let the head-raking commence!

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12