Ice Cream Man #3 Review

Long Live Rock n' Roll

Written by: W Maxwell Prince
Art by Martin Morazzo / Chris O'Halloran
Publisher: Image
Release Date: 21 March 2018
Reviewed by: Andrew McAvoy

I'm a big fan of Neil Young. I still buy his albums. Even though they are increasingly random. I've even bought the one that him and Jack White recorded in the "vintage record your own record booth" which had such bad sound quality. Anyway, that's neither here nor there. The point is that when Neil Young stands with a guitar, even now aged 72, he assumes a superhero-like power. Last year when I saw him he just looked possessed with the spirit of rock n' roll. It's the look that has been distilled perfectly into the main character on the cover to this book. Let's dive in to see if the power of that image pervades the rest of the book...

Yes. Yes. Yes. I love it when I can just gush over how good a book is. Ice Cream Man has been great in its first two issues. This third issue really just plays to my sensibilities perfectly. Firstly the topic is a washed out rock n roll star who "invented rock n roll" before Elvis made his name. This plays into an era of music I love. He's a Bill Haley type, re-imagined years later, when he is mystified by why he only had one hit, and his inability to replicate the success. The zeitgeist has gone though and can't be recaptured. Until he happens upon a mysterious ice cream man. 

 

That's when this book goes into hyper-drive. When this issue's character takes a scoop of the ice cream man's finest, he is transported to the company of the crew of characters from the lyrics of hit records including Eleanor Rigby (replete with face in a jar), Rocky Racoon, Major Tom, you get the picture. It's awesome. Together they go on an epic battle to help our hero recapture the magic. 

Bits and Pieces

The art in this series wouldn't normally entice me in, but coupled with the sheer quirky and sinister qualities of this story (we are still to find out what the ice cream man's agenda is) the art works perfectly. I think that as this series goes on, we are getting pretty autonomous standalone characters, but also a small reveal each issue as to the nature of the ice cream man. I've loved each issue so far, but this one is the best yet. Hey hey, my my. Rock n roll will never die.

8.4/10