A band of high school nerds face killer mutant pigs and vicious teenage bullies in their quest to save their city and achieve musical fame. Rafer Roberts (Modern Fantasy) maneuvers his underdogs through a maze of corruption, wickedness, murder, and greed to get them to their ultimate dream: to open for local music legend Tommi Tungstun.
The art team on The Rock Gods of Jackson, Tennessee, combine their talents to give the work a faithful 1980s setting and a traditional superhero comic feel. The blazing color palette from Allen Passalaqua creates a dramatic atmosphere, while lettering from Crank! ramps up the volume to rock-and-roll levels. Artist Mike Norton nails the outcast look in the book's four protagonists: Marty Ward, the kid from the wrong side of the tracks; Doug Cowen, the awkward, geeky overachiever; Jonny Duncan, the reverend's kid; and Lenny Heck, the quiet giant.
The blended efforts of writer and illustrators ignites a swift pace leading up to the gruesome climax: "Oh! Heads up," the narrator warns, "This next part gets a little gross." Juxtaposed with the blood-spattered panels, though, are the life stories that often end up overlooked or discounted, and those details endear the Rock Gods to readers. Few teens are likely to encounter murderous pigs, but plenty will identify with a missing parent, stringent rules, or life simply dealing a bum hand. If readers enjoy Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, 2018's Rampage, or S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders, they will find something to love in The Rock Gods of Jackson, Tennessee.--Jen Forbus, freelancer