EVIL ERNIE (VOL. 3) #1 – Review

EVIL ERNIE (VOL. 3) #1, available from Dynamite Comics on December 1st, 2021, brings readers all the way back to the beginning when Ernest Glickman’s clean cut life as a college student by day and heavy metal rocker by night takes a wicked turn.

The Details

• Written By: Scott Lobdell
• Art By: Ariel Medel
• Colors By: Candice Han
• Letters By: Dave Sharpe
• Cover Art By: Brett Booth (cover A)
• Cover Price: $3.99
• Release Date: December 1, 2021

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Was It Good?

Before you say “Wait a minute?!? Evil Ernie’s last name is Fairchild. What gives?!?”, Dynamite is rebooting the character for a new generation. Despite this being a completely new Ernest, this is an enjoyable origin story with a little cheekiness, a lot of gore, some puking, and pretty much everything you would expect out of an Evil Ernie comic. It’s a new Ernie for a new era.

If you’re new to the Evil Ernie character, read through to the next section for more details on the plot.

I like this comic for three reasons. First, Lobdell keeps the plot super simple. There’s no grand, world-ending events or over-extended setup introducing you to the main character, Ernest Glickman. You figure it out right away that Glickman is as straight and as stiff as an arrow, sometimes making him a pushover from aggressive folks he crosses paths with. You can sort of like him as a decent guy with a good heart but you really wish he would loosen up.

Second, all the core elements that are responsible for turning Ernest into Evil Ernie are there. He has a taste for heavy metal music that serves as a plausible excuse to run afoul of rough characters, there’s proper motivation for him to let loose once things go horribly wrong, and good ole Smiley is front and center for all the action. It’s a different Evil Ernie but enough of the familiar parts are present to prevent this issue from feeling like a completely alien origin.

Third, Medel’s pencils are phenomenal in this issue. Ernest’s too-straight-laced charm is captured perfectly, and every moment of awkwardness makes his turn completely deserved and satisfying. However, the minor down point on the art is the inks. The inking is a little too loose and sketchy for the pencils and the super clean coloring work. In general, the book looks great but the rough inks keep this first issue from elevating to top-notch.

What’s It About?

[SPOILERS AHEAD – Click here if you just want the score without spoilers]

We begin with two police officers arriving at a what they believe is a drunk driver scene. When they try to figure out why the driver is rambling gibberish and throwing up, they search the nearby area to find a biker gang spread out over the side of the road in pieces.

Nearby, a young man wakes up in the woods. He’s confused by what’s going on and the smiley face pin on his coat is talking to him. It tells him to avoid the cops, and he listens, running away to figure things out.

We flashback to the young man, Ernest Glickman, giving an awful campaign speech at college. He’s running for class president, and by all accounts, he’s the perfect guy for the job. Ernest doesn’t engage in any vices, he has a can-do attitude about everything, and he even frowns on public displays of affection with his gorgeous girlfriend, Candice. With the day’s school activities done, Ernest heads out for the evening to give a heavy metal karaoke performance at a nearby bar.

Later, Ernest prepares to go on stage when the lovely bar owner gives him a smiley face pin as a gift for good luck. Ernest wows the crowd and heads home on his little Euro scooter, feeling on top of the world. Before long, a rough-looking biker gang comes up behind Ernest. They decide to have some fun that ends very badly for our hero. We conclude the issue with multiple accidents, flashbacks of paybacks, and a smiley face who’s the only one laughing.

Final Thoughts

EVIL ERNIE (VOL. 3) #1 captures the exact spirit of the titular character with a completely new origin story. The art is great, the story is buttery smooth and easy to follow, and the ending is just enough of a tease to leave you wanting more.

Score: 9/10

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