This new release from Image comics is something a little outside the superhero schtick to say the least. The central character, Todd (surprise!), is a kid who’s constantly bullied and is considered so ugly by his mother that he’s forced to wear a bag on his head. Add a ‘mutton dressed as lamb’ mother, a heavy drinking father, a neighbourhood bully and a child serial killer and you have the foundation for an interesting comic series.

This is a story that has the potential to veer solidly into Archie / Dennis The Menace neighbourhood sitcom territory but it manages to achieve exactly the opposite – an edgy, funny, adult comic. Sure, there are some low moments where the story skids into stereotypes but they are far outweighed by the dark humour and a pretty stark portrayal of Todd’s day-to-day life. M.K. Perker’s art is a great match for the story and Kristensen’s writing is more than solid, including a handful of actual laugh out loud moments, something I don’t experience very much in comics.

Todd, The Ugliest Kid On Earth is now on my monthly pull list – kudos to Image Comics for giving series like this a platform to grow. You can buy the digital version here, otherwise hit up your nearest comic shop for a copy. I have a feeling I’ll be sorry to see this title end after its slated four issues.