From writer Donny Cates, artist Geoff Shaw, published by Image Comics. This book collects issues 1-6. 

I picked up this collection only because I’m enjoying Cates’s Crossover so much. Part of Crossover (spoilers) involves the sword from this book, Valoflex. All I knew of God Country is that this magical sword first appears in this comic. To my surprise this story is about much more than a sword. 

Emmett Quinlan is an old widower with alzheimers who is fading away more every day. His son and his family come out to help but it’s too much for them. Emmett is getting louder, meaner, and the possibility of someone getting hurt grows stronger as he goes downhill. From nowhere this 12 foot sword crashes down from the heavens. Emmett picks it up and he’s not as good as he once was but he’ll be good once as he ever was. This sword brings back a clear mind and a passion. A passion to spend time with his family, enjoy life, and feel like the patriarch just one more time. With the powers this sword bequeaths there is of course something just as powerful that will come looking for it. 

When people ask where to start with comics, this would be a great one. There’s nothing more that needs to be read outside of these six issues and the story is so good, nothing more is needed. 

While I was expecting an epic sword battle this is really a story about one last adventure. Emmett, through the sword, is able to get his mind together to stand up one last time. He has something to fight for and maybe one last lesson too. It’s not even about legacy, it’s about proving oneself one last time. Ironically, I read this comic right before watching Ric Flair’s Last Match and I think there are parallels. Emmett’s story is much better than that match was, but there are similarities. A man who is falling apart but finds a means to pull it together once more for one epic fight. One more time to leave a memory before the memory leaves.