Few places encompass as much cultural contradiction as the American South, where tradition and rebellion exist in a complex balance. The dividing lines are so delicate it takes an eye familiar with all the nuances of Southern culture to spot them and bring them to the surface.

This is the exact task taken on by writer Jason Aaron and artist Jason Latour in their creator comic “Southern Bastards.”

“Bastards,” which just completed it’s first, four-comic arc in mid September, follows Earl Tubb, an aging veteran who’s father’s death requires him to return to his hometown in Craw County, Alabama for the first time in years.

Earl has no love for Craw County, or the hardened red necks who call it home, but he finds himself drawn in, unable to ignore the twisted control one nefarious “Coach Boss” holds over the community and its people.

Driven by the memory of his father, former Craw County sheriff, Earl dives head first into a blood and BBQ fueled fracas that can only have one victor.

Aaron, writer of acclaimed creator series “Scalped” as well as many Marvel favorites like “Wolverine” and “Punisher,” brings something unique to the shelves with his signature grit and suspense, weaving a raw tale of idealism, obligation, and the powerful pull of morality.

Latour, another weighty name who’s worked on dozens of comics like “B.P.R.D” and “Django Unchained, provides stark illustrations that are a perfect match for Aaron’s story, the palate of colors shifting from muted tones to bold blacks and reds as the story escalates.

“Bastards” is a steaming basket of southern-fried ultra-violence, one that is free of many of the tropes that can bog down a new series. Though to many it’s no surprise Aaron and Latour, as veterans of the medium, have managed to create something special in just four issues.

As southerners themselves, the Jasons provide nuanced insights into the oppressive setting of rural Alabama and tying their own conflicting emotions into every panel. For the creators to have such personal experiences to draw from is rare with comics, but the depth it provides is astounding.

Though short, “Bastards” first arc is immersive and nearly impossible to put down. The action flows seamlessly from page to page, drawing the reader forward at a frightening pace to an unpredictable end that will leave you eagerly awaiting the next installment.