The Sickness Volume 1

by Jenna Cha

A teenager in 1945 is suffocated by post- WWII nationalism. A tireless doctor in 1955 desperately tries to find the origin of a new illness. Though these two people are living seemingly disparate lives, decades apart, they will come to understand that their fates are irrevocably intertwined by a rare, horrifying sickness and an enigmatic figure who follows wherever they go. He is known only as The Man. Confined within their eras, they each race against time to escape The Man and find a cure before The Sickness collapses their worlds. This rich and disturbing comic spans four decades of American history to serve as a reminder that the terrors of yesterday are the terrors of today. A sprawling, ambitious, and genre-bending work exploring the socio-political strife that shaped the nation. It’s the crossbreed of I Love Lucy-era pop culture and bizarre body horror in a historical horror epic.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics

160 pages, Paperback

Published June 3, 2025

Reviews

[Kate Victoria RescueandReading · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading “The Sickness” Volume 1 was both puzzling and disturbing. I wish there had been more answers amongst the pages. I just find getting ZERO information frustrating in a series like this. Now I’ll have to wait and see if my library ever decides to get the next Volume in. Several characters are introduced here, in different time frames that jump around. Some are affected and seeing things, others are trying to figure out these patient symptoms. It’s definitely focused on setting the stage for more in the next book.

[Kelley May · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m putting this as placeholder for issues #3-4 since they along with issue 2 don’t seem to be on this app. Man I love this series. So well written, pacing is amazing, art is incredible. Genuinely really creeped me out. Can’t wait to read more.

[B.J. Swann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really a 2.5/5. Nothing new to see here in terms of the writing. A sinister figure causes people to hallucinate, then kill themselves or others. A solitary doctor pursues answers while struggling with your standard grab bag of frankly superfluous personal traumas and dramas. It's all pretty by-the-numbers.

The art is amateurish. Cha is good at drawing ugly, creepy, disturbing images but struggles to capture the subtleties of human faces and expressions. All the characters look old. 14 year olds look 30. Even the child in the church scene looks like a little old person. The female characters have heavy, ugly, masculine faces which make most of them look like Norman Bates in drag.

This comic will help you pass the time in a mildly entertaining way but you'll probably sell it on eBay later.

[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*. I know it’s pedantic but it nags at me someone references the zodiac killer in 1955

[Paul Chandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenna, Lonnie, and Hassan are making something truly amazing here. I found out about this series after following Lonnie from his amazing work in the Little Nightmares franchise and I'm so happy I did. The atmosphere and dread they pack into each of these panels is stunning. The literal story on these pages are just as captivating as the underlying messages and tones of seclusion that the main characters deliver. The dialogue of the "normal" side characters that carry familiar sentiments in the world today is enough to give you chills. Luckily for the reader this is accompanied by the terrifyingly grotesque visuals that really drive the scenes home. People will likely compare this to Ito's work but where characters in his works are one-dimensional and fanciful, Jenna and Lonnie's are lifelike and pensive. If you are a fan of surreal horror in any capacity, this is a must read.

[Rob Crypt · Rating 5 out of 5]

i've waited to get my hands on this for a while and a half, and it was totally worth the wait. the story is well thought-out and very engaging, and i don't even know where to start with my praise of the artwork. i can see this series being a slow-burn as it gains popularity and exposure but it's sure to be a stand-out in horror comics in years to come.

[Pluto Mars · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked the art! rather Western Junji Ito imo

[Neil Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning artwork. Panels that will stay with you for life

[James Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good first volume! Will be eagerly seeking out the second. Absolutely incredible art, we’ll have to see if the build up is worth it.

[Francisco Cesar · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for issue #3. Hell might be 4.5 stars. Quickly becoming one of the best horror books on the market.