The Well

by Jon Allen

Cute characters, quarter-life crises, chemical supplements, and corporate catastrophes… Jon Allen’s cult-favorite online comic is now a must-read graphic novel!

Veronika is 24 and tired: of her crummy boyfriend, of living with her parents, of feeling stalled out while everyone else moved on. With a new job coding software for a “wellness” company that makes brain-boosting energy drinks, she finally has a chance to turn things around. At this rate, Veronika may never feel tired again!

But as she gets more comfortable with the office and the people in it, Veronika stumbles upon surprises in the dark that leave her questioning everything she thought she knew about the world… and about herself.

With confident cartooning and expert pacing, writer/artist Jon Allen makes his Top Shelf debut as a must-read storyteller whose anthropomorphic animals feel exquisitely human. The Well combines deadpan dialogue with thrilling plot twists, and its skepticism about techno-utopian promises is matched by its affection for relatable characters. Fans of offbeat slice-of-life stories with a hidden dark side (Bojack Horseman, Severance, The Menu, Get Out) will plunge into these pages and resurface, gasping, at the story’s end.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics

720 pages, Paperback

Published April 8, 2025

About the author

Jon Allen studied illustration at Pratt Institute and holds a master's degree in painting from Cranbrook Academy of Art. He teaches foundation drawing. In addition to "Ohio Is For Sale," he wrote and illustrated "Vacationland," a self-published graphic novel.

Reviews

[Sarah B · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this fun yet mysterious graphic novel this morning when I had woken up early and felt like reading something. This turned out to be the perfect choice as it was way more interesting than I had expected. There is a lot of plot stuff packed into these pages... Some diabolical stuff. I was utterly surprised. And absolutely hooked too! Reading this was almost like watching one of those creepy movies. You know the kind, right?

All I can say is that poor Veronica has most definitely gone to work for the wrong company. There is some next level stuff going on in that building. Unfortunately she will find out the hard way. And like any great character in a mystery, Veronica likes to poke her cute nose where it doesn't belong. Because she is nosey.

I also liked that in here Veronica is trying to figure out who she is. She's unsure what she wants. And so she is exploring and trying things out. But she's not very bold, even if she does do that snooping. She's the quiet girl who will hold her tongue, scared to speak up and ask a question when she needs help. Unfortunately this sort of personality can make her an easy victim in the freaky scenario going on with her employer!

Yes, this was a fun pleasure read. And the artwork is very cute.

The general story is more Goosebumps than Stephen King, if that helps any. Hopefully it does. And whatever you do, don't go down into the basement! Something may be waiting for you down there.

I would read this again as it's just pure fun.

[Ayxan · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Click click click goes the mouse, tap tap tap goes the keyboard. And everything else disappears.”

A slice-of-life story that turned dark and intriguing quite quick and kinda unexpected (pacing-wise). In a good way. I loved the daily life parts, and I loved the sneaking around, detective-like parts.
(The publisher suggests similar shows being Bojack Horseman, Severance, The Menu, Get Out; I haven’t seen them though, so can’t confirm.)

By the way, don’t be put off by the page count! It’s printed in 1:1 format (18x18 cm) and there’s always 1-3, sometimes 4 panels per page. The artstyle is very stylized, comic format, giving Cartoon Network (Bluey, Peppa Pig, Inside Job) vibes. Definitely cool and cute, but not very detailed, so you’ll get through it pretty quickly. It took me about 6 hours (I’m a slow reader).

I feel like the art would’ve made the experience more “intense”, if the pages were colored. On the other hand, the black & white makes it look “retro”. (Even though it plays in a modern age. Around 2020 I’m guessing?)

Characters:
• Veronika was so similar to me (in many aspects) that I wondered whether the author was spying on me while making this... creepy, but ... well, I could relate to her on many levels.
• Persephone was cool from the beginning, her name suits her well, lol. (Well, only in one aspect actually, but if you get to the point, somewhere in the middle, you’ll know. Maybe. 😉) Although sometimes too cool for my taste, but alright.
• Dave was ... idk, meh. I had a weird feeling about him at first, then he grew on me, then he continued to be annoying, and at the end... I don’t know. He’s a good person and I understand & feel for him, but I wouldn’t necessarily want to have him around much, you know? (Basically, went like this: “He’s a nerd. He comes prepared. He’s me. Why did I dislike him?”, 10 pages later: “never mind, that’s why.”)
• I liked Susan, though. She kinda reminds me of the bats from ‘Tom und das Erdbeermarmeladebrot mit Honig’ (german cartoon). Maybe I’m biased cause I just love Kuuru types, but I wouldn’t mind a spin-off with her as the protagonist.
• Jake, Susan’s husband, not so much. Had a bad feeling about him the moment I saw him playing golf in his office. Although I do kinda agree with his views on everyone’s contribution to a goal.
• Jim was nice. Mysterious, but kind. Kind of? There is quite a twist in there that could potentially make him more ‘evil’ than Jake, but ... he was kind and nice to the main characters overall, so ...

Apropos ending: is there gonna be a sequel? On one hand it’s pretty self-explainable how the story goes/continues. On the other hand, I want more. You could actually make a lengthy series out of this, there’s definitely potential. However, it’s also quite intriguing to leave things ‘open’ and leave the readers – especially fanfiction writers – to their imagination.

Well, definitely recommend The Well!

Representation:
• There’s hetero relationships, it’s overall quite heteronormative, but there’s also a sapphic romance and an openly homosexual character (without homophobia).
• Bi + questioning
• Feministic; the women are independent and most men respect the women (in some ways; the respect isn’t gender-related).
• Protagonist is a coder and not a nerd (yes, these two don’t always go hand in hand!), and coding isn’t portrayed as hacking or as a suspenseful job (actually the opposite lol).
• A visually impaired character, who might be blind, but maybe isn’t? Not sure, but something definitely happened to his eyes (it’s literally shown later on, but not elaborated how much he can see).

~

Thank you to IDW publishing for an e-ARC.
 
-26.03.25 

[Curious Madra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks Netgalley and publisher for this graphic novel.

Honestly enjoyed this novel, so easy to read and we got the ultimate Veronika x Persephone ship so happy out 🏳️‍🌈👩‍❤️‍👩

[Justin Reedmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Well is a charming, slice of life style tale, with well written dialogue, a charming art style and very relatable characters and a sci-fi side (main?) plot about the company they all work for doing nefarious things. I question whether it's a side plot, because it feels like one, but the book takes it's title from here. Honestly, this whole bit always feels like a side track, or a play for humor that doesn't land, and I kind of wish it were lifted from the story all together so we could just spend more time with the characters just living their lives as that's when the book is at it's best.

B plot aside, the low stakes, grounded plotline is more than reason enough to give this a read.

Arc Provided by NetGalley & IDW

[Art · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free eARC of this graphic novel through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I think that maybe I am too old for this book. It came across to me as slow well into it. Then again, that could be because I'm closer to my three-quarters life crisis. I can see how this could appeal to a younger crowd. And it did build up nicely. I think I especially liked the end. It is not one I, personally, would read again, but I think younger readers would enjoy it.

[Tara Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Likable and enjoyable characters. Very relatable as well. Easy to keep track of storyline. Some fantasy and (mystery) as well. Art is charming and cute! The last few pages of course was such a cliffhanger!!!!! I want more 😭😭😭

Thank you NetGalley!!!!!

[Eleisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Random but cute! Kept me entertained

[Theodora · Rating 2 out of 5]

It wasn’t bad but neither did I find it amazing

[Niche · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lovecraftian horror, energy drinks, millennial ennui, and romance.

[Sam Quixote · Rating 4 out of 5]

Veronika gets a desk job at a company that makes energy drinks or herbal supplements or… something. It’s a murky operation and what’s in their products is murkier still. With her new colleagues Persephone and Dave, they set off to find out the secrets of the company deep down in… The Well!

Jon Allen’s latest Ohio-based animal-headed cast comic The Well is his best one since Ohio Is For Sale. The Well is both a compelling look at life in your 20s/the search for identity and a portrayal of the current toxic climate of wellness and productivity and its impact on society.

I really liked the main character a lot - she’s very relatable and endearing. We meet Veronika at a transitional moment in her life. She’s left her shitty dad and indifferent mother at home for a run-down apartment, recently vacated by her ne'er-do-well boyfriend who’s touring Ohio with his band, and started a new job - both are stepping stones to somewhere better, eventually, but the crappiness of her situation mirrors her internal conflict.

And that’s what I would’ve preferred the whole book be about: an exploration of Veronika’s dark well of feelings and why she’s trying to disappear/hide. Because, for me, the only part where the book becomes dull is the hammy action melodrama that’s shoe-horned into the final act to give the story the feel of a finale.

There’s a literal well that has to do with the company’s product and… well, without giving anything away, it’s a fairly meh reveal. Allen falls back on cliches in this part, even throwing in an expository speech from the villain too. I think the book would’ve been better without this forced melodrama or the supernatural sub-plot, which sat awkwardly amidst the mostly slice-of-life story.

Besides the actual well beneath the company, the well could be a reference to the metaphorical well Veronika feels within her, representing her empty life; it could be a reference to Radclyffe Hall’s classic lesbian novel The Well of Loneliness; it could be a reference to the wellness industry the company’s engaged in and the quest for feeling “well”.

There are also themes of the consequences of unfettered industrialisation/capitalism, and the goal of constant high productivity having negative impacts on the environment and people. Dave is frequently pushing himself to be better and more productive and is arguably the least happy person in the story. Material success is kind of empty and no substitute for human connection, which is something that continually evades him. Jake and Susan, the company owners, are even more warped because of similar motivations. Persephone meanwhile is happier because she’s less concerned with productivity and enjoys life for what it is.

I don’t want to make it seem like the book is overly intellectual, just that it’s deliberately layered and I appreciate when a creator does that - it shows they’ve thought about their project and really made an effort. You can totally just read and enjoy the book for its surface level story, which is very entertaining and an accomplishment in itself.

Like Jason, Allen draws his characters with animal heads, though, similar to Jason, his stories aren’t childish. The style is simple yet effectively expressive and appealing to look at. The book reminded me a bit of Seth at times too - the shots of empty places, the black and white colouring, the moody narration. All to the good - Jason and Seth are both world-class cartoonists!

Jon Allen just makes good comics. I’m always pleased to see a new book from him and he doesn’t disappoint with his latest. The Well is a fun contemporary mystery/light horror comic with some thoughtful character moments and cultural commentary mixed in. Well worth checking out.

[François Vigneault · Rating 4 out of 5]

For nearly a decade now Jon Allen has been slowly but surely building out his own little universe, centered on the fictitious town of Piney Bluff, Ohio: A strange corner of the post-industrial Rust Belt where adorable anthropomorphic animals drink, do drugs, fall in and out of lust and love, and generally get into trouble. Across the increasingly ambitious graphic novels Ohio is For Sale, The Lonesome Era, and Julian in Purgatory this odd yet instantly-recognizable environment has taken on a very clear form. Allen’s crisp black-white-and-gray drawings linger on the details of American life circa the turn of the millennium: Abandoned factories and depressing chain restaurants dominate the landscape, while the characters’ homes are strewn with the detritus of mass-produced consumer goods that promise, in vain, to dull the pain of a quickly-vanishing working-class life that seems to be getting a little bit worse with every passing year.



In The Well, Allen’s latest stand-alone graphic novel (and at a whopping 720 gorgeously-drawn, fast-reading square pages, his heftiest so far), it seems as though a sea change may be at hand. Veronika, an intriguing young woman with a black bob and pointy ears who has made appearances in all of Allen’s Piney Bluff stories, finally takes center stage. We initially find her at the Dead Dog, a trashy dive bar where her good-for-nothing boyfriend Matt and his hard-drinking pals are celebrating the upcoming pan-Ohio tour of Matt’s metal band Carnosphere (Spoiler alert: You should never, ever date a musician).



Veronika is clearly out of place and out of sorts. At the ripe old age of 24 she’s already plagued by self-doubts and regrets: Did she make a mistake by dropping out of college? Was it a bad idea to move back in with her parents and her little brother Camden (the closeted teen protagonist of The Lonesome Era)? Yes and yes, in her withering self-assessment. But perhaps things are looking up for Veronika. While Matt is off playing shows (and playing the field), Veronika is staying at his “gross little apartment,” and starting a new job as a database technician at a growing local company that makes “herbal supplements” (or is it energy drinks?). Compared to the drunks, drug addicts, and depressives that make up her circle of friends, Veronika seems distinctly upwardly mobile. Will she achieve escape velocity and break the cycle?

Read my full review on The Comics Beat

[Peter Derk · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of like what you'd get if Jeffrey Brown, in one of his earlier memoir books, fell into the upside-down from Stranger Things, but also we still had the romantic drama happening simultaneously.

I get it, we're all tired of capitalism. I know I am. But...I don't know, I guess I'm also a little over the narratives about companies behaving badly. I mean, it's still happening, totally, but...

Maybe I feel like very few narratives about it give me what I would call an interesting reason outside of money. Money is certainly a realistic motivator for this crap, but I just want to read stories that give me a little something more.

In fact, why don't we do Pete's Top List of Motivations in Fiction That Could Use a Rest:

1. Children: "I have a child at home, I need to escape this deadly situation." Yeah, I mean, sure, but I don't really think that's an interesting motive, per se, as a viewer. Especially because it's often a shortcut. I never actually see the person interact with the child or get a sense they're an involved parent or whatever, we just see a picture of their kid taped (impractically) to the flipdown visor in their car. Plus, I mean, we get a lot of "hitman with a heart of gold" shit from this angle, and I'm over it. If you care about your kid a lot, maybe consider that killing people for a living jeopardizes them, and if you're really worried about that, work at Arby's.

2. Money: Just boring. We get that in real life, and all these people with their money don't really do much interesting stuff with it. Proof? There still isn't a working jetpack out there. Elon Musk could be zooming around like The Rocketeer, but he's not. Honk shoo.

3. Medicine/Medical Procedure: Kind of similar to money. Guys, here's how this works: You don't NOT get a medical procedure because you can't pay for it, you get the procedure, then you're slowly crushed by the debt AFTER. I suppose there are situations where procedures, not covered by insurance, may be accessible if you get a bunch of money, but, see, we're right back into money as motivator. Plus, 9 times out of 10, we're talking about a kid needing a procedure, so we've basically combined boring tropes 1 and 2 into a The Blob of boredom.

4. Overly Reasonable Revenge: John Wick killed a bunch of guys who curbstomped his puppy. I mean, come on. That's TOO reasonable. Whatever happened to petty revenge, doing something that's really not all that reasonable because, I don't know, some asshole made fun of you in grade school, and now they're going to pay? Let's get some revenge that's really not reasonable, but it exists, and we kinda get it.

[Dan Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leave it to dogs to best represent the doldrums of young adulthood. Jon Allen’s The Well a comic featuring anamorphic dogs that are stuck living human lives. Veronica is 24 trying to live on her own for the first time and dealing with all the problems that come with it including an untrusting boyfriend who is more interested in music than being a responsible adult, and a job that lacks purpose but pays the bills well enough. However when Veronika walks down the wrong stairwell she discovers something far more nefarious is going on in their lifeless Office Space.

Allen’s artwork is deceptively simple like you would see in classic newspaper strips for a more modern age. With the 4:5 aspect ratio and use of the four grid structure feels like a comic ideal of catching up on through Instagram or other social meda platforms. That’s not to say it doesn’t read well in physical form, in fact it reads much better being able to see details that may be easier to miss on your phone screen in between all the noise social media brings.

Despite the fact these characters are dogs that’s never really called attention too. No cheap jokes revolving around that way characters interact outside of a sex scene or two which was extra humours because after a while you forget these characters are in fact dogs and then that moment happens and your brain gets reminded regarding what exactly you are reading.

The reason why it’s easy to forget is because Jon Allen has a really natural way of writing dialog. Anyone who has spent time in an office or went out to a bar after a day of mindnumbing work will find plenty to relate to regarding how those situations are approached. There is a good balance here in how the drama is both intriguing while never falling victim to becoming overwrought melodrama. At its heart it is a very human story.

I was reminded of something like Scott Pilgrim, not in the way the story is executed but how you have this relationship drama that has this more fantastical element in the background that becomes a bigger and bigger part of the story before it takes over. To be honest I didn’t need that part of the story but I got why it was there as it gives a grander mystery beyond where’s everyone sleeping tonight.

So if you are looking for a breezy read that feels like an adult animated show that’s never been made for someone reason in comic book form Jon Allen’s The Well gives you plenty to enjoy.

[kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5, maybe leaning to 4? really enjoyable graphic novel with cute characters that can be complicated, a plot that appeals to young college aged or 20’s adults, and some events that i would even call twists!!

veronika was moderately complicated imo. you could tell she was just trying to find herself as she moves away from home and starts a new job, starts having a new couple of friends. i think she’s complicated because her actions are reasonable for someone her age but she doesn’t make every single best decision ever.

then persephone isn’t too flat either, with the way she says she won’t get with straight girls then spoiler alert she does. and dave too is multifaceted because he’s nerdy and adorable yet cheesy and kiddish and annoying.

the boyfriend was so flat and forgettable i knew he was fooling around on her from the beginning idk. but he does have this way about him where he seems not to be hiding anything - he could’ve just totally lied but he didn’t, he was just like “yeah we hooked up i thought that was okay” which is like obviously veronika didn’t think that was okay so im guessing maybe he had been lying to her before, but his outright matter of fact way about things made me like, did he just innocently actually expect a polyam relationship without saying anything? is he just actually dumb as the fuck? leaning towards he’s just outright dumb rather than an evil cunt

the character design was something i really enjoyed, you could easily tell who was who even though the characters were all pretty similar looking with the same bodies head sizes eyes etc.

i didn’t expect this to be so focused on the job and what was going on there, but i admittedly didn’t read the description. hehe i liked the character style, big font, big panels that took up most of the page, and said fuck yes. it didn’t disappoint

[Marcy Lewis Glover · Rating 4 out of 5]

***ARC from NetGalley***

What a delightfully quirky book. It is two stories in one. Veronika is sick of her everyday life: her parents suck, her little brother is well, a little brother, she has been unemployed for a year, and her long term boyfriend is going on tour for the entire spring. He offers for her to stay at his apartment while he is gone so she can have privacy and maybe figure out who she is and what she wants. Over the course of those months, Veronika's life takes some odd turns. She settles into her job, makes friends, learns her boyfriend is a jerk, explores her sexuality, and discovers the secret in the basement at work. I won't say anymore, but this was a lot of fun and I think left the door open for a sequel.

[Dakota · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Netgalley ARC review*

This slice of life graphic novel follows a down-on-her-luck coder as she starts a new job at a "wellness" company. Veronika, our main character, is messy, and seems to complicate her new friendships at her job after a breakup from her loser boyfriend. The story takes a turn when a strange, Lovecraftian creature is discovered within the company.

This was ... fine. It had an interesting premise but I felt like I the story kept getting dragged down by Veronika's general malaise and weird take on everyone around her. I feel like the most interesting part of the story -the well- was very much overshadowed by Veronika's life as an aimless young adult navigating her relationships. It kept me entertained and was a quick read despite being over 700 pages.

[Ije the Devourer of Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was great.

Veronika has a new job and although she is tired of the corporate world, it pays the bills. Her life is in the doldrums with a crummy wanna be rockstar boyfriend and a relationship that is going nowhere fast.

Her new job is for a “wellness” company that makes brain-boosting energy drinks, but all is not well at this start up, because people keep disappearing and there are strange things happening in the office basement.

This is a fun graphic novel with friends, romance, darkness, mystery and grit and something that swims in the basement. What is really happening in this company? and will Veronica and her colleagues be able to do anything about it?

A very satisfying read.

[PyranopterinMo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable quickie. The artwork is charming the characters are too except for the sleazy ones who are cute but evil.
The story is really simple- a girl in a dead end job with a dead end boyfriend except her new job is could really lead to a dead ending.
If this was not a graphic novel it would be a mediocre short story- almost an H.P. Lovecraft story. The minimalist but very expressive art fills in what is missing.
Violence but not especially graphic, nudity and some sex but not at all graphic or titilating.
There are enough characters and surprises to make this a decent read.
I strongly recommend this if you like the art and the idea myterious things beneath the surface of an ordinary industrial workplace in Ohio.

[Chrissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher for honest review.

I absolutely adored this graphic novel, Veronika was a perfect protagonist who is stuck in a rut and trying to find happiness for herself after leaving her terrible boyfriend and starting a strange new job. Each character within the story has a fleshed-out and unique personality, the main sci-fi plot paired with the background relationships the characters are exploring gives the novel a well-roundedness that many graphic novels can lack. I am also left interested by the open-ended-ness of the final scene and wanting to learn more about the janitor and monster.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sharp, fast-paced portrait of underpaid, stuck young adults navigating a world that promises more than it delivers. Despite its hefty 700+ pages, The Well reads like a breeze—funny, relatable, and quietly devastating. The story balances a humorous workplace satire with a subtle techno-thriller edge, set in a near-future that feels all too familiar. Beneath its sci-fi sheen lies a story about Gen Z workers trying to break free from stagnant jobs and impossible economies. The art style is thick-lined and fun—anthro-dogs I think—and the tone is both LGBTQ-inclusive and very hooman.

[Maki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e copy!

Veronika is tired of her failing rockstar boyfriend and living with her parents, she gets a desk job at a company that makes “energy drinks”
She quickly finds out things at work aren’t as they seem.

Absolutely loveeee veronika’s character! She is trying to get her life together but as we all know, that’s not a simple task. She is shy, charming and just trying her best.

Was honestly nervous when i saw it’s 722pages long but there isn’t a lot of text and the pacing made it fly by! I really love the contrast between the cute animal characters and the darker themes/plot. Really loved the art style but a personal preference is i would have liked it more if it was colors instead of gray scale.


Definitely worth the read if you like graphic novels that combine genres, you get sci-fi, slight horror, mystery, romance and a bit of everything else😂
Loved the lgbtq+ representation <3

3.75☆ rounded up to 4☆

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Let's start running some tests.
Find some people we can afford to lose."

A dissatisfied twenty-something discovers a nasty secret hidden deep in the bowels of her new workplace. Creepy, sinister fun is guaranteed for all.

[Harrier Mageli · Rating 4 out of 5]

WONDERFUL!! And very skillfully made, it flows very nicely and the characters feel like natural extensions of real people problems. The ending is a bit too action packed for what it was going for but still a solid read.

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun little tale! Loved it!

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This artist never has a bad book!

[Emily Villarreal · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved this book wish there were more

[Philip Marinello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saw this at the library and it caught my eye. Really fun little read and I’d love to check more of Jon Allen’s stuff out!

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Readable and well drawn, but meh. Not for me.

[Alastair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the other book by Jon Allen I read, it was easy to read and entertaining enough but very predictable and rather mediocre.

[Joshua Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

unexpected venture from Allen, but very enjoyable