Everything Dead & Dying

by Tate Brombal, Jacob Phillips (Artist)

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Horror, LGBT, Queer, Zombies, Fiction

160 pages, Paperback

Expected publication May 5, 2026

Reviews

[Stay Fetters · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I got a vow to keep. Ashes to ashes. And I’ll burn this whole damned world to the ground."

Most of you know this (hell, maybe no one does) but I love books about zombies. They are just so interesting and dead that I can’t help but be intrigued by them. I mean, obviously I have questions about how they came to be but let’s just enjoy their brain-eating joyfulness.

What got me was the unique spin on the zombie-verse. A man living with his living dead family and acting as if everything is normal. That same man taking care of the community that once turned their backs on him and his partner.

This was good and highly unique. The illustrations were amazing and very detailed. The gore and visceral of the zombies were perfection. The story was a decent one, there were parts where it dragged a little but it was still entertaining.

This is definitely the year of deep soul touching zombie stories.

[Alej · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not read the trade, I picked up the issues monthly, but since the trade will collect all 5 issues I’ll just type my review here:

Wowie! This is a story that grew on me. Originally didn’t really mean to keep at it every month, the first issue being rather slow, if cinematic, but I’m glad I kept going with this series because it got really good.

Is it doing anything groundbreaking? No, we’ve seen zombie stories before, and we’ve seen zombie stories that are centered around “humans are the real monsters” as a theme. But Everything Dead and Dying does this story really well especially for how short it is and how “zoomed in” it is. By this I mean that this isn’t about finding a cure, or a group of survivors going to a safe heaven, or a cross country trek like The Last of Us. This is a small scale, grounded story. It really boils down to just one meetup gone awry, and I fucking loved that.

The central conflict in these five issues arises from a series of tense, increasingly escalating, misunderstandings. But it never feels annoying. It makes sense that everyone is on edge in this situation and willing to act with extreme violence and prejudice at the slightest opportunity. The entire time you’re seeing the rubber band get pulled and pulled and pulled until it finally snaps. The whole story probably takes place over 1 day.

Having just watched 28 Years Later, the zombie genre has been swirling in my head, particularly the ones with more philosophical takes. This isn’t as grandiose as 28 Years Later, especially because you don’t really get to learn much about anyone other than Jack the protagonist. But that did not bother me too much. The other group of survivors were there to hold up a mirror to Jack and to topple his house of cards.

Also this has one of my favorite zombie tropes which is that sometimes zombies will just keep doing their routines out of muscle memory if left undisturbed for long enough. It’s just a cool concept that can make for some compelling commentary. Excited that Resident Evil 9 will apparently use that as a game mechanic…

[Ivee Lain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t read a ton of graphic novels these days so I didn’t know what to expect going into this one, but wow. My heart. Gorgeous art and story. I loved the non-linear style of the storytelling itself, especially when contrasting the past versus present in some of those more emotional scenes. I often think about what I’d do if the world really were to end in a zombie apocalypse style, and I do wonder if I’d be a lot like Jack. Grasping at my humanity, at connection, at love, at normalcy. This one’s going to have me thinking about life and death a lot this week.

Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley!

[Bokvandraren · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It always starts the same..."

Jack, en bonde, som överlevt ett virus som drabbat alla i hans närhet och långsamt förvandlat byn till en öde plats full av zombier som fastnat i det sista friska muskelminnet, varför allt börjar som det alltid gör... tills det inte längre gör det..

Ooooo, my oh my! Brombal och Philips bygger upp till en riktig cliffhanger!
Ääääälskar hur berättelsen hoppar mellan nu- och dåtid och hur det flätas samman - så jäkla bra!

Längtar till nästa issue!

[Justin Soderberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eisner and GLAAD-Award nominated writer Tate Brombal and artist Jacob Edgar don't attempt to reinvent the zombie apocalypse with Everything Dead & Dying , and that simple fact works in its favor. Leaving out why and when the world ended, this series zeroes in on a smaller sliver of the painful world left behind. It's familiar territory, but a more intimate and harder hitting zombie story that stands out from the crowd.

Instead of getting bogged down in how the world ended or where the plague came from, the comic zeroes in on something much smaller and more painful: the people left behind. Tate Brombal tells a tight, focused story about one family in one moment, letting the emotional weight do the heavy lifting.

Jack Chandler is the sole survivor of the zombie apocalypse in his rural farming community, but rather than eliminate them, he has chosen to continue living alongside the undead — including the husband and adopted daughter he fought so hard to have. But when his town is discovered by outsiders, Jack suddenly becomes the one thing standing in the way of his family and those who hope to kill them for good.

I am a sucker for any sort of zombie story in comic, movie, tv, or book format. It doesn't really matter. Whether it's the likes of Night of the Living Dead , The Last of Us , or The Walking Dead , I am game. So when you add in the likes of Brombal and Phillips to the mix, Everything Dead & Dying was a must read.

As a huge The Walking Dead fan, I have been searching for that comic story to fill my the void left by the series ending with issue 193 in 2019. Everything Dead & Dying scratches that itch and while TWD will always sit high up for me, what this series does is step up certain spots and zooms way in on a particular story thread which makes it excel.

Everything Dead & Dying is not a groundbreaking comic, but what it does do is give us a short story in a small portion of the post apocalyptic world. Not focusing on the why and where this plague took over, but the human aspect of it all. Brombal purposely focuses on this specific family in this short period of time. This allows for less distractions and puts this story in the forefront.

Similar to some other stories, but still setting itself apart, is the fact that during a zombie apocalypse it's the humans who are the real monsters. This happens both in the past in present of this story, where never wait for tomorrow to show your love for someone when you can today.

What makes this book standout from the zombie horde is the beautifully horrific and disturbing illustrations from Phillips. But it's not just those visualizations, it's the way they go back-and-forth between a more serine past and the bleak and unsettling present.

Everything Dead & Dying is a dark, disturbing, and unsettling slice of the zombie apocalypse. Tate Brombal creates a story that is touching while also extremely sad, while Jacob Phillips beautifully illustrates a world after the fall. Everything Dead & Dying is a well crafted zombie tale in a well-worn path of zombie stories.

The collected edition of Everything Dead & Dying hits local comic shops on April 8, 2026 and May 5 at bookstores everywhere from Image Comics.

[Krystelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I love it when we get something fresh in the zombie genre. While the tragedy has been done for the longest time, I think there’s a certain special feeling that comes with a queer horror that centres the emotion above everything else.

It feels like this book was designed to showcase the impossible choice that would have to be made in this scenario, and it pulls it off beautifully. Jack is clearly a dedicated man, and the facets of his character are explored to the fullest.

I would have loved to see a little more from the apocalypse side of things, particularly the group who find Jack, but I understand it’s hard in short form to give everyone more context. More than anything, I think this is a great illustration of how, even in the worst possible case scenario, people are going to be the monsters.

The art for this book is also just stunning, and it has that really gritty 2000s quality about it that you don’t see in the world of comics anywhere near as much as you used to. It was really gorgeous, especially the landscape scenes, which were just beautiful.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️ thank you to Netgalley for the e-ARC of the trade paperback. just WOW. Really incredible small-town zombie story with a tight narrative and solid pacing. The art is spectacular. The themes of family, queerness, and community are handled with such care, and the zombie horror packs a punch. One of those stories that stays with you for a long time.

[xyZeereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautifully devastating graphic novel about love and loss, and how one man holds on to something when everyone else has let go.

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC. My tearducts and I really enjoyed it.

[Amethyst]

it's super good!!

[Amber Reu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Image Comics for my ARC! A beautifully written and illustrated graphic novel that is heart-wrenching and innovative. I loved this story, and it’s the perfect read for those that love THE WALKING DEAD, THE LAST OF US, or those looking for zombie story with a dash of romance and a lot heart.

[Sam Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shew that was a tough one.

I am so thankful to Image Comics, NetGalley, and the author/illustrator for advanced access before this piece hits shelves on May 5, 2026.

Jack and his family live a simple life is Caverton, isolated from big cities and making do with the lush farmland on the property. That is until a unique flu sickness rips through the world, turning its inhabitants into a flesh hungry zombies, but for Jack that just won’t do.

[Brian Shevory · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to Image Comics and NetGalley for the advanced copy of Tate Brombal’s exciting take on zombie horror, Everything Dead & Dying. This comic was surprising for a few different reasons, and they were all good diversions from zombie horror. In fact, I think that this story presents the kind of survivor story where the competing goals and hopes of survivors become more of the horror than the actual zombies. Nevertheless, these pages are filled with decay, gore, and violence, all while providing an inventive and emotional rendering of this kind of horror.
The story focuses primarily on Jack Chandler, a man who lives in a remote rural farming community with his husband and daughter. We learn that Jack’s father left him the farm and land despite being estranged from him due to Jack’s sexuality. Through the use of flashbacks throughout the story, we learn more about Jack’s challenges to find acceptance in this small town with his husband and daughter. Although they face some discrimination, they eventually grow as a family and become a part of the greater community. Nevertheless, once Jack’s husband and daughter begin experiencing flu-like symptoms that seem to infect other members of the community, things change for Jack and the town of Caverton. Jack’s story is told through flashbacks, where we see the past through colorful and sunny panels that contrast with a kind of harsh, dark and bloody panels of today. Jack, seemingly immune from the virus that transforms residents into zombies, has decided to take care of the infected and feeds them to ensure that they no longer attack. Furthermore, as the resident zombies are fed, their muscle memory allows them to maintain their previous lives, following a bland routine of behaviors and actions that they carried out during their lives. This creates a kind of groundhog’s day like scenario where Jack lives both in the past and the present. His memories of the past, when his husband and daughter were among the living are intercut with the present. Although his family and neighbors have no language and can only communicate through grunts and guttural noises, Jack still provides for them, ensuring a level of dignity and humanity that others might find strange or even problematic.
One such group of survivors does encounter Jack’s family, initially killing Jack’s zombie mailman who meets with him on a regular basis. Sensing the threat to his family, Jack proceeds to hide them from this group, although the group wants to not only rescue Jack, but also see what kind of supplies and resources he may have to offer. Harboring a zombie family creates a standoff as Jack wants to maintain his memories and past, and not have an intrusion on his private life. I loved how the horror shifted from the zombies, who are relatively passive as long as Jack feeds them regularly, and the band of survivors, who want to shoot first and ask questions later. To me, those kinds of confrontations in the house in Night of the Living Dead or in the mall in Dawn of the Dead always were just as scary, if not scarier than the zombies themselves. Brombal’s storytelling is excellent, as he makes almost a disorienting use of flashbacks to help us understand the kind of mind state that Jack finds himself in, trying to push aside the grief and maintain some semblance of his life, keeping the town running and ensuring the zombies have a steady diet of flesh. Phillips’ artwork is equally jarring in the contrast between the past and the present. In particular, the depictions of Jack’s zombie daughter, Daisy, are really disturbing in the best way possible. While this isn’t necessarily a fun horror story, it does raise some great questions about survival and about our daily lives and activities in general. In particular, I also felt like it raised questions about nostalgia and the past, and whether we are looking to move ahead or whether we want to reside with a dead, rotting past. The story felt particularly relevant in today’s US political climate as there’s almost a kind of nostalgic infection that’s seemed to grip a part of the population. Although I doubt that this group will read this book, Brombal and Phillips have created a great twist on zombie horror that has everyday relevance. Highly recommended!

[Ashley (mishm_ashofbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, this rating is mainly based on my own feelings and experience with this story, not necessarily on the objective quality! This review also contains spoilers on some big plot points, so be aware!

I think I went into this story excited about this premise but with slightly wrong expectations, which is why I didn't quite enjoy it as much as I had expected. I loved the idea of our main character choosing to stay in this town and live in harmony with the undead and the tension that the arrival of this other group of people brought. However, as someone who doesn't usually read much horror, I was completely thrown off by the things that happened and especially by the death of Jack's husband and daughter. Like I said, this is entirely on me, and not on the author, but I just hated that we didn't get any type of happy ending. In my opinion, this conflict could've been so much more interesting if it focused way more on the different beliefs of these two sides, and exploring their different opinions and experiences, while maybe finding some sort of consensus or compromise, (or even the decision to leave each other alone again), instead of simply killing almost everyone. I really wanted to see more of Jack's way of life and have him show the others how he was able to live in harmony with the undead! But I understand that's more personal preference and might not quite fit in a storyline that's supposed to be gory and horror-filled. I also really struggled with some of the language used against minorities, and didn't think it was necessary to use slurs against both gay and black people.
However, I do still want to give the author props for coming up with this story, which seems like a bit more of an original twist on your usual zombie apocalypse stories, and I thought both the writing and the art was really well done. So, not quite my cup of tea, but could definitely be loved by lots (and probably most!) other readers!
Thank you to Netgalley and Image Comics for the eARC!

[Adam Sorensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Tate Brombal's Everything Dead & Dying, the zombie apocalypse is presented as a world of preserving memory while decay takes hold. Alongside Jacob Phillips' stunning artwork it is a remarkable piece of horror storytelling about the things we preserve.

The core of the story is protagonist Jack Chandler, the only survivor of a zombie outbreak in the small town of Caverton, Canada. His daily life consists of maintaining a steady food supply and tending to his "flock", the undead townspeople who seem docile enough if well fed. He also cares for his husband and adopted daughter who both became undead when the apocalypse began.

As he cultivates the land, he also cultivates the zombified townsolk. He keeps the town fed to preserve some degree of habit and normalcy in a decaying world. The novel brilliantly contrasts the bucolic nostaliga of Jack's farm life in the past against the horrors of his present, particularly in the first issue which provides a fantastic narrative hook. It's a remarkable opening statement that had me completely sucked in.

From here the story explore thornier, more complicated territory. It asks how we continue tending to a place that caused us so much pain in life, and what can we do when the land and its inhabitants is coming to an end. So much zombie media is focused on the moment of catastrophe or exploring what comes after, but "Dead & Dying" insteads occupies a middle space. Through Jack's character we're presented with a world trapped in amber, one where the world can't move on. It's deeply fascinating stuff, and so beautifully rendered by Brombal's writing and Phillip's stunning art.

It's getting to the point where I will instantly read anything that Image Comics put out. They clearly have such love for supporting the visions of truly talented artists, and Everything Dead & Dying continutes this trendly beautifully.

Many thanks to Image Comics for the review copy of this one! The collected edition comes out this April, absolutely check it out.

[K.C. Norton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hi! Looking for a comic that will emotionally eviscerate you? Did you perhaps love the early days of "Walking Dead," but want something with a slightly different twist on zombie lore? Does life have you so depressed that the only thing that can take the edge off is media that is also deeply depressing? Great! I have a rec for you.

I'm predisposed to love zombie stories, so I'm definitely biased here. At its best, zombie lore has something to say about our relationship with death, and this series most certainly does. The more we learn about Jack, and about his relationships with the people in his town, the more it becomes clear that he's not simply hanging onto the past. He's taking care of people he loves, even when they're (maybe, mostly) gone.

I appreciated that this comic makes two simultaneous arguments, one for valuing life and one for valuing love, and it never comes cleanly down on who's right and wrong. Some of the characters are pretty awful, but others are just trying to do the best they can in a situation where nobody can win.

For a comic series this short, I think it did everything it set out to do in a way that was fast-paced but not rushed. I think the version I read had some extraneous pages that will probably not make it into the final print run, but I hope they keep the end pages; I appreciate the attention to detail as things fall apart.

4.5*, beautiful and heartbreaking, and more emotional than a comic with this much gore has any right to be. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of the complete anthology.

[~Mandy~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🪝 A gorgeously illustrated, heartbreaking graphic novel about a farmer who chooses to care for the undead, his family included, until outsiders arrive and wreak havoc on his small town.

💙 What I Liked:
I read this novel as a compilation of issues #1-#5, so I was able to get the entirety of the story at once. The illustrations were incredible, they added so much to the atmosphere of the story.

The story itself tells the heartbreaking love story of our main character, Jack, who lives with his husband and their daughter on a farm. Until the virus hits. Told mostly in flashbacks between present day and Jack’s memories, I felt a real emotional connection to our main character.

This graphic novel has a good mix of horror, gore, emotional moments, and tragedy. I enjoyed the way we were able to see things from our main character’s perspective, as it made everything hit so much harder.

💔 What Could’ve Been Better:
This may be a personal preference, but I wish we had spent more time in this world. It felt like it went by way too quickly, and everything progressed so fast that we weren’t able to explore some of the great setups the story gave us.

🧐 Overall Thoughts:
A fantastic read for fans of zombie stories such as The Walking Dead and Last of Us. If you’re on the fence, pick it up. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

~ Thank you to NetGalley and Image Comics for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review! 📚 ~

[Maykala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything Dead & Dying is a comic with an interesting take on a zombie story. The story follows Jack Chandler. Jack lives on a farm. He is the only survivor of a zombie apocalypse in his small community. His family and friends are now part of the undead and instead of fighting against the zombies, he chooses to live alongside them. This gets complicated when outsiders find the community he has been able to keep standing.

Jack’s solitude is deepened by his hold to the past. As the undead around him go through the same motions day after day, Jack is forced to confront his life before the zombie apocalypse. He thinks about the joys of being a father and the ways he failed his husband.

I really liked the route this zombie story takes. Across the five issues you get a real feel of Jack, who he used to be, what his life looked like before and why he tortures himself with this endless cycle of living the same day over and over among the undead. While a part of me wanted this story to go on longer, I appreciate the story that gets told and how it wraps up.

If you like:
-Zombie stories
-The Walking Dead
-The Last of Us
-From

I think that Everything Dead & Dying will be a great comic to pick up!

*e-ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*

[ShamNoop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley and Image Comics for the book,

"At the end of the world, where are you meant to go?"

Everything Dead & Dying is the story about one man's desperate, pathetic, and pitiful inability to let go, framed by all the gory glory and horror of a zombie apocalypse and by a struggle with faith in the form of devout Christians as antagonists (though are they really bad people?).
Brombal's characterisation is fantastic here, every single character manages to have a distinct voice and design, the prime focal point and protagonist Jack Chandler tying everything together through the use of extensive flashbacks throughout his life contrasted with the present day reality that he simply refuses to accept. It's almost admirable how hard he holds on, and deeply tragic to see the story give him what he really needs, the thematic writing shining despite the simplicity of the writing. The art is also brilliant, the action and physicality of the characters particularly standing out, the sense of momentum and movement of Jacob Phillips' art lending an excitement and visceral nature to the whole story that the writing would lack on its own.

Overall, a fantastic comic well worth anyone's time.

[DollarBin ComicWin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story of grief in a world left to a lone man attempting to keep his world alive in the midst of death.

Trigger warnings: Death, domestic abuse, bigotry & racism, grief of loved ones, and gore.

Routine is the savior of the day and grief is the true monster. Loneliness can make a person do incredible things, and guilt, even more so. From the opening page, the art lunges at the reader to tug at its heartstrings. There is genuine humanity bleeding into the pages that only the soulless would miss. The story feels like it could be happening in the background of any zombie feature, though the art, tone, and themes do evoke ‘The Walking Dead’.

In this reader’s opinion, this is genuinely one of the most beautiful, heart-wrenching stories that deserves more accolades and recognition than I fear it will ever receive. The main concern being it may ignored by some due to a slow burn first issue, but that slow burn sets up something that honestly moved this reader to tears and will be devouring this story again in the very near future.

Anyone who enjoyed ‘The Walking Dead’ and ‘That Texas Blood’ are sure to enjoy this series.

An absolute must-read, ‘Everything Dead & Dying’ brings heart to a rotten world.

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything Dead and Dying is a dark, wicked, fucked up tale of a man named Jack Chandler just trying to live out the rest of his days with his zombie daughter, Daisy, and his zombie husband, Luke.

This is a very bleak book, and it never really has a happy moment because everything you expect to happen does. Jack has spent years in the small town of Caverton, stubbornly maintaining a dreamland routine where he feeds the undead, even chopping up livestock to keep his former neighbors satisfied, so he can continue to walk among them without being attacked. It’s a grim, heart-wrenching look at a man who refuse to let go of the family he worked so hard to build.

So of course, it all goes to shit. The delicate balance Jack created is ripped apart when a group of outsiders arrives in town and immediately starts popping zombies, oblivious to the fact that they are killing Jack's family and neighbors all over again. As the town descends into chaos, the story forces you into a corner with heavy moral choices. It asks you straight up: what does it mean to be alive or dead?

For a story that finds humanity in the most rotting, hopeless places, it’s a solid 4 out of 5.

[Pam Grigsby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This is one of the most powerful and heartbreaking things I’ve ever read. It actually made me cry. I never expected that a comic book could do that, but it absolutely wrecked me.

This follows Jack, a farmer who *thinks* he is the last human on Earth, living among the dying. He’s lost everything but is holding onto it all so tightly. His husband, his daughter, his friends, his enemies… He takes care of the dead as if they were still living. They let him continue living. Every day starts and ends the same, in that same house with his same dead husband and daughter (in zombie form), until it doesn’t… And that’s when this will just run you over 50 times and drag you behind it for miles.

I loved this so much. If you are a fan of The Last of Us or Fallout, I think you would enjoy this story.

CONTENT WARNINGS: There is some nudity, explicit language, and some offensive language directed at the LGBTQIA+ community, as there are flashbacks to the main character’s traumatic experiences surrounding him discovering his sexuality before meeting his husband. Overall, this comic is incredibly graphic and does also depict graphic images of violence toward animals.

[Book Club of One · Rating 3 out of 5]

An almost meeting of Night of the Living Dead and Groundhog Day, Tate Brombal’s Everything Dead & Dying sees Jack Chandler as the apparent sole survivor of a zombie outbreak, continuing his career as a farmer and family man in a small town.

As the narrative unfolds, we see Chandler living at home with a daughter and husband, but their lives seem to be split between what Jack imagines and a much worse reality. His days follow a standard format, he wakes early feeds the family and then goes off to work at the farm, making sure everyone is fed and happy.

Following familiar tropes, this not quite idyllic pattern is interrupted when armed strangers arrive in town looking for supplies and food. What follows is Chandler struggling to keep his family safe as the outsiders do what has let them survive this long, kill zombies.

The covers for this series are the highlight, showing the contrast between regular rural life and zombies. Chandler had a hard life, finding someone to love and acceptance in his small town. Part of the plot discusses his difficulties with his parents, especially with a father who disowned him for being gay.

In general though, it follows a standard zombie story. There has been a stable stasis in the town, Chandler found a way to live, the zombies he cared for had their own needs met and kept a sort of routine. But then outsiders come and destroy what has been out of their own greed and motivations. Someone is bound to get bit.

Who will be left to ride off in to the sunset?

I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.

[Meagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe the real zombie apocalypse is the family we made along the way. 💕

Full disclosure, I don’t know much about comics, so I’m not sure how this compares. However, what I *do* know about is dystopian media. I can’t get enough of the stuff! I’ve pretty much seen every iteration of zombie dystopia one can imagine, and I can confidently report that the genre has pretty much been picked clean to the bone. And yet, this series still managed to grab me by the ankle! After just one issue, I was already rooting for this queer little family. (Not only are there two dads, but two-thirds of them are undead. A family can truly look like anything. 🫶🏻)

While many dystopian works hit on the whole "humans are the real monsters" thing, this story felt beyond your typical do-what-it-takes survivalism. It touched on the very human impulse to erase what doesn’t belong. Jack knew what it meant to exist on the margins and to build a family that others might not understand or accept long before this apocalypse. I appreciate this fresh take on a well-trodden genre.

Thanks to NetGalley and Image Comics for the ARC. All thoughts are my own, for better or worse. (I said what I said!)

[Kay West · Rating 5 out of 5]

A queer zombie horror that is also a tender love story.

Tate takes such a unique approach to the zombie apocalypse by imagining zombies as falling back into their usual routine. As long as they are fed, the mail carrier continues to deliver mail, Jack's husband continues to make 'breakfast' and his daughter wakes him up every morning. The small farming town Jack lives in continues to bustle with Jack feeding the town in the morning with animal meat, and then he continues to grow his crops and farm his animals. Year's later uninfected people arrive and throw off the delicate balance Jack has cultivated.

This horror comic ties in the fast-paced action that zombie survivalists love to read about with a gorgeously tender and heartbreaking love story of a man so deep in his grief that he can't let his family or his community go.

Pick this up if you love
- Zombie apocalypse stories
- Twist on the genre
- Are the zombies really that bad?
- The dark things we do for love
- A tender and heartbreaking love story

This book is best read while feeding chickens, the fingers of your enemies.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you netgalley for an eARC of this in exchange for an honest review

Everything Dead and Dying is a bind up of volumes 1-5 of the comics of the same name. We follow a farmer surviving in a zombie apocalypse who is stuck repeating out his days as he’s as stuck in his memories as the dead.

I always go into zombie stories with the assumption that it’s going to be commentary on power, control, and death, and while this was certainly that, it did so from the perspective of a gay man with an adopted black daughter who for once didn’t actually seem interested in doing more then existing.

The artwork and color work of this comic was extremely well done and really drove the impact of the flashbacks.

I do wish that we had spent more time learning about the outsiders as there was just enough focus on their personalities and stories to give the reader a taste, but not enough to expand them beyond a vague hope of more then a stereotype.

I will absolutely be looking into reading more from these creators.

[Kaitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

This was a great graphic novel - it hit the perfect balance of thought-provoking and heartfelt, while also full of action and horror. I thought it had a strong story, with a relatable and flawed MC. This is far from a light story, with moments of homophobia, gore, and grief, but it was a quick read nonetheless. It was an impactful meditation on grief, and how the ones we lose never really leave us, sometimes literally.

The art was well done, and I thought the parallels of past and present were presented in a compelling way. This is not your average zombie story - I thought it was a unique take that will stick with me for some time beyond the last page. I would recommend this graphic novel to anyone who likes the zombie genre (with the caveat that you should be in the mood for heavier/more emotional).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this arc. These opinions are my own.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated and incredibly unique spin on a zombie story.

Twelve-years-ago, a flu-like virus brought about the living dead and Jack Chandler has been maintaining his farm, and keeping the zombies in Caverton fed and docile ever since, including his husband Luke, and their adopted daughter Daisy.

'Everything Dead & Dying' is a story of loss, acceptance, queer identity, and what defines humanity when faced with a world that has blurred the boundaries of morality and necessity.

The story is told in a non-linear series of flashbacks, interspersed with the current day, when a group of survivors, searching for their new utopia stumble upon Caverton, Jack, and the community he's kept, well, not "alive" but... functioning.

With excellent pacing, a heart-wrenching narrative, and full of some exceptionally juicy (sorry!) illustrated gore, 'Everything Dead & Dying' is a fresh spin on the zombie genre.

[Frank Chillura (OhYouRead) · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY DUCK! HOLY DUCK! HOLY DUCK!!! (quack quack quack)

This is for fans of the best episode of The Last of Us (you know the one) and The Walking Dead. It’s emotionally draining and so action-packed, you can’t stop reading or look away.

Everything Dead & Dying isn’t a happy story. There is no fairytale ending. Almost everyone in this story is dead or will die, so don’t expect a cure. This is about grief and loss and what the death of everyone you care about would do to you mentally. It hurt to read it and I loved it immensely. If I could cry, I’d be a blubbering mess, because he’s all alone with the zombies of his loved ones. What good he has is taken from him by a group of people looking for resources. And that makes it all the more worse.

I will be recommending this to everyone I speak to. I am crushed and blown away all at once!

Thank you to Image Comics and NetGalley for my gifted eARC.

[Kelbee Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything Dead & Dying by Tate Brombal completely surprised me in the best way. This was my very first experience reading a comic/graphic novel and I enjoyed it so much.

The story itself is quiet, emotional, and deeply human. Set against a post-apocalyptic backdrop, it’s less about the end of the world and more about love, memory, and grief. The queer love story at the heart of this book is tender and beautiful. Despite how quickly I tore through it, the emotional impact was huge.

The art is stunning, soft, and haunting.

If I had one wish, it’s that this were a full-length novel so I could spend more time with these characters and know them even deeper but despite the short format I mourn for them and their story.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. This was an excellent first graphic novel experience for me.

[Amelia Suedel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Image comics for a digital copy in exchange for my review!

I usually do not favor zombie media, they are by far my least favorite paranormal creatures. But I was drawn in by the cover and the description of this graphic novel. Overall I enjoyed it, and it was very heartful and sad to read. I empathized with both sides and I appreciated how the plot made me think and consider what I would do in that situation. There was a lot of random killing for my taste, but that is to be expected with a zombie story. I just wish I learned more about the visitor's personalities and where they came from. I didn't care about them or their deaths and I felt like more depth could have been added.