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Everything Dead & Dying
Not yet published
Expected 5 May 26The Last of Us meets The Walking Dead in this haunting, rural character piece set during the aftermath of a zombie outbreak.
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.
Eisner Award-nominated creators Tate Brombal (Barbalien, Batgirl) and Jacob Phillips (That Texas Blood, Newburn) team up for this unforgettable original story.
Collects all issues, #1-5.
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.
Eisner Award-nominated creators Tate Brombal (Barbalien, Batgirl) and Jacob Phillips (That Texas Blood, Newburn) team up for this unforgettable original story.
Collects all issues, #1-5.
176 pages, Paperback
Expected publication May 5, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
January 24, 2026
"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.
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.
January 21, 2026
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…
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…
February 6, 2026
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!
Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley!
March 7, 2026
A man who had made a life with his husband and adopted daughter wakes up one morning to find the world forever change. A look at how far one man will go in pandemic times to hold his life together and to keep his town going. And what happens when strangers arrive to take it all away from him? Tragic and beautiful, hopeful and ugly. I highly recommend this one.
March 7, 2026
"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!
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!
January 23, 2026
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.
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.
February 1, 2026
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.
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.
April 7, 2026
3.5*, maybe. A slightly new twist on the zombie genre. Doesn’t reinvent the wheel — some people good, muddling along, outsiders come along and ruin everything. Solitude. Survival. Much trauma. But, an interesting twist on it.
February 7, 2026
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.
February 23, 2026
Graphic novels aren't my typical go-to when I'm looking for my next read but there was something so compelling about the cover imagery and the description itself that I couldn't resist. I was very pleasantly surprised that judging the book by its cover worked out so well in my favor.
This was a harrowing and heartbreaking tale of a man that loves his family so much that he is unwilling to part with them even in "death". The artistry was as beautiful as the story and I will be seeking out more graphic novels like this in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and Image Comics for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was a harrowing and heartbreaking tale of a man that loves his family so much that he is unwilling to part with them even in "death". The artistry was as beautiful as the story and I will be seeking out more graphic novels like this in the future.
Thank you to NetGalley and Image Comics for an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 4, 2026
Keeping your humanity is so hard when the entire world has gone to shit.
March 30, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
What is a person if not memories?
Absolutely devastating and deep character work in such a short amount of time. A unique take on zombies that made the story what it is. Incredible gritty art style that matched the subject matter perfectly.
What is a person if not memories?
Absolutely devastating and deep character work in such a short amount of time. A unique take on zombies that made the story what it is. Incredible gritty art style that matched the subject matter perfectly.
February 3, 2026
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.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC. My tearducts and I really enjoyed it.
Read
February 1, 2026it's super good!!
January 29, 2026
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.
January 16, 2026
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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!
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!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
My thanks to NetGalley and Image Comics for an advance copy of this graphic novel that uses the trope of zombies in a way that is unique and different, showcasing a love a man has for the family he has made, the occupation he is good at, the people of a town he has been at odds with, and the harsh reality of the outside world that makes him face his manufactured reality.
Zombie stories have never really resonated with me. I do like Romero and the 28 Days later series, but most recent zombie stories are just not that interesting. To me they seem more like wish fulfillment, 80's men adventure tales about one man one gun and survival. Just swap zombies for Communists, street gangs, terrorists, immigrants, the other, and have endless stories with these things being shot in the head. And yes I read a lot of 80's men adventure novels, so I am not shaming. Though why something dead cares about the brain being shot I don't truly understand, but one can't put trust in a gun to solve all problems, if the bullet just passes through with no effect. So zombie stories are something I usually pass over, like i nearly did this graphic novel. However it was the cover that got me interested, so I decided to give it a try. One of the best reading decisions I have made in a long time. Everything Dead & Dying is written by Tate Brombal with art by Jacob Phillips and is a story of family, community, the earth, what we try to maintain when things go bad, and loving the undead.
Jack Chandler couldn't wait to leave his small town, one that was not as accepting of what he felt and what he was. However he was a farmer at heart, one with the land, and the land is hard to get out of one's blood. Jack returned with his husband, and his adopted daughter, and carved out something he never thought he would have, a home. Until things went bad. Jack found himself the only one untouched by an epidemic that left everyone around him a zombie. Where others would flee, Jack knew this was his home, his family, and his land. So he continued on. Loving his husband, taking care of his child, cultivating his land, and watching over his community. Until a group of human survivors appeared, and everything started to go wrong.
What a great story. Not a just a great graphic novel not just a great zombie graphic novel, but a great story period. It has been a long time since any story has made me feel so much, a story that just kept delivering emotions highs and lows, a story that I wanted to finish to find out what happened, but one I never wanted to end. Brombal has created a story about family, love and even what this country once had, a feeling of community that is rare in almost all of literature now. All the characters are well developed, even the ones we shouldn't like. Again, rare in comics but very welcome here. Jack is a man who has found what everyone wants, love, acceptance and even when stripped of it, holds on to what he can. He perseveres, even when all is lost. The art is also really good. Jacob Phillips can draw both pastoral scenes, and scenes of grim dark reality equally well, sometimes in the same panel. The violence is real, not movie-like, and carries a real impact. The art compliments the story well, and really gives emotionally heft to the narrative.
So many of us are zombies now, looking at phones watching social media, voting against our neighbors. We can't go on like this, for really this is behavior of the undead, just waiting for a headshot to end it all. A really powerful story, something I didn't expect from a graphic novel, and one I am recommending as much as I can with two creators I can't wait to read more of.
Zombie stories have never really resonated with me. I do like Romero and the 28 Days later series, but most recent zombie stories are just not that interesting. To me they seem more like wish fulfillment, 80's men adventure tales about one man one gun and survival. Just swap zombies for Communists, street gangs, terrorists, immigrants, the other, and have endless stories with these things being shot in the head. And yes I read a lot of 80's men adventure novels, so I am not shaming. Though why something dead cares about the brain being shot I don't truly understand, but one can't put trust in a gun to solve all problems, if the bullet just passes through with no effect. So zombie stories are something I usually pass over, like i nearly did this graphic novel. However it was the cover that got me interested, so I decided to give it a try. One of the best reading decisions I have made in a long time. Everything Dead & Dying is written by Tate Brombal with art by Jacob Phillips and is a story of family, community, the earth, what we try to maintain when things go bad, and loving the undead.
Jack Chandler couldn't wait to leave his small town, one that was not as accepting of what he felt and what he was. However he was a farmer at heart, one with the land, and the land is hard to get out of one's blood. Jack returned with his husband, and his adopted daughter, and carved out something he never thought he would have, a home. Until things went bad. Jack found himself the only one untouched by an epidemic that left everyone around him a zombie. Where others would flee, Jack knew this was his home, his family, and his land. So he continued on. Loving his husband, taking care of his child, cultivating his land, and watching over his community. Until a group of human survivors appeared, and everything started to go wrong.
What a great story. Not a just a great graphic novel not just a great zombie graphic novel, but a great story period. It has been a long time since any story has made me feel so much, a story that just kept delivering emotions highs and lows, a story that I wanted to finish to find out what happened, but one I never wanted to end. Brombal has created a story about family, love and even what this country once had, a feeling of community that is rare in almost all of literature now. All the characters are well developed, even the ones we shouldn't like. Again, rare in comics but very welcome here. Jack is a man who has found what everyone wants, love, acceptance and even when stripped of it, holds on to what he can. He perseveres, even when all is lost. The art is also really good. Jacob Phillips can draw both pastoral scenes, and scenes of grim dark reality equally well, sometimes in the same panel. The violence is real, not movie-like, and carries a real impact. The art compliments the story well, and really gives emotionally heft to the narrative.
So many of us are zombies now, looking at phones watching social media, voting against our neighbors. We can't go on like this, for really this is behavior of the undead, just waiting for a headshot to end it all. A really powerful story, something I didn't expect from a graphic novel, and one I am recommending as much as I can with two creators I can't wait to read more of.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Image Comics and NetGalley for the ARC!
I've really been exploring genres outside my comfort zone lately; I'm not generally a comic reader but the cover along with the synopsis really intrigued me. I love zombie stories that focus on humanity and the choices we make in the aftermath of widespread tragedy. One of my favorite games, The Last of Us, came to mind when I saw this comic on NetGalley. Of course, stories like this also hit harder after living through the COVID pandemic.
This story follows a farmer, named Jack, who is a gay man with an adopted daughter. He spent his life on the outskirts of his community, fighting to be accepted for his sexuality, and tending to his farm. Eventually, they do come to accept him, his husband, and his daughter. I think the addition of Jack's sexuality really added to the story and gave it a lot more depth beyond your "average" zombie story. It anchors why Jack feels so protective over the town he'd come to love.
When tragedy strikes, Jack is left the only remaining human in his small town because he's immune. He spends years in routine, feeding not only his husband and his daughter, even as zombies, but all of the members of his community. He notices that they follow the muscle memory of their last days before becoming sick, and helps them continue that pattern every day.
While in most stories, the arrival of other humans would be a relief, but for Jack it's his biggest nightmare. This group of strangers, from a civilization a three day trip away, don't understand Jack or his love for his community, even in death. As a result, they try to eliminate the people he loves, and that is where this story really shines. It brings to light important questions about love, loyalty, understanding, and of course, humanity.
I flew through all 5 comics in one sitting, and while semi-short, they really built an intriguing world. I loved how the panels switched between the past and present, really highlighting the rut that Jack found himself in, reliving the last day before he lost the people he cared for the most. Are they really dead, or just transformed? Are they still the people they once were, somewhere deep inside?
The illustrations and story were both wonderful and I'm giving it 4 stars.
I've really been exploring genres outside my comfort zone lately; I'm not generally a comic reader but the cover along with the synopsis really intrigued me. I love zombie stories that focus on humanity and the choices we make in the aftermath of widespread tragedy. One of my favorite games, The Last of Us, came to mind when I saw this comic on NetGalley. Of course, stories like this also hit harder after living through the COVID pandemic.
This story follows a farmer, named Jack, who is a gay man with an adopted daughter. He spent his life on the outskirts of his community, fighting to be accepted for his sexuality, and tending to his farm. Eventually, they do come to accept him, his husband, and his daughter. I think the addition of Jack's sexuality really added to the story and gave it a lot more depth beyond your "average" zombie story. It anchors why Jack feels so protective over the town he'd come to love.
When tragedy strikes, Jack is left the only remaining human in his small town because he's immune. He spends years in routine, feeding not only his husband and his daughter, even as zombies, but all of the members of his community. He notices that they follow the muscle memory of their last days before becoming sick, and helps them continue that pattern every day.
While in most stories, the arrival of other humans would be a relief, but for Jack it's his biggest nightmare. This group of strangers, from a civilization a three day trip away, don't understand Jack or his love for his community, even in death. As a result, they try to eliminate the people he loves, and that is where this story really shines. It brings to light important questions about love, loyalty, understanding, and of course, humanity.
I flew through all 5 comics in one sitting, and while semi-short, they really built an intriguing world. I loved how the panels switched between the past and present, really highlighting the rut that Jack found himself in, reliving the last day before he lost the people he cared for the most. Are they really dead, or just transformed? Are they still the people they once were, somewhere deep inside?
The illustrations and story were both wonderful and I'm giving it 4 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
“Maybe life ain't meant for living.”
Everything Dead & Dying by Tate Brombal follows Jack Chandler, the last living survivor in his small town after a zombie outbreak—but instead of killing the undead, he has been living alongside them for the past decade, including his husband and their daughter Daisy. He maintains their routines and feeds them, trying to preserve some version of the life they once had. When outsiders arrive and threaten to destroy what remains of his family, Jack has to decode how far he’s willing to go to protect the people he loves.
I'm not really sure what I expected from his one, but it was pretty sad. I liked how it focused on grief and love. It's definitely not a typical zombie survival story. I actually do feel like something was missing story-wise. I would have loved to learn more about the zombies themselves, why Jack is immune, and how the outbreak worked. But I also understand that this probably wasn’t the point of the story. The focus was on Jack and his relationships. I still think there could've been more.
Until the end, I wasn't really sure on which side I was. I didn't know what I wanted Jack to do. He loves his husband and daughter and would do everything to protect them, and I really hoped for an happy end tbh. 😭 But also, they're like ... dead. There are zombies. They got infected. They died. Is it okay to kill living humans just to protect you family that is already dead? Man, I don't know. He needs to let go. But I have no idea if I could this. They're dead, but still there ...
“Life is for living, I know that now. I only wish I learned it sooner. I wish I got to tell you all of this, too. And I wish I got to show you the world, 'cause for you it never got bigger.”
Overall, an interesting graphic novel with beautiful artwork and a very different take on the zombie genre. This was more emotional than I expected. I will definitely think about it, that's for sure.
This book comes out on May 5th, 2026.
Thanks to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Everything Dead & Dying by Tate Brombal follows Jack Chandler, the last living survivor in his small town after a zombie outbreak—but instead of killing the undead, he has been living alongside them for the past decade, including his husband and their daughter Daisy. He maintains their routines and feeds them, trying to preserve some version of the life they once had. When outsiders arrive and threaten to destroy what remains of his family, Jack has to decode how far he’s willing to go to protect the people he loves.
I'm not really sure what I expected from his one, but it was pretty sad. I liked how it focused on grief and love. It's definitely not a typical zombie survival story. I actually do feel like something was missing story-wise. I would have loved to learn more about the zombies themselves, why Jack is immune, and how the outbreak worked. But I also understand that this probably wasn’t the point of the story. The focus was on Jack and his relationships. I still think there could've been more.
Until the end, I wasn't really sure on which side I was. I didn't know what I wanted Jack to do. He loves his husband and daughter and would do everything to protect them, and I really hoped for an happy end tbh. 😭 But also, they're like ... dead. There are zombies. They got infected. They died. Is it okay to kill living humans just to protect you family that is already dead? Man, I don't know. He needs to let go. But I have no idea if I could this. They're dead, but still there ...
“Life is for living, I know that now. I only wish I learned it sooner. I wish I got to tell you all of this, too. And I wish I got to show you the world, 'cause for you it never got bigger.”
Overall, an interesting graphic novel with beautiful artwork and a very different take on the zombie genre. This was more emotional than I expected. I will definitely think about it, that's for sure.
This book comes out on May 5th, 2026.
Thanks to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
Review of advance copy
It always astonishes me that the zombie genre has mutated into a bloody pulpit of guts and goo. There’s certainly a place for that kind of exploitation of fiction, but there’s always been an intrinsic sadness in the zombie mythos, I feel. Writer Tate Brombal and the immensely talented artist Jacob Phillips seem to agree. This is an undead story set on the prairie, tasked with both a confrontation of the comfort we find in spilling blood, even from the most monstrous among us, and an examination of the grief we endure for the dead, even those long past the societal drawn window of what is acceptable. It’s the former that I found most intriguing, as Brombal tilts the genre towards a sobering view of the violence. We forget the undead were once living, their bloodshot eyes once filled with joy. Now they’re hungry and scarred, mutilated and limping, but still living in your memory’s eye. With that comes a nuanced question: How can we so easily muster up violence to dispose of them? Brombal seems to be the first, I can recall, who asked how our bloodthirst can match that of the carnivorous undead. And to do it so quickly, with glee even. Of course, Phillips' art is spectacular. Water colored dreams, wielding light with life and death, and all of it directed with beauty and ease. Never understated, and never blocking out the writer behind him. It’s a perfect tandem, working hand in hand to keep the lights on for a genre that is too often missing its poignancy. A genre long overdue for a rekindling of maturity, a genre that is too commonly handled by teenagers seeking a quick high from explosions and sex. There’s always been a beating heart here; we just have to be willing to break the rib cage open and dig through the spoiled guts to find it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I think Everything Dead & Dying is a great example of how to write a miniseries. Its only 160 pages for the completed edition, which I read, but it wraps up in a way that feels complete even if you personally would like to see it continue. The premise is interesting as we don't really see zombies portrayed in popular media as docile or manageable. They're always out to get the protagonists and that couldn't be more different in this series. The climax of the story takes place essentially in the span of one day as the main character, Jack, begins his day the way he always does, by feeding his family. When outsiders invade the town that he has worked so hard to keep alive, he has to fight for what he knows to be right in his heart, even if it goes against what others think. The way that this story is told, with flashbacks to Jack's life from before, gives us his backstory in a way that feels natural and doesn't bog you down with information all at once. It shows him to be a flawed but ultimately loving husband and father whose sole purpose in life is to take care of his family and you feel your heart break with his as that is taken from him. The other characters have enough depth and character description to feel real but not steal the light from Jack. The art in this is beautiful, gruesome, and cruel, which I absolutely loved. It's full-color illustrations add a richness to the story that I feel is diminished in black and white graphic novels. Overall, this is a tragic story of loss and love and I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be seeking out the author's other works in the future.
Thank you, Netgalley, for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you, Netgalley, for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy
They tricked me into buying queer fiction by dressing it up in zombie apocalypse drag.
In this volume, we have 5 issues of apocalyptic depression that would have been stretched to 13 issues if this was The Walking Dead. It doesn't skimp on the trauma, as the protagonist lives out the end of the world, the destruction of his relationship at the hands of alcoholism, and the rampant homophobia of small town America.
Jack Chandler makes the most of the apocalypse by tending to his neighbours as if they were crops on his farm. Strange given the town wasn't all that nice to him in life. There's a definite melancholy to that, but it's probably not the healthiest coping mechanism.
It all comes crashing down when what's left of "civilised society" comes knocking, claiming to be working in Jack's best interests. Of course, they cause his whole world to fall apart. Much like the relationship between society and the gay commuties of middle America. I hesitate to compare it to the assimilation offered in Sinners (2025) because I'll be accused of being a broken record.
As the plot rumbles on, Jack has to finally come to terms with the death of his family and community, mostly in arguments with a TWD style cast of survivors. While I see the point they're trying to make, there's no denying Jack was probably doing better without their "help."
I don't know what to make of the ending, if Jack becomes someone more at peace with his life or if he makes like the zombies of his town and slips back into the peace of regular habits as he vanished into the distance. Still, it's a story well worth your time.
In this volume, we have 5 issues of apocalyptic depression that would have been stretched to 13 issues if this was The Walking Dead. It doesn't skimp on the trauma, as the protagonist lives out the end of the world, the destruction of his relationship at the hands of alcoholism, and the rampant homophobia of small town America.
Jack Chandler makes the most of the apocalypse by tending to his neighbours as if they were crops on his farm. Strange given the town wasn't all that nice to him in life. There's a definite melancholy to that, but it's probably not the healthiest coping mechanism.
It all comes crashing down when what's left of "civilised society" comes knocking, claiming to be working in Jack's best interests. Of course, they cause his whole world to fall apart. Much like the relationship between society and the gay commuties of middle America. I hesitate to compare it to the assimilation offered in Sinners (2025) because I'll be accused of being a broken record.
As the plot rumbles on, Jack has to finally come to terms with the death of his family and community, mostly in arguments with a TWD style cast of survivors. While I see the point they're trying to make, there's no denying Jack was probably doing better without their "help."
I don't know what to make of the ending, if Jack becomes someone more at peace with his life or if he makes like the zombies of his town and slips back into the peace of regular habits as he vanished into the distance. Still, it's a story well worth your time.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Well I guess there are bleaker comics out there, but there aren't going to be that many. A farmer mourns the life stolen from him, as he feeds the few animals in his farm and the few people in his town, doing everything to show love to his husband and surrogate daughter. What's he got to mourn? Just them all being the undead and him being the only uninfected person around, is all. He's stuck with memories of small-town bigotry, while they're stuck in a rut, Groundhog-style, living through the same daily pattern as long as he feeds them and pacifies them. Until some other uninfected people arrive…
This could have been awful – and I can see many people not in the right place for this particular read. But if you have the stomach for the gentle nastiness, the dark humanity, the inspirational hellishness of our farmer's lot, then this is actually going to be a most distinctive book. It proves to be about family, the blood one and the found one, and about how they make you want to make a future when the world has reached its end. Indeed the drive to be loving is strong on these pages – it's just that it's really dreary circumstances in which we're asked to see it.
The art can get some characters confused – the key bridge-top scene particularly – and some of the story can have very familiar tropes and beats. But to me the repetition of the man's last day of real life is definitely in-character and relevant, and the break with the pattern caused by the newcomers very much of interest. Don't expect to laugh once, or find any of this pretty, but it is a compelling story. A strong four stars.
This could have been awful – and I can see many people not in the right place for this particular read. But if you have the stomach for the gentle nastiness, the dark humanity, the inspirational hellishness of our farmer's lot, then this is actually going to be a most distinctive book. It proves to be about family, the blood one and the found one, and about how they make you want to make a future when the world has reached its end. Indeed the drive to be loving is strong on these pages – it's just that it's really dreary circumstances in which we're asked to see it.
The art can get some characters confused – the key bridge-top scene particularly – and some of the story can have very familiar tropes and beats. But to me the repetition of the man's last day of real life is definitely in-character and relevant, and the break with the pattern caused by the newcomers very much of interest. Don't expect to laugh once, or find any of this pretty, but it is a compelling story. A strong four stars.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
Review of advance copy
I don’t usually read or watch alot of Horror media (certainly not the post-apocalyptic zombie kind), but the premise of this kinda intrigued me, although this still ended up being terrifying and depressing (especially the last 2 issues I think, but mostly the final issue). The artwork wasn’t my favorite, but it definitely capture the gnarly body horror and gore, and at times it can be really intense. The writing is where it excels, and I liked how the lore/world-building was woven into the story through character dialogue, and the flashbacks were interesting and added to the story, but the frequent cuts could be kinda jarring and the weird mix of realities that’s shown in the artwork felt kinda cinematic, but it was kinda awkward given the style of the artwork itself. The characters were interesting, if not a bit archetypical (especially the survivors who come into town), but Jack was definitely the most fleshed-out character (pun not intended), but he was definitely flawed, and given the ending, it does make you wonder what’ll happen next, but I think it’s best that this remains as a standalone miniseries.
Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this if you don’t like horror, or horror with really intense and sad moments. It’s an interesting premise, but the bleak tone and atmosphere really brought it down for me, and I know that that’s supposed to be the point, but I wouldn’t be surprised if other people look at this as yet another instalment in the “Bury Your Gays”/“Queer Trauma” subgenre of tropes.
Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this if you don’t like horror, or horror with really intense and sad moments. It’s an interesting premise, but the bleak tone and atmosphere really brought it down for me, and I know that that’s supposed to be the point, but I wouldn’t be surprised if other people look at this as yet another instalment in the “Bury Your Gays”/“Queer Trauma” subgenre of tropes.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.*
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.*
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.50/5.00
Firstly, thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
After a virus has turned all of Jack's rural hometown into zombies, he finds himself continuing his daily routine working among the undead. For 12 years, he's spent time taking care of the town and its inhabitants including his undead husband and daughter before outsiders come knocking on his door and change everything.
This was a great read. I don't necessarily think this did anything revolutionary for the zombie genre, but the story had such great tension and tone throughout. Every choice by the characters felt so reactionary, but I think that fits with their world. The ending is where I expected it to go, but as I was reading I was still rooting for a better outcome even knowing that the world Jack has survived in all those years is not the start of something new, but the end.
The art was phenomenal. The color use to show how bright and vivid his memories were versus the grittiness and more muted tones for the current world helped really make the flashbacks/memories distinct from present day. I also really thought the muting of colors on the issues back page as well as the crack widening as the issues went on was a super cool touch and I liked that even though it's a collection, they included those end pages.
Firstly, thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
After a virus has turned all of Jack's rural hometown into zombies, he finds himself continuing his daily routine working among the undead. For 12 years, he's spent time taking care of the town and its inhabitants including his undead husband and daughter before outsiders come knocking on his door and change everything.
This was a great read. I don't necessarily think this did anything revolutionary for the zombie genre, but the story had such great tension and tone throughout. Every choice by the characters felt so reactionary, but I think that fits with their world. The ending is where I expected it to go, but as I was reading I was still rooting for a better outcome even knowing that the world Jack has survived in all those years is not the start of something new, but the end.
The art was phenomenal. The color use to show how bright and vivid his memories were versus the grittiness and more muted tones for the current world helped really make the flashbacks/memories distinct from present day. I also really thought the muting of colors on the issues back page as well as the crack widening as the issues went on was a super cool touch and I liked that even though it's a collection, they included those end pages.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
In the rural Canadian countryside, the sun rises on everything dead and dying - and Jack Chandler, the only survivor of the zombie apocalypse that came sweeping through his town all those years ago. Jack is a good farmer, and like any good farmer tends his flock, which includes his undead neighbors as well as the husband and adopted daughter who once challenged the close-minded attitudes that only small minded, small-town living can offer. But when outsiders discover the town, Jack becomes the only thing standing between the living stranger and his undead found family - and the good farer will have to choose between his flock and the future.
This volume represents the collected episodes (#1-5) of this short comic series, and manages to do in a few short issues what a lot of zombie shows/books cannot do in numerous series. It took a familiar story and brought it down to earth, drawing on heavy themes of family and community; what motivates us int he end; the contrast between living and dying and the cost of moving forward; cold, unfeeling greed (both in a disease and in survivors); and the lengths we go to in protecting the ones we love. I left the story feeling wistful and more than a little sad, and I think anyone who enjoys media such as "The Walking Dead" and "The Last of Us" will enjoy this gorgeous, full-color comic novel in all its wrenching glory.
This volume represents the collected episodes (#1-5) of this short comic series, and manages to do in a few short issues what a lot of zombie shows/books cannot do in numerous series. It took a familiar story and brought it down to earth, drawing on heavy themes of family and community; what motivates us int he end; the contrast between living and dying and the cost of moving forward; cold, unfeeling greed (both in a disease and in survivors); and the lengths we go to in protecting the ones we love. I left the story feeling wistful and more than a little sad, and I think anyone who enjoys media such as "The Walking Dead" and "The Last of Us" will enjoy this gorgeous, full-color comic novel in all its wrenching glory.
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