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The Chair
Richard Sullivan is an innocent man struggling to escape his fate on death row. Witnessing the brutal torture and murder of his fellow inmates, will he find a way to survive or will the insane events of the prison finally consume him? A horror/thriller set on death row, THE CHAIR is a dark character study on the choices people make in life. Can you overcome your past or will you be doomed to repeat it? Everything is not what it seems and sanity is such an easy thing to lose.
136 pages, Paperback
First published October 15, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 6, 2016
Very, very creepy! Originally written in 2015, this new edition comes out in anticipation of the movie release. It also includes the screenplay and extra artwork. This is a psychological thriller wth horror elements because of the extreme violence. It's very dark and violent but the main character makes you sympathise with him. Then comes the twist which really surprised me and turns this little horror story into a great psychological thriller. I love the artwork. Done in black and white, the lettering is probably the most amazing graphic element. Done in a handwritten scrawl with white letters on black it just oozes atmosphere. Very well done but not for the weak-stomached.
September 5, 2016
Fantastic and emotional. Love the art and the story's twist. Very well done!
September 26, 2024
Very much half stupid half interesting but the art was sometimes cool
I didn't really find it scary, and the stuff with the devil messaging didn't really go anywhere. The twist came out of nowhere but was unpredictable ig
I didn't really find it scary, and the stuff with the devil messaging didn't really go anywhere. The twist came out of nowhere but was unpredictable ig
February 2, 2009
I'll admit that I own no graphic novels other than the spawn compilations, so when they sent me a copy of "The Chair" to review, I was rather excited. The cover is well drawn, although the printing on my copy seems to be shifted to the left, cutting the last letter of each of the authors/illustrators names half off. A quick flip through reveals that the entire book is in black and white, nice touch.
Now our story follows a man on death row, surrounded by the criminally insane of the worst types, awaiting his final trip down the hallway. Quickly we determine that the prison is not all that it seems, the body count is too high with out anyone making a trip to the room containing the chair. Reality twists and churns as our perceptions of what is really happening bubbles in the foam.
The concept of this novel is excellent... unfortunately the execution leaves something to be desired. The background artwork is fantastic, unfortunately the artwork of the people in the story is weak, they are improperly proportioned and sadly all look too similar to distinguish anyone other than our main character... and that's only because he has a beard and is almost always sitting. Another negative is the Dialogue, which is cryptic and bland. Sure the reader gets the gist of what is going on, but having more fluid and specific dialogue would have greatly added to the reader's enjoyment. Though this is not the worst graphic novel I have read, it certainly does not rank among the best.
Kiddie rating for this book is PG 13 porssibly R for profanity, violence and adult subject matter along the lines of child murder/rape/serial killers.
Now our story follows a man on death row, surrounded by the criminally insane of the worst types, awaiting his final trip down the hallway. Quickly we determine that the prison is not all that it seems, the body count is too high with out anyone making a trip to the room containing the chair. Reality twists and churns as our perceptions of what is really happening bubbles in the foam.
The concept of this novel is excellent... unfortunately the execution leaves something to be desired. The background artwork is fantastic, unfortunately the artwork of the people in the story is weak, they are improperly proportioned and sadly all look too similar to distinguish anyone other than our main character... and that's only because he has a beard and is almost always sitting. Another negative is the Dialogue, which is cryptic and bland. Sure the reader gets the gist of what is going on, but having more fluid and specific dialogue would have greatly added to the reader's enjoyment. Though this is not the worst graphic novel I have read, it certainly does not rank among the best.
Kiddie rating for this book is PG 13 porssibly R for profanity, violence and adult subject matter along the lines of child murder/rape/serial killers.
July 15, 2014
I was lucky enough to snag an interview with the creator (Alterna Comics president/publisher), Peter Simeti, about the horror book and its upcoming film adaptation. Woohoo! Really dug the art and the script, they worked perfectly together. Disturbing, intriguing, twisted.
Check out the interview here:
http://endoftheuniversecomics.com/201...
Check out the interview here:
http://endoftheuniversecomics.com/201...
December 4, 2016
Interesting graphic novel that I am sure will make a great movie. The horror in the story comes through great in the drawings. The additional screenplay and background on the set design was also interesting.
I received this book as part of a Good reads giveaway but the opinions expressed are solely my own.
I received this book as part of a Good reads giveaway but the opinions expressed are solely my own.
May 11, 2016
This felt like I was watching an episode of Criminal Minds and how an unsub came into being.
June 30, 2020
Por alguna razón este comic me fascinaba por mucho tiempo antes de leerlo desde la primera vez que supe de él. Pensé que iba a ser una exploración psicológica del sentenciado a muerte pero al final se volvió una trama de telenovela. No culpo que la ilustración no haya sido coloreada, generalmente es mejor dejar el horror a la imaginación limitando un poco la vision. Pero las imágenes deben ser muy poderosas y lo bastante claras para saber lo que esta pasando y no saber a la vez. Eso no pasó en este comic ya que muchas veces tuve que mirar un panel por mucho tiempo, no para apreciar el dibujo, sino para determinar que estaba pasando.
January 1, 2018
I've really enjoyed the Alterna books I've picked up this year, so it seemed sensible to pick up the publisher's own series, despite misgivings about the art, which looks muddied and poorly staged with indistinguishable characters. Turns out the art's better than the script, which is repetitively grim, unsympathetic and one-note, and the disruptively unlovely lettering. Didn't enjoy this one at all.
(Read as single issues.)
(Read as single issues.)
August 15, 2022
I had really high hopes for his adult graphic novel. At the end of the first issue, I thought it would tackle issues with the incarceration complex, or at the very least of whom we consider sinners and who is allowed to reform them.
Nope, this was just a weird little comic that does the obvious and not only fails to talk about mental health in a nuanced way but also kinda victim blames. I disliked it. If it hadn't been so short I would have dnf'd.
Nope, this was just a weird little comic that does the obvious and not only fails to talk about mental health in a nuanced way but also kinda victim blames. I disliked it. If it hadn't been so short I would have dnf'd.
January 14, 2017
The art work was very good, even in black and white. I could not get into the book, just too harsh and horrible to read for me to really enjoy. Do not think this book is for one to enjoy, more to shock the reader and it did.
September 10, 2017
Super twisted
February 16, 2018
very grim, excellent art work and a surprising twist at the end.
November 23, 2019
Interesting.
April 14, 2023
*3.5/5
Not bad, quite enjoyable.
Not bad, quite enjoyable.
June 18, 2012
Mind over body?
This was my first graphic novel to read and review. The format resembled a comic book. It’s drawn in black and white; I would compare it to charcoal art.
The story is about Richard Sullivan’s final days on death row. Simeti leaves nothing out when he describes prison torture, including extreme violence which results in murders, and deep psychological torment.
Sullivan always protested his innocence. This meant nothing to a prisoner on death row with a few days before being executed. He thinks about his life and how he ended up on death row. This isn’t easy as he witnesses prison guards beat and rape other prisoners. He also has learned what crimes his fellow prisoners committed in order to be on death row. It’s not a pretty picture and all this messes with his mind.
The final days are the worst for Sullivan. The guards are more violent to him physically and emotionally. He is at the end of his rope. This results in outbursts of anger as he is just shy of insanity at this point. He does lose it completely and it’s pretty horrifying.
The graphics are violent, no doubt, but it is equally violent as to what goes on in Sullivan’s mind, especially on his final day. I think it proves our minds are more fragile than our physical bodies.
The end has a twist to it which I won’t spoil for readers.
Hats off to graphic artist, Kevin Christensen, for a job well done.
The book is labeled for adults, mature audiences. I agree.
This was my first graphic novel to read and review. The format resembled a comic book. It’s drawn in black and white; I would compare it to charcoal art.
The story is about Richard Sullivan’s final days on death row. Simeti leaves nothing out when he describes prison torture, including extreme violence which results in murders, and deep psychological torment.
Sullivan always protested his innocence. This meant nothing to a prisoner on death row with a few days before being executed. He thinks about his life and how he ended up on death row. This isn’t easy as he witnesses prison guards beat and rape other prisoners. He also has learned what crimes his fellow prisoners committed in order to be on death row. It’s not a pretty picture and all this messes with his mind.
The final days are the worst for Sullivan. The guards are more violent to him physically and emotionally. He is at the end of his rope. This results in outbursts of anger as he is just shy of insanity at this point. He does lose it completely and it’s pretty horrifying.
The graphics are violent, no doubt, but it is equally violent as to what goes on in Sullivan’s mind, especially on his final day. I think it proves our minds are more fragile than our physical bodies.
The end has a twist to it which I won’t spoil for readers.
Hats off to graphic artist, Kevin Christensen, for a job well done.
The book is labeled for adults, mature audiences. I agree.
February 3, 2017
I hate giving negative reviews, and it is possible this one just wasn't for me, but let me tell you... it was NOT for me. I tend not to give books one stars because I realize a lot of work goes into the making of them, especially in a graphic novel, so 2 stars it is for this one. For one, the art was poor - as in, muddy black and grey images where you couldn't even tell what was going on; faces looking so similar I couldn't depict one character from the next. Because of this the book was confusing, since the art did not convey or show what it should/could have. After reading the screenplay, I understood the plot more, however it still was not an extraordinary one. Might reread and update this review.
December 23, 2016
The book is dark and very graphic, and I had a very hard time giving a review of the book since this was my first graphic novel. I enjoyed the art and was surprised to see the entire book was in black and white, the author was very descriptive and I was not disappointed in the twist and turns of the story of the innocent man on death row.
December 27, 2016
I received this book as a First Read. The story is dark and intense. The black and white artwork matches the feel of the story.
September 13, 2023
Very intriguing story so far, left off on a great cliffhanger!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews