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Rot & Ruin Comic Series #1-5
Rot & Ruin, Vol. 1: Warrior Smart
Brand-new adventures set in the world of Rot & Ruin!
Written by New York Times best-selling author and multiple Bram Stoker award-winner, Jonathan Maberry, this all-new storyline continues events from the award-winning series of novels.
We meet Benny, Nix, Lilah, and Chong as they travel through the Sierra Nevada mountains just one faltering step ahead of zombie hordes and one giant leap behind the plane flying through the sky that set them on their journey of discovery.
Written by New York Times best-selling author and multiple Bram Stoker award-winner, Jonathan Maberry, this all-new storyline continues events from the award-winning series of novels.
We meet Benny, Nix, Lilah, and Chong as they travel through the Sierra Nevada mountains just one faltering step ahead of zombie hordes and one giant leap behind the plane flying through the sky that set them on their journey of discovery.
120 pages, Paperback
Published May 7, 2015
15 people are currently reading
201 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Maberry
519 books7,784 followersJONATHAN MABERRY is a NYTimes bestselling author, #1 Audible bestseller, 5-time Bram Stoker Award-winner, 4-time Scribe Award winner, Inkpot Award winner, comic book writer, and producer. He is the author of more than 50 novels, 190 short stories, 16 short story collections, 30 graphic novels, 14 nonfiction books, and has edited 26 anthologies. His vampire apocalypse book series, V-WARS, was a Netflix original series starring Ian Somerhalder. His 2009-10 run as writer on the Black Panther comic formed a large chunk of the recent blockbuster film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. His bestselling YA zombie series, Rot & Ruin is in development for film at Alcon Entertainment; and John Wick director, Chad Stahelski, is developing Jonathan’s Joe Ledger Thrillers for TV. Jonathan writes in multiple genres including suspense, thriller, horror, science fiction, epic fantasy, and action; and he writes for adults, teens and middle grade. His works include The Pine Deep Trilogy, The Kagen the Damned Trilogy, NecroTek, Ink, Glimpse, the Rot & Ruin series, the Dead of Night series, The Wolfman, X-Files Origins: Devil’s Advocate, The Sleepers War (with Weston Ochse), Mars One, and many others. He is the editor of high-profile anthologies including Weird Tales: 100 Years of Weird, The X-Files, Aliens: Bug Hunt, Out of Tune, Don’t Turn out the Lights: A Tribute to Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Baker Street Irregulars, Nights of the Living Dead, Shadows & Verse, and others. His comics include Marvel Zombies Return, The Punisher: Naked Kills, Wolverine: Ghosts, Godzilla vs Cthulhu: Death May Die, Bad Blood and many others. Jonathan has written in many popular licensed worlds, including Hellboy, True Blood, The Wolfman, John Carter of Mars, Sherlock Holmes, C.H.U.D., Diablo IV, Deadlands, World of Warcraft, Planet of the Apes, Aliens, Predator, Karl Kolchak, and many others. He the president of the International Association of Media Tie-in Writers, and the editor of Weird Tales Magazine. He lives in San Diego, California. Find him online at www.jonathanmaberry.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
February 5, 2015
4.5 stars
I love Jonathan Maberry's Rot and Ruin series. It may be one of my favorite young adult series yet to date. This graphic novel could be a bit spoilery if you haven't read the books so I will give you a heads up on that.
You have Chong, Lila, Nix and Benny still trying to find that jet that flew over, so I'm thinking this should go about midway between reading the books.
This little sucker is as well done as the books are. I'm beginning to think I shouldn't expect any less out of Maberry.
It's a story of it's own too, not just a rehashing of the books! WIN!!
Farmer John has a farm. He has some breeder cows and wants the kids to join in with his crew to re-populate the earth after the zombies have taken over.
Farmer John does remind me of the Governor in the Walking Dead series, but all these books have that feel to me. Not that it's a bad thing, Maberry doesn't try to copy them, he just writes his own version and it's a good one.
The artwork in this book is even awesomeness.
I'm gonna go make out with these books.
I received an arc copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love Jonathan Maberry's Rot and Ruin series. It may be one of my favorite young adult series yet to date. This graphic novel could be a bit spoilery if you haven't read the books so I will give you a heads up on that.
You have Chong, Lila, Nix and Benny still trying to find that jet that flew over, so I'm thinking this should go about midway between reading the books.
This little sucker is as well done as the books are. I'm beginning to think I shouldn't expect any less out of Maberry.
It's a story of it's own too, not just a rehashing of the books! WIN!!
Farmer John has a farm. He has some breeder cows and wants the kids to join in with his crew to re-populate the earth after the zombies have taken over.
Farmer John does remind me of the Governor in the Walking Dead series, but all these books have that feel to me. Not that it's a bad thing, Maberry doesn't try to copy them, he just writes his own version and it's a good one.
The artwork in this book is even awesomeness.
I'm gonna go make out with these books.
I received an arc copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 1, 2020
Further adventures of the Rot & Ruin crew. This volume features the teens following a jet they saw fly overhead. They come across another settlement where they seem to be rebuilding civilization but things seem a little off.
March 25, 2020
I really wish there was more of this cuz the story is fantastic and these kids are kick ass.
So good!!
March 13, 2015
4.5*
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Benny has survived the zombie apocalypse but has lost all this family and now finds himself in the company of three other survivors, Nix, Lilah and Chong. When a plane is spotted they decide to venture up into the mountains. When they are saved from the zombie horde by a pregnant woman, she takes them back to her community where they meet the leader, Farmer John. It all seems too good to be true as food, hot water and a place to rest are provided. When they learn the extent of Farmer Johns master plan they realise that the zombies are not the real monsters.
I haven't read the Rot & Ruin novels yet so I went into this without any preconceptions. The story was pretty solid with some back story regarding how Benny ended up with his 3 companions. I liked Benny and Nix but found Lilah a little grating although I did admire how tough she was she seemed to be hyper aggressive from the get go. Chong was a bit annoying as was his and Lilah's relationship.
Artwise, this looked very nice indeed, not a style that I love but it was still pretty impressive. The graphic work is consistent and the panels are nicely detailed. Zombie disposal is shown in all it's technicolour glory, the amount of gore actually surprised me here as I was expecting it to be a much tamer read. Whilst it might put others off, I have to say I enjoyed the gratuitous gore immensely.
A great graphic novel that has certainly piqued my interest in reading the books sooner rather than later.
Recommended.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Benny has survived the zombie apocalypse but has lost all this family and now finds himself in the company of three other survivors, Nix, Lilah and Chong. When a plane is spotted they decide to venture up into the mountains. When they are saved from the zombie horde by a pregnant woman, she takes them back to her community where they meet the leader, Farmer John. It all seems too good to be true as food, hot water and a place to rest are provided. When they learn the extent of Farmer Johns master plan they realise that the zombies are not the real monsters.
I haven't read the Rot & Ruin novels yet so I went into this without any preconceptions. The story was pretty solid with some back story regarding how Benny ended up with his 3 companions. I liked Benny and Nix but found Lilah a little grating although I did admire how tough she was she seemed to be hyper aggressive from the get go. Chong was a bit annoying as was his and Lilah's relationship.
Artwise, this looked very nice indeed, not a style that I love but it was still pretty impressive. The graphic work is consistent and the panels are nicely detailed. Zombie disposal is shown in all it's technicolour glory, the amount of gore actually surprised me here as I was expecting it to be a much tamer read. Whilst it might put others off, I have to say I enjoyed the gratuitous gore immensely.
A great graphic novel that has certainly piqued my interest in reading the books sooner rather than later.
Recommended.
February 17, 2015
This review is actually from my fifteen-year-old son, Reese. The Rot & Ruin series is one of his favorites and he’s read it through twice – so far. When I saw this new graphic comic series, I knew he would love to read and review it.
Compared to the Rot and Ruin series, this was an okay read. The concepts were good, but it was such a short book, the story felt rushed.
I liked revisiting the characters again and thought the elements of the zombie babies and the ‘cows’ were innovative ideas. The art work was really good and similar to The Walking Dead graphic comics.
I thought a few of the character details were off from the main series, like Lilah is supposed to have extremely white blonde hair, but in this book she had blonde hair. She also speaks softly because of a voice injury, but in this book she could yell over people.
I would definitely read the next book in this series and would recommend it to my friends. Maybe you don’t have to have read all four books in the Rot & Ruin series before this one, but I’d recommend reading at least the first two books. Personally, I would prefer to have a series about Tom’s (my favorite character) adventures before Rot & Ruin.
This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.
Compared to the Rot and Ruin series, this was an okay read. The concepts were good, but it was such a short book, the story felt rushed.
I liked revisiting the characters again and thought the elements of the zombie babies and the ‘cows’ were innovative ideas. The art work was really good and similar to The Walking Dead graphic comics.
I thought a few of the character details were off from the main series, like Lilah is supposed to have extremely white blonde hair, but in this book she had blonde hair. She also speaks softly because of a voice injury, but in this book she could yell over people.
I would definitely read the next book in this series and would recommend it to my friends. Maybe you don’t have to have read all four books in the Rot & Ruin series before this one, but I’d recommend reading at least the first two books. Personally, I would prefer to have a series about Tom’s (my favorite character) adventures before Rot & Ruin.
This review is based on a digital ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.
February 18, 2022
Love the books; this is the first comic book of this series that I have read. I thoroughly enjoyed it!
February 23, 2017
I loved this story and the illustrations but I'm bummed that the rest of the series isn't available in print format so that I can purchase them for my library!
April 29, 2015
'Rot & Ruin Vol. 1: Warrior Smart' is based on the book series by Jonathan Maberry. This story is about a group of teenagers trying to make it during the z-poc. This is part of the series, and not a retelling of the first book, so it does kind of dump you right into the action.
Benny, Chong, Lila and Nix are on the run. They are trying to track down a jet that flew overhead. They are also foraging for supplies, which is getting pretty picked over. When their scavenging takes them to an abandoned hospital, they find themselves running from zombies. They stumble across something really weird and disturbing, but before they can decide what to do about it, they have to make a break for it. This leads them to a walled farm where everything seems to be normal life. Plenty of food, and walls and traps to keep the zombies at bay. What could possibly be wrong with settling down and staying for awhile?
If you are familiar with post-apocalyptic zombie stories, you know that groups of humans living safe behind walls are almost as dangerous as the zombies are. Maybe even more dangerous. It's a good thing these kids have some mad fighting skills.
The story is pretty good. Perhaps a bit disturbing when they get to the heart of what the humans are doing, but if teens can handle a book series about zombies and zombie killing, I suppose this is just more of the same. The art was a bit uneven. Sometimes the characters looked Asian, sometimes they didn't. I don't know that it matters, but when I read a graphic novel, I like decent art. It's still a good quick ride, and I'd like to read more about these characters.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors, IDW Publishing, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
Benny, Chong, Lila and Nix are on the run. They are trying to track down a jet that flew overhead. They are also foraging for supplies, which is getting pretty picked over. When their scavenging takes them to an abandoned hospital, they find themselves running from zombies. They stumble across something really weird and disturbing, but before they can decide what to do about it, they have to make a break for it. This leads them to a walled farm where everything seems to be normal life. Plenty of food, and walls and traps to keep the zombies at bay. What could possibly be wrong with settling down and staying for awhile?
If you are familiar with post-apocalyptic zombie stories, you know that groups of humans living safe behind walls are almost as dangerous as the zombies are. Maybe even more dangerous. It's a good thing these kids have some mad fighting skills.
The story is pretty good. Perhaps a bit disturbing when they get to the heart of what the humans are doing, but if teens can handle a book series about zombies and zombie killing, I suppose this is just more of the same. The art was a bit uneven. Sometimes the characters looked Asian, sometimes they didn't. I don't know that it matters, but when I read a graphic novel, I like decent art. It's still a good quick ride, and I'd like to read more about these characters.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors, IDW Publishing, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
February 11, 2015
**I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.**
This seemed to me like fairly typical zombie comic fare. Not in a bad way. More in a been there done that played the video game way that lends some comfort knowing that I will always have zombie comics to fall back on when looking for something a little darker and more grim. I was not expecting the "cows" though when I picked this up. I was expecting zombie killing survival and some death. The "cows" threw me for a loop and made me feel ill being a woman. Especially putting kids in that situation and having to see it. I suppose that's what the author was going for though. and it worked. It shocked me. I look forward to more from this line of the story in the future.
This seemed to me like fairly typical zombie comic fare. Not in a bad way. More in a been there done that played the video game way that lends some comfort knowing that I will always have zombie comics to fall back on when looking for something a little darker and more grim. I was not expecting the "cows" though when I picked this up. I was expecting zombie killing survival and some death. The "cows" threw me for a loop and made me feel ill being a woman. Especially putting kids in that situation and having to see it. I suppose that's what the author was going for though. and it worked. It shocked me. I look forward to more from this line of the story in the future.
February 25, 2015
"ROT & RUIN: WARRIOR SMART" is the next great zombie series teens and Walking Dead fans will by dying for. Readers will love this deliciously creepy coming of age tale full of humor, unforgettable characters and heart pounding adventure. --Linsey Milillo, Teen Librarian, the Lane Libraries, Fairfield, Ohio.
August 29, 2020
I knew nothing of the Rot & Ruin series coming into this, so it felt like it was starting in media res, just sort of tossed in when it came to knowing these characters. But after the introduction, it turned into a decent zombie story that had some decent ethical bite to it. Our quartet finds a settlement that seems too good to be true, and ultimately is. But the reasons why are interrogated pretty heavily, and the implications of the protagonists' actions in escaping are also considered. Yes, it's another 'who are the real monsters' question, but it doesn't give the leads a pass on their behavior.
There's a lot of zombie action here, especially in the first and last issues. There's also a number of uncomfortable discussion and dehumanization going on, so it will be a tough read for some. I'm not sure I'd recommend someone who is not familiar with Rot & Ruin start here, but it does stand on its own well enough. The art is serviceable, with some exceptional cover art by Alex Ronald being a highlight. There does seem to be some heavy plot armor on the protagonists, but considering it's a graphic novel addition to a series, major events in their lives shouldn't really be expected.
There's a lot of zombie action here, especially in the first and last issues. There's also a number of uncomfortable discussion and dehumanization going on, so it will be a tough read for some. I'm not sure I'd recommend someone who is not familiar with Rot & Ruin start here, but it does stand on its own well enough. The art is serviceable, with some exceptional cover art by Alex Ronald being a highlight. There does seem to be some heavy plot armor on the protagonists, but considering it's a graphic novel addition to a series, major events in their lives shouldn't really be expected.
August 8, 2023
I love Maberry and I love the Rot and Ruin series and novels that I've read through so far, but in graphic novel form there was something missing for me in this. Maybe it was in part the style of art, which I wasn't a huge fan of, and maybe it's that something was lost in translation to graphic novel. I don't know.
In any case, if you enjoy zombies, post apocalyptic tales of survivors, and Maberry's work then this is going to be something to pique your interest but if you're new to Maberry, don't judge him based on this one.
In any case, if you enjoy zombies, post apocalyptic tales of survivors, and Maberry's work then this is going to be something to pique your interest but if you're new to Maberry, don't judge him based on this one.
October 9, 2017
I'm a fan of the series so I decided to check out the graphic version. It's a different story from what I've read so I enjoyed it. As the genre indicates, it's not for the faint of heart and is definitely graphic. If you are a fan of zombie apocalypse fiction, this series should be for you.
December 24, 2016
I really liked it. The art is great. I've held off on reading the books because there's so much zombie stuff out there but I'm interested now.
March 3, 2017
A lot of fun following 4 competent teens through a zombie apocalypse! Who knew? :)
Great art and great writing.
Great art and great writing.
November 24, 2017
Another excellent Maberry project. I really hope vol. 2 will come out soon.
December 10, 2018
A decent graphic novel. Leaves without any hint of progress toward the original plot but has a decent narrative anyway. The art is good. Definitely aimed at a young adult/teen audience
March 13, 2020
It's ok
The story itself feel like the walking dead for young adults mixed with bits of the a hand maidens tale.
The story itself feel like the walking dead for young adults mixed with bits of the a hand maidens tale.
September 1, 2020
It isn't original in any way but I still enjoyed it. I wish they had made more in the series.
May 31, 2021
Man that totally took a page from the rest of the series (and, well The Walking Dead as well)…the people are the worst monsters.
May 4, 2015
I only have limited exposure to the book series this graphic novel is based on, so I'm going to review it as a standalone story. And as a standalone piece of work, it's competent, but it doesn't do anything that I haven't seen numerous times before.
What we have here is very much a standard "humans are the real monsters" trope. It's such a common element of zombie fiction, that I can't fault it for that, alone. But the major plot twist is both telegraphed from pretty early on, as well as something that's factored into earlier zombie stories ranging from 28 Days Later to Day of the Dead: a seemingly benevolent settlement of humans, where the women are used for nothing but breeding stock.
As an element of a larger plot, it might have worked, but this is the central axis upon which the entire book revolves. On its own, it just doesn't feel like enough.
To be fair, there are some finer elements that serve as nice touches: the guard nailed up (while still alive) as a sort of scarecrow, the women discarding of the "deficient" infants in a nearby hospital, and the fact that the women in the settlement are not only resigned to their fate, but optimistic about it. These do add some flavor, but there's no escaping the fact that volume 1 of Rot & Ruin is a very by-the-numbers zombie story.
From a presentation standpoint, I found the art to be a good fit. The zombies look suitably cadaverous, and while the human characters are drawn in a stylized fashion, it doesn't detract from the tone of the story--in fact, I found that the art tended to add a feeling of energy to the scenes, due to its style, and that's by no means a bad thing.
All in all, Rot & Ruin volume 1 isn't a bad read, and if you're looking for a quick & dirty zombie story, you could do worse. But by the same token, it doesn't do much to distinguish itself from the hordes of other zombie stories (across various media), that are out there.
What we have here is very much a standard "humans are the real monsters" trope. It's such a common element of zombie fiction, that I can't fault it for that, alone. But the major plot twist is both telegraphed from pretty early on, as well as something that's factored into earlier zombie stories ranging from 28 Days Later to Day of the Dead: a seemingly benevolent settlement of humans, where the women are used for nothing but breeding stock.
As an element of a larger plot, it might have worked, but this is the central axis upon which the entire book revolves. On its own, it just doesn't feel like enough.
To be fair, there are some finer elements that serve as nice touches: the guard nailed up (while still alive) as a sort of scarecrow, the women discarding of the "deficient" infants in a nearby hospital, and the fact that the women in the settlement are not only resigned to their fate, but optimistic about it. These do add some flavor, but there's no escaping the fact that volume 1 of Rot & Ruin is a very by-the-numbers zombie story.
From a presentation standpoint, I found the art to be a good fit. The zombies look suitably cadaverous, and while the human characters are drawn in a stylized fashion, it doesn't detract from the tone of the story--in fact, I found that the art tended to add a feeling of energy to the scenes, due to its style, and that's by no means a bad thing.
All in all, Rot & Ruin volume 1 isn't a bad read, and if you're looking for a quick & dirty zombie story, you could do worse. But by the same token, it doesn't do much to distinguish itself from the hordes of other zombie stories (across various media), that are out there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2021
The Rot & Ruin novel series by Jonathan Maberry has been on my to-be-read list for a while. I saw this at my local public library and snatched it up. I mistakenly thought that this was a graphic novel depiction of the novels. It is not. This is actually a graphic novel continuation of the novel series. Even though I have not yet read the novels, this was easy to pick up and begin reading without having to know what happened in this novels.
I just loved this so much! It was so visually compelling. I loved the action in this. The illustrations are beautiful. I just adore the style of the illustrations and the coloring in this. The covers are all inside, and I loved the art style used for the covers as well. I like that it isn't the same style that is used for the story. It balances quite well.
The story is great! I really love the direction that Maberry went with this. Zombie stories can become predictable and I was pleasantly surprised with how the story went. Although this is a zombie story, the emphasis is on the characters and their struggle. There are obviously zombies and zombie scenes in this, but it didn't dominate the story. I think that in this way it doesn't take away from the characters' struggle. The story is compelling. I like a good story that I can imagine myself in as I am reading it through the characters' eyes. And this is one of those stories. It is well written and you become engrossed in the story as if you are living it yourself. I won't go into the specifics of the story because I think that it would spoil the ending. I definitely have to recommend this! If you love zombie stories then you will love this one. If you are a fan of The Walking Dead, then you would love this. This story is similar to The Walking Dead with its focus on the characters more so than the zombies everywhere. Many scenes and the premise of the story is pretty graphic, so I would not recommend this for a younger audience. Everyone else...go get this now!
I just loved this so much! It was so visually compelling. I loved the action in this. The illustrations are beautiful. I just adore the style of the illustrations and the coloring in this. The covers are all inside, and I loved the art style used for the covers as well. I like that it isn't the same style that is used for the story. It balances quite well.
The story is great! I really love the direction that Maberry went with this. Zombie stories can become predictable and I was pleasantly surprised with how the story went. Although this is a zombie story, the emphasis is on the characters and their struggle. There are obviously zombies and zombie scenes in this, but it didn't dominate the story. I think that in this way it doesn't take away from the characters' struggle. The story is compelling. I like a good story that I can imagine myself in as I am reading it through the characters' eyes. And this is one of those stories. It is well written and you become engrossed in the story as if you are living it yourself. I won't go into the specifics of the story because I think that it would spoil the ending. I definitely have to recommend this! If you love zombie stories then you will love this one. If you are a fan of The Walking Dead, then you would love this. This story is similar to The Walking Dead with its focus on the characters more so than the zombies everywhere. Many scenes and the premise of the story is pretty graphic, so I would not recommend this for a younger audience. Everyone else...go get this now!
June 13, 2015
I’ve never read any of the other Rot and Ruin books and to be honest I wouldn’t have read this book hadn’t I won it – but I’m glad I did as I mostly enjoyed it.
The first page sets up the universe, giving us sufficient background on the characters and their world. By the second page you’ve got a feeling for these likable kids and the story can take off at a fast pace, which it does really well. I didn’t feel I was missing anything by not reading the previous books.
We follow Benny Imura, his girlfriend Nix, his best mate Chong and Lilah the girl they found living out in the forest on her own, as they scrounge for supplies and dodge and slash their way through the hordes of zombies while trying to track down where the plane they saw came from.
The story is pretty standard until they stubble access the creepy farmer John and his baby farm. I’m not going to say anymore then “it” made me really psychotic thriller uncomfortable, but “it” made the story – if that makes sense.
I’m not a big Zombie fan. I love me some evil bad guys, demonic cults and mythological beasts – but I’ve never been on the Zombie band wagon.
I would say that over all I enjoyed this compendium more than the first eight Walking Dead’s combined - sorry that’s all I’ve got to compare it to - I made it through the first eight of The Walking Dead books by Robert Kirkman. I decided to give the Walking Dead a try as I really enjoyed what I’d read of Kirkman’s Outsiders (demonic possession) series.
I think zombie loving teens (and any zombie fans in general) would eat up this take on a YA Zombie Apocalypse Graphic Novel – Hey! Zombies just aren’t my thing and I’m still giving it a three stars, so that should say something.
The first page sets up the universe, giving us sufficient background on the characters and their world. By the second page you’ve got a feeling for these likable kids and the story can take off at a fast pace, which it does really well. I didn’t feel I was missing anything by not reading the previous books.
We follow Benny Imura, his girlfriend Nix, his best mate Chong and Lilah the girl they found living out in the forest on her own, as they scrounge for supplies and dodge and slash their way through the hordes of zombies while trying to track down where the plane they saw came from.
The story is pretty standard until they stubble access the creepy farmer John and his baby farm. I’m not going to say anymore then “it” made me really psychotic thriller uncomfortable, but “it” made the story – if that makes sense.
I’m not a big Zombie fan. I love me some evil bad guys, demonic cults and mythological beasts – but I’ve never been on the Zombie band wagon.
I would say that over all I enjoyed this compendium more than the first eight Walking Dead’s combined - sorry that’s all I’ve got to compare it to - I made it through the first eight of The Walking Dead books by Robert Kirkman. I decided to give the Walking Dead a try as I really enjoyed what I’d read of Kirkman’s Outsiders (demonic possession) series.
I think zombie loving teens (and any zombie fans in general) would eat up this take on a YA Zombie Apocalypse Graphic Novel – Hey! Zombies just aren’t my thing and I’m still giving it a three stars, so that should say something.
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February 15, 2015
My Review: I'm going to start with what I didn't like about this, and end on a positive note. My biggest issue with this graphic novel was the cliched story line. There were some new twists on something I've seen several times in post-apocalyptic stories, but at this point, it's getting to be a cliche. The second the farmer guy mentioned "cows"... I knew what was coming.
Next issue: When I read the first novel of this series, I was excited because I knew it would be a great one to suggest to younger teen readers, especially reluctant readers. There were some adult themes, sure, but they were handled well. This graphic novel, however, I would be hesitant to hand over to some of the younger readers.
Now on to what I liked. Despite the cliched story, as I said, there were some new twists to make the story somewhat original. The art was very well done, especially in the fighting scenes, which can be difficult to portray. Clearly the story was good enough to keep me reading. All in all, this is a nice add-on to the series. But nothing special.
Cover Lovin': Pretty good cover. I understand the dark spaces at the top and bottom, but it makes it feel like the cover is unfinished or lacking.
Recommendation: For fans of the series, and for zombie lovers. This can be read by someone unfamiliar with the Rot and Ruin series.
Final Rating: THREE out of FIVE stars. The story was compelling, but it was also pretty cliched and I knew what was coming. Not bad, but nothing spectacular.
SWON teen reading challenge book five million and sixteen.
This counts for my 2015 reading challenge, "a book released this year."
Next issue: When I read the first novel of this series, I was excited because I knew it would be a great one to suggest to younger teen readers, especially reluctant readers. There were some adult themes, sure, but they were handled well. This graphic novel, however, I would be hesitant to hand over to some of the younger readers.
Now on to what I liked. Despite the cliched story, as I said, there were some new twists to make the story somewhat original. The art was very well done, especially in the fighting scenes, which can be difficult to portray. Clearly the story was good enough to keep me reading. All in all, this is a nice add-on to the series. But nothing special.
Cover Lovin': Pretty good cover. I understand the dark spaces at the top and bottom, but it makes it feel like the cover is unfinished or lacking.
Recommendation: For fans of the series, and for zombie lovers. This can be read by someone unfamiliar with the Rot and Ruin series.
Final Rating: THREE out of FIVE stars. The story was compelling, but it was also pretty cliched and I knew what was coming. Not bad, but nothing spectacular.
SWON teen reading challenge book five million and sixteen.
This counts for my 2015 reading challenge, "a book released this year."
March 10, 2015
Lukewarm best describes my response to this graphic novel adaptation of a zombie book I really liked, Rot & Ruin. For those unfamiliar with Rot & Ruin, I think you could jump in and be okay starting here, and maybe like it better since you don't know what you're missing! I only read the first book in the four book Rot & Ruin Collection, (the rest of the series is definitely on my TBR list) but I had no trouble with keeping up with the story line in the graphic novel since it covers new adventures.
I liked that the graphic novel took care to catch-up readers by providing some background on the kids and situation. In "The Farm" story, Maberry did go in a bit more mature direction than he did in the book. Fortunately, it was handled well, without any explicitness, and the build-up was good -- though you didn't want to believe where it was going.
I did have trouble with some of the illustrations -- there were a few that I had to really study to figure out -- but there were others that were eerily clear and harrowing. And as far as formatting, I actually thought there was too much text on some of the pages. Also, Lilah wasn't quite right to me as far as how she was drawn. I did review an eBook copy, so the physical print copy may have felt better than the electronic experience.
The story was entertaining and did, again, force readers to think about who are the real enemies here: the living or the undead?
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a free eBook copy in exchange for my honest review -- the only kind I give.
I liked that the graphic novel took care to catch-up readers by providing some background on the kids and situation. In "The Farm" story, Maberry did go in a bit more mature direction than he did in the book. Fortunately, it was handled well, without any explicitness, and the build-up was good -- though you didn't want to believe where it was going.
I did have trouble with some of the illustrations -- there were a few that I had to really study to figure out -- but there were others that were eerily clear and harrowing. And as far as formatting, I actually thought there was too much text on some of the pages. Also, Lilah wasn't quite right to me as far as how she was drawn. I did review an eBook copy, so the physical print copy may have felt better than the electronic experience.
The story was entertaining and did, again, force readers to think about who are the real enemies here: the living or the undead?
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a free eBook copy in exchange for my honest review -- the only kind I give.
March 7, 2015
This is my second graphic novel/comic and I was a little disappointed in the short length, although the story and graphics were good. My first graphic novel was V-Wars Volume 1: Crimson Queen, also by Jonathan Maberry. It was three times longer than this one, but I'm not really familiar enough with the genre to know which is more typical. I feel like this is short story length, whereas Crimson Queen was more novella.
I read the first novel in the Benny Imura series, Rot and Ruin, when it came out 4 or 5 years ago. This comic is set some time between the second and third books in the series as near as I can tell. (The second book is on my TBR, so I have spoiled it a little for myself).
It amazes me that so much is said with so few words, and the graphics are far and away better than the comics of my youth. (You'll know what I mean if you saved your weekly allowance for Richie Rich, Archie, and whichever Marvel or DC new release hadn't sold out).
I would certainly be interested in a longer graphic novel in this series, and this short one has moved the novelization up on my TBR list.
Thank you to NetGalley and Diamond Book Distributors for this free electronic edition in exchange for an honest review.
I read the first novel in the Benny Imura series, Rot and Ruin, when it came out 4 or 5 years ago. This comic is set some time between the second and third books in the series as near as I can tell. (The second book is on my TBR, so I have spoiled it a little for myself).
It amazes me that so much is said with so few words, and the graphics are far and away better than the comics of my youth. (You'll know what I mean if you saved your weekly allowance for Richie Rich, Archie, and whichever Marvel or DC new release hadn't sold out).
I would certainly be interested in a longer graphic novel in this series, and this short one has moved the novelization up on my TBR list.
Thank you to NetGalley and Diamond Book Distributors for this free electronic edition in exchange for an honest review.
August 13, 2016
4.5 Stars
Can’t get enough Rot & Ruin even though the series is over? Then you have to check out the comic book series! It’s just as good as the books, and it takes place in between the main events of the book series.
Benny, Nix, Lilah, and Chong are on the move while trying to follow the jet they saw…and along the way they encounter another group of people. Just like in the series we find that humans are much harder to trust than the zombies. Zombies are constant, they’re motives don’t change…but humans have a way of surprising you. They can make an already bleak existence utter hell. The gain meets one such group under the leadership of Farmer John, who wants to rebuild the world…and he has a very rudimentary way to do it. I’m definitely loving this plot, and I enjoy getting to see even more survivors.
The artwork is not necessarily my favorite but I actually really like the feel of it. The sketchy lines and really bold outlines really fit the feel of the story.
I can’t wait to read even more of this series. This is actually a series I feel is worth buying the individual issues of. Especially since the alternate covers are the zombie cards. So needless to say if you love Jonathan Maberry’s books then go get this comic series. You won’t be disappointed!
Can’t get enough Rot & Ruin even though the series is over? Then you have to check out the comic book series! It’s just as good as the books, and it takes place in between the main events of the book series.
Benny, Nix, Lilah, and Chong are on the move while trying to follow the jet they saw…and along the way they encounter another group of people. Just like in the series we find that humans are much harder to trust than the zombies. Zombies are constant, they’re motives don’t change…but humans have a way of surprising you. They can make an already bleak existence utter hell. The gain meets one such group under the leadership of Farmer John, who wants to rebuild the world…and he has a very rudimentary way to do it. I’m definitely loving this plot, and I enjoy getting to see even more survivors.
The artwork is not necessarily my favorite but I actually really like the feel of it. The sketchy lines and really bold outlines really fit the feel of the story.
I can’t wait to read even more of this series. This is actually a series I feel is worth buying the individual issues of. Especially since the alternate covers are the zombie cards. So needless to say if you love Jonathan Maberry’s books then go get this comic series. You won’t be disappointed!
March 8, 2015
I am a huge fan of Maberry's Rot & Ruin young adult series and it was nice to see a comics version, but I'm not really sure this adds a whole lot to the experience. When Benny Imura and his small band of "samurais" stumble across the farm of Farmer John and his "cows," it's apparent that something isn't quite right (I was pretty sure I knew what the "cows" were, several pages before the very early reveal), but the farm and the people seem nice. In fact, they might be the first "nice" adults that the group has come across since leaving the town of Mountainside in search of the jet that they saw some months before. Yeah, right. Farmer John apparently believes in what he's doing and he somehow has his followers onboard with it, too, but Benny and gang know right from wrong and figure they have to step up and set things right. The artwork in this volume is a bit on the cartoony side, but not in a bad way. I would read other stories about this crew, but hope that they were more clearly and carefully developed than this one (the scarecrow is a throwaway bit that just doesn't make much sense).
March 18, 2015
Rot & Ruin was really a good, fast-paced comic. Benny, along with three friends are on a journey to try to find a jet that flew overhead - proof that there are more living people. As they move through hordes of zombies, they meet an unusual group that at first sight seems at the same time odd and too good to be true.
I really enjoyed that the story began while the group was already on their journey. Then, slowly their background was revealed through their travels. I liked Benny and his background of actually being raised during the zombie apocalypse. He seemed like a really great leader. On the other hand, Lilah was quite an annoying character, although she certainly had spunk! This graphic novel really made me want to read the original book series Rot & Ruin. I actually received the ebook when it was for free a couple of years ago, but never got around to reading it. Now I really need to!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed that the story began while the group was already on their journey. Then, slowly their background was revealed through their travels. I liked Benny and his background of actually being raised during the zombie apocalypse. He seemed like a really great leader. On the other hand, Lilah was quite an annoying character, although she certainly had spunk! This graphic novel really made me want to read the original book series Rot & Ruin. I actually received the ebook when it was for free a couple of years ago, but never got around to reading it. Now I really need to!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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