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S.A.M. #1
After Man
In the grim future of our world, Earth has been ravaged by sentient machines, the human race all but exterminated. Only scattered groups of children have survived by hiding in tunnels to escape the murderous robots that still scour the surface. One day, a scavenging party for one such group happens upon a massive humanoid robot bearing the letters SAM on its armour. Caught by surprise, young Ian is about to be vaporised … but the machine doesn’t shoot…
48 pages, Paperback
First published April 8, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 22, 2015
Post-Apocalyptic worlds are cropping up all the more in comics, literature, film and TV - maybe that’s just a reflection of our current collective angst - and it’s interesting to see just how the various creators make the dynamics of these resulting worlds work.
In SAM, the information we’re given is that robots, of some kind, have steadily been eliminating the human inhabitants, annihilating populations and laying waste to cities. The survivors, or at least the ones we get to meet, were small children, pushed into ventilation pipes or hidden in crevices during the robotic rampage and surviving unseen amongst the greater carnage. Now a few years have passed and those small children have grown into young teenagers, seeking food and caches of medicines amid the rubble and detritus of the cities, whilst hiding from the patrolling robots that still seek them out. It’s a grim and difficult existence, with the particular kids we’re following hiding out in some sort of bunker amongst the sewers.
The story itself centres around a group of five of the young teens and, in particular, Ian, a tech-competent free-thinker who throws perhaps a little too much caution to the wind. His boldness leads him into a direct confrontation with one of the giant robots (think The Iron Giant, or X-Men’s Sentinels), but instead of obliterating Ian it appears to hesitate before another member of the group hits it with a rocket. Ian is so taken with the notion that it didn’t kill him that he chooses to stay out in the open in an effort to revive it, much to the horror of his companions, because after dark the worst of the robots are on the prowl. What happens when these robots happen upon Ian makes his mind up that something truly amazing has finally happened to their little group, and there may be hope in this bleak future after all.
With very manga-esque artwork, to the point that the excellent colouring makes it feel like an anime movie throughout, the architectural destruction and general chaos this kids live amongst gives the book a powerful individuality. You’re not quite sure where or when this is set, but it’s dry, it’s brutal, and it’s dangerous. It’s never quite explained where the technical competence has come from - after all, Ian is achieving some remarkable feats with electrical engineering and robotics - but who can say at this stage what has transpired in the intervening years.
Like Cinebook’s sister title, Alone, this is a great tale of children surviving against the odds, with a good dollop of danger thrown in too, although this is a much harder, even scarier (not scary, just scarier) tale in comparison. So if you’re enjoying Alone, or you enjoy the adventure strips in the likes of The Phoenix, you’re going to enjoy this.
A great start and, with Cinebook’s track record, shaping up to be a great series.
In SAM, the information we’re given is that robots, of some kind, have steadily been eliminating the human inhabitants, annihilating populations and laying waste to cities. The survivors, or at least the ones we get to meet, were small children, pushed into ventilation pipes or hidden in crevices during the robotic rampage and surviving unseen amongst the greater carnage. Now a few years have passed and those small children have grown into young teenagers, seeking food and caches of medicines amid the rubble and detritus of the cities, whilst hiding from the patrolling robots that still seek them out. It’s a grim and difficult existence, with the particular kids we’re following hiding out in some sort of bunker amongst the sewers.
The story itself centres around a group of five of the young teens and, in particular, Ian, a tech-competent free-thinker who throws perhaps a little too much caution to the wind. His boldness leads him into a direct confrontation with one of the giant robots (think The Iron Giant, or X-Men’s Sentinels), but instead of obliterating Ian it appears to hesitate before another member of the group hits it with a rocket. Ian is so taken with the notion that it didn’t kill him that he chooses to stay out in the open in an effort to revive it, much to the horror of his companions, because after dark the worst of the robots are on the prowl. What happens when these robots happen upon Ian makes his mind up that something truly amazing has finally happened to their little group, and there may be hope in this bleak future after all.
With very manga-esque artwork, to the point that the excellent colouring makes it feel like an anime movie throughout, the architectural destruction and general chaos this kids live amongst gives the book a powerful individuality. You’re not quite sure where or when this is set, but it’s dry, it’s brutal, and it’s dangerous. It’s never quite explained where the technical competence has come from - after all, Ian is achieving some remarkable feats with electrical engineering and robotics - but who can say at this stage what has transpired in the intervening years.
Like Cinebook’s sister title, Alone, this is a great tale of children surviving against the odds, with a good dollop of danger thrown in too, although this is a much harder, even scarier (not scary, just scarier) tale in comparison. So if you’re enjoying Alone, or you enjoy the adventure strips in the likes of The Phoenix, you’re going to enjoy this.
A great start and, with Cinebook’s track record, shaping up to be a great series.
May 19, 2018
A decent story, with very good art. I liked the idea of kids having to look out for themselves and survive.
January 29, 2022
English Cinebook Edition = 2014
Story: **
My complete trust in anything that Cinebook releases fails me sometimes but it's so infrequent that I don't get mad about it. This marked my 50th title and a mere handful have let me down.
This offering tries to replicate the premise of "Seuls" (aka "Alone" in English) with the whole kids-only world that is filled with crazy danger everywhere. This one is totally inferior so try that one first.
Art: **
Chinese creators are hard to come by so I would've gotten this even without the publisher ethos. He's not that good but not bad either.
The coloring is bad in the first place and it's made even worse by being far too dark.
Story: **
My complete trust in anything that Cinebook releases fails me sometimes but it's so infrequent that I don't get mad about it. This marked my 50th title and a mere handful have let me down.
This offering tries to replicate the premise of "Seuls" (aka "Alone" in English) with the whole kids-only world that is filled with crazy danger everywhere. This one is totally inferior so try that one first.
Art: **
Chinese creators are hard to come by so I would've gotten this even without the publisher ethos. He's not that good but not bad either.
The coloring is bad in the first place and it's made even worse by being far too dark.
May 11, 2018
I'm sooo going to order these for the library they were sooo good . if you have read Alone you need to read these. I'm pretty sure they were both original published in French before English ... i might need to see if i can find anymore French-English comics ....
June 14, 2017
The art work is great, though the story itself has been done in several iterations.
June 20, 2020
J'adore l'idée, après les persos je ne suis pas très acrochée...
August 20, 2021
Meh
I don't know about this series the art is fine but as an intro to a story has a lot needed. Improving
I don't know about this series the art is fine but as an intro to a story has a lot needed. Improving
December 12, 2022
augure bien. Des enfnats surivants a une apocalypse ou les ronots pourchasse des humains.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2016
Not bad - the art was dark (not in a good way) and the dialog a bit clunky (could have been the translation) but considering the complete lack of access (this one came all the way from Houson Public Library!) I don't think I'll be reading further.
ETA: While writing this I noticed the title was incorrectly listed as Before Man. LOL, it's much easier to find a copy when you have the correct title.
ETA: While writing this I noticed the title was incorrectly listed as Before Man. LOL, it's much easier to find a copy when you have the correct title.
October 5, 2015
Dystopian YA science fiction at its very finest.
Originally published in 2011 by Dargaud Paris, this the 2014 English translation by Cinebook. And damn it is good.
Marazano and Shang have created a believable future, complete with a rogues gallery of inhabitants.
Brilliant.
Originally published in 2011 by Dargaud Paris, this the 2014 English translation by Cinebook. And damn it is good.
Marazano and Shang have created a believable future, complete with a rogues gallery of inhabitants.
Brilliant.
April 20, 2017
Un univers qui semblait intéressant et accrocheur, mais qui manque finalement d'originalité tout comme ses personnages. Trop banal, sna sêtre mauvais, pour que je poursuive cette série.
2,5/5.
2,5/5.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews