Rust: The Boy Soldier

Rust #0.1

by Royden Lepp

The story of the Boy Soldier begins!

Made to look like a boy but built for battle, Jet Jones is a robot caught in the middle of an ongoing war. While trying to save as many people as he can, Jet discovers there is more to who he is and what he was made for than he could have ever imagined. His experiences in the war set him off on a journey to learn what it means to both hero and human. It is the first adventure of many for the rocket boy.

Written and illustrated by Royden Lepp, Rust: The Boy Soldier collects the previously released prologues from the first three volumes of the critically acclaimed series Rust along with the yet to be released prologue from the upcoming fourth and final installment. Together for the first time and in an all new reading order, Rust: The Boy Soldier is the complete story of Jet Jones’s time in war and the beginning of this high octane, all ages adventure.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, War, Science Fiction, Young Adult, Fiction, Middle Grade

128 pages, Paperback

First published March 8, 2016

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

The prologues of the 4 Rust books are collected together in a linear manner for the first time. A visually stunning story set during an alternate World War I (I'm guessing because there are doughboys) where both sides also have robots. Jet Jones is a boy robot version of the Rocketeer who is floored by his destructive power during a battle and runs away. Told in sepia tone with an animation style in a mostly wordless manner, I found myself enthralled to the art. I ordered the other Rust books from the library as soon as I finished this.

Received an advanced copy from Archaia and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay I will admit I got it wrong here with this book - but not in the way I was expecting.

Rust is a graphic novel set in a world pulling itself out of a catastrophic war. Jet Jones the eponymous boy solider has an epic journey ahead of him. How can I say this without fear of tripping over my own no spoilers rule.

Simple - its not a spoiler - you see I knew that the series was 4 parts but I also saw there was a prequel - a sort of introduction to the world telling us of how Jet got here and set the scene with the war since really the story is set after it.

However when I was presented the opportunity to get a copy I thought I was getting the first instalment - wrong what I was getting was the prequel which is in fact made up of the introductions from each of the four volumes.

So here I am with the wrong book to start with (since this was actually released after the series was almost over) but which pieces the story of Jets early life before the books really started. So happy error too right - really kicking the story off - sadly not.

Well next time I will know to pay more attention to the ISBN and not the over eager sales material - all the same the artwork and atmosphere are brilliant I was just hoping for a great story but I am sure that will come as I am certainly not walking away from the series now.

[Trike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apparently this is just the prologue to this character’s story, which I’m unfamiliar with. I liked this despite its open-ended simplicity. The silent movie aspect of much of it is nice.

It’s in the vein of Astro Boy, The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot, and the movie Steamboy, so if you like one or more of those you’ll probably enjoy this.

[Anita Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

[3.5 stars]

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly visual story, it's Mega Man meets The Rocketeer. Dealing with the harsh and cruel realities of war and finding one's identity outside of it. Definitely willing to check out the rest of the series.

[Nate]

If you’ve read all four volumes of Rust, you’ve read most of this book. It collects all the opening flashback scenes plus a new one. As it stands, the opening scenes are some of my favorite parts of the series, so I enjoyed reading them again. But you don’t have to go out of your way to track this down.

[Bogdan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The graphics are simple enough not to impress, the story has potential, but, for now, isn`t something out of the ordinary.
For the fans of steampunked futures this could be an interesting try.

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book manages to say a lot, with very few words. Rust is a boy with a robotic core. He was invented/made to help end a war. A war against machines. Now this war looks like WW2, but with the clone army from Star Wars (but looks more steampunk). Rust does not want to be a weapon, and the death of others has him at odds. This graphic novel is a look at what it could be life to have emotional intelligence, and an indestructible form. It’s moving, imaginative and visually stunning.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow.

This is just a prequel, so not sure where the story is going, but wow. Great art. Times where you are just looking at the landscape, and going along with Jet, as he wanders in the battlefield.

Colored in sepiatone, the story tells about a robot who looks like a boy, who is being used as the ultimate weapon in a war that resembles the first world war, but with robots, of course.

Jet has a conscious, though, given to him so he can make decisions in war, but he doesn't like what he is being made to do, so he pulls out his programming.

And apparently there are further books in the series, so we find out what happened when he left the war. I am going to seek them out.

This is an all ages graphic novel, although I was told by Nate, down at Atlantis (my local comic book story), but this is meant for kids. So, there is no blood, although there is death.

[Seizure Romero · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great art, but not a whole lot happens in 140 pages. If I hadn't already decided to read the first book this would not necessarily have convinced me to do so. As prequels go I can't see that this adds much.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I understand it, this volume collects all the previously released prologues for Rust Volumes 1-3 plus the prologue for the upcoming Volume 4 into one book. It tells the story of Jet, a robot designed for battle in a reimagined WWI with robots. After numerous deaths result from Jet making a choice to try and save an ally soldier, the robot starts to question his purpose and role in the war. The last part is 48 years later, and Jet has just started working for a family on a farm. He seems to be a skilled mechanic, but the young man he works with has a lot of questions about him.

Now I really need to get my hands on all the other Rust volumes. I’ve heard great things about them, which is why I requested this book on NetGalley. It reads like a mashup between Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (largely thanks to the sepia tones and the reimagined history with robots) with touches of a superhero origin story. You can tell this book is pretty much just giving back story to the greater adventure that’s out there. (Did I mention I now need to get my hands on the other Rust volumes? The need is real.) Now let’s talk about the elephant in the middle of the room. Jet’s power cell that fits inside his chest is going to make most modern readers think of Iron Man. BUT he is different in that Jet is 100% machine struggling with a human-like mind, and for that matter, he’s probably got more heart and compassion than Iron Man would ever be in danger of being accused of. (At least, that’s what I got from this book in the series.) I appreciated that the sepia tones help not only with the setting but also to keep the war scenes from being too graphic. And it is amazing how white can glow in this kind of color scheme. This looks like it will scratch the itches of those who like steampunk or reimagined history, and of course, stories of robots struggling with feelings and purpose. And don’t miss out on reading the interview with the author/illustrator about some of his inspiration for this series in the back of the book. I especially found what he said about war interesting and a good jumping off point for a great discussion. Definitely will be adding this series to our Media Center as soon as I can.

Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. Obviously there are battle scenes, but thanks to the sepia tones, the fact that many of the soldiers are robots, and the author’s choices (no guts, just some blood seeping through clothing), it isn’t super gory. Jet also asks some very poignant questions about war.

I received a free ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

So, this is a prequel to the Rust series. It tells the story of Jet Jones during the war prior to the opening of the series. The portion collected here is part of the other four volumes, but presented chronologically. Jet discovers that he has a weapon built into his body and struggles with what that means for him as a person.

I like the way this book is put together. It is mostly told without words, which makes it a quick read. But the harshness of the war and Jet's reaction to it are presented very well through the images alone. The art is excellent at capturing those elements. The illustrations are in sepia tone to play on the idea that this takes place a long time before the main chunk of the series.

As much as I liked these portions, I felt a little lost reading this volume. It raised a lot of questions for me about who Jet is, what caused the war, and some of the technology involved. I think this would be better having more familiarity with the overall story and world. It definitely piqued my interest about Jet and his tale. I'd recommend reading the first volume and circling back to this one.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Rust: The Boy Soldier' written and illustrated by Royden Lepp is told mostly without words. It's also a steampunk type story crossed with an anime sort of sensibility.

Jet Jones is a robot who looks like a boy. He is fighting in a war that looks a lot like World War I. Add in more mechanical creatures and the kind of chaotic action of an ongoing war, and you've set the stage. Jet seems to be able to make autonomous decisions, and he doesn't necessarily like the things that he is being made to do. He decides to do something to change that.

It's colored in a sepia tone color, and I think that was a brilliant decision to set the mood. The look of this book and world are really interesting, and it's mostly wordless. The author/artist has made a compelling entry into this genre. I'd like to see more of what this character is capable of.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Archaia, BOOM! Studios, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

[Kathryn Kania · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this off Netgalley.

I'll be honest, I think I requested this one in an excited frenzy because I don't know how else I may have accidentally picked it up. This is a prequel/prologue complication from the already published and soon to be published volumes of Rust. Having, unfortunately, not read any of the series, I did feel a bit lost and had many questions about the world I was reading about. I am also not generally a fan of war stories.

All of that being said, I did really enjoy this book. It was told largely in illustrations that were very emotionally evocative. There were a few pages I gasped at and there were a few I just enjoyed looking at for a while. I would recommend this for the parents that come in and say their kid just "doesn't like to read but likes playing Call of Duty" or the various similar RA questions I get a lot. I will also be very interested to go and read the full series to see if I can get a better grasp of this alternate WWI.

[Carol Lance · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Rust: The Boy Soldier' written and illustrated by Royden Lepp is told mostly without words. This could be used in a classroom setting having students write what their thoughts are for each page.

Jet Jones is a robot who looks like a boy, who is fighting a war that he was built for. Jet seems more human than robot and decides he can make his own choices.

Apparently this is a series and I think it would do well in the library, especially for those reluctant readers.

It's colored in a sepia tone color, and I think it worked well to help the reader to envision a WWII type war.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel. #netgalley #roydenlepp

[Jill Jemmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful graphic novel.

I loved the images in this story. It has a sepia colour scheme, which gives it a flashback quality to it. The artist was able to convey perspective very well. Some parts would be in focus while the rest of the panel was out of focus, making it look three dimensional.

I also like the way this story shows the consequences of using artificial intelligence in war. Jet has a conscience so he feels bad about what he does, leading him to wonder if he should continue fighting in the war.

After I read this book, I discovered it is the prequel to a series. It was a quick read but I understood it without that background information. I will have to look for the rest of the series!

I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for a review.

[Matt Dillard · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading Volume 1, I discovered there’s a Volume 0. That’s what this is. It’s a prequel, giving background on Jet. On its own, it doesn’t do much, but as part of the larger Rust series, this gives some welcome perspective. Since finishing this book yesterday, I’ve already read more of the series, and this volume made those books more meaningful. Knowing Jet’s background helps me understand his internal struggles more deeply.

[Riley · Rating 2 out of 5]

O...kay? What was even the point of that? I'll grant that the author is generally good at (nearly) wordless storytelling, but really not much happens for something that's 140 pages. I struggle to see who the audience really is, too. I can't really see a kid or teen giving a crap, and it's not really meaty enough for an adult, so...

[Ira Livingston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rust: The Boy Soldier goes back to the beginning of of the series, showing us where Jet came from, and what has put him on his course to help others in need and find his purpose.

Overall the series is really worth a look, the art is simplistic, immediately giving you the feel of a more simpler time from our past.

Really worth the read - enjoy.

[Knight Of · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the other two Rust books and I was looking forward to Jet's backstory. But I just couldn't get it. The stories seemed to be all over the place and at time I couldn't tell what happened before what. But there is good art and some backstory nevertheless. Not the worst graphic novel I've read but not the best.

[Bill Coffin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not care for this. The artwork felt sloppy and thin, and there just was not a lot of story here; for all of the action depicted, it never feels like there is a lot going on. On top of that, we don’t have much reason to care about any of the characters. The concept here seems to work better than its actual execution.

[Andy Hickman · Rating 4 out of 5]

RUST #0.1, the Prologues
Incredible really how few words are actually spoken.
These are the prologues for the RUST volumes: an original, quasi-nostalgic, semi-steampunk, post-apocalyptic, parallel universe, alternate World War I, American country ‘coming-of-age’ story. The feel of the colours and illustrations carry a sense of loss and grief. ****

[Pop Bop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Familar, But Foreign, in Shades of Brown and Rust

"Rust" is a four volume series. The first three books have been published and the fourth is upcoming. Each of the previous volumes contained a prologue that explained in part the Boy Soldier's back story. This volume collects those three prologues and adds some material from the fourth volume, so that a reader can have the entire Boy Soldier backstory together in one place. That's a neat idea and seems a lot like the "rebirth"-type trend we see elsewhere by which publishers are refreshing and reintroducing both well known superheroes and even some overlooked super-characters.

If you own the previous volumes you should be alert to the fact that this isn't new material. Whether having all of the prologue in one place matters to you is, of course, your call. If you are new to the series, though, having this content all together in one place is handy and convenient. I wasn't thrilled about getting the backstory piecemeal as the first volumes were published, and if I were starting fresh now I'd start with this.

The Rust series is austere and a bit melancholy. Jet Jones, the Boy Soldier, is a tragic figure with a violent and war torn backstory and a thirst for redemption. It isn't so much "noir" as it is "sepia", both familiar and foreign, and pertinent now as we consider wounded warriors and returning service men and women. A thoughtful and rewarding series. On the merits, this voume is certainly on par with the rest of the series, but it is all prologue.

(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A collected edition of the short prologues scattered through the other Rust volumes, with some additional scenes to pull it all together. It's intriguing for sure, but not strong enough to stand on its own.

[Jarett · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a little tricky to rate since it only took about 10 minutes to read cover-to-cover.

I can tell you that it’s like Robocop meets WW1, and that the storytelling takes a lot of frames. I liked the suspense and the art - would like to read more

[Elna · Rating 4 out of 5]

An exercise in minimalism, The Boy Solider tells the harsh realities of war in beautiful sepia panels.

[Cory Ottenwess · Rating 3 out of 5]

meh; not totally sold on this one; but who knows where vol 2 goes;

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art is so amazing! It fits the mood so well and this back story really adds to the narrative.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The prologue of a story that probably shouldn't be a separate book. It's mostly wordless and has lots of panels of marching and running soldiers. I wanted a bit more to hold on to.

[Laurian · Rating 3 out of 5]

meh. the illustration was pretty good.