Maze Runner: The Death Cure: The Official Graphic Novel Prelude

by Eric Carrasco, Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly

An all new, original Maze Runner story set directly before the upcoming third film, The Death Cure.  

They used to live and die by the Maze—a seemingly endless labyrinth of deathtraps that kept the Gladers prisoner and in fear. But the day Thomas arrived, he motivated them all to push back...and escape.

But what they discovered was far worse than any maze—a world scorched by disease and controlled by the oppressive organization, Wicked. Thomas, Aided by a band of rebels, now readies to take the fight right to Wicked’s doorstep in the hope of finding a cure for the plague that’s ravaging mankind.

This all-new, authorized graphic novel bridges the gap between the second and third installments (Scorch Trials, The Death Cure) of the hit film franchise, The Maze Runner.

Genres: Dystopia, Science Fiction, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Fiction, Young Adult, Comics

96 pages, Paperback

First published November 14, 2017

Reviews

[Spens (Sphynx Reads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2025

Kinda dull.

---

2022 rating: 4.5

Some parts felt a little off, but owing to my already existing love for the characters and story as well as the excellent art style, I really enjoyed this!

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

NEWT 😕😕☹️😕😕☹️☹️☹️☹️😕☹️😕☹️😕😕☹️😕

[Izzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a great read and I’m soooooooooooo happy that there is more then 1 book because I just could not get enough! I hope anyone who has read this feels this way to. It is the perfect next book to the scorch trails and the maze runner. With all the cranks running around, you feel yourself rooting for Thomas even more. (If that is even possible.) also after the death cure there is also the kill order and the fever code which are both amazing!

[Mandy, Erste ihres Namens, Mutter der Kaninchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicht so stark wie die erste Graphic Novel, aber ebenfalls eine super Ergänzung zum dritten Film. Die Novel enthält drei Geschichten, wobei die letzteren beiden eher Kurzgeschichten enthalten und erklären, was nach dem Eislabyrinth aus der ersten Novel geschehen ist und wie Teresa ins Labyrinth kommt. Die letzte Story erzählt die Geschichte eines Cranks. Aber der eigentliche Kern der Graphic Novel ist Geschichte Nummer 1 und berichtet, was zwischen Maze Runner Teil 2 und 3 geschehen ist. Wie haben die Gladers den Zug gefunden, in dem Minho transportiert wurde? Wie ist Gally zum rechten Arm gekommen? Gibt es noch andere Labyrinthe? ...
Die Novel macht viel Spaß und ist die perfekte Geschichte für ein entspanntes Wochenende!

[Bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

(SPOILERS). This was an amazing book the only thing keeping it from being 5 stars was Newts death.

[Jayden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I choose this book to read because my brother said it was really interestin and it had A good amount of action. I liked this book because it had a good story line plus it also had quite a bit of horror. My favourite actor was Minho because he was very good at fighter and he was also a good friend to most people. I learnt that Don't always trust people that say there good.

[Satur♄o · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nuevamente, lo interesante de estos comics es ver un poco más de cómo son los otros laberintos y, además, añade un poco más de trasfondo a la relación de Thomas con Brenda, así como qué pasó con Gally en un lapso de tiempo que resultaba algo confuso.

Recomendable.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

!!! spojler!!!
NEWT UMARŁ DEBILE ZASRANE

[Sofia Stramacchia · Rating 5 out of 5]

ho bisogno di essere ricoverata

[julita · Rating 3 out of 5]

boring and pointless #slayy

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well it answered some questions the movie left open which was nice, cool comic.

For my reference:
1 - How Gally got to Lawrence and showed the raids the right arm and Vince did on wicked bases and how they found the shipyard
Bit of Thomas Brenda romance they raided other mazes to find Minho and got the train plans.
2 - Teresa asking to be sent into the maze to help trigger endgame because they were being attacked by right arm
3 - Quick one from the POV of the crank that they tried the cure on in the movie (before crank, captured, cure,killed)

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as The Scorch Trials Graphic Novel Prelude. Well, actually that's not entirely true, it serves its purpose just as much, but I guess there was just less to fill in between movies 2&3 (please note that, although this is supposed to be a "prelude to", I read this after watching the last movie), than there was before movie 2, so I didn't have the same feeling of fulfillment that the other gave me. But this bit from Dashner's intro still rings very true.

It honestly and truly brings tears to my eyes, quite often, when I think of what The Maze Runner world has become, and how much all of you mean to me. We are like a family, and these characters are our brothers and sisters. No one can ever tell me that they aren't real. I hope you feel the same. And what a gift that we can spend a little more time with them within these pages.

Also, there are less stories in this one, which is basically one long(er) story that does the filling between movies 2&3, and then two very short stories, among which the second one didn't bring much in my opinion (actually, both those short stories would have fit better in the previous graphic novel).

MAZE RUNNER: THE DEATH CURE OFFICIAL GRAPHIC NOVEL PRELUDE
Or well, at least, I guess that's the title for the one long story? Where do I start? There's just so much put altogether in this one. First: Gally! The three first pages were so good already! This "I'm sorry." from him to Chuck was just perfect to show that despite what he did in the first book/movie, deep down, Gally's a good guy. He never wanted any of this. And this is just the kind of things that I like about my gladers. The rest of the story dedicated to him is good to show how he ended up where he was in the last movie (which is roughly skipped over in it, with just him mentioning that he got found and patched up). Then most of that story is dedicated to showing what Thomas and the gang were up to during the roughly 6 months hole there is between movies 2&3. To be quite honest, not all of it was really necessary to the story, I guess. (Wait, actually, nope sorry. There's one way in which it was useful: to show the evolution in Thomas & Brenda's relationship. Among other things, it kinda gave more context to Brenda's remark in the last movie about how Thomas can't give up on anyone, not even one person.) But I like that they stayed true to each character's personality developed through both books and movies. Especially Newt's snarky remarks, which are everything to me. (Allow me to mention this here: now that I'm reading again the first book, I realized that Thomas Brodie-Sangster is pretty much nothing like the description given in the first book, and yet, he's just so perfect for the character somehow. I mean, physical description aside, his portrayal is on point.)

Thomas: You don't think it was my fault?
Newt: No, I just want you to stop using passive voice. It was very much your fault.

The art is... okay, as in: the characters quite resemble the actors portraying them, or at least enough for us to know who's who (except for Gally imo). However, I love the choices of colors for each subpart of the story, and I'm totally in awe with the double-page panel showing the last maze though. It lacks details and neatness for me, but it still looks really great! And the very last panel showing Thomas's face, which looks very much like Dylan O'Brien, as if the artist put all his might into that one panel.

"THE ZEALOT"
I'm gonna be honest, the one (main) reason I enjoyed this one is because I've always wanted to see/read more about Thomas/Teresa's work before they entered the maze. (And I still want more about them working with Aris and... who was supposed to be the other girl working with them again in the books? I forgot. But I guess I'm not getting this, so I'm taking what they're giving us.)

"A FATHER OF THREE"
I'm not entirely sure where this fits into the whole thing. Well, like I mention at the beginning of this review, it doesn't bring much imo. Or rather, I feel like this would have needed a couple more pages to give it more substance.

Okay, now wrapping it up... Overall, it's another nice addition to the whole world of the Maze Runner. And while I'm not putting the same emphasis on it as I did for the Scorch Trials one, I'd still recommend to any fan of the series to read this. Oh, and before I forget, while I was reading, I realized that there's one thing I didn't mention about the previous one: I read this as part of the movies, so I have no idea where it stands on its own. Probably very confusing if you're not familiar with the movies, so I guess it's not something you pick up at random.


Ah, also. There's one thing I'm disappointed in when it comes to this book. That it doesn't have the same... how do you call it- glossy finish(?) for the cover. Because of that, it feels cheaper than the other one (and also, will have more chances of getting damaged or stained).

[zara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Looooove how this filled in the blank between the second and third movies especially since they didn't follow book-canon so this was a really fun read!

[Amelia Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

One word:newt

[Abel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grade: A-

Oh, Great! Another Graphic Novel Prelude That got my head hurt again! 🤕
All Right Here’s My Review. This was pretty good with 3 Short Stories. They’re actually well done and art are great as well but slightly confusing and issue between original books and adaptation films in very different way so it is what it is whether it’s good or not bad, but little off. James Dashner’s Introduction is Great that explain that we can created our own imagination for world-building so that’s nice message, and accept his work to a Film and he’s very grateful. Back to the 3 Stories I discussed.

The Death Cure Prelude-
Alright, this was actually very well done that Focus 2 Stories In One. 1st is Gally who wound survived and journey with a 2 guys who take him to Lawrence. 2nd Stories is Thomas and rest of gang break down place and find a whereabout of Kids Including Minho Who Been taken by WCKD. This really great choice before the event of 3rd Film. Well Done!
Oh, this One Error, does Aris got taken from WCKD instead of Base Camp with Others?

The Zealot-
This Focus on Teresa who had a choice to do a mission for Thomas during the Corruption of Battle Between WCKD And The Right Arm For Risk the lives of Kids. This is really excellent story by, Again, Director Wes Ball And Filmscreenwriter T.S. nowlin in the middle of 1st Film. The Art is 👍🏽

A Father of Three-
Much Like Stand-Alone Very Short Story Focus on a Family Man Who turn into Crank and narrative how he lost his wife and kids during the World been spread by The Flare. Man, this is a very sad and horror, but great with thought-provoking.

Well, this was last before the end of the Film Completed as Trilogy, But there’s 5 actually books and only there’s 2 Prequel left to adapt a film or not. I did enjoy it, and again, should’ve made 5 Novel into graphic novel, it would be good to see the page like a movie.

And let’s not forget, WCKD is good!

[Daniel Nelson]

Maze Runner: The Death Cure is the last book in the Maze Runner series, and it's just okay. It's about Thomas and his friends trying to fight against WICKED, the antagonist group that's been involved since book one. They're still trying to find a cure for the disease called the flare, and things get really intense. The book has a lot of action, which is cool, but sometimes it feels like it's too much, and it's hard to catch a breath. Thomas is the main character, and he sometimes gets a bit boring because he's always so good at everything and he can't do wrong. The story is set in a dystopian world due to the flare virus, and the descriptions of the places are one of the best parts. It's easy to imagine the ruins and cities. The plot has a lot of twists, which can be exciting, but sometimes it feels like the book is trying too hard to surprise you. The ending ties up some things, but not everything, which is bothering because I wanted certain answers to questions I had. It's not the best book I've ever read, but it's not the worst either. If you've read the first two books, you might as well finish the story with this one. It's an okay read, but don't expect something game changing.

[Minna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh damn, this series is getting tougher and tougher, you know mainly mentally. Obviously it's fiction, non of it is real, but I really lived myself in this, let this fictional world swallow me, and idk but I remember thinking like wow they really put these kids through hell and back, like full torture this world was. There is that constant unknown-ness like will Wicked win or will Thomas be able to save everyone. And yes they do make it to the safe haven, but at what cost. They left behind Tesera and Newt, noooo not Newt:((. He deserved better. I understand Teresa wanting to do all this for a greater good, but damn, no need to betray your friends then suddenly help them and play this back and forth. Anyways, my heart aches for these fictional characters. This movie is actually pretty good, ofc missing many elements, but I think it followed the book much better than the first one. Newt's letter absolutely broke me, that was heartbreaking. Minho was an excellent person and fighter, he always stuck by his friends, and saw right through the wrong people.

[Molly Mueller]

¨The Death Cure¨ by James Dasher is the third book in ¨The Maze runner¨ series. It begins with Thomas waking up in a white room with no memory of how he got there. He soon learns he´s back at WICKED headquarters. He reunites with friends and goes on a daring mission where memories are given back, epic ships called bergs are stolen, romance sparks, and friends become enemies. He watches friends and foes die and ends lives as well. And Thomas will find himself where it all begins. This book is very action-packed and leaves you on your toes. There are slow parts and exciting but they all lead to an unexpected ending. I give this book at 4 out of 5 for having great parts with exciting twists, but some parts are slower and more confusing. The theme of this book, follow your gut, reflects on how the main character Thomas follows his gut throughout the story, not always thinking of the outcome of his actions.

[Nick H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maze Runner Death Cure

Some of the scenes are when he goes back to the base camp of the Maze Runner to go back and save people and stop the virus that is spreading which turns them into zombie like beings.One mission was to find their friend and save him so they don’t do test on him.They unlock one of the train carts and save all the kids in that cart but don’t find their friend.Next they go back to their base to think of another plan and to bring the kids back.After they think of a plan to find a way in and find their friend, later they find a underground tunnel that lead into the base.Second they find the building he is in and save him and they look outside and the zombie like people found a way in and start burning building and shooting guns. Finally they get out and get in there ship and leave.

[Daphne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I did enjoy this book, there is some room for improvement. I get that Thomas was mad at Teresa, but he seemed to absolutely hate her which to me felt a little “unrealistic”. Thomas refused to hear her out. Any time she would say something he agreed with he was convinced that she was lying. I cannot speak for others, but in my opinion the characters were lacking somehow. Thomas and Teresa’s life before the maze was never given much detail even though Teresa supposedly had her memories back. Not having much detail about the characters (especially the “side” characters) kept me from being able to connect to the characters as some books allow readers to do. Aside from this, the book was good and really makes the reader ask themself if seemingly horrible deeds are maybe not so bad if done with the right intentions and outcome in the long run.

[Kristin]

I choose to read this book because I had already read the first 2 books in the series and I liked them so I choose to finish the series. I would rate this book a 5 out of 5 because I thought it was really well written and was my favorite out of the three books. I think the author did really well with the entire book. She made it interesting, added detail, and kept you on your feet and I think it was very well written. I do not think she did anything that she can improve on I like the book just the way it is. I would recommend this book to my aunt because I feel like she would really enjoy this book as well as the whole series. She is always recommending me books that I should read so I would recommend this book as well as the others to my aunt.

[alexander shay · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art isn't quite good enough for me to remember characters I haven't seen in a while. Once they're named, I recognize them, but without the name or with less prominent characters, it's hard to tell.
I feel like nothing really happens, actually. Basically the Right Hand travels more, confronts WCKD at a couple places, and continues to hunt for Minho and the others that were taken. But they don't really come by any answers, which would of course happen during the movie. Guess I'll have to wait and see if this comic puts me in the know about anything in the movie that might be left otherwise unexplained.

[Lola - Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, it's a great book overall. I think it really tied the story together and really kept in nicely with the previous two in the series. The way it was written made it almost impossible to put down every storyline and plot point had me extremely eager to continue reading.

I loved the descriptions in this book and the portrayal of very strong emotions and how each character feels them differently. A great read for fans of books that aren't scary but have moments that will make you worry about the characters and the story itself.

All in all I HIGHLY recommend this book and enjoyed it a lot.

[Kanan Jain · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Death Cure," the final book in the Maze Runner trilogy, delivers a thrilling, albeit bittersweet, conclusion to the series. The story picks up after the trials, with Thomas and his friends grappling with the truth behind WICKED and the Flare virus. While action-packed and fast-paced, with intense fight scenes and unexpected twists, the novel also explores themes of betrayal, sacrifice, and the emotional toll of constant struggle. Some readers find the ending satisfying, while others feel it leaves lingering questions. Overall, "The Death Cure" offers a compelling, if somewhat bleak, conclusion to the Maze Runner saga, leaving a lasting impact on readers.

[Evelyn Kane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can not explain how much i love this series, i love the moves too, the twists and turns in the book are crazy like when thomas had the cure and when newt died and stuff like that actually broke me so much, i was so sad when newt died because hes my favorite. and when gally came back?! like what!!! did not see that coming

[Ally · Rating 5 out of 5]

The introduction by James Dashner at the beginning was lovely ❤️ This was a great prelude for the death cure film- I'm seeing the movie in less than 24 hours and after that it's all going to be over! 😭💔

[Raymond St. Paul · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nah

I got bored reading this comic and decided to skip pages that's a sign to me I've not an interest in continuing especially when the art is more distracting than the actual story. Avoid if you're looking for a back story this is not it!

[Evelyn P · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Maze Runner Trilogy. Reading them in the heart of COVID in CA was a little too close to home. So engaging. Gave me the chills. If you have watched the movie, it will leave you with a world of surprises. Page Turner!

[karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, it captures the amazing leadership skills that Thomas has as well as his capability of making quick but smart decisions. I loved the plot twists and overall suspense that was seen throughout the book.

[Nada · Rating 4 out of 5]

الزخم ف القصة دي مذهل!
حبيت minho و gorge ف القصة دي و طبعا Brenda
زعلت ع. Newt جدن🥺💔
ف نص الأحداث وقعت الهدف م كل الملاحقات و المغامرات بس مش مؤثرة
التقييم 4.5
بس مش متخيلة الجزء الأخير ممكن يبقى ايه
Let's go 🤩✨