What do you think?
Death Follows
Birdie, her sister, their pregnant mother, and their sickly father all live together on a struggling farm. When an itinerant farmhand named Cole comes to their aid, the children should be relieved. Instead, they find their lives spiraling into nightmare, as Cole regards Birdie with menacing desire. To make matters much worse, wherever he goes, the dead grow restless. As the horror threatens to consume her home and her family, Birdie is haunted by a chilling Some secrets are meant only for the dead.
136 pages, Paperback
Published June 7, 2016
About the author
Cullen Bunn
2,065 books1,080 followersCullen grew up in rural North Carolina, but now lives in the St. Louis area with his wife Cindy and his son Jackson. His noir/horror comic (and first collaboration with Brian Hurtt), The Damned, was published in 2007 by Oni Press. The follow-up, The Damned: Prodigal Sons, was released in 2008. In addition to The Sixth Gun, his current projects include Crooked Hills, a middle reader horror prose series from Evileye Books; The Tooth, an original graphic novel from Oni Press; and various work for Marvel and DC. Somewhere along the way, Cullen founded Undaunted Press and edited the critically acclaimed small press horror magazine, Whispers from the Shattered Forum.
All writers must pay their dues, and Cullen has worked various odd jobs, including Alien Autopsy Specialist, Rodeo Clown, Professional Wrestler Manager, and Sasquatch Wrangler.
And, yes, he has fought for his life against mountain lions and he did perform on stage as the World's Youngest Hypnotist. Buy him a drink sometime, and he'll tell you all about it.
Visit his website at www.cullenbunn.com.
All writers must pay their dues, and Cullen has worked various odd jobs, including Alien Autopsy Specialist, Rodeo Clown, Professional Wrestler Manager, and Sasquatch Wrangler.
And, yes, he has fought for his life against mountain lions and he did perform on stage as the World's Youngest Hypnotist. Buy him a drink sometime, and he'll tell you all about it.
Visit his website at www.cullenbunn.com.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
February 26, 2016
4.5 stars
Birdie's parents farm is struggling. Her dad is having trouble with his hands and her mom is very pregnant. There is only so much Birdie and her sister can do to help and still go to school. Then a stranger shows up and wants a job. He will work cheap. Her dad is relieved and hires him on the spot. Birdie gets a shiver down her spine and immediately dislikes him.
Then after the girls let the dog go after some rats that are in barn..they see the rats come back to life. It seems that the stranger has some secrets that follow him around.
This is a perfectly creepy story...one of the best horror graphic novels that I've read. The dang thing will probably give me some nightmares tonight. (that's a win in the horror category-I'm a sick heifer)
Booksource: Edelweiss in exchange for review
I would have missed this little creepy wonderful read if not for my friend David's review. Thank you David!
October 16, 2020
Death Follows is a horror comic from Cullen Bunn about what happens when you mix pedophiles, farms, and zombies.
Psst - That scenario doesn't end well for anyone.
This one was gripping, had great art, and was just about the perfect length. But man, it wasn't especially fun to read. The genius to this one is that the zombies aren't even the scary part. Nothing is scarier to a little girl than the creeper who worms his way into her family.
That ending, though. Yikes.
This isn't what I would call my kind of horror story, but it is a well-told menacing tale with a crazy paranormal twist to it. If hillbilly rapists and zombies sound like a good combo, then add this one to your Halloween reading list.
This was part of a Happy Halloween/birthday goodie bag I received from a very generous friend and his wife. You know who you are. Thank you!
Psst - That scenario doesn't end well for anyone.
This one was gripping, had great art, and was just about the perfect length. But man, it wasn't especially fun to read. The genius to this one is that the zombies aren't even the scary part. Nothing is scarier to a little girl than the creeper who worms his way into her family.
That ending, though. Yikes.
This isn't what I would call my kind of horror story, but it is a well-told menacing tale with a crazy paranormal twist to it. If hillbilly rapists and zombies sound like a good combo, then add this one to your Halloween reading list.
This was part of a Happy Halloween/birthday goodie bag I received from a very generous friend and his wife. You know who you are. Thank you!
January 16, 2017
A creepy drifter gets work at a farm and then strange things coincidentally start happening like the dead coming back to life! Death Follows this chap – but why?
Cullen Bunn and A.C. Zamudio’s Death Follows is the best horror comic I’ve read in some time. It’s not just a gripping tale, it genuinely unnerved me at one point too – that’s rare, a horror comic that’s actually horrifying!
The story follows Birdie, a young girl whose parents run a farm, and her perspective on the scarecrow-like figure of Cole Jensen, the mysterious fellow who appears out of nowhere and becomes her pa’s helper. Right from the start the reader gets hit with unease as Bunn writes Birdie’s narration in the past tense with a mournful tone so we know she survived but that something terrible happened – who in her family died in this story… or did she lose all of them?
Meanwhile artist A.C. Zamudio introduces Cole in shadow and gives him a really awful smile that’s as gummy as it is toothy – it feels very visceral when he opens his mouth. Death permeates this book with scenes of the girls killing rats in the barn with their cute dog, Jerry Lee, and the terrible swimming hole as well as vivid nightmares and waking dreams of gore slotted in between Birdie’s increasingly fraught scenes with Cole.
This unrelenting approach both hammers down the horror theme and easily holds the reader’s attention – there’s never a dull moment in this book. And hats off to Zamudio for that panel with the dead kid walking on the lawn – THAT was what unexpectedly creeped me out when I turned the page! I liked Zamudio’s art in general for the characters’ expressive and dynamic body language – he captures real energy on the page.
I suppose if I wanted to critique it, I’d say that you know from the first panel you see him who the villain is and he’s predictably as one-dimensional a bad guy as you guess he is. There’s also nothing original about the story as it re-uses genre tropes throughout – it feels very familiar and reminded me strongly of the stories Stephen King was writing in the 1980s before he became sober and boring.
But it’d be disingenuous of me to give this less than a perfect score because I was totally entertained the entire time and really enjoyed it. There’s something to be said about stories that don’t do anything new or surprising but still manage to keep you enthralled the entire time – they’re just good stories and this is a perfectly constructed, wonderfully unsettling and self-contained horror tale.
If you’re a horror fan, you can’t go wrong with Death Follows.
Cullen Bunn and A.C. Zamudio’s Death Follows is the best horror comic I’ve read in some time. It’s not just a gripping tale, it genuinely unnerved me at one point too – that’s rare, a horror comic that’s actually horrifying!
The story follows Birdie, a young girl whose parents run a farm, and her perspective on the scarecrow-like figure of Cole Jensen, the mysterious fellow who appears out of nowhere and becomes her pa’s helper. Right from the start the reader gets hit with unease as Bunn writes Birdie’s narration in the past tense with a mournful tone so we know she survived but that something terrible happened – who in her family died in this story… or did she lose all of them?
Meanwhile artist A.C. Zamudio introduces Cole in shadow and gives him a really awful smile that’s as gummy as it is toothy – it feels very visceral when he opens his mouth. Death permeates this book with scenes of the girls killing rats in the barn with their cute dog, Jerry Lee, and the terrible swimming hole as well as vivid nightmares and waking dreams of gore slotted in between Birdie’s increasingly fraught scenes with Cole.
This unrelenting approach both hammers down the horror theme and easily holds the reader’s attention – there’s never a dull moment in this book. And hats off to Zamudio for that panel with the dead kid walking on the lawn – THAT was what unexpectedly creeped me out when I turned the page! I liked Zamudio’s art in general for the characters’ expressive and dynamic body language – he captures real energy on the page.
I suppose if I wanted to critique it, I’d say that you know from the first panel you see him who the villain is and he’s predictably as one-dimensional a bad guy as you guess he is. There’s also nothing original about the story as it re-uses genre tropes throughout – it feels very familiar and reminded me strongly of the stories Stephen King was writing in the 1980s before he became sober and boring.
But it’d be disingenuous of me to give this less than a perfect score because I was totally entertained the entire time and really enjoyed it. There’s something to be said about stories that don’t do anything new or surprising but still manage to keep you enthralled the entire time – they’re just good stories and this is a perfectly constructed, wonderfully unsettling and self-contained horror tale.
If you’re a horror fan, you can’t go wrong with Death Follows.
March 6, 2016
Birdie, her little sister, their pregnant mother and their father live on a struggling farm. And, when a farmhand named Cole comes walking up their road should the children be thankful for some extra help on the farm. But, Birdie feels that the man is evil, there is something wrong with him and when the dead rats start to dance, then she knows for sure that Cole is making the dead restless...
Cullen Bunn has become a name that I recognize after reading The Sixth Gun and Harrow County. So, of course, I had to read Death Follows when I saw this graphic novel on Edelweiss.
And, it's a horrifying and chilling tale and I could hardly stop reading it. You know when you read something, and you want to read, but at the same time, you feel dread about turning the page? Reading Death Follows is just like that. Have you read Pet Sematary by Stephen King? If you have, then you probably know what I mean, it's a great book, but still I'm not sure I want to read it again since it's such a dreadful story. And, Death Follows is also dreadful to read. So, Cullen Bunn has really succeeded with writing a page-turning story with a heartbreaking good story. Birdie us such a great characters, and I really felt for her throughout the book, worrying about Cole, seeing things in the dark. And, the last thrilling issue in this volume just broke my heart. And, that ending...well let's say that it's a bit...creepy...
I also really like the art, the colors, the way the characters are drawn, the whole thing. It suits the story so well.
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through Edelweiss for an honest review.
Read this review and others on A Bookaholic Swede
Cullen Bunn has become a name that I recognize after reading The Sixth Gun and Harrow County. So, of course, I had to read Death Follows when I saw this graphic novel on Edelweiss.
And, it's a horrifying and chilling tale and I could hardly stop reading it. You know when you read something, and you want to read, but at the same time, you feel dread about turning the page? Reading Death Follows is just like that. Have you read Pet Sematary by Stephen King? If you have, then you probably know what I mean, it's a great book, but still I'm not sure I want to read it again since it's such a dreadful story. And, Death Follows is also dreadful to read. So, Cullen Bunn has really succeeded with writing a page-turning story with a heartbreaking good story. Birdie us such a great characters, and I really felt for her throughout the book, worrying about Cole, seeing things in the dark. And, the last thrilling issue in this volume just broke my heart. And, that ending...well let's say that it's a bit...creepy...
I also really like the art, the colors, the way the characters are drawn, the whole thing. It suits the story so well.
I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through Edelweiss for an honest review.
Read this review and others on A Bookaholic Swede
June 13, 2016
A very solid horror story from Cullen Bunn. Originally a short story entitled "Remains" which is also included, Bunn has done a great job of adapting the story to comic form. The art is gruesome and sets the mood. A travelling workhand comes to help out at Birdie's farm because her father's arthritis has gotten too bad. Birdie takes an instant dislike to the man and bad things follow shortly after he arrives.
Received an advance copy from Edelwiess in exchange for an honest review.
Received an advance copy from Edelwiess in exchange for an honest review.
October 3, 2016
Two young sisters, their pregnant mother, their frail father, a struggling farm... and a mysterious stranger who lends a helping hand for little pay. Yep, it’s another rural horror comic book written by Cullen Bunn, and it isn’t long before dead rats start to dance in the old barn...
Death Follows is a quick read, arguably a bit on the basic and unremarkable side (and not quite on the level of Harrow County). but it’s just about creepy enough to get the job done anyway. Recommended to fans of horror comics!
Death Follows is a quick read, arguably a bit on the basic and unremarkable side (and not quite on the level of Harrow County). but it’s just about creepy enough to get the job done anyway. Recommended to fans of horror comics!
October 18, 2020
I liked the art more than the story, which I felt had some pacing problems, and could've done with a slower, more involved build up.
February 26, 2016
*I received an ARC from Edelweiss*
Great story, artwork and characters. Better than Harrow County IMO. Definitely grab a copy.
Great story, artwork and characters. Better than Harrow County IMO. Definitely grab a copy.
May 1, 2017
Probably more like a 3.75, but I rounded up because Cullen Bunn is a writer whose work I have consistently enjoyed.
Death Follows is a pretty straightforward, standalone horror comic. In atmosphere and structure it reminds me a lot of some of the earlier short stories of Stephen King. A mundane but happy rural existence is thrown out of whack by the appearance of an ominous interloper whose coming is followed by increasingly eerie happenings around the homestead. Though not as engaging as his work on Harrow County, Death Follows is nonetheless a solid piece of work. I'll admit I found the ending to be a little underwhelming, but overall I was pleased by the effort. The story is short enough that the premise doesn't stretch itself too thin.
I'm wondering at what point (if any) I'll grow tired of Bunn's particular brand of Southern horror, but as for now I'm digging it.
Death Follows is a pretty straightforward, standalone horror comic. In atmosphere and structure it reminds me a lot of some of the earlier short stories of Stephen King. A mundane but happy rural existence is thrown out of whack by the appearance of an ominous interloper whose coming is followed by increasingly eerie happenings around the homestead. Though not as engaging as his work on Harrow County, Death Follows is nonetheless a solid piece of work. I'll admit I found the ending to be a little underwhelming, but overall I was pleased by the effort. The story is short enough that the premise doesn't stretch itself too thin.
I'm wondering at what point (if any) I'll grow tired of Bunn's particular brand of Southern horror, but as for now I'm digging it.
January 12, 2017
I'm a big fan of Bunn's work on The Sixth Gun, but this was just too much. Over-the-top in terms of grim and it all happens so fast at the end--should have been more build-up on the way. Nice art from the Zamudio brothers.
June 11, 2016
I was eagerly anticipating this one. Read it in one sitting and it was delightfully creepy. For fans of Harrow County and rural horror stories (is that a genre?). Short story which inspired the graphic novel is included.
February 28, 2020
I'll hide an outspoken trigger warning because it is a spoiler: , but if you're sensitive to children suffering, this might not be for you..
Wow... This was... Calling something like Death Follows great, or even good, something that's this dark and disturbing, feels inherently wrong.
I like dark, I do. And disturbing can often mean interesting, and this was definitely both of those.
When Birdie's dad hires on a man to help around the farm, Birdie just knows that there's something unsettling about him. The way he looks back over his shoulder, the way he looks at her... But her daddy needs the help. And besides, other than that really bad feeling in her gut, Birdie has nothing to point to. Not until the dead rats begin to dance.
Wow... This was... Calling something like Death Follows great, or even good, something that's this dark and disturbing, feels inherently wrong.
I like dark, I do. And disturbing can often mean interesting, and this was definitely both of those.
When Birdie's dad hires on a man to help around the farm, Birdie just knows that there's something unsettling about him. The way he looks back over his shoulder, the way he looks at her... But her daddy needs the help. And besides, other than that really bad feeling in her gut, Birdie has nothing to point to. Not until the dead rats begin to dance.
May 3, 2022
Dead Rats Dancing
Apesar, talvez, da literalidade do título, Death Follows passa longe de ser previsível. A figura de Cole Jensen desperta curiosidade e medo. Não se sabe o que esperar dele na maior parte do tempo (apesar da conclusão do personagem não ser muito original, único ponto que perde a sensação de imprevisibilidade). Há o medo do estranho, há o medo da morte, e há o medo dos humanos. Não é uma HQ leve. Cenas de violência e abuso para com humanos e outros animais estão presentes. Não se prolonga, e ainda consegue passar a tragédia que marca uma família. Mais um acerto do Cullen Bunn, já se tornando um dos meus escritores preferidos do terror atual (fora outras sagas como de Darth Maul que ele escreveu lindamente pra Star Wars). A próxima experiência será sua coletânea no "All My Little Demons".
Apesar, talvez, da literalidade do título, Death Follows passa longe de ser previsível. A figura de Cole Jensen desperta curiosidade e medo. Não se sabe o que esperar dele na maior parte do tempo (apesar da conclusão do personagem não ser muito original, único ponto que perde a sensação de imprevisibilidade). Há o medo do estranho, há o medo da morte, e há o medo dos humanos. Não é uma HQ leve. Cenas de violência e abuso para com humanos e outros animais estão presentes. Não se prolonga, e ainda consegue passar a tragédia que marca uma família. Mais um acerto do Cullen Bunn, já se tornando um dos meus escritores preferidos do terror atual (fora outras sagas como de Darth Maul que ele escreveu lindamente pra Star Wars). A próxima experiência será sua coletânea no "All My Little Demons".
March 20, 2018
Excellent writing, gorgeous drawing, flawless and creepy story—what more can you ask for? Highly recommend to my graphic-novel loving friends. The short story it’s adapted from is in the back of the book and it’s definitely worth reading as well.
July 7, 2021
Perfection. I loved that the original short story was featured at the end of the book.
Read for Summerween.
Read for Summerween.
February 21, 2025
Eerie and unsettling with a villain who is easy to hate. Disturbing and disturbingly good art that was well matched to the story.
I also enjoyed getting to read the original story that inspired the comic adaptation.
I also enjoyed getting to read the original story that inspired the comic adaptation.
September 20, 2025
Horrific and terrific. Felt on edge the whole time and ending… rough payoff. But delightfully macabre. The artistry adds to the creepiness. All in all, a great and horrific story. Sheesh!
March 16, 2016
Death Follows is unapologetically dark. Based on the title and cover art, I expected this, but it even surprised me. Having never read Mr. Bunn's work before (this graphic novel is based upon a short story), I went into the tale not knowing what to expect. I left feeling unsettled because of it, so I'll refrain from many spoilers here. Some will be unavoidable, however, so be warned.
Still with me? Good. The basic outline of the story looks something like this. On a farm in rural North Carolina, a farmer, his pregnant wife, and two young daughters do their best to live a happy life taking care of their animals and crops and school work. Until Cole arrives, wandering alone down their empty road, looking for work. To the girls, he looks frightening. To their father, he looks like a man down on his luck.
Well, all is not as it should be with Mr. Cole and before long, the dead, literally, start stirring. It starts small but Death Follows quickly expands into a full-blown rural horror.
I enjoy the stories like this, those that don't rely on gore so much as the unseen; stories that lean on terror instead of torture and the easy gross-out. Death Follows doesn't disappoint there. And once things take a turn for the creepy, they don't let go.
The writing of Cullen Bunn is well done. I read the relatively short graphic novel in two sittings and didn't want to put it down either time. There is a sense of foreboding that supersedes even the supernatural elements, which is answered in a culminating ending that is unexpected and, frankly, packs a punch. Many horror stories pull the punch and let the reader sit a little easier knowing that the evil is settled. Death Follows pulls no such punch. When the story ends, you're left feeling slightly ravaged.
Which, quite honestly, has kept me thinking about Death Follows long after I would have moved on. from most other stories. It is brave in its unflinching willingness to make you stare into its black pool. I don't know if its possible to enjoy an ending like this because I don't think enjoy is the right word. But good horror leaves you with that lingering unsettledness that has you questioning what you just read.
Death Follows does that. I would not recommend this book for the squeamish and would caution anyone that Death here really doesn't let up. But if that doesn't scare you away, there's a good that this might be a book you would enjoy.
Still with me? Good. The basic outline of the story looks something like this. On a farm in rural North Carolina, a farmer, his pregnant wife, and two young daughters do their best to live a happy life taking care of their animals and crops and school work. Until Cole arrives, wandering alone down their empty road, looking for work. To the girls, he looks frightening. To their father, he looks like a man down on his luck.
Well, all is not as it should be with Mr. Cole and before long, the dead, literally, start stirring. It starts small but Death Follows quickly expands into a full-blown rural horror.
I enjoy the stories like this, those that don't rely on gore so much as the unseen; stories that lean on terror instead of torture and the easy gross-out. Death Follows doesn't disappoint there. And once things take a turn for the creepy, they don't let go.
The writing of Cullen Bunn is well done. I read the relatively short graphic novel in two sittings and didn't want to put it down either time. There is a sense of foreboding that supersedes even the supernatural elements, which is answered in a culminating ending that is unexpected and, frankly, packs a punch. Many horror stories pull the punch and let the reader sit a little easier knowing that the evil is settled. Death Follows pulls no such punch. When the story ends, you're left feeling slightly ravaged.
Which, quite honestly, has kept me thinking about Death Follows long after I would have moved on. from most other stories. It is brave in its unflinching willingness to make you stare into its black pool. I don't know if its possible to enjoy an ending like this because I don't think enjoy is the right word. But good horror leaves you with that lingering unsettledness that has you questioning what you just read.
Death Follows does that. I would not recommend this book for the squeamish and would caution anyone that Death here really doesn't let up. But if that doesn't scare you away, there's a good that this might be a book you would enjoy.
March 19, 2016
Some good creep factor in this graphic novel. When a stranger arrives looking for work and is hired on the spot then leers at little girls....beware.
Birdie has a bad feeling about their Barn tenant and family hand her father has hired. But what can a young girl do? Help is very much needed and her parents turn a deaf ear to her concerns. But when dead critters don't stay dead and things get more sinister this book can turn unnerving.
A few twists I did not quite expect and some parts that were alarming in nature. The shed scene even gave me the jitters! So I have to applaud the effort. However, the story never quite grabs me. It felt a bit dry. And the art was not quite my style either, giving me an unthrilling combination. Still, a good enough job, just not my personal preference. I wish there was a bit more to the story. More of a middle I guess. Regardless, horror fans can enjoy this to varying degrees. Still worth taking a look at. Recommended for mature readers for both images and story content.
*I was loaned a digital copy of this in exchange for a fair, honest review.
Birdie has a bad feeling about their Barn tenant and family hand her father has hired. But what can a young girl do? Help is very much needed and her parents turn a deaf ear to her concerns. But when dead critters don't stay dead and things get more sinister this book can turn unnerving.
A few twists I did not quite expect and some parts that were alarming in nature. The shed scene even gave me the jitters! So I have to applaud the effort. However, the story never quite grabs me. It felt a bit dry. And the art was not quite my style either, giving me an unthrilling combination. Still, a good enough job, just not my personal preference. I wish there was a bit more to the story. More of a middle I guess. Regardless, horror fans can enjoy this to varying degrees. Still worth taking a look at. Recommended for mature readers for both images and story content.
*I was loaned a digital copy of this in exchange for a fair, honest review.
April 29, 2017
Wonderfully unsettling from the get go. A creeptastic stranger gets hired to help an aging farmer and his young family tend their farm. This line from pg3 dragged me in and I was hooked.
"For some reason the stranger reminded me of a scarecrow that had crawled from its perch in the cornfield"
After that, the gore comes on hard and fast.
I winced more than once before the end.
On a side note: You can see Mr Bunn feeling out the edges of the world that will later germinate into Harrow County.
"For some reason the stranger reminded me of a scarecrow that had crawled from its perch in the cornfield"
After that, the gore comes on hard and fast.
I winced more than once before the end.
On a side note: You can see Mr Bunn feeling out the edges of the world that will later germinate into Harrow County.
September 1, 2025
I found this book in a secondhand store on my birthday. I was a fan of Cullen Bunns horror work already (such as Harrow County) and always love self contained horror stories. I read this in one sitting and it was a nicely paced creep fest with nice illustrations and a lot of icky ideas. Loved it.
Also, my copy also happened to be signed which was wonderful!
Also, my copy also happened to be signed which was wonderful!
January 17, 2018
This is a solid horror story. It is a slow burn at first but, by the second half, quickly starts going off the rails (in a good way).
April 2, 2022
(Zero spoiler review) 2.5/5
Another library book, and another Cullen Bunn story that holds firm to my yet again proven adage, that Cullen Bunn writes either really good or really ass stories, with nothing really falling somewhere in between. Now, I did think that little assertion of mine was going to fail here. During the majority of this, it was exactly... precisely... good. Not great, but good. Exactly what I've stated Bunn doesn't do. But Cullen Bunn rose, or rather stumbled, just before the finish line, and proceeded to absolutely shit the bed in the final issue. What was a promising story (far more so for the excellent Zamudio art than Bunn's stock storytelling) quickly went off the rails, and the averagely established characters in the averagely built up story went and... I don't know what happened. Well I do, but describing Bunn's shortcomings in detail would likely make for a more competent and compelling read than what Bunn considered a well executed build up and pay off to his story, and I really can't be bothered. Props again to the Zamudio brothers for bringing Bunn's very average story to life. Think a slightly less detailed Locke and Key and you'll have a pretty good idea. God only knows how much of a drag this would have been if the art matched the storytelling. I'm worried about my expensive editions of The Sixth Gun and Harrow County I have sitting there. Eek. 2.5/5
OmniBen.
Another library book, and another Cullen Bunn story that holds firm to my yet again proven adage, that Cullen Bunn writes either really good or really ass stories, with nothing really falling somewhere in between. Now, I did think that little assertion of mine was going to fail here. During the majority of this, it was exactly... precisely... good. Not great, but good. Exactly what I've stated Bunn doesn't do. But Cullen Bunn rose, or rather stumbled, just before the finish line, and proceeded to absolutely shit the bed in the final issue. What was a promising story (far more so for the excellent Zamudio art than Bunn's stock storytelling) quickly went off the rails, and the averagely established characters in the averagely built up story went and... I don't know what happened. Well I do, but describing Bunn's shortcomings in detail would likely make for a more competent and compelling read than what Bunn considered a well executed build up and pay off to his story, and I really can't be bothered. Props again to the Zamudio brothers for bringing Bunn's very average story to life. Think a slightly less detailed Locke and Key and you'll have a pretty good idea. God only knows how much of a drag this would have been if the art matched the storytelling. I'm worried about my expensive editions of The Sixth Gun and Harrow County I have sitting there. Eek. 2.5/5
OmniBen.
June 2, 2020
This graphic novel was purely an impulse buy for me. I saw it while browsing, saw it was horror and written by Cullen Bunn, and purchased immediately. And it was totally worth it!
+++
Briefly, the story is about a stranger who comes to a family farm looking for work. The dad hires the man on the spot, but the daughters feel like something is a little...off about the guy. As the days turn into weeks, strange things begin happening around the farm, and the daughters begin to realize that dead doesn’t necessarily mean dead forever
+++
This one-off graphic novel is based on a short story that Cullen Bunn wrote previously (with a few changes). It’s about loss of innocence and extreme stranger danger. It’s shockingly gory at times, and it had a final act that legitimately surprised me. It also has a nauseating (to me) obsession with rats 🐀 Oh, and it’s fantastic! The artwork is gorgeous (love the attention to gruesome detail and the big bold lines) and the writing is great (per usual). I had never heard of this before I bought it, but now I would highly recommend it!
+++
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
+++
Briefly, the story is about a stranger who comes to a family farm looking for work. The dad hires the man on the spot, but the daughters feel like something is a little...off about the guy. As the days turn into weeks, strange things begin happening around the farm, and the daughters begin to realize that dead doesn’t necessarily mean dead forever
+++
This one-off graphic novel is based on a short story that Cullen Bunn wrote previously (with a few changes). It’s about loss of innocence and extreme stranger danger. It’s shockingly gory at times, and it had a final act that legitimately surprised me. It also has a nauseating (to me) obsession with rats 🐀 Oh, and it’s fantastic! The artwork is gorgeous (love the attention to gruesome detail and the big bold lines) and the writing is great (per usual). I had never heard of this before I bought it, but now I would highly recommend it!
+++
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 31, 2017
Don't read this while you're eating. I reached this conclusion midway through a meal...
The ending is chilling and quite disgusting, but that's horror for you. The artwork goes hand in hand with the atmosphere. Even if it's not my cup of tea, I can admit it's gruesomely beautiful in its own way.
The new farmhand isn't a regular guy. It seems that the dead, rats and humans alike, get a second wind around him. He scares Birdie, one of the kids, who starts having awful nightmares. Her father asks him to leave, but he returns to the house and attack the kids. They weren't the first ones to encounter the farmhand, but they are the last.
The ending is chilling and quite disgusting, but that's horror for you. The artwork goes hand in hand with the atmosphere. Even if it's not my cup of tea, I can admit it's gruesomely beautiful in its own way.
The new farmhand isn't a regular guy. It seems that the dead, rats and humans alike, get a second wind around him. He scares Birdie, one of the kids, who starts having awful nightmares. Her father asks him to leave, but he returns to the house and attack the kids. They weren't the first ones to encounter the farmhand, but they are the last.
May 26, 2017
It's really hard to convey horror through books and graphic novels. Some of the greats have really done so. This one was creepy, well-developed, but not really scary. I liked the ending and the way the author saved a surprise for the reader, but it wasn't the horror I was craving.
March 1, 2018
A creepy, haunting story about a family that hires an extra farmhand and gets a lot more than they bargained for. Based on a short story Bunn previously published, this graphic novel shows that Bunn knows horror and how to creep out his readers.
September 22, 2020
A very enjoyable book from my arch nemesis Cullen Bunn. I usually hate Bunn's work and think he never met an ending he could write, but here he channels Stephen King so hard he poops out a quite readable book.
November 8, 2022
It's an alright story, just wish it was a little longer and more fleshed out, especially the villain, never really learn mich about him. This is essentially a short story told in 4 issues but it was fun nevertheless.
February 15, 2026
A quick, chilly read. Birdie lives with her parents and sisters in a barn. They lead a normal life, until one day, a stranger comes looking for work and lodging. The strange seems odd, but that was the least of their worries, as death enters their lives and refuses to leave.
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