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Cognetic
Cognetic
Cognetic is the story of a powerful psychic being that once controlled one-third of the world's population as a part of its hivemind, and his return to humanity in modern-day New York City.
It's also the story of a young woman, the assistant to the director of the FBI, who might be the only one who can save humanity, but at a terrible, terrible cost. Collects the complete limited series by writer James Tynion IV (Detective Comics, The Woods) and artist Eryk Donovan (Memetic), plus character profiles, essays, sketches, and cover gallery.
"Cognetic stands alone, giving familiar sci-fi and horror themes a fresh Mission Impossible twist with a fascinating arc and eerie illustrations." - Newsarama
It's also the story of a young woman, the assistant to the director of the FBI, who might be the only one who can save humanity, but at a terrible, terrible cost. Collects the complete limited series by writer James Tynion IV (Detective Comics, The Woods) and artist Eryk Donovan (Memetic), plus character profiles, essays, sketches, and cover gallery.
"Cognetic stands alone, giving familiar sci-fi and horror themes a fresh Mission Impossible twist with a fascinating arc and eerie illustrations." - Newsarama
116 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 12, 2016
11 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
About the author
James Tynion IV
1,645 books1,993 followersPrior to his first professional work, Tynion was a student of Scott Snyder's at Sarah Lawrence College. A few years later, he worked as for Vertigo as Fables editor Shelly Bond's intern. In late 2011, with DC deciding to give Batman (written by Snyder) a back up feature, Tynion was brought in by request of Snyder to script the back ups he had plotted. Tynion would later do the same with the Batman Annual #1, which was also co-plotted by Snyder. Beginning in September 2012, with DC's 0 issue month for the New 52, Tynion will be writing Talon, with art by Guillem March. In early 2013 it was announced that he'd take over writing duties for Red Hood and the Outlaws in April.
Tynion is also currently one of the writers in a rotating team in the weekly Batman Eternal series.
Tynion is also currently one of the writers in a rotating team in the weekly Batman Eternal series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
October 27, 2025
Comic horror meets the apocalypse.
Tynion just loves to find new and interesting ways to end the world.
And I really did enjoy all of the different twists and turns this story took to get humanity to collapse into the inevitable void.
Alright. So this one follows Annie, assistant to the director of the FBI, and loving wife and mother.
Impressive.
But not as impressive as the secret she is carrying around with her.
And that's really all I can say without spoiling things.
Now, this one was (to me) a lot like the bleak view of humanity you're left with in Tynion's Memetic, so I'm starting to see a pattern here. But he does seem to have quite a way with aliens as gods storytelling, and that's really all that matters when it comes to this genre, isn't it?
Recommended for fans of our eventual plunge into darkness.
Tynion just loves to find new and interesting ways to end the world.
And I really did enjoy all of the different twists and turns this story took to get humanity to collapse into the inevitable void.
Alright. So this one follows Annie, assistant to the director of the FBI, and loving wife and mother.
Impressive.
But not as impressive as the secret she is carrying around with her.
And that's really all I can say without spoiling things.
Now, this one was (to me) a lot like the bleak view of humanity you're left with in Tynion's Memetic, so I'm starting to see a pattern here. But he does seem to have quite a way with aliens as gods storytelling, and that's really all that matters when it comes to this genre, isn't it?
Recommended for fans of our eventual plunge into darkness.
June 9, 2025
Virtually identical in theme to "Memetic", James Tynion IV's 2016 graphic novel series "Cognetic" is another entertaining apocalyptic human hive-mind story involving aliens. And when I say virtually identical, it seems like the same story only with different characters. It even ends with nearly-identical imagery and the same lack of hope for humanity.
These were, of course, early Tynion stories. He has since honed and better-articulated some of his views on hive-mind, the singularity, and the apocalypse in series like "Worldtr33" and "The Nice House on the Lake".
These were, of course, early Tynion stories. He has since honed and better-articulated some of his views on hive-mind, the singularity, and the apocalypse in series like "Worldtr33" and "The Nice House on the Lake".
August 2, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ rounded up!
January 5, 2020
I would have preferred a more definitive ending. This story is similar in this regard to Memetic. It's left open-ended, but I can't say if a sequel is forthcoming. It seems to be another story where no matter the good intentions of the good guys, the bad guys have the upper hand, so don't expect a happy end.
Very much like in Memetic, but more covertly, people start behaving erratically out of the blue. They mindlessly throw themselves off the Empire State Building, 10 at a time every 3 minutes. It's a game that two brothers with supernatural powers have been playing for millenia. They can each control human minds. The first one has taken over the Empire State Building and is causing panic as he orders the people to jump to their deaths. This draws the attention of the second one named Annie who tries to stop him in what escalates into a pretty cool conflict.
Very much like in Memetic, but more covertly, people start behaving erratically out of the blue. They mindlessly throw themselves off the Empire State Building, 10 at a time every 3 minutes. It's a game that two brothers with supernatural powers have been playing for millenia. They can each control human minds. The first one has taken over the Empire State Building and is causing panic as he orders the people to jump to their deaths. This draws the attention of the second one named Annie who tries to stop him in what escalates into a pretty cool conflict.
March 12, 2022
I enjoyed Memetic better, although Memetic did end up being mostly a zombie book while this was something a little more original.
In this one we have a group who can possess multiple people with a hive mind, and when one attempts to take over the world another tries to stop him. The origin story was interesting, and the ending was similar to the ending of Memetic.
Not a bad horror story, especially if you like apocalyptic fiction.
In this one we have a group who can possess multiple people with a hive mind, and when one attempts to take over the world another tries to stop him. The origin story was interesting, and the ending was similar to the ending of Memetic.
Not a bad horror story, especially if you like apocalyptic fiction.
June 21, 2024
I really enjoyed this. The backstory was a little hard to follow at first, and I would have liked more expansion of that part, but the writing was really good and the art was decent. Very unique and imaginative premise. It seems like it might have been inspired by the old sci fi episode "The Brain" which spouted the popular speech:
"After I'm gone, your Earth will be free to live out its miserable span of existence as one of my satellites. And that's how it's going to be." [Evil laughter]
"After I'm gone, your Earth will be free to live out its miserable span of existence as one of my satellites. And that's how it's going to be." [Evil laughter]
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August 5, 2019In Memetic, the world was ended by a cute sloth meme, so I wasn't at all sure this companion piece could compete. But Tynion and Donovan's second "apocalypse of the mind" (a third is promised), while inevitably having a certain overlap, still manages to unsettle on its own terms. It's hive minds as horror story, Peter Watts with pictures, Olaf Stapledon's idea of a shared planetary consciousness for the Last Men playing out in the present day by way of a welter of blood and bombs. Just because we were never meant to be individuals, as the backstory here proposes, doesn't mean the end of personhood would be a pleasant or easy experience. Deeply unsettling, especially as a commute read.
August 1, 2023
3.5 stars. I thought this book was better than its predecessor, Memetic. This is still very obviously a Tynion book in that this is another unsettling horror of the mind type of story. There isn’t clear definition of what is EXACTLY going on in this one, but the direction it takes was more unique and felt less like a typical zombie end of the world story. This probably could’ve been boosted to at least a 4 if there was a more solid ending to this one.
October 20, 2023
Huge improvement on memetic! I like memetic fine, but everything that was going for is here! I'm saving my more expansive thoughts for our podcast episode about this!
February 14, 2018
This is a very nice apocalyptic science fiction story, which goes through numerous twists and turns in order to reach its ultimate conclusion. The central core issue under consideration is: are humans meant to have individuality, or would we be better off if we accepted ourselves as part of something bigger - a collective humanity, if you will?
James Tynion IV and Eryk Donovan (neither of whom I was familiar with before this, but whose work I hope to be able to read more of after this) handle this theme excellently and the resulting comic is one with strong narrative drive and some depth to boot, without lacking action.
James Tynion IV and Eryk Donovan (neither of whom I was familiar with before this, but whose work I hope to be able to read more of after this) handle this theme excellently and the resulting comic is one with strong narrative drive and some depth to boot, without lacking action.
December 8, 2019
This a step up from Memetic, as a small group of warring psychics, who can control large groups of people in a hivemind, attempt to take control of the world. Could it be that the one person who wants to stop it all is actually standing in the way of progress? Some similarities to Memetic in the whole merging together of individuals, but this goes way beyond where that one ended. I kind of liked it.
February 22, 2025
Not a big fan of the ending...
April 4, 2018
Marvellous, I bought this and it's predecessor at this year's Awesomecon convention and read both within two hours, respectively. Both books really ought to be read as one, as an apocolyptical diptych, if you will. Both cleverly explore aged questions concerning the meaning of life and the meaning of free will and individuality in a world where humanity's fate has already been assigned and the things which it cherishes are actually unnatural digressions from this fate. Both end rather ominously, unearthing more questions than answers and both seem almost nihilistic, Cognetic more so than Memetic, insofar as all our heroes' attempts to save the world are shown to be in vain very early on. Cognetic is slightly less frightening than its predecessor initially is because here the psychological contagion can actually be pinpointed easily to a living, breathing entity; the Maker in Memetic was simply following instructions given to him by an unknown force, thus the insatiable power of his meme still remains a mystery. Overall, Cognetic, while ultimately disparaging it, is very much about the strength of the individual; it is one mind which consumes the many other minds, and identities, within the comic, and another, single mind which tries to vanquish the first. Here human bodies are just vessels for one, great mind, while in Memetic, several individuals come together to make a collective, albeit a possessed collective. I highly recommend this to those who enjoyed Bodysnatchers, Rosemary's Baby and Utopia (U.K.)
April 21, 2020
This is book 1 and I’m hooked. I’m a nut for apocalyptic, weird fiction. The conceit and premise stated in the first pages immediately fascinated me.
“You think you’re making a decision right now. You think you’re some kind of individual. You are all so precious. I’ll give you that, I’ve always found it cute. But do you know what? There are about one-hundred trillion microorganisms inside your body right now. Bits and pieces of your body you’ve never thought of as anything more than a cog in the system that makes you you. But you want to know the secret? They think the same exact thing.
You’re a part of something bigger. A tiny piece of a singular whole. And deep down you know that, but you just refuse to see it. Seriously, it’s adorable. But do you think that little microbe inside the tip of your finger understands its purpose any more than you? Do you think it even perceives the bus it’s sitting in right now? Of course not.”
That existential shit just gets me every time haha. Great ending/cliffhanger too for book 1, revealing that the character we’ve been following this whole time is part of the “hive.” I don’t know what they are, I’m thinking they’re the microbes but it could go any way (as the author stated in his afterword). I can’t believe that I bought this at a mere P15 at Chapters and Pages. I’ll be looking for books 2 and 3 now.
“You think you’re making a decision right now. You think you’re some kind of individual. You are all so precious. I’ll give you that, I’ve always found it cute. But do you know what? There are about one-hundred trillion microorganisms inside your body right now. Bits and pieces of your body you’ve never thought of as anything more than a cog in the system that makes you you. But you want to know the secret? They think the same exact thing.
You’re a part of something bigger. A tiny piece of a singular whole. And deep down you know that, but you just refuse to see it. Seriously, it’s adorable. But do you think that little microbe inside the tip of your finger understands its purpose any more than you? Do you think it even perceives the bus it’s sitting in right now? Of course not.”
That existential shit just gets me every time haha. Great ending/cliffhanger too for book 1, revealing that the character we’ve been following this whole time is part of the “hive.” I don’t know what they are, I’m thinking they’re the microbes but it could go any way (as the author stated in his afterword). I can’t believe that I bought this at a mere P15 at Chapters and Pages. I’ll be looking for books 2 and 3 now.
July 26, 2018
Breathtaking illustrations with diverse-ish characters. Premise: An alien brain fell onto earth and nine or so cave-people ate it. They were given the powers to transfer their consciousness onto human bodies, killing the human host's consciousness while giving these now-immortal cave people complete control over their bodies. The humans are essentially dead but the cavepeople, who refer to themselves as siblings, are controlling them. One cave person can control whole continents of people. The story is the struggle of the main character, Annie, as she tries to defeat her siblings before they take control of the entire planet. Annie is married to a woman named Mel and they have a young son. The cave person that inhabits Annie is genuinely in love with Mel, but their love story is tragic. I found it to be very memorable, excellently drawn, and quite captivating.
Would recommend to a sophomore or older, or an advanced 7-9th grader.
Diverse-ish means all the characters are skinny, none are disabled, and they are primarily white despite taking place in NYC. However, the way it ends leaves the story open to more diversity in the future. The characters are well-drawn though, and not overly sexualized.
Would recommend to a sophomore or older, or an advanced 7-9th grader.
Diverse-ish means all the characters are skinny, none are disabled, and they are primarily white despite taking place in NYC. However, the way it ends leaves the story open to more diversity in the future. The characters are well-drawn though, and not overly sexualized.
May 29, 2020
I have good news: I’ve finally found a James Tynion IV book that I actually love! I’ve always liked his writing, but nothing ever truly clicked until this book, which is part of a thematic series rather than a continuous series.
The story follows an ancient being that can take over multiple people’s bodies and control them like a cognitive disease. After years of slumber, it is now ready to come back into the world starting with New York City, and the only thing stopping it is another member of its primal family ready to outwit it by taking over the US Government. Turns out, that’s not the only part of the plan.
The ramp up of tension in Cognetic is masterful. I read this all in one sitting because each issue continued to build and build. I was constantly wowed by the direction each issue took to end up almost apocalyptic. I instantly looked up whether this story continued, but it seems that it is one-and-done (please correct me if my snooping is wrong), which I actually really appreciate. I will definitely check out the other two books in this thematic setting. One critique was that the art sometimes had really bizarre proportions mixed amongst its grandiose and epic set pieces, but I got used to the style eventually. Overall, this book is really fun and thrilling.
The story follows an ancient being that can take over multiple people’s bodies and control them like a cognitive disease. After years of slumber, it is now ready to come back into the world starting with New York City, and the only thing stopping it is another member of its primal family ready to outwit it by taking over the US Government. Turns out, that’s not the only part of the plan.
The ramp up of tension in Cognetic is masterful. I read this all in one sitting because each issue continued to build and build. I was constantly wowed by the direction each issue took to end up almost apocalyptic. I instantly looked up whether this story continued, but it seems that it is one-and-done (please correct me if my snooping is wrong), which I actually really appreciate. I will definitely check out the other two books in this thematic setting. One critique was that the art sometimes had really bizarre proportions mixed amongst its grandiose and epic set pieces, but I got used to the style eventually. Overall, this book is really fun and thrilling.
February 5, 2020
Segunda historia dentro de lo que se ha llamado "La Trilogia del Apocalipsis" de Tynion y Donovan
Se arma aquí un nuevo fin del mundo, que si bien es independiente de lo que vimos en Memetic, hay varios elementos que se repiten en la trama, pero desde otras perspectivas
Nuevamente, este "apocalipsis" deriva de los deseos de entes extrahumanos (en Memetic se hablaba de Angeles y alcanzamos a vislumbrar uno en la última página del último número). Aquí es una intervención extraterreste en los albores de la humanidad que lleva el desarrollo de la humanidad, siendo protegidos por uno de estas inteligencias llegadas a la Tierra
Nuevamente temas como la humanidad y su esfuerzo por ser uno y los personajes LGTB+ son presentes. En el fondo, los temas de Memetic son presentados de una manera diferente, pero aun así, interesantes
Se arma aquí un nuevo fin del mundo, que si bien es independiente de lo que vimos en Memetic, hay varios elementos que se repiten en la trama, pero desde otras perspectivas
Nuevamente, este "apocalipsis" deriva de los deseos de entes extrahumanos (en Memetic se hablaba de Angeles y alcanzamos a vislumbrar uno en la última página del último número). Aquí es una intervención extraterreste en los albores de la humanidad que lleva el desarrollo de la humanidad, siendo protegidos por uno de estas inteligencias llegadas a la Tierra
Nuevamente temas como la humanidad y su esfuerzo por ser uno y los personajes LGTB+ son presentes. En el fondo, los temas de Memetic son presentados de una manera diferente, pero aun así, interesantes
December 15, 2020
I had no idea that Memetic was just the first book in a conceptual "apocalypse" trilogy until I started this. Cognetic is a little bit World War Z, a little bit Contagion, and a little bit Prince of Darkness. That last one (the second entry in John Carpenter's own Apocalypse Trilogy) is an especially strong parallel, as Cognetic shares a very similar vision of cosmic horror.
As horror, Cognetic is definitely less scary for me than Memetic, but the ideas in Cognetic are much more interesting. And although it doesn't have the creepy, unsettling atmosphere of of the earlier title, it more than makes up for it by being page-turningly thrilling and just plain fun.
In hindsight, though, I do wonder what it says about me as a person that one of the most fun things I read all year was a story about the end of the world. 🤷♂️
As horror, Cognetic is definitely less scary for me than Memetic, but the ideas in Cognetic are much more interesting. And although it doesn't have the creepy, unsettling atmosphere of of the earlier title, it more than makes up for it by being page-turningly thrilling and just plain fun.
In hindsight, though, I do wonder what it says about me as a person that one of the most fun things I read all year was a story about the end of the world. 🤷♂️
December 21, 2025
I loved Memetic - also by Tynion & Donovan - and I shouldn't have been surprised how much I loved this. Kind of funny to read this while Pluribus in the zeitgeist (have yet to see it myself) - a lesbian dealing with a hive mind is the same pitch Pluribus has, though Cognetic obviously predates it by almost a decade.
The horror of the hive mind is executed so well - the comic does a phenomenal job at humanizing the people before they're subsumed by an intelligence only concerned with its own gratification and galvanization. Easy recommend from me. 9.5/10 - only bad thing about it is that the ending feels a bit abrupt, but I think this is a story that's fine being left open-ended. The important stuff already happened.
The horror of the hive mind is executed so well - the comic does a phenomenal job at humanizing the people before they're subsumed by an intelligence only concerned with its own gratification and galvanization. Easy recommend from me. 9.5/10 - only bad thing about it is that the ending feels a bit abrupt, but I think this is a story that's fine being left open-ended. The important stuff already happened.
December 29, 2025
James, James, James… would it kill you to have an ending? Just once? Eryk, any ideas while doing the art?
This is an alternate take of their other book, Memetic, where aliens come to Earth and take over people’s minds, eventually turning people into towers and kaiju as their flesh somehow melts together. Tynion even does the whole “hear collective songs” thing again, except in Memetic it’s from the screams of mind-controlled people and here it’s apparently something from space.
This one is slightly more engaging but it is just a variation on the theme, and, again, no ending.
This is an alternate take of their other book, Memetic, where aliens come to Earth and take over people’s minds, eventually turning people into towers and kaiju as their flesh somehow melts together. Tynion even does the whole “hear collective songs” thing again, except in Memetic it’s from the screams of mind-controlled people and here it’s apparently something from space.
This one is slightly more engaging but it is just a variation on the theme, and, again, no ending.
September 1, 2022
The second of James Tynion's and Eryk Donovan's "Apocalypse trilogy," Cognetic features ancient entities living in hiding among humanity who have the power to control the minds of thousands. As those entities meet again to settle old scores, it may mean the end for all humans. The story, once again, goes in directions no one could have predicted and is full of cray-cray artwork to match the bug-nuts tale. Tynion never fails to leave the reader in shock and awe. 3.5/5*
January 11, 2025
This series of apocalyptic graphic novels has been a lot of fun to read. So many interesting and different ways for our world to come to an end and none of the three (Cognetic, Memetic, and Eugenic) are repeats of things I've seen before. Each is separate and unique...which is what makes it fun. Eugenic was my favorite of the three but this one also hooked me immediately and kept me invested the entire time. Read this one for free with Comixology Unlimited.
July 7, 2023
You know what's funny? The story ends with the end of the world. There's nothing past that, it just ends. Fitting when you think about it: there's no one left to tell the story so it ends.
The same goes for the other two books in the series, even though Goodreads doesn't group them like they are a series.
The same goes for the other two books in the series, even though Goodreads doesn't group them like they are a series.
April 1, 2025
Continuing with Tynion's apocalyptic series. In Memetic, it was a meme that ended the world. In Cognetic, it's the awakened strand of ancient alien DNA. This time he goes bigger and better, with a full-on blockbuster scenario of a cinematically epic battle, with a strong emotional backbone of a lifelong sibling rivalry. Very dynamic. Totally plays as a movie. Recommended.
December 29, 2024
Weird but fascinating look at the singularity
The art was fascinating style and I enjoyed the look at what the end of the world could be. So spooky, weird, and strange. Totally worth it!
The art was fascinating style and I enjoyed the look at what the end of the world could be. So spooky, weird, and strange. Totally worth it!
April 25, 2018
3 to 4 stars
December 12, 2018
Pretty fascinating so far, raises some interesting questions
January 15, 2019
One of those rare stories where I actually wanted more—as it is, it's evocative short fiction but I don't feel like it has quite enough space to really get into its themes and characters.
June 18, 2019
Library pickup. Mediocre. Doesn't call for further comment.
July 3, 2020
James Tynion IV is great as always and the art is very good to go with it too.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews