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Bone
Bone, Vol. 9: Crown of Horns
Jeff Smith's New York Times and USA Today bestselling, award-winning BONE books are one of the most popular graphic novel series of all time!It's full-fledged war as Briar, the Rat Creatures, and the Pawan army storm the city of Atheia where the Bone cousins, Thorn, and Gran'ma Ben are up in arms to defend the royal city. When Thorn hears a voice urging her to seek the Crown of Horns, she and Fone Bone embark on another dangerous journey and race to find the one thing that may save them all.This is the breathtaking conclusion to Jeff Smith's incredible, epic series.
213 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
206 people are currently reading
5536 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Smith
636 books1,435 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See other authors with similar names.
Born and raised in the American mid-west, Jeff Smith learned about cartooning from comic strips, comic books, and watching animation on TV. In 1991, he launched a company called Cartoon Books to publish his comic book BONE, a comedy/adventure about three lost cousins from Boneville. Against all odds, the small company flourished, building a reputation for quality stories and artwork. Word of mouth, critical acclaim, and a string of major awards helped propel Cartoon Books and BONE to the forefront of the comic book industry.
In 1992, Jeff’s wife Vijaya Iyer joined the company as partner to handle publishing and distribution, licensing, and foreign language publications. In the Spring of 2005, Harry Potter’s U.S. publisher Scholastic Inc. entered the graphic novel market by launching a new imprint, Graphix with a full color version of BONE: Out from Boneville, bringing the underground comic to a new audience and a new generation.
In 2007, DC Comics released Smith’s first non-creator owned work, SHAZAM! Monster Society of Evil, a four-part mini-series recreating a classic serial from comic’s Golden Age. Between projects, Smith spends much of his time on the international guest circuit promoting comics and the art of graphic novels.
Born and raised in the American mid-west, Jeff Smith learned about cartooning from comic strips, comic books, and watching animation on TV. In 1991, he launched a company called Cartoon Books to publish his comic book BONE, a comedy/adventure about three lost cousins from Boneville. Against all odds, the small company flourished, building a reputation for quality stories and artwork. Word of mouth, critical acclaim, and a string of major awards helped propel Cartoon Books and BONE to the forefront of the comic book industry.
In 1992, Jeff’s wife Vijaya Iyer joined the company as partner to handle publishing and distribution, licensing, and foreign language publications. In the Spring of 2005, Harry Potter’s U.S. publisher Scholastic Inc. entered the graphic novel market by launching a new imprint, Graphix with a full color version of BONE: Out from Boneville, bringing the underground comic to a new audience and a new generation.
In 2007, DC Comics released Smith’s first non-creator owned work, SHAZAM! Monster Society of Evil, a four-part mini-series recreating a classic serial from comic’s Golden Age. Between projects, Smith spends much of his time on the international guest circuit promoting comics and the art of graphic novels.
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February 19, 2026
I'm feelin' happy inside, I got no reason to hide / I'm a dream girl / I'm never stressing my bills, nobody ever gets killed / It's the dream wo-wo-wo-world (In My Dreams – Kali Uchis).
Hi, does it count as cheating on my reading challenge if I didn’t technically read each individual volume of Bone, but rather that one big ass “all volumes in one” special edition version? Just asking for a friend. I mean, I did read each individual volume, just not individually, you feel me? Just a heads up, but whatever this is will be more of a retrospective of the entire series rather than a specific review for volume 9, because I basically binge read the entire series in one sitting and every story line presented throughout are all converging together in my brain like that time Dr. Strange was looking into all the possible futures so he could find the one where they were able to defeat Thanos… my brains mush, is basically what I’m trying to say. And by "retrospective", I mean I'm just going to talk about whatever for a little bit rather than going in-depth into every little detail about Bone. Hey, no matter how long-winded I become, I can always take solace that I'm not that one YouTuber who makes forty hour videos on kids shows like iCarly or Sam & Cat where he's literally just rambling about random ass tangents! Okay, that does sound like me, but it's different, I swear! I wasn't being hyperbolic by the way, those videos do actually exist and the guy who makes them is quite possibly one of the worst "content creators" on the platform. Anyway, I’ve had this same specific complete edition of Bone since I was a still a little kid playing with Lego, and I’ve got to say… I’m getting a little emotional right now thinking about how this comic has been with me for my entire life! And more than that, I’m proud of myself for how well I’ve taken care of my books, because outside of the “well-read” aspect of this edition's spine (the sign of a real good book, in my opinion), it’s as pristine as can be considering how often I’ve flipped through it over the years. Sorry, I'm stuck on this, but I reckon it's a marvel that I've kept all my stuff in good condition, huh? Because if nothing else, if we're ever in a Toy Story situation, at least all my things will have known that I never betrayed them like when Bonnie abandoned Woody for that piece of shit plastic fork. Actually, add that to the list of why I'm glad I read Bone again, because I specifically remember everybody defending Toy Story 4's narrative direction, talking about how no kid has any clue of what a quality toy is... but I certainly did! I knew the difference between the preem stuff and the plastic garbage!! Anyway, what I'm saying here is that I figured Bone was special as a kid, and that definitely hasn't changed now that I've read it again for the hundredth time.
Still, I thought that like most of the rereads I’ve done this year, I would go through this door stopper at a calmer pace this time around so I could find a new appreciation for all the little nuances I might have missed the first time, but this bad boy is so intensely addictive that I sped through it with the same badly postured fervor on the same breakneck pace that I always have. All sitting here hunched over this big ass tome like Quasimodo. Perfectly paced, delightfully heartfelt, and a subversive love-letter without the need for biting critique, I can honestly say that Bone is a crowning achievement in every sense of the phrase. I wanted to start this whole thing out by telling you that it was the Lord of the Rings of my childhood, but let's be real, that wouldn’t be true at all… Lord of the Rings was the Lord of the Rings of my childhood, it’s the Lord of the Rings of everyone’s childhood, but still, there’s no doubt that Bone is what put me onto all those classic, pure Sword and Sorcery stories and jump started my interest in homages to the genre like the Dragon Quest games or any indie comic book I can find that has a wonderfully vintage pulp magazine cover. I remember before I was super young and unable to read dense fantasy books yet, I would just sit and stare at their covers because I loved the sense of scale and wonder. And mind you, this was long before it was common place to see the works of George R.R. Martin working as hard as they could to make “grimdark” fantasy the norm. Don’t get me wrong, I love all fantasy, and I think the worst of Game of Thrones’ “subverting expectations” reputation has more to do with the shitty writers who made the show rather than his Song of Ice and Fire novels, but I can’t lie that there’s something especially charmed in the simplicity of ancient prophecies, good prevailing over evil, and magical wonders existing in idyllic landscapes that Bone exemplifies with each beautiful panel put to page. It's weird, Bone’s story is so deeply imprinted in my brain that it's almost like there's an invisible blockage or resistance from my end where I almost don’t want to talk about to story, because I’m like… doesn’t everyone already know it? It's a classic! Nonetheless, the story starts out with the Bone cousins, Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley Bone, traveling through the desert after being ran out of their home, Boneville, after one too many scams from Phoney.
“Will you read us some Moby Dick? I wanna teach the little guy how to take a nap after lunch.”
“Hey! This is a work of art, not a sleeping aid!”
“Ooh! Debating its merits! Even better!”
After getting into one of their usual tiffs, shifting blame and whatnot, a hoard of locusts separates them and Fone Bone finds himself all alone in a valley that feels like a story book come to life. Quickly gaining his wits about him, our hero teams up with a simple farm girl named Thorn and they set out to find his cousins as they grow more deeply intertwined with the convoluted politics of this fantasy land while also trying to find a way back to their home of Boneville. What makes Bone especially unique is that fact that it goes out of its way to intentionally feature an artistic clash between the Bone cousins and the citizens of The Valley, with Fone Bone, Smiley Bone, and Phoney Bone all resembling bit characters from the Sunday funnies while Thorn and the rest of the characters in the story are normal John Carter of Mars looking ass humans. And even though you would think the disconnect between the two would cause Bone's signature look to be jarring (like the early Archie Sonic comics), I'm not joking when I tell you that most readers will get over this within the first couple pages. It helps that the Bone cousins are funnily enough more in line with contemporary society than the Valley folk, and they immediately become our window into seeing all the weirdo fantasy stuff from their eyes. Besides, they're role in the story isn't too dissimilar from hobbits in Lord of the Rings, as they both come from (relatively) humble beginnings and end up changing the world due to the constant unexpected wrenches they throw into the villain's plans. In fact, Fone Bone and Thorn even have a similarly iron clad loyalty and simmering romantic undertones that Sam and Frodo did! Seriously though, Jeff Smith put some serious work into the setting of this comic; oddities like dragons smoking cigars, secret royalty on a Link to the Past vibe, and evil Rat Creatures that are way too cute to hate. Wait, on that note, the Rat Creatures being cute has been a problem I've always had, as even though it's cool how Jeff Smith went out of his way to give every named character nuance and depth befitting the setting and time period it's emulating, that also made it so the village folks are a lot less likable... and because of this, I couldn't help but somewhat root for the Rat Creatures more often than the humans. This "Man vs. Man" dynamic was actually why my favorite volumes were book four and book five, with the former being especially fun because it’s all about Phoney fearmongering the hell out of those dumb villagers, causing them to go all Frankenstein mob mentality on their own saviors, the dragons.
Sure, this is the start of the series taking a darker turn, but I was having a blast reading through all his machinations all over again, and even though it’s unquestionably morally reprehensible, there’s an Iago kind of deliciousness in watching a character who will lie and cheat for no discernible reason. Yeah... I don’t know what it says about me, but Phoney has always been my favorite character because he’s so cartoonishly selfish and awful to everyone around him (except for his cousins) that I can’t help but laugh every time he shows up. Otherwise, my favorite running gag that’s a bit understated is whenever the Bone cousins will reference Boneville delicacies that we all know like hotdogs, ice cream, or… electricity, and because nobody in the valley knows what any of that is, they just continue on the conversation as if nothing was said at all. It reminds me of Guardians of the Galaxy 2 where Peter Quill keeps making references to 1970’s and 80’s pop culture to all the aliens and when Gamora finally gets tired of his shit, she screams, “I don’t know what Cheers is!” Hm, now that I've put it into words, maybe that wasn't so much a running gag and more... just something I found funny. Anyway, as for this specific volume though? I liked it a lot, and it's not every day when a long epic fantasy can nail the ending so well that I've never even considered of the prospect of a sequel or a spin off of some sort. It's perfectly put together, and completely stands on its own as a beautifully crafted piece of art. Bone exists in an interesting spot because it’s both universally beloved and well-respected among critics and audiences alike, and yet I can't help but feel like it’s still deeply underrated. It’s a bit of an oxymoron in that respect, like how Ryan Reynolds, Chris Hemsworth, and Chris Evans all hold the title of “actors with the worst possible filmography an actor could have” at the same time. "Free Guy was totally a fine movie guys!" No, it sucked. Like, come on dude, raise your standards. Anyway, I don’t know if I've made it clear yet, but I really do love this comic with all my heart! Well, maybe just most of my heart, but that's still quite a bit of my heart! Punchy and hilarious, emotionally poignant, and epic in scale without forgetting important moment-to-moment character dynamics; there’s nothing out there matching Bone! It’s timeless… and I should know, because it’s been with me forever.
The moments we are happiest, happiest, happiest (La, la, la, la, la-la-la-la-la) / Are the moments that we don't exist, don't exist, don't exist (La-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la-la).
Hi, does it count as cheating on my reading challenge if I didn’t technically read each individual volume of Bone, but rather that one big ass “all volumes in one” special edition version? Just asking for a friend. I mean, I did read each individual volume, just not individually, you feel me? Just a heads up, but whatever this is will be more of a retrospective of the entire series rather than a specific review for volume 9, because I basically binge read the entire series in one sitting and every story line presented throughout are all converging together in my brain like that time Dr. Strange was looking into all the possible futures so he could find the one where they were able to defeat Thanos… my brains mush, is basically what I’m trying to say. And by "retrospective", I mean I'm just going to talk about whatever for a little bit rather than going in-depth into every little detail about Bone. Hey, no matter how long-winded I become, I can always take solace that I'm not that one YouTuber who makes forty hour videos on kids shows like iCarly or Sam & Cat where he's literally just rambling about random ass tangents! Okay, that does sound like me, but it's different, I swear! I wasn't being hyperbolic by the way, those videos do actually exist and the guy who makes them is quite possibly one of the worst "content creators" on the platform. Anyway, I’ve had this same specific complete edition of Bone since I was a still a little kid playing with Lego, and I’ve got to say… I’m getting a little emotional right now thinking about how this comic has been with me for my entire life! And more than that, I’m proud of myself for how well I’ve taken care of my books, because outside of the “well-read” aspect of this edition's spine (the sign of a real good book, in my opinion), it’s as pristine as can be considering how often I’ve flipped through it over the years. Sorry, I'm stuck on this, but I reckon it's a marvel that I've kept all my stuff in good condition, huh? Because if nothing else, if we're ever in a Toy Story situation, at least all my things will have known that I never betrayed them like when Bonnie abandoned Woody for that piece of shit plastic fork. Actually, add that to the list of why I'm glad I read Bone again, because I specifically remember everybody defending Toy Story 4's narrative direction, talking about how no kid has any clue of what a quality toy is... but I certainly did! I knew the difference between the preem stuff and the plastic garbage!! Anyway, what I'm saying here is that I figured Bone was special as a kid, and that definitely hasn't changed now that I've read it again for the hundredth time.
Still, I thought that like most of the rereads I’ve done this year, I would go through this door stopper at a calmer pace this time around so I could find a new appreciation for all the little nuances I might have missed the first time, but this bad boy is so intensely addictive that I sped through it with the same badly postured fervor on the same breakneck pace that I always have. All sitting here hunched over this big ass tome like Quasimodo. Perfectly paced, delightfully heartfelt, and a subversive love-letter without the need for biting critique, I can honestly say that Bone is a crowning achievement in every sense of the phrase. I wanted to start this whole thing out by telling you that it was the Lord of the Rings of my childhood, but let's be real, that wouldn’t be true at all… Lord of the Rings was the Lord of the Rings of my childhood, it’s the Lord of the Rings of everyone’s childhood, but still, there’s no doubt that Bone is what put me onto all those classic, pure Sword and Sorcery stories and jump started my interest in homages to the genre like the Dragon Quest games or any indie comic book I can find that has a wonderfully vintage pulp magazine cover. I remember before I was super young and unable to read dense fantasy books yet, I would just sit and stare at their covers because I loved the sense of scale and wonder. And mind you, this was long before it was common place to see the works of George R.R. Martin working as hard as they could to make “grimdark” fantasy the norm. Don’t get me wrong, I love all fantasy, and I think the worst of Game of Thrones’ “subverting expectations” reputation has more to do with the shitty writers who made the show rather than his Song of Ice and Fire novels, but I can’t lie that there’s something especially charmed in the simplicity of ancient prophecies, good prevailing over evil, and magical wonders existing in idyllic landscapes that Bone exemplifies with each beautiful panel put to page. It's weird, Bone’s story is so deeply imprinted in my brain that it's almost like there's an invisible blockage or resistance from my end where I almost don’t want to talk about to story, because I’m like… doesn’t everyone already know it? It's a classic! Nonetheless, the story starts out with the Bone cousins, Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley Bone, traveling through the desert after being ran out of their home, Boneville, after one too many scams from Phoney.
“Will you read us some Moby Dick? I wanna teach the little guy how to take a nap after lunch.”
“Hey! This is a work of art, not a sleeping aid!”
“Ooh! Debating its merits! Even better!”
After getting into one of their usual tiffs, shifting blame and whatnot, a hoard of locusts separates them and Fone Bone finds himself all alone in a valley that feels like a story book come to life. Quickly gaining his wits about him, our hero teams up with a simple farm girl named Thorn and they set out to find his cousins as they grow more deeply intertwined with the convoluted politics of this fantasy land while also trying to find a way back to their home of Boneville. What makes Bone especially unique is that fact that it goes out of its way to intentionally feature an artistic clash between the Bone cousins and the citizens of The Valley, with Fone Bone, Smiley Bone, and Phoney Bone all resembling bit characters from the Sunday funnies while Thorn and the rest of the characters in the story are normal John Carter of Mars looking ass humans. And even though you would think the disconnect between the two would cause Bone's signature look to be jarring (like the early Archie Sonic comics), I'm not joking when I tell you that most readers will get over this within the first couple pages. It helps that the Bone cousins are funnily enough more in line with contemporary society than the Valley folk, and they immediately become our window into seeing all the weirdo fantasy stuff from their eyes. Besides, they're role in the story isn't too dissimilar from hobbits in Lord of the Rings, as they both come from (relatively) humble beginnings and end up changing the world due to the constant unexpected wrenches they throw into the villain's plans. In fact, Fone Bone and Thorn even have a similarly iron clad loyalty and simmering romantic undertones that Sam and Frodo did! Seriously though, Jeff Smith put some serious work into the setting of this comic; oddities like dragons smoking cigars, secret royalty on a Link to the Past vibe, and evil Rat Creatures that are way too cute to hate. Wait, on that note, the Rat Creatures being cute has been a problem I've always had, as even though it's cool how Jeff Smith went out of his way to give every named character nuance and depth befitting the setting and time period it's emulating, that also made it so the village folks are a lot less likable... and because of this, I couldn't help but somewhat root for the Rat Creatures more often than the humans. This "Man vs. Man" dynamic was actually why my favorite volumes were book four and book five, with the former being especially fun because it’s all about Phoney fearmongering the hell out of those dumb villagers, causing them to go all Frankenstein mob mentality on their own saviors, the dragons.
Sure, this is the start of the series taking a darker turn, but I was having a blast reading through all his machinations all over again, and even though it’s unquestionably morally reprehensible, there’s an Iago kind of deliciousness in watching a character who will lie and cheat for no discernible reason. Yeah... I don’t know what it says about me, but Phoney has always been my favorite character because he’s so cartoonishly selfish and awful to everyone around him (except for his cousins) that I can’t help but laugh every time he shows up. Otherwise, my favorite running gag that’s a bit understated is whenever the Bone cousins will reference Boneville delicacies that we all know like hotdogs, ice cream, or… electricity, and because nobody in the valley knows what any of that is, they just continue on the conversation as if nothing was said at all. It reminds me of Guardians of the Galaxy 2 where Peter Quill keeps making references to 1970’s and 80’s pop culture to all the aliens and when Gamora finally gets tired of his shit, she screams, “I don’t know what Cheers is!” Hm, now that I've put it into words, maybe that wasn't so much a running gag and more... just something I found funny. Anyway, as for this specific volume though? I liked it a lot, and it's not every day when a long epic fantasy can nail the ending so well that I've never even considered of the prospect of a sequel or a spin off of some sort. It's perfectly put together, and completely stands on its own as a beautifully crafted piece of art. Bone exists in an interesting spot because it’s both universally beloved and well-respected among critics and audiences alike, and yet I can't help but feel like it’s still deeply underrated. It’s a bit of an oxymoron in that respect, like how Ryan Reynolds, Chris Hemsworth, and Chris Evans all hold the title of “actors with the worst possible filmography an actor could have” at the same time. "Free Guy was totally a fine movie guys!" No, it sucked. Like, come on dude, raise your standards. Anyway, I don’t know if I've made it clear yet, but I really do love this comic with all my heart! Well, maybe just most of my heart, but that's still quite a bit of my heart! Punchy and hilarious, emotionally poignant, and epic in scale without forgetting important moment-to-moment character dynamics; there’s nothing out there matching Bone! It’s timeless… and I should know, because it’s been with me forever.
The moments we are happiest, happiest, happiest (La, la, la, la, la-la-la-la-la) / Are the moments that we don't exist, don't exist, don't exist (La-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la-la).
December 18, 2014
So much of a series hangs on the ending.
In many ways, it doesn't matter how good a series is if the ending doesn't fit properly.
This is one of the things that makes Sandman such a stand-out success. Not just that it *has* an ending. Not just that the ending is *good.* But that it has an ending that is as near to perfect as an ending can be. An ending that you read and think, "Oh yes. Of course."
And even if you wish it might have gone a little different, you know deep in your heart it had to be that way.
If you want an example of the other sort of ending, just think about the Matrix.
So let me say. This series has a good ending. An ending you remember. An ending that ties things up well, but not too tightly. An ending you might wish were slightly different, but that you know deep in your heart is right.
In many ways, it doesn't matter how good a series is if the ending doesn't fit properly.
This is one of the things that makes Sandman such a stand-out success. Not just that it *has* an ending. Not just that the ending is *good.* But that it has an ending that is as near to perfect as an ending can be. An ending that you read and think, "Oh yes. Of course."
And even if you wish it might have gone a little different, you know deep in your heart it had to be that way.
If you want an example of the other sort of ending, just think about the Matrix.
So let me say. This series has a good ending. An ending you remember. An ending that ties things up well, but not too tightly. An ending you might wish were slightly different, but that you know deep in your heart is right.
August 4, 2021
And so ends Bone. It's been quite the wild ride, packed with humor, adventure, and danger. All of those elements are in this last volume too as the final confrontation between the Lord of Locusts and humanity occurs. There's so many good elements in this book, and in this series. Jeff Smith amps up the drama and danger and delivers. I like how Phoney Bone never learns his lesson too.
March 24, 2015
What a ride that was! I did not except to love this series as much as I did, and be sad that it ended, as much as I am.
The finale was just as epic as i excepted. It wrapped things up perfectly. And the ending was so bittersweet, but when I think about it, I wouldn't change a thing.
In conclusion, amazing series, and I would recommend it to anyone who is into graphic novels.
The finale was just as epic as i excepted. It wrapped things up perfectly. And the ending was so bittersweet, but when I think about it, I wouldn't change a thing.
In conclusion, amazing series, and I would recommend it to anyone who is into graphic novels.
December 25, 2014
My God, what a let down. Looking at the reviews of this book, I must be the only one who thought the final battle and the ending were awful.
There's so much to dig into, but mostly:
1. Lucius dies without any real explanation. There were some questions about his loyalty that were never truly addressed. Perhaps the prequel will explore them. (And did anyone else notice that his crutches were magically gone in the final battle?)
2. The entire final battle with Briar was anticlimactic and left a lot to be desired.
3. The Crown of Horns--really, all it takes is one touch to destroy Briar and the Locust? After the story has spent NINE volumes creating twists and turns for Bone and Thorn? It was such a cop-out in my opinion. I was expecting an epic final battle. Also, if Briar knew that Fone and Thorn were going to the Crown of Horns, and she knew that Gran'ma and Phoney were trying to intercept her, then why didn't she know that Lucius and his army were attacking her from the rear? How convenient.
3. We never actually saw the Locust. We see Mim for a quick moment, but the dragons presumably kill her (which is unexplained because it states in an earlier issue that they're too afraid to face their queen? It didn't make sense)
4. Phoney Bone's "transformation" was thin at best. I didn't buy that simply running away to get more troops constituted a "change" in his character. Sure, he could have gone back to Boneville, but he wouldn't have gone anywhere without his cousins. I would have liked to see more growth with him. Smiley grows a lot throughout the story and so does Fone.
5. The gruesome violence against Thorn was unsettling and borderline gratuitous.
6. There was no treatment at all between the forming relationship between Fone and Thorn. I was expecting a kiss, a confession of feelings...something. Instead, it felt like the growing emotions in the previous issues were just ignored. I don't read much romance, but now I understand why romance readers get so mad when there's not a happy romantic ending. Gah!
All in all, I loved the series. This is probably one of the best graphic novel series I've ever read, but it's also got the worst ending out of any series I've ever read, and that's saying a lot. I was expecting so much more.
There's so much to dig into, but mostly:
1. Lucius dies without any real explanation. There were some questions about his loyalty that were never truly addressed. Perhaps the prequel will explore them. (And did anyone else notice that his crutches were magically gone in the final battle?)
2. The entire final battle with Briar was anticlimactic and left a lot to be desired.
3. The Crown of Horns--really, all it takes is one touch to destroy Briar and the Locust? After the story has spent NINE volumes creating twists and turns for Bone and Thorn? It was such a cop-out in my opinion. I was expecting an epic final battle. Also, if Briar knew that Fone and Thorn were going to the Crown of Horns, and she knew that Gran'ma and Phoney were trying to intercept her, then why didn't she know that Lucius and his army were attacking her from the rear? How convenient.
3. We never actually saw the Locust. We see Mim for a quick moment, but the dragons presumably kill her (which is unexplained because it states in an earlier issue that they're too afraid to face their queen? It didn't make sense)
4. Phoney Bone's "transformation" was thin at best. I didn't buy that simply running away to get more troops constituted a "change" in his character. Sure, he could have gone back to Boneville, but he wouldn't have gone anywhere without his cousins. I would have liked to see more growth with him. Smiley grows a lot throughout the story and so does Fone.
5. The gruesome violence against Thorn was unsettling and borderline gratuitous.
6. There was no treatment at all between the forming relationship between Fone and Thorn. I was expecting a kiss, a confession of feelings...something. Instead, it felt like the growing emotions in the previous issues were just ignored. I don't read much romance, but now I understand why romance readers get so mad when there's not a happy romantic ending. Gah!
All in all, I loved the series. This is probably one of the best graphic novel series I've ever read, but it's also got the worst ending out of any series I've ever read, and that's saying a lot. I was expecting so much more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2013
This is a review of all nine volumes of Bone.
I'm not as wild about this series as some people seem to be.
While the artwork is spectacular, the story takes forever to arrive at what I thought was a rather unsatisfying conclusion.
Too many of the books featured the main characters being chased over hill and dale by one manner of large scary creature or another. I know that sometimes the journey is more important than the destination, but to me...they just kept wagon training.
So three-stars from me. I'll add another half star for the feisty old lady who stole the show, and another half for the fact that the stories were engaging enough that my youngest son, aka - The Boy Who Hates to Read, eagerly devoured every book in the series.
I'm not as wild about this series as some people seem to be.
While the artwork is spectacular, the story takes forever to arrive at what I thought was a rather unsatisfying conclusion.
Too many of the books featured the main characters being chased over hill and dale by one manner of large scary creature or another. I know that sometimes the journey is more important than the destination, but to me...they just kept wagon training.
So three-stars from me. I'll add another half star for the feisty old lady who stole the show, and another half for the fact that the stories were engaging enough that my youngest son, aka - The Boy Who Hates to Read, eagerly devoured every book in the series.
January 10, 2026
Wonderful. So many great payoffs over multiple issues
May 16, 2022
Magnífico cierre para esta serie de cómics de fantasía y aventuras. Pese a varios altibajos a lo largo de la serie, me parece muy recomendable, y este último tomo es posiblemente el mejor de todos. Un tramo final vibrante, divertido, emotivo y coherente.
September 15, 2015
This is a series that grew tremendously from the first volume. At first, it felt like a very light, jokey comic, and I wasn't really into it. But as the story went on, it became much deeper and a good bit darker. By the end of this volume, this was an epic fantasy that can rightfully draw comparisons to Lord of the Rings. It was pretty cool to see it grow, and so naturally.
February 22, 2017
When I began this series, I tried to write a review of each volume. I had to give that up because the beginning of the series is like a completely different animal than the end and I was feeling frustrated, but now that I've really finished, I feel I have to say something.
I'm not a traditional comic reader. I prefer more adult titles, and especially those that have a beginning , middle and end. Those that can be collected and you don't need to search out titles from the 30s to get the right feel for the characters. This seemed right up my alley. Authors I really enjoy rave about it, my sons love it, all nice volumes were at hand, win-win!
I am so pleased to have the entire series available before I began. I know myself. If I had started with volume one and had to wait to buy or receive volume two, I would not have waited. I finished volume two and was unsure if I should bother with three, but am so, so glad I did. How can I say that, and still not be sure how to review? Because if I had read these as published, I would never, ever have finished. This story doesn't evolve so much as become something else entirely.
I can only guess that those reading this from the beginning that fell in love must have begun as early teenagers and aged with the series. That may be a great system of publishing, I mean, look at Harry Potter, but with Potter the story was complex enough to begin with, it was the darkness and reality that ramped up as the series progressed. Here, the story goes from one seemingly written for five year olds to one I wouldn't want a child reading. At least not a young child.
Overall, I enjoyed the tale of the Bones, Thorn and Gran'ma Ben, but only because I could race through it. I definitely would not have enjoyed this doled out over years.
I'm not a traditional comic reader. I prefer more adult titles, and especially those that have a beginning , middle and end. Those that can be collected and you don't need to search out titles from the 30s to get the right feel for the characters. This seemed right up my alley. Authors I really enjoy rave about it, my sons love it, all nice volumes were at hand, win-win!
I am so pleased to have the entire series available before I began. I know myself. If I had started with volume one and had to wait to buy or receive volume two, I would not have waited. I finished volume two and was unsure if I should bother with three, but am so, so glad I did. How can I say that, and still not be sure how to review? Because if I had read these as published, I would never, ever have finished. This story doesn't evolve so much as become something else entirely.
I can only guess that those reading this from the beginning that fell in love must have begun as early teenagers and aged with the series. That may be a great system of publishing, I mean, look at Harry Potter, but with Potter the story was complex enough to begin with, it was the darkness and reality that ramped up as the series progressed. Here, the story goes from one seemingly written for five year olds to one I wouldn't want a child reading. At least not a young child.
Overall, I enjoyed the tale of the Bones, Thorn and Gran'ma Ben, but only because I could race through it. I definitely would not have enjoyed this doled out over years.
August 27, 2017
Since this is the last volume, this is a review of the series overall. I really enjoyed it! It was funny and full of excitement, employing just enough fantasy tropes to keep the story on the track, but with enough originality, humor, and flair to be its own thing. The characters are constructed slowly, over the course of storylines, so that by the time the ending comes, you’re wholly invested in what’s happening. As such, Bone is greater than the sum of its parts, and as a cohesive comic book, it doesn’t get much more engaging.
September 4, 2015
Smrk... gotovo je. Predivan serijal. Lepi crtezi, interesantni likovi, pametni razgovori sa fin mitologijom. Sve je kako treba ali sada mi je zao posto je sve gotovo.
Preporuka za svakoga ko voli fantaziju ili stripove.
Preporuka za svakoga ko voli fantaziju ili stripove.
July 9, 2011
Awww, the ending wasn't super-special-happy! Serious sniffles for Lucius.
It's kind of funny. Smith really did set it up so that there didn't appear to be a win-win situation - I was really hoping the Bone cousins wouldn't split up, but also that Fone Bone wouldn't have to leave Thorn, but also that Phoney and Smiley would be happy (though I think Smiley would be happy anywhere). It seemed more obvious to have them stay; Thorn HAS to, and Fone Bone is in love with her, whereas nobody HAS to go back to Boneville (indeed, how do we know they won't just get chased out again?). I was especially surprised that they still left after Smiley revealed that they didn't have the treasure, which I'd assumed was Phoney's ticket to re-acceptance in Boneville. That would have been an ideal moment for them to turn around, but they don't.
Smith must have had this ending planned way in advance, or something, because one of the early comics I got back in the '90s had, as a bonus chapter, the episode at the end with the winter solstice celebration. I guess he could have made it up as an extra, then decided it fit well here . . .
Anyway, if I had to choose, I'd have the Bone cousins stay together (like they do) rather than Fone Bone and Thorn. It's nice, for once, to have the protagonist stick with the family that's always loved him and will always be there for him over the romantic interest, who proooobably will always love him because Their Love Is Legend, but it isn't the same. Glad Bartleby stays with them, too.
Would have liked for Grandma Ben and Lucius to live happily ever after, but I guess you can't have everything.
I do love how the dragons join the fight in the end (and the big red dragon's role, saving Fone Bone and Thorn). And I like Rock Jaw's cameo.
Random note: how come Kingdok can suddenly speak again? His whole tongue was gone! Oh well.
It's kind of funny. Smith really did set it up so that there didn't appear to be a win-win situation - I was really hoping the Bone cousins wouldn't split up, but also that Fone Bone wouldn't have to leave Thorn, but also that Phoney and Smiley would be happy (though I think Smiley would be happy anywhere). It seemed more obvious to have them stay; Thorn HAS to, and Fone Bone is in love with her, whereas nobody HAS to go back to Boneville (indeed, how do we know they won't just get chased out again?). I was especially surprised that they still left after Smiley revealed that they didn't have the treasure, which I'd assumed was Phoney's ticket to re-acceptance in Boneville. That would have been an ideal moment for them to turn around, but they don't.
Smith must have had this ending planned way in advance, or something, because one of the early comics I got back in the '90s had, as a bonus chapter, the episode at the end with the winter solstice celebration. I guess he could have made it up as an extra, then decided it fit well here . . .
Anyway, if I had to choose, I'd have the Bone cousins stay together (like they do) rather than Fone Bone and Thorn. It's nice, for once, to have the protagonist stick with the family that's always loved him and will always be there for him over the romantic interest, who proooobably will always love him because Their Love Is Legend, but it isn't the same. Glad Bartleby stays with them, too.
Would have liked for Grandma Ben and Lucius to live happily ever after, but I guess you can't have everything.
I do love how the dragons join the fight in the end (and the big red dragon's role, saving Fone Bone and Thorn). And I like Rock Jaw's cameo.
Random note: how come Kingdok can suddenly speak again? His whole tongue was gone! Oh well.
December 28, 2023
Since this is the last volume I’m gonna make it a SERIES REVIEW: huge colossal monstrous banger. I’m reminded of Avatar: The Last Airbender with how it blends high fantasy, slapstick humor and strong commentaries on very adult themes and makes it accessible for all ages. Honorable mention to Phoney Bone and his never ending schemes to get rich quick, that shit had me rollinggggg.
February 6, 2018
A great ending to an amazing series!
April 18, 2021
DELIGHTFUL! Such an awesome ending. I've loved every character, main or side, it doesn't matter, in the entire series. The graphics have been wonderful throughout and the storyline is simply great. Awesome!!
May 12, 2024
Final de las aventuras de Bone, muy buen cierre.
November 21, 2019
Čirá esence toho správnýho fantasy, který nepotřebuje obnažený kozy a hrát si na nejdrsnější věc pod sluncem. Smithovo psaní je tu chytrý, svižný, vysekal se neustálýho opakování stejnejch situací, který byly trošku otravný v pár předchozích dílech a naservíroval nejlepší finále jaký si dokážu představit. Instantně moje srdcovka.
December 29, 2014
A powerful, exciting finale to a most enjoyable series. Coming up to this last book I had some trepidation. Would it be worth the journey? Would it be a satisfying end? I can wholeheartedly say yes to both those questions. First off we are presented with a nice fat volume considerably larger than previous volumes, letting us know we can settle down for a good read. Action-packed, with a conclusion worthy of the eight previous volumes it took to get here. All major characters have their fates determined and get closure and it is not all "happy, happy, joy, joy" for everyone either. I'm not going to say anything about plot in this review, you'll just have to read this far yourself to find out on your own. But I highly recommend the series. Some volumes are better than others, but all rated high with me, either 4 or 5 stars. The story takes turns towards the darkside and is lightened up every now and then with a humorous side story. And all throughout the story, even though it does get mighty dark at times the humour is always there too. My favourite characters were the Red Dragon, Ted the leaf bug, and Bartelby. My favourite of the main characters was Smiley Bone. If you haven't had the pleasure yet, take some time out and read the series as it is a great ride with a satisfying ending.
March 4, 2018
Ben BONE serisini herkese öneriyorum.
Marmara Çizgi’nin yayınlandığı seri 9 ciltten oluşuyor. Tüm ciltleri yayınlandı.
Serinin İngilizce yayınlanma versiyonu da bir hayli ilham verici. Jeff Smith’i herkes geri çeviriyor. Kimse yayınlamaya yanaşmıyor. O ise seriyi hem yazdı hem çizdi hem yayınladı hem de tanıtımlarını yaptı.
Sonuç 11 adet Harvey 10 adet Eisner ödülü.
Serinin konusu ve karakterleri ilginç. “Yüzüklerin Efendisi’nin çizgi roman versiyonu” diye tanımlayanlar var.
Rüyalar, Kukutelalı gizemli bir karakter, Baston Yutmuşlar, Ejderhalar, Prensesler… Bonelar bu karmaşanın içinde Hobbit gibiler. Bu yüzden empati kurmakta ve anlatılan olayları anlamakta zorlanmıyorsunuz.
Tavsiye olunur.
Marmara Çizgi’nin yayınlandığı seri 9 ciltten oluşuyor. Tüm ciltleri yayınlandı.
Serinin İngilizce yayınlanma versiyonu da bir hayli ilham verici. Jeff Smith’i herkes geri çeviriyor. Kimse yayınlamaya yanaşmıyor. O ise seriyi hem yazdı hem çizdi hem yayınladı hem de tanıtımlarını yaptı.
Sonuç 11 adet Harvey 10 adet Eisner ödülü.
Serinin konusu ve karakterleri ilginç. “Yüzüklerin Efendisi’nin çizgi roman versiyonu” diye tanımlayanlar var.
Rüyalar, Kukutelalı gizemli bir karakter, Baston Yutmuşlar, Ejderhalar, Prensesler… Bonelar bu karmaşanın içinde Hobbit gibiler. Bu yüzden empati kurmakta ve anlatılan olayları anlamakta zorlanmıyorsunuz.
Tavsiye olunur.
June 30, 2019
This was a nice roundup to the series, we finally get to the end of the long and twisted story. I was rather sad and disappointed that in the end Phoney Bone did not learn anything from all the adventures. It seemed at one point he had some character development thinking more of others than himself. But in the end all he wanted was cash and glory and dam anyone who did not want him to become rich and famous - so very disappointing and ruined an otherwise nice ending to the series.
October 20, 2019
Seriye çok iyi bir şekilde veda eden son cilt. Seriye veda ederken üzülmüştüm ama 4 gün önce Netflix, Bone serisini animasyon olarak hayata geçireceğini açıkladı. Bir süre daha karakterler veda etmemiş gibi davranabiliriz.
Marmara Çizgi'yi bu seriyi sonuna kadar yayınladıkları için kutlamak gerekiyor.
Marmara Çizgi'yi bu seriyi sonuna kadar yayınladıkları için kutlamak gerekiyor.
February 1, 2019
3.5 stars
I wasn't a biggest fan of the last two volumes, but loved the very end/epilogue which felt very satisfying, character-wise, in a way that the bigger plot hadn't for me.
I wasn't a biggest fan of the last two volumes, but loved the very end/epilogue which felt very satisfying, character-wise, in a way that the bigger plot hadn't for me.
July 27, 2022
closed the book with peace but in truth sadness. Story reminds me a lot of certain seasons of life; especially college. You wander out of the wilderness into an unknown land with panic and fear arising in you. As you find your people, this “new place” doesn’t seem as bad. Then there is the middle ground. Where everything in life ramps up. This could be deaths, mental health struggles, work, relational issues or disputes, etc, but it’s your battle to fight with the people around you. In the end, when you look back at everything you have done with the people you love and now it’s time to say goodbye, there is a moment of deep peace, but also deep sadness. Welcome senior year.
May 23, 2021
What a great series! The ending might be a little abrupt, I wanted to see Bonneville, but whatever.
I would definitely recommend this series. I don't think I can say anything that hadn't been said, but I liked the quiche rats and the Red Dragon. Oh and Ted. He was probably the most useful character.
I would definitely recommend this series. I don't think I can say anything that hadn't been said, but I liked the quiche rats and the Red Dragon. Oh and Ted. He was probably the most useful character.
February 28, 2024
I absolutely did not expect to feel so emotional at the end of this series 😭😚 I did not expect to love the story so much either. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a truly unique story that’s super easy to consume. It was the perfect thing to get me up and out of my slump.
May 26, 2021
A fitting finale to a supremely entertaining series.
October 21, 2023
5 stars for the rat creatures finally getting their quiche!
October 8, 2024
Me ha gustado muchísimo, la historia es magnífica.
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