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Nuclear Family (2021) #1-5
Nuclear Family
America, 1957. Elvis dominates the airwaves and apple pie is served after every meal. But, with the dark cloud of nuclear holocaust looming, Korean War vet Tim McClean’s major concern is taking care of his family in the atomic age.
When the first bomb does drop on an unexpecting Midwest city, Tim and his family find themselves plunged into a strange new world, where what’s left of the United States has gone underground while continuing to wage war on Russia with unthinkable tactics.
Based on Philip K. Dick’s short story "Breakfast at Twilight," NUCLEAR FAMILY is written by Stephanie Phillips (Butcher of Paris, Heavy Metal, ARTEMIS AND THE ASSASSIN, RED ATLANTIS) and illustrated by Tony Shasteen (Star Trek). It’s Cold War era science fiction at its most timely and terrifying.
When the first bomb does drop on an unexpecting Midwest city, Tim and his family find themselves plunged into a strange new world, where what’s left of the United States has gone underground while continuing to wage war on Russia with unthinkable tactics.
Based on Philip K. Dick’s short story "Breakfast at Twilight," NUCLEAR FAMILY is written by Stephanie Phillips (Butcher of Paris, Heavy Metal, ARTEMIS AND THE ASSASSIN, RED ATLANTIS) and illustrated by Tony Shasteen (Star Trek). It’s Cold War era science fiction at its most timely and terrifying.
120 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
August 2, 2022
Breakfast at Twilight is a pretty good short story by Philip K. Dick, and this series takes that story and adds a lot of underdeveloped, hokey trash to it, all of it feeling rushed and with unconvincing characters.
You see, Dick, like a good writer, recognised that his idea was perfect for a short story, not for something longer. That's when it starts to creak, and you stuff the ghouls from Fallout in there.
The ending of the short story is perfect - the family gets a quick look at the near future, and is then blasted back to their own time, with the full knowledge of an inevitable and unavoidable nuclear war coming soon.
The ending of this book makes no sense. Where did the Mitch McConnell lookalike disappear to? And why did he suddenly want to travel back? How was he going to stop the war? Why did our main characters instantly believe a man who until recently had them tortured? Why did Roger instantly believe their story that they were from the future?
Read the Dick short story instead.
You see, Dick, like a good writer, recognised that his idea was perfect for a short story, not for something longer. That's when it starts to creak, and you stuff the ghouls from Fallout in there.
The ending of the short story is perfect - the family gets a quick look at the near future, and is then blasted back to their own time, with the full knowledge of an inevitable and unavoidable nuclear war coming soon.
The ending of this book makes no sense. Where did the Mitch McConnell lookalike disappear to? And why did he suddenly want to travel back? How was he going to stop the war? Why did our main characters instantly believe a man who until recently had them tortured? Why did Roger instantly believe their story that they were from the future?
Read the Dick short story instead.
December 29, 2021
Nuclear Family starts off great and kind of just settles in the end.
A normal 1950's family experiences an attack one day when people start dropping bombs in a little town. When it hits everything goes dark but when the family emerges they are met with freedom warriors claiming the nice little family from the 50's are commie bastards. So this a big old WHAT IF and it starts off great.
But then the last two issues feel weirdly slowpaced despite being fast paced? Like they introduce characters but none feel that interest. Deaths fall flat. A weird zombie subplot. Just kind of feels weird and not as intriguing as I hoped from the first 2-3 issues.
But overall not a bad read, pretty fun, and I'd read more from Phillips for sure.
A normal 1950's family experiences an attack one day when people start dropping bombs in a little town. When it hits everything goes dark but when the family emerges they are met with freedom warriors claiming the nice little family from the 50's are commie bastards. So this a big old WHAT IF and it starts off great.
But then the last two issues feel weirdly slowpaced despite being fast paced? Like they introduce characters but none feel that interest. Deaths fall flat. A weird zombie subplot. Just kind of feels weird and not as intriguing as I hoped from the first 2-3 issues.
But overall not a bad read, pretty fun, and I'd read more from Phillips for sure.
January 10, 2022
A book that starts off with a fantastic, Twilight Zone-esque debut issue and slowly comes to a flat and boring conclusion. Stephanie Philips is a writer I defintely don’t always love, but when she writes a great story, it is really damn great. This, is sadly, not one of those stories. The worst part about it is that it starts off unbelievably strong, and slowly peters out to a laughably pathetic ending.
November 10, 2021
"Nuclear Family" is a 5-issue mini-series where a family somehow time travels to an alternate, not so far away, future where Russia won the cold war and USA is an apocalyptic wasteland. Only an underground bunker exists and hosts the survivors. Our protagonists are considered Russian spies and are captured by the men in charge. From then on, the story is the family's struggle to stay alive and find a way to return to their time/reality.
The plot raises a lot of questions on its short way, and fortunately (and unexpectedly if I might add) it manages to answer all of them.
The atmosphere created in the alternate timeline is quite well crafted. You can feel the destruction of the nuclear holocaust outside the bunker, which feels both claustrophobic and majestic at the same time.
There are a few jump scares along the way and a few efforts to put some humour/satire to the story, although I didn't like the "Communist" angle the story embraces.
Overall, the plot managed to keep my interest high enough. However, in the end it feels rushed and I think it could be developed with more details and with even more emphasis on the survival part of the story, if the series had more issues.
As far as the artwork is concerned, I liked the colouring and I really liked how the bunker and the rest of the backgrounds were drawn. On the contrary, I didn't like the design of the human characters. I think that Shasteen tried to draw them very realisticly, but somehow managed to make them seem like they're made of plastic.
I would give it a solid 3.5/5* rating.
The plot raises a lot of questions on its short way, and fortunately (and unexpectedly if I might add) it manages to answer all of them.
The atmosphere created in the alternate timeline is quite well crafted. You can feel the destruction of the nuclear holocaust outside the bunker, which feels both claustrophobic and majestic at the same time.
There are a few jump scares along the way and a few efforts to put some humour/satire to the story, although I didn't like the "Communist" angle the story embraces.
Overall, the plot managed to keep my interest high enough. However, in the end it feels rushed and I think it could be developed with more details and with even more emphasis on the survival part of the story, if the series had more issues.
As far as the artwork is concerned, I liked the colouring and I really liked how the bunker and the rest of the backgrounds were drawn. On the contrary, I didn't like the design of the human characters. I think that Shasteen tried to draw them very realisticly, but somehow managed to make them seem like they're made of plastic.
I would give it a solid 3.5/5* rating.
August 13, 2022
Starts off pretty strong, giving off Twilight Zone vibes. It's about a family in 1958 Milwaukee who is getting ready to have dinner when the air raid sirens go off warning of an attack. The next thing they know, everything around their house has been destroyed and they are under arrest by soldiers wearing gas masks. The problem here is the idea is only half-formed. Story elements don't add up. The ending isn't earned. It just all falls apart. It's a real shame too. A tighter story could have been really good.
July 26, 2024
Hooked in from the start and was really enjoying it but the final 2 issues felt really weird. Everything towards the end felt really rushed and given no time to breathe. If this had a few more issues to further explore the ideas then this would of been even better
September 7, 2021
3.5 stars
This is an interesting "what-if" take on nuclear warfare in the 1950s. Tim and his family survive an attack on Milwaukee, and their house is the only one standing. Masked forces come in and one comments on the fact that he hasn't seen coffee since he was a kid. Although the family learns it's 10 years later, it seems to me that this area of the U.S. has been living in an underground city of bunkers for far longer than that.
I love the two-page spread of the bunkers in issue 2. I also really enjoyed the guide on determining a communist at the end of issue 1, even though it's also scary in that I know a lot of people felt that way.
Tim's daughter Robin is a bit annoying, but she's a headstrong teenager and teenagers can be a bit annoying. Her younger brother, Henry is a typically annoying kid. Some of the things are understandable, but he is just so frustrating.
The military thinks the family is actually Russian spies and the adults are interrogated. Robin and Henry are tucked away but escape, and meet up with a teen about Robin's age named Roger. The three stumble upon some shady business on how one can counteract the nuclear effects. Spoiler alert: it isn't pretty. It's also nauseating.
Within the forces is a man who was actually Tim's boss in the '50s, and also a fellow soldier in the Korean War. But he doesn't remember Tim, proving this is an alternate timeline. Too, the events of the 1960s and working to get the family back to the '50s to fix the timeline, along with the things Tim faced in the war, blend together in issue 5.
I feel like the experimental aspect was underplayed and thus not entirely necessary.
I also didn't like the art of the people. They looked to be a different resolution (for lack of a better word) than the background/scenery.
This is an interesting "what-if" take on nuclear warfare in the 1950s. Tim and his family survive an attack on Milwaukee, and their house is the only one standing. Masked forces come in and one comments on the fact that he hasn't seen coffee since he was a kid. Although the family learns it's 10 years later, it seems to me that this area of the U.S. has been living in an underground city of bunkers for far longer than that.
I love the two-page spread of the bunkers in issue 2. I also really enjoyed the guide on determining a communist at the end of issue 1, even though it's also scary in that I know a lot of people felt that way.
Tim's daughter Robin is a bit annoying, but she's a headstrong teenager and teenagers can be a bit annoying. Her younger brother, Henry is a typically annoying kid. Some of the things are understandable, but he is just so frustrating.
The military thinks the family is actually Russian spies and the adults are interrogated. Robin and Henry are tucked away but escape, and meet up with a teen about Robin's age named Roger. The three stumble upon some shady business on how one can counteract the nuclear effects. Spoiler alert: it isn't pretty. It's also nauseating.
Within the forces is a man who was actually Tim's boss in the '50s, and also a fellow soldier in the Korean War. But he doesn't remember Tim, proving this is an alternate timeline. Too, the events of the 1960s and working to get the family back to the '50s to fix the timeline, along with the things Tim faced in the war, blend together in issue 5.
I feel like the experimental aspect was underplayed and thus not entirely necessary.
I also didn't like the art of the people. They looked to be a different resolution (for lack of a better word) than the background/scenery.
January 30, 2022
An expansion on a short story by Philip K. Dick. I dig Phillips' work elsewhere and had high hopes for this. But the story didn't really gel for me, getting stuck (possibly in the adapting?) in what it was trying to say about the desperate need to survive and how fast things can fall apart. It didn't feel like we knew what Philips (or Dick) had been expressing here because it became too generic.
The art didn't help, either. feeling stiff and lacking impact or emotion.
A rare miss for me with Aftershock.
The art didn't help, either. feeling stiff and lacking impact or emotion.
A rare miss for me with Aftershock.
February 6, 2022
Fascinating graphic novel/comic boos k premise based on a Philip K. Dick story. The McCleans somehow survive a 1957 nuclear attack by being sent forward in time 11 years to a bleak, paranoid, war-filled future. The ending is rather blah, though, with neither an effective explanation not an effective resolution. I wonder if an additional issue or two would have allowed for space to bring the story of the McCleans to a more satisfying conclusion.
May 20, 2022
Probably a solid 2.5, but I felt it didn't have enough time to be more compelling. If anything, this is a tribute to the Fallout games, from concepts to design and other details, using time-travel (timeline-travel?) as a narrative device.
Not great, not terrible. 3.6 roentgen, if you are familiar with the Chernobyl TV series.
Not great, not terrible. 3.6 roentgen, if you are familiar with the Chernobyl TV series.
August 28, 2022
2.5 stars, rounded up.
This makes much more sense now that I know it's an adaptation of a Philip K. Dick short story, but honestly I kind of wondered what the point was, when it was all over. It was an entertaining enough ride, but I'm not sure that either the journey or the destination were necessary.
This makes much more sense now that I know it's an adaptation of a Philip K. Dick short story, but honestly I kind of wondered what the point was, when it was all over. It was an entertaining enough ride, but I'm not sure that either the journey or the destination were necessary.
June 29, 2022
A great little series that deals with a post nuclear attack during the Cold War as well as Zombies and time travel. Looking forward to the second series as this felt a bit like a prequel but I really enjoyed it.
August 7, 2022
Really interesting story, I liked how some context was set before the main action started I don't know if there will be another volume based on how it ended but I would love to see more stories in the same setting even with completely different characters.
November 19, 2023
Well written and well drawn, it just didn't feel like it ever got out of second gear. It was entertaining and intriguing, but the ending fell a little flat. I'm not sure if it told too much or didn't tell enough.
February 11, 2022
Decent premise but little in the way of meaningful allusion or explanation. Great world building and setting but poor climax. Very much needs expansion
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March 9, 2022This comic was discussed on Episode 63 of The Secret Stacks.
abandoned-and-samples
November 20, 2022I received an eSample courtesy of AfterShock Comics.
December 28, 2022
Quick read and interesting concept. Downside, it was so short I really couldn’t feel anything for the characters. Also not really my art style, too realistic and drab color-wise.
January 31, 2023
It's....weird. Which makes slightly more sense when you find out it's loosely based on a PKD story.
Would that have colored my opinion had I known a priori? No way to tell.
Would that have colored my opinion had I known a priori? No way to tell.
November 12, 2023
Horrendous ending and Mitch McConnell lookalike made this an easy rating of one star for me. Ugh.
April 19, 2025
It started off so strong, but the end was rushed and left so many questions unanswered.
February 28, 2026
Barely OK start; did not appreciate the American Exceptionalism crack in her author's introduction.
May 19, 2022
"Nuclear Family" by Stephanie Phillips immediately caught my eye on Free Comic Book Day. I'm a fan of the Fallout video game series by Bethesda, and the cover art reminded me of the games' storylines. "Nuclear Family" is a collection of the comic series - five comics total. I read the entire thing, cover to cover, in about twenty minutes. The artwork is amazing. I love the genre. The story line was cool, a few minor plot twists layered throughout. Overall it was super basic and I would have liked the entire story to be more fleshed out. My son, who is ten, read it and thought it was "awesome" and wanted it to have lasted longer. I'd recommend it for those who enjoy post-apocalyptic tales, but it's not a must read. Three out of five stars.
September 6, 2022
It starts off pretty well, like a Twilight Zone episode, but gradually gets "too much". It's a pity, because the potential was quite good.
September 7, 2025
Read entirely on May 24, 2024. (What is wrong with Goodreads RN?)
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews