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The Rock Gods of Jackson, Tennessee
The heartwarming coming-of-age tale of four high school outcasts who start a band to gain fame and popularity...but have to defend their hometown from a hungry horde of monsters instead.
It’s 1989 and Marty Ward—Jackson, Tennessee’s number one juvenile delinquent—never wanted to join the Rock Gods. After all, who wants to play with nerds like Jonny, Lenny, and Doug? But after the high schoolers stumble into the gig of a lifetime—opening for local rock legend Tommi Tungstun—the four outcasts must put aside their differences and play together if they want to achieve their dreams of fame, freedom, and popularity.
Standing in these future superstars’ way their parents, their teachers, a school full of jerks and bullies, a townful of bad bosses, sanctimonious preachers, and corrupt politicians, each other, and a rampaging horde of mutated monsters tearing through Jackson and eating everything in their path.
Wait. Monsters?!?!
Indeed! A secretive pharmaceutical company has converted the old perfume factory on the edge of town into an animal testing facility. Their newest concoction, a marvel of science designed as a cure, has disastrous results...transforming hundreds of pigs into horrifying demons with an appetite for human flesh.
When the pigs attack, it’s left up Marty, Jonny, Lenny, and Doug to save the city and everyone in it. If they can’t figure out how to work together, they’ll be pig food. But, if they can join together as a band, as friends, as family…they’ll become Legends.
It’s 1989 and Marty Ward—Jackson, Tennessee’s number one juvenile delinquent—never wanted to join the Rock Gods. After all, who wants to play with nerds like Jonny, Lenny, and Doug? But after the high schoolers stumble into the gig of a lifetime—opening for local rock legend Tommi Tungstun—the four outcasts must put aside their differences and play together if they want to achieve their dreams of fame, freedom, and popularity.
Standing in these future superstars’ way their parents, their teachers, a school full of jerks and bullies, a townful of bad bosses, sanctimonious preachers, and corrupt politicians, each other, and a rampaging horde of mutated monsters tearing through Jackson and eating everything in their path.
Wait. Monsters?!?!
Indeed! A secretive pharmaceutical company has converted the old perfume factory on the edge of town into an animal testing facility. Their newest concoction, a marvel of science designed as a cure, has disastrous results...transforming hundreds of pigs into horrifying demons with an appetite for human flesh.
When the pigs attack, it’s left up Marty, Jonny, Lenny, and Doug to save the city and everyone in it. If they can’t figure out how to work together, they’ll be pig food. But, if they can join together as a band, as friends, as family…they’ll become Legends.
200 pages, Paperback
Published July 4, 2023
2 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 20, 2024
A 1980s adventure that at first seems a coming of age story (which it is), but then adds horror/sci-fi bits. I wanted to like this, but the pacing is terrible, it takes forever to get anywhere. For example, a typical 1980s movie bully is introduced in the first chapter, and then he just keeps reappearing and being a dick, but it doesn't build, it just feels repetitive. We get it, he's a bully, now make the next narrative step!
The writing is dull - it's when nostalgia just turns into a lot of movie clichés.
(Thanks to Dark Horse Books for providing me with a review copy through Edelweiss)
The writing is dull - it's when nostalgia just turns into a lot of movie clichés.
(Thanks to Dark Horse Books for providing me with a review copy through Edelweiss)
August 1, 2024
Inspired by bad '80s teen movies, this graphic novel is set in 1989, when four high school misfits come together to form a band for one night. Through a family connection, they are given a chance to be an opening act for a hometown hero who is now a washed-up musician, and hijinks commence. But to up the ante, a nearby research facility has their mutated pigs escape, thus this group not only has to dodge bullies but fight for their lives as the pigs rampage through town on the night of the big concert.
The story is an odd combination of poignant backstories with a realistic epilogue, but then an over-the-top story of the band fighting off monster pigs. The art was solid, as Mike Norton is a favorite artist of mine, but he draws with a more cartoony style than usual, with singer Doug's glasses exaggerated and quite distracting. The book size was smaller than usual, making some panels harder to read and enjoy. The author bios at the end, point in the direction of the four men being friends IRL, so it seems as if they decided to create this for fun, even if frankly, it wasn't as coherent and well-done as their work typically is. (Actual review 3.5)
The story is an odd combination of poignant backstories with a realistic epilogue, but then an over-the-top story of the band fighting off monster pigs. The art was solid, as Mike Norton is a favorite artist of mine, but he draws with a more cartoony style than usual, with singer Doug's glasses exaggerated and quite distracting. The book size was smaller than usual, making some panels harder to read and enjoy. The author bios at the end, point in the direction of the four men being friends IRL, so it seems as if they decided to create this for fun, even if frankly, it wasn't as coherent and well-done as their work typically is. (Actual review 3.5)
August 21, 2023
This book was received as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was way stronger than I expected it to be, it looked interesting from the beginning but I had no idea it was going to be this genuinely fun and heartfelt story that it turned into. I expected the horror tropes, the old school high school vibes, but I wasn't expecting this to be so interesting for character interactions. At first glance, it doesn't seem like much, but I'd highly recommend this if you're looking for a good just vibe. It's a heavier hitter than you'd think, and has a really great energy along with having some character depth.
This was way stronger than I expected it to be, it looked interesting from the beginning but I had no idea it was going to be this genuinely fun and heartfelt story that it turned into. I expected the horror tropes, the old school high school vibes, but I wasn't expecting this to be so interesting for character interactions. At first glance, it doesn't seem like much, but I'd highly recommend this if you're looking for a good just vibe. It's a heavier hitter than you'd think, and has a really great energy along with having some character depth.
July 19, 2023
“The Rock Gods of Jackson, Tennessee“ by Ralph Roberts, with illustrations by Mike Norton is a graphic novel about a wannabe rock band that might be better at fighting monsters
Johnny, Lenny and Doug have a terrible band called the Rock Gods. When the cool kid, Marty Ward joins the band on false pretenses over the gig of a lifetime, they think they’ve got it made. It turns out they don’t and they’re all from screwed up backgrounds as we learn in their backstories. There’s also a cosmetics plant in town and an experiment that goes wrong that turns out giant size monster pigs. When the Rock Gods play their biggest gig yet, they might have to choose between playing and saving the town.
I like the vibe of this book. I like the characters. It seems to lean into Stranger Things, but that’s not so bad. The art is OK and I liked the story well enough
Johnny, Lenny and Doug have a terrible band called the Rock Gods. When the cool kid, Marty Ward joins the band on false pretenses over the gig of a lifetime, they think they’ve got it made. It turns out they don’t and they’re all from screwed up backgrounds as we learn in their backstories. There’s also a cosmetics plant in town and an experiment that goes wrong that turns out giant size monster pigs. When the Rock Gods play their biggest gig yet, they might have to choose between playing and saving the town.
I like the vibe of this book. I like the characters. It seems to lean into Stranger Things, but that’s not so bad. The art is OK and I liked the story well enough
July 21, 2023
I think this could go over well with Stranger Things fans. It has nostalgia, weird happenings, and secret experiments. For myself, I didn't like how pretty much all of the characters were obnoxious, including the main character and narrator. It's also slightly too over the top for my taste. Written well, just not for me.
April 27, 2023
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
This is a fun story and certainly the author weaves an entertaining (if familiar) tale of corporate greed and teen rebels. What really helps here is that the story is given time to grow organically and that each of the characters gets a good background treatment. The artwork is fun and bright, matching the exuberant spirit of the piece. I only wish the characters were a bit more likableStory: They made be from the wrong side of town - and dealing with their own issues at home - but these four guys just want to rock out when the hometown here Tommi returns a big rock star in 1989. When Winger drops out as the opening act, desperation means the boys are going to get their time on the big stage! That would be a dream - if only all hell doesn't break loose at the same time.
The story is told in flashback style by lead singer Doug. All the boys are using music as an excuse to escape home life: Doug because he's a reviled nerd with big glasses, the guitarist has a mother who died and a father who stopped being a father at the same time, the bassist is in a large family with a mother working herself to death to feed all those kids (because of a deadbeat dad), and the drummer lives in a super religious 'cult' house. All are being tormented, harassed, and bullied by the jocks and cheerleaders. While they deal with teen life, the local corporation that makes perfumes has made a new deal with a cosmetics company that doesn't mind doing a bit of animal experimentation on the side.
I wish I liked any of the characters better. They are meant to be dorky but somehow they were just a bit too much - too angry, too withdrawn, too needy, and too desperate for attention. It set a wrong note and made it really hard to get behind or root for them. They weren't even serious about the music - which was supposed to be funny but just kind of fell flat. There are a lot of OTT scenes by the kids that were too strange or silly to be amusing. The adults are the usual villains, too caught up in themselves or their greed (or just too clueless) to pay attention to any of the kids. There were no good male adults and only one decent female one.
The artwork is fine - it was easy to distinguish the characters and it told the story fine. The colors were bright and energetic with enough lime green and pastels to get the story across of corporate toxicity. The story is a good length with a complete story arc. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
April 27, 2023
A ridiculously over the top story about 4 losers in high school getting an opportunity to open for a washed up rock star while a horror movie about mutant pigs slowly develops in the background. It's a tropey ode to the 80's. It never really comes together in a way to make it truly great though. Still it's OK. I do like how the main character tends to tune out and we lose out on what would be exposition.
Mike Norton turns up the cartooniness of his art for this one.
Mike Norton turns up the cartooniness of his art for this one.
June 6, 2023
3.5 Stars.
Review posted on Twitter for Dark Horse Comics and Letter Better.
Review posted on Twitter for Dark Horse Comics and Letter Better.
July 5, 2023
It’s a coming of age/horror story. I REALLY enjoyed it!!
February 4, 2024
DNF 1/4 way through. I couldn’t get into it, I don’t like how it’s written. I feel like it’s written in the hopes it will be turned into a tv series or something.
February 14, 2025
This was a really fun read, unique and intertwining. Surprising directions.
July 20, 2025
A group of misfits form a band and get roped into performing at the school as an opener despite not really knowing how to play. They each have their own drama. Then the school gets attacked by mutant pigs.
I guess it's supposed to be a coming of age story like Stand By Me, but with a garage band and mutant pigs instead of a hike and dead body.
I guess it's supposed to be a coming of age story like Stand By Me, but with a garage band and mutant pigs instead of a hike and dead body.
August 29, 2023
Fairly average in the character and art department, but there's something to the hopeful spirit of it that I like.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews