Gideon Falls, Book Two: The Eater of All Things

Gideon Falls #4-6

by Jeff Lemire, Andrea Sorrentino (Artist), Dave Stewart (Artist)

The second book of the Eisner Award-winning horror series from writer JEFF LEMIRE (Sweet Tooth, Black Hammer) and artist ANDREA SORRENTINO (Old Man Logan, Primordial) collected in a deluxe edition hardcover!

The Black Barn continues to wreak havoc on the lives of our heroes as they are forced to confront their greater fears within its walls. Realities are finally converging and the end is nigh! Will they be able to stop the Laughing Man or will he triumph in spreading his evil throughout the multiverse?

Rural mystery and urban horror collide in this character-driven meditation on obsession, mental illness, and faith from the creators that writer BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS said: “will go down as one of the greatest comic teams of all time!” This edition features plenty of extras including a variant cover gallery from some of comics' best artists and a revealing behind-the-scenes with insight into the inner workings of Gideon Falls.

Collects issues #17-27

Genres: Comics, Horror, Graphic Novels, Graphic Novels Comics, Fantasy, Fiction, Comix

336 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2022

About the author

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Jeff Lemire is a New York Times bestselling and award winning author, and creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Trillium, Plutona, Black Hammer, Descender, Royal City, and Gideon Falls. His upcoming projects include a host of series and original graphic novels, including the fantasy series Ascender with Dustin Nguyen.

Reviews

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Shalloween buddy read with the one and only Florida James DeSantis

So they decide to destroy the black barn. But they learn the black barn was actually keeping things contained and now the demon/creature is free and they realize that was a mistake. So this volume has a lot of action as the demon or smiling man is out and reeking havoc and all the different dimensions/time lines are collapsing on each other. It was great watching Sorrentino depict all this craziness with the art and creative paneling. A fun ride watching the 5 travelers be separated and the crazy ish the went through trying to reunite. But i also saw questions weren’t really getting answered. A lot of things went down that the reader was not given the why to. Then to top that off, Lemire ends the book with a mysterious ambiguous ending. Not a fan of those.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last half of the story wasn't as strong as the first, because the mysteries have largely been unravelled, and it's about playing out the storyline to its logical conclusion. But, there's excitement, there's horror, and there's a beautiful dive into several of the Gideon worlds. A fun finale.

[Rahul Nadella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gideon Falls delivers an unparalleled reading experience with its finale. This was both an amazing yet underwhelming finale to what was easily one of the best horror comics in the industry. There are some open questions, but they don't take anything away from this epic book. The suspense and mystery of the entire series was amazing, but that only pays off if we come full circle with the finale. And I am not even going to pretend I understood what happened here. That suspense fell into just pure confusion. Theres some things I wish were explained a little better but overall it was really good conclusion. I really liked Lemire making the story increasingly massive in complex in scale, but he didn't finish off as great as he started. The ending felt rush, this wasn't enough to fully capitalize on what Lemire set out. It felt, stunted, like Lemire had to end it and it couldn't come together naturally.

The artwork was amazing, again, Sorrentino's best work right here. It a damn masterpiece from his art style, to the paneling, the colors, the lettering, everything about it visually is phenomenal. The ending just didn't hit home as much as I wanted it to. While it seems partially empty, it ends exactly as it should surrounded in a shroud of mystery, leaving you wanting just a little bit more. Regardless, a decent ending to a stellar series.

[Geekaffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nach dem starken ersten Buch geht der Story hintenraus leider etwas die Luft aus. Zwar liefert Sorrentino weiterhin äußerst kreative Seiten und Panels ab, jedoch fühlt sich das Ende etwas überhastet und der Kreislauf nicht zufriedenstellend geschlossen an.

Dennoch insgesamt äußerst stark und lesenswert!

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, let's just say it right up front: I LOVE the art in this thing. Andrea Sorrentino is absolutely bringing it, it’s so damn good here, so goddamn trippy with the insane panel work, fractured reality, and those pure horror visuals. It instantly makes this one of the best-looking horror comics out there. Beyond the looks, writer Jeff Lemire really stepped on the gas with the plot. I actually really liked the pacing; this whole book is so quickly done that it makes for an incredibly entertaining and relentless read.

Now, speaking of that speed, the last big arc might go by too quick, maybe even a little rushed at the very end. But honestly, the villain, "The Laughing Man," is done so well throughout this. He’s such an evil piece of shit, and I love that they just let him be this terrifying, pure-evil force. So yeah, while the payoff on the ending might feel a little weak or underdeveloped compared to the craziness that led up to it, it doesn't matter much. This is a really fun second half and a necessary conclusion to a fantastic horror story. Definitely A 4 out of 5.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gideon Falls Book 1 was one of my favorite graphic novels that I’ve read recently. The concept was perfect for me: multiple universes, supernatural horror, and a priest with a past. Continues the story, but unfortunately wasn’t quite as good. It seems like most of the energy was spent on the setup. These last issues simply lets the story move into its logical conclusion. No big mysteries or surprises here.

The art is amazing. The story was good. The ending was a bit disappointing.

[Rumi Bossche · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finished Gideon Falls the second hardcover with the conclusion, Andrea Sorrentino and Jeff Lemire are a killer duo who bring the horror and madness. Sorrentino really has a great way of panels and Lemire delivers a fast paced script of this creepy series. I did enjoy the first hardcover a little better, as this gets REALLY weird at times with dimensions and space, but still this was a cool read.

[Vincent · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice progression from the first volume. Loved how trippy the story and artwork got, without losing that horror edge. Also loved some of the new settings. Gideon Falls remains an intriguing place. I’m not sure the ending is 100% satisfying, which is a shame because the focus in the second half of the series is more on plot than on characters. Still, the mind bending artwork and bingeable plot make up for the somewhat lackluster finale. Tv adaptation when???

[Craig W · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ending could have been much better but, otherwise, what a ride! Great series.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

So the second part of the story and now we get to see what is behind the barn (if you have read the story you will know what I am getting at).

One of the things that I was really impressed with and enjoyed was the artwork - yes there is a lot of psychedelic events in the story - so the challange is how are these represented - and well I will let the read discover that for themselves but I shall say that the artwork is so impressive many of the pieces could be printed and mounted (I am sure when they were first published they certainly were).

So here you have the concluding half of the story and it is still progressing at the same grisly pace as before.

So yes for a random encounter these two books have been an absolute delight, I feel a dig around coming on looking for other works from the write?

[Jon Huff · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very solid series from start to finish. After the slow-burn mystery with its twists and turns in volume 1, this volume feels very different. It's basically a non-stop chase scene in many ways, with some fantastic visuals illustrating the intriguing concepts. However, this comes at some cost to the character work and makes me wish I'd read both volumes back to back. Sometimes, the restrained color palette—often a source of strength—works against the art's clarity. For instance, when an enemy attacks in a muddy yellow outfit, it kind of looked like the muddy yellow outfit one of our protagonists was wearing. It was enjoyable and intriguing overall, though.

[Joris Deweerdt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for book 1 & 2 together:

This is the best Lemire book I've read so far. The way it starts as a small town murder mystery/urban conspiracy and then spirals out of control, it's so well done.

The ending feels a little bit too rushed and action packed. While the conclusion to the story is a satisfying one, I slightly enjoyed the first book more due to the slower build-up and the way the mysteries started to unravel.

The art is exceptionally good. The weird, trippy, off-kilter ways in which the panels are organised make this book a sight to behold. There are some great splash pages that genuinly work as good jump scares, which is something I've never experienced in a book before.

Highly recommended.

[Jameson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spooky, dark and very twisty. I don’t think this was paced as tight as the first volume, but was still a fun read. Took me a while longer than I expected since school is getting wild. Good book though!

[Victor · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an unrelenting and visceral ride book two was! A great conclusion. If you love trippy, cerebral cosmic sci-fi horror don't pass up Gideon Falls!

[Matt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh. I like Jeff Lemire a lot but I’m wondering if I really FEEL his work when he also draws it. This had a lot of neat art but very little dialogue at times. Lemire’s ability to tell story with his art is fantastic. So maybe that’s all I was missing. 2.5 stars. Not for me. Pretty! And visually spooky at times. But not scary. Concept didn’t get me there. Which sucks because I love sci fi too. Maybe that’s my issue.

[Nathan Ramsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art is ridiculously good and deserves a 5/5, especially at the very end.

The story started going downhill and deserves just 3/5.

[Zach · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this collection a lot more than the first since that one had such a slow burn start for the first several issues. This collection was almost nonstop zany horror goodness. It was a blasty blast.

I really can’t recommend this series enough. Lemire and Sorrentino are rolling along like a well oiled machine here.

[Krazzykarry]

Gideon Falls - Jeff Lemire | Andrea Sorrentino | Dave Stewart | Steve Wands

In a city called Gideon Falls a boy is rummaging through trash at the same time a priest comes into town as the newly appointed father of the church. How are their lives connected? is there even a connection? To find out read this book beautifully crafted by Jeff Lemire (author), Andrea Sorrentino (Artist), Dave Stewart (Colorist) and Steve Wands (Letterer & Design)
The world as we know it is coming to an end (no one really knows it is ending) and these 5 people The Madman, The Soldier, The Sinner, The Doctor and The Father are our only hope. A horror sci-fi story told through unique and detailed panels and designs. I made the mistake of reading this digitally on my phone (a huge mistake). This book deserves the oversize treatment. The story, the design of the pages, the mind bending art, the lettering everything is praise worthy.
Both the books combined have a total of 678 pages. It does not feel that long at all rather I felt it was short. Don't get me wrong the story was not rushed but was precise and to the point. Cheers to the editorial team. It feels just like a 90 minute horror movie with fantastic cinematography. The non-linear narrative is not confusing, every time the story changes focus on a character it is very clear where the character is and what year it is. Each main character has a satisfying arc. I cannot stop praising this book because I have never seen such visuals (every page) in the graphic novel medium and I could not put my phone down. Do check it out if possible.
Everyone has evil inside them tucked away in a black barn and only a few are strong enough to be the door and keep the evil from coming out.

[Rana Biswas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gideon Falls

Deluxe Edition book 1 & book 2

By Jeff Lemire, Andrea Sorrentino, Dave Stewart

Wow.... Just wow....This is an absolute masterpiece of a graphic novel.. Stranger Things meets Twin Peaks meets Dark meets Walking Dead. Lemire's crafty storytelling with minimal narration or dialogue just works perfectly to create the tension and suspense and then Sorrentino and Dave Stewart's dark, gritty, surreal artwork does the magic and the pages start to breathe and talk. This story can not be read/enjoyed/understood without Sorrentino's unique art and panels and Dave's impactful coloring. I don't want to give any spoiler but the story is about obsession, mental illness, reality and parallel reality, world universe and dimensions, time and space and also about how everyone has evil inside them hidden away in a black barn and only a few are strong enough to be the door and keep the evil from coming out. Which started as a urban horror/murder mystery or suspense thriller - turned out to be a much more complex, intriguing and serious affairs of multiple reality and infinite dimensions and their effect and counter-effect. The series won the Eisners for genuine reasons. Also, the story deserves the oversized hardcover treatment - the visual aesthetics needs to be like this to enjoy and understand the narrative because it is quite slow-burn in the first book and picked up pace in the second book and it's the visuals that holds you through the journey and you don't want to put it down.

Highly recommended. A must read.

[Norman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: This review if for Gideon Falls as a whole.

The slow drip of information and revelations was really masterful, lending the series a sense of growing suspense and unease. It really was a page turner, to first find out about the Black Barn, and then to REALLY find out about the Black Barn. The characters are flawed, but sympathetic.

Unfortunately, I think the ending felt bit rushed and not as narratively cohesive as I wanted it to be. The village near the center felt very incomplete and was a loop that didn't really feel closed to me, Joe Reddy definitely felt underdeveloped for someone who has as much prominence in the last few issues, and honestly the last arc just felt very boring to me, in service of one of the most dull scenarios in lieu of additional character developing and worldbuilding. There was an also emphasis on the five main characters needing to be together, which is even one of the main thrusts of the last arc, but we're never really shown why, aside from the general support. As a result, a lot of the last arc just felt like a matter of convenience and obeisance to narrative need, rather than feeling organic but tight, which ultimately left me feeling a bit unsatisfied.

But as a whole, it's a fun ride, even if the destination isn't as amazing as I expected it to be.

[Shaun Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gideon Falls Book 2: The Eater of All Things collects issues 17-27 of the Image Comics series written by Jeff Lemire, art by Andrea Sorrentino, and colors by Dave Stewart.

The Black Barn has been destroyed and a powerful entity is hunting the multiverse for Danny. Now it is up to The Priest, The Doctor, The Soldier, The Prophet, and The Soldier to try and fight off the evil.

The book gets very deep and very meta as it goes. Questions are purposefully not answered and left to the reader to determine. Overall, I don’t think it’s important to the story of where the evil has come from, its ultimate goal and motivations, and a lot of the lore behind it. I would have liked more clarification as to why Danny was the target and central to everything. I’m also not going to pretend I understood everything in this book so maybe it was explained and I just didn’t get it. The book picks up to a blistering pace by the end which also makes everything a bit harder to follow, even with an extra long issue to conclude the series. I think ultimately this is a book about deeply flawed characters and less about all of the supernatural and sci-fi shenanigans that were going on. Sorrentino’s art continued to be incredibly unique and a big reason as to why the books stands out so much.

I don’t think this book is for everyone, but fans of character driven horror will probably enjoy it.

[Brandon Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this series. Jeff Lemire is one of my favorite writers, and this book is very much my shit. The art is incredible, and I even worked in the book for much of its run as one of Dave Stewart’s flatters.

The thing that keeps this series from being the perfect five star book though is also part of why I enjoy it so much. It is that it is heavily inspired by two of my favorite pieces of fiction: Twin Peaks and The Dark Tower. And, while the series is very good, I’m afraid it does not meet the heights of those stories, and it’s hard not to compare them constantly. In part because of the limitations of a monthly series, we don’t get to spend enough time with the characters to become attached, and it doesn’t help that so much of their past and personalities are kept from us for the sake of mystery. And while I liked a lot of the mythology, I, like many others, am over saturated in multiverse stuff, and it’s hard not to compare this to the much more unique and more unnerving mythology of Twin Peaks.

[Pedro · Rating 4 out of 5]

La historia es envolvente y las ilustraciones son magistrales, pero es un poco más confusa de seguir que la primera parte. Es un poco como Lost, con la diferencia de que aquí si da la impresión de que el guionista sabía hacia donde iba la trama desde un principio, pero los lectores tuvimos menos pistas. Es una historia de horror, que luego mezcla elementos de ciencia ficción que son difícikes de seguir por su propia naturaleza: viajes en el tiempo y dimensiones paralelas. La entropía y la maldad químicamente pura son parte indivisible del universo y un hombre a través de la ciencia logra alimentar esa fuerza primigenia que cobra fuerza e intenta apoderarse de todas las realidades. Todo esto dentro de la historia de un grupo improbable de personas que hacen todo lo posible para evitar este "apocalipsis" que tiene como epicentro el pueblo/ciudad Gideon Falls. Es difícil de describir y al final es una historia que disfrute aun cuando no se si la entendí.

[Sebastian Lauterbach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in a single sitting, it's good but very trippy.

The book focuses on the big bad guy here and becomes a mix of multiverse hopping and zombie apocalypse. Things develop very quickly in here and the book never becomes stale.

The ending feels slightly rushed, I wish the final showdown would have been a bit longer. Also there's the bit, where everyone except the main cast dies. I already disliked this in Descender and it's not much better here.

I still don't really like the artwork. There's a lot of very experimental/trippy panels/pages in here. Sometimes the text is upside down. Most often these pages make no sense and I could have done without them.

It sounds like I didn't like this, but it was a very enjoyable reading session nonetheless.

Still a very good horror book for the month of October.

[Luis · Rating 3 out of 5]

If the first volume was a 9.5/10 for me, this was rather disappointing coming from such a high; I would rate it as 7/10?

And it is all down to Lemire and his writing. The line, the colour, the lettering, all remain superb. But Lemire chooses to dawdle a bit too much with the multiverses, making the story lose much of the steam it had garnered, and tiring the reader with something ultimately irrelevant.

And worst of all, Lemire doesn't stick the landing. The ending not only was unsatisfying and cliched, but seems to negate much of what the story was about.

This is not a bad comic, just... average, which considering what it could have been, is a real shame.

[Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great conclusion to an incredibly unique comic. While the tropes and story beats here are familiar (and the influences obvious), the art really elevates the whole thing to another level. One of the best examples for what a comic can do that other mediums can't.

I don't really get the complaints I've heard about this half of the story. The first half always felt like it was building towards something crazy, and this half was suitably off-the-wall bonkers. I also really liked the ending, which I've gathered is controversial.

I'll definitely be looking into the rest of The Bone Orchard Mythos now.

[Devin · Rating 3 out of 5]

The mystery surrounding everything going on kept this series interesting. This pretty much all unfolded at the end of the first book.

This was a lot of chasing back and forth between the different timelines, which is a pretty dramatic change from the slow burn of the first book.

Personally once we found out the mystery I lost interest in the parallel universes etc. the art stayed consistently good in this series which is a huge plus. Overall I liked this series, I don’t think I’d read it again though

[Louie Benson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second half wasn’t as strong as the first half. I wouldn’t say the story fell apart because it was still great, but just obviously not as great as it became more akin to a zombie apocalypse story as opposed to the thriller of the first half. This starts to wrap up everything from the first half and it still has plenty of edge of your seat thrills, but it weirdly had some spelling and grammatical errors in the book. And on one of the last pages, a character called another character by the wrong name.

Still very much worth the read, though the finish isn’t as strong as the beginning.

[Gustavo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Melhor que certos multiversos por aí...
Gostei mais desse volume por tentar explicar um pouco mais as coisas e abraçar mais a veia de ficção científica de vez, já que pra mim tem bem pouco horror aqui pra bastante ficção.
A arte e o roteiro são bem bons, a história é envolvente e tem sua própria lógica e construção de mundo, que vão sempre crescendo até o final.
Como disse no título, é uma história de multiverso com um tom mais dark, que consegue ser melhor que
No fim eu gostei, mas achei que existem pontas soltas demais pro meu gosto.

[Aaron · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fool me once, Jeff Lemire, shame on me, fool me 5000 times, etc.

Just an unsurprising revelation that this series only "worked" when none of its mysteries were solved, though even then it was frustrating because you had no idea what was going on. Once everything is revealed the story feels entirely derivative and uninspired, and, as I mentioned in the prior review, not a full character to be found. No one to care about, and once we get here, nothing to look forward to.