The humans are gone, the sun is rarely seen, and a cold, dark rain befouls everything it touches.
As a group of house mice struggle to survive a long and strange winter, they stubbornly cling to their old ways, looting the abandoned homes nearby for any scraps they can find.
And while food is scarce, danger is everywhere. From mousetraps and poison to feral cats roaming The Neighborhood, every day is a struggle for survival...and the colony is becoming desperate.
But when the rumors of a wrecked truck filled with food gives the mice newfound hope, the colony's best scouts, including the brave Wix, embark on a perilous journey beyond the fence. For outside The Neighborhood lurks creatures much more dangerous than stray cats, and a world much larger than they know...
Acclaimed webcomics creator Mac Smith presents his stunning series in a single volume for the first time ever.
I love documenting Maine history that is being lost to time, and presenting those stories in a way that is interesting, thought-provoking, and containing 100% first-hand information and quotes, all based on deep research. Please give one of my books a try!
In the niche genre of "small mammal, big adventure", Scurry is a fast-paced graphic novel about a colony of mice and rats trying to survive a world where humans have mysteriously disappeared, and food is scarce, and winter is lasting mysteriously long...
The roles and arcs will be familiar, the main charecters are Wix, a talented scavenger who struggles with the voice in his head that tells him mice were meant to die and be weak, and Pict, the daughter of the ailing leader dealing with an internal plot that threatens the colony.
That said, though conventional the stunning character acting, framing, and depth of field, the panels are gorgeous. The characters are mice, so those who are easily disturbed by animal death might want to skip this one, as it doesn't hold back.
Scurry's art style is beautiful. The animals are insanely detailed and they're so expressive. There's such a wide range of animals as well; you get cute rodents (even the evil ones are cute tbh), vicious cats and wolves, and a majestic moose to name a few.
The story is great too. It's one of survival, where humans are gone and the environment is post-apocalyptic. Wix and his friends scavenge for food to keep the colony surviving. While dealing with internal dissenters, Wix and his friends are forced to venture outside of the house their colony is located in search of survival.
The end says it's 'to be continued', so I can't wait to see where Wix and his buddies go next.
Beautiful illustrations in this atmospheric tale of mice and rats trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world; you can easily read the whole thing in an afternoon, and bask in the beauty of a derelict city, a silent forest and all its inhabitants while they wait for spring to come. (Why is it that all my favourite animals are the villains/predators in this story?)
Great read for fans of the 'Warriors' series or 'Secret of NIMH' or even just survival stories if you don't mind the survivors being mice. I really hope he continues this series, I liked all the lore and the "politics" in the animal kingdoms.
A colony of mice if scavenging for food, but they have to make a hard decision if they want to survive.
The mice are the protagonists in this post-apocalyptic tale. Humans, who previously provided the food the rodents lived on, have gone and all they have left behind has already been scavenged. The forest, full of weird creatures, is off-limits, so they have to find another source for food if they want to survive - and not all mice are of the same opinion on where that might be found.
What really struck me about this is the gorgeous illustration style that reminds me more of full-on artworks in every single panel rather than the quicker drawing style I usually see. You can count the hairs on the animals, the use of light is simply stunning.
Regardless of what brings you here, the tale or the pictures, you'll love it. I need to check out to see if the artist has anything else finished yet, because if this level of quality stays, it will be glorious.
I love a graphic novel told from an animal POV. It's somehow the perfect format to tell a tale such as this, to let animals speak without it seeming ridiculous. But starting this it seemed a bit too familiar, too expected, especially in its character set up. Yet the more I read, the more it grew on me and especially the female mouse who I thought was only there so the boy mouse had someone to rescue, she had some welcome surprises up her sleeve and definitely followed her own hero arc.
It's quite the mouse adventure tale, with echoes of Mrs. Brisby and "Watership Down", a touch of "The Road". Very evocative illustrations, beautiful use of color especially in the fire sequences. I couldn't help but get sucked into the fate of these mice and if they can save their colony. We actually encounter a lot of animals, plenty of wood critters. It was bit of a shame that certain species were assigned the role of evil in the story but I guess someone had to be? I did love the foxes though, or witches as they called themselves, they added some pepper and mysticism.
Sure, some things are not original and some are very foreseeable in how it will turn out. But it was exciting and fun nonetheless. Like an old fashioned Disney movie, I can 100% see a wonderful animated movie coming out of this. It's all already here!
This story reminds me of Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien, but more intense and with a modern edge. It’s a story of survival in a post-apocalyptic world where humans have disappeared. The illustrations are gorgeous, and the animals’ faces are super expressive. The end says to be continued, and I can’t wait to read more.
Absolutely stunning, cinematic artwork covers up any flaws in what is a fairly basic take on the Watership Down, "animals have societies" genre. In a post-apocalypse world, a band of mice are living in an abandoned mansion. Nearby food stores are running out, so they're frantically planning ways to find new resources. There are cats to watch out for and now even a band of wolves moving in to the nearby forest. And of course there are a few mice who would like to see the current leadership overturned...
Amidst all this tumult, two mice embark on separate journeys across the landscape. It's all fairly episodic and, as you might expect, the mice meet many of the other surviving creatures in the area. Some animals are villains, some are heroes - humans are non-existent, just a memory, which is nice. At times, the story feels predictable and overly drawn-out. But Mac Smith keeps the pace fast and introduces sufficient twists to keep your attention. And again: that artwork. As soon as you crack the covers, you're going to be absorbed into the proceedings.
A little mouse named Wix is scouting through an abandoned human neighborhood, looking for food for his colony of mice. Back home at the colony, Pict cares for her ailing father, and worries that some of the mice might be planning some kind of betrayal against the council. While Wix faces danger outside from cats and other predators, Pict wonders if there is also danger from within the colony.
I really loved the setting and world-building in this graphic novel. The mice are trying to figure out why all the humans are gone. Did they all die? Are they coming back? The mice are used to scrounging for food in human houses, not in the wild. Some mice think they should move to the city, instead of the deserted suburbs. Others think they should try to survive in the woods, eating roots and berries. Not only is there a history of the human world to be discovered, but there is also a heritage and history among the animals. They have their own legends and hierarchy among the mice and rats and among other species too.
The art work is really beautiful and colorful! The designs of the animals are excellent, and they retain their wildness while also being anthropomorphized enough that the reader can relate to them.
I really liked the characters of Wix and Pict. They go on such different journeys, but in the end they are determined to do whatever it takes to help their colony. They each have character development to gain confidence and wisdom. Along the way, they make friends and find allies to help them fight their enemies, but in the end they must stand in their own strength.
The only part I didn't like was when they had to fight a snake, because I'm scared of snakes. I skipped that part. Too scary for me!
There is a lot of violence and death and blood, but it wasn't too horribly gross.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
I'm not quite sure how to rate this. We quickly went from cute and Neverending Story vibes to Fallout with woodland animals. One of the panels with crows reminded me of The Walking Dead, and another one of LOTR. Basically all ingredients to my favorite kind of literary soup, amazing colourful and glossy artwork included. Yet something was off. The dialogues felt stinted, the story like it needed a lot more chapters for smoother transitions and the ending was neatly tied up but rushed and not very satisfying.
Nonetheless, we need more of this stuff and I'll happily admire and stroke the silky pages while thinking of being a mouse in an apocalyptic setting. I wonder how Smith created the insanely detailed graphics.
A grand post-apocalyptic survival adventure framed through the eyes and lives of a clan of mice as well as the friends, enemies, and tentative allies they meet along the way. With vibrant illustrations and all the hallmarks of grand storytelling familiar to this genre, Scurry is epic adventure, dramatic confrontations, and a sincere tale of connection and heroism in a world that has been forever changed.
With humans gone from this world, yake a look at post apocalyptic survival through the eyes of mice. I loved this graphic novel. It's crazy to think that this is Mac Smith's debut graphic novel, because the story is so rich and the illustrations are better than most comics I've seen. I HIGHLY recommend this book for all upper elementary and middle grade students. Adults who were fans of Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh will also love this story as well.
De las novelas gráficas más preciosas que he visto en mi vida, las ilustraciones se robarían fácilmente el show si la historia no fuese igual de buena. Me atrapó al instante y no la pude soltar hasta terminarla. Mac Smith no tenía que dibujar a los depredadores tan terroríficos 😭
This graphic novel is gorgeously illustrated, but dark. Sort of a post-apocalyptic Watership Down crossed with the Rats of NIMH. It is a complete story arc in and of itself, but it says "to be continued" at the end.
Recommended, especially a physical copy for the beautiful art.
A marvellous post-apocalyptic graphic novel (with very obvious influences from Don Bluth's films, such as The Secret of NIMH) in which the total absence of human beings is counterbalanced by the sometimes Shakespearean dramas experienced by the mice protagonists of this adventure. 10/10 would read again, and I hope to read more books from this author soon!
Beautiful. Fantastical. Emotional. This was a genuinely great book that made me feel as comfortable about it as Bone always has, and that’s very high praise!
Very cute. Lovely artwork, very detailed, but every animal remains super expressive. I had a sensible chuckle at the foxes very casually mentioning letting the colony thrive... just so they can have more mice to eat later. Very economical of them.
This story was sweet if a little predictable, but the artwork was amazing! It really enhanced the action and made me feel like I was there in the gloomy natural environments.
Astounding illustrations are a highlight of this graphic novel adventure setting among a mouse colony struggling to survive in a post-apocalyptic world in which humans have disappeared and their abandoned, crumbling structures litter the landscape.
SCURRY features a supernaturally-tinged, warring-kingdoms plotline that will be familiar to anyone who's read even a few popular fantasy novels. For those who glance at the cute mice and think this will be a light read, pay greater attention to that looming predator on the cover. Characters experience near-constant peril and there is violent death and injury. Cats are not depicted well in this story (neither are wolves or ravens), but in all fairness, cats are terrifying beasts in the eyes of a mouse!
Although certain aspects of the storyline may not be the most original, the characters and artwork really put SCURRY a cut above. Graphic novel and animal adventure fans will love it. I do wish, however, that the character guide would have been placed at the beginning of the book, rather than its conclusion.
I was browsing through the used book store and I saw this on my way to checkout and bought it PURELY BASED ON THE ART. Sorry not sorry.
But I absolutely loved the story and the art was just ABSOLUTELY Fantastic.
I personally think this story could have been fleshed out way more and been longer but I totally understand that these things take AGES to draw like the detail is just phenomenal! I'm glad I picked this up. It reminded me a bit of Redwall just much cuter and a different style.
Why I chose this book: I've been wanting to read this book for a long time: an action-packed adventure dystopian novel with animal characters? Count me in!
Brief summary: The humans have left earth, and the colony of Pict and Wix is trying to survive on what little food they have left. They don't want to move out into the wilds, preferring to stick to the places humans used to inhabit, but food in these places is getting more scarce. What will the colony do to survive?
What I didn't like about this book: The character design of some of the main mice and rats isn't super distinctive. Pict and Wix, featured on the cover, are easy to tell apart, but not all of the colony mice are so distinctive. There are some side characters that are hard to remember from other side characters because their design is so similar. I mean, there is only so many ways to draw a mouse or rat, and some of them have scars or beards or other identifying factors, but additional markers for the less obvious rodents, even certain types of dialogue tags, could be helpful. There is a character guide at the back of the book that I wish I had read first.
What I like about this book: Despite the appeal to children with the animals, this book gets a little dark and covers mature themes, like power and control and corruption. I was amazed by the author's ability to draw facial expressions in animals. The wolves, in particular, have such expressive faces. One of my favorite animals is the moose, Atlas, who acts as a wise guide of the forest and helps out the mice characters. I like that the book explores dark themes, but it does so in a way that is palatable for its audience.
Mice Wix and Pict venture out into a huge, dangerous world to find food and refuge for their starving colony, befriending or battling an assortment of strange animals along the way. A standard Hero Journey story, with Rats of NIMH and Ratatouille elements.
'Tis a simple story, aimed squarely at children. The heroes are small and weak but tenacious and courageous. The world is big and scary and filled with meanies, but also rife with new friends who are eager to help. (Honestly, the hero mice have very little agency; in every chapter they're saved or carried or fed or pointed in the right direction by genial and much more powerful strangers.)
It's the stellar art that makes Scurry worthwhile. Gorgeous, almost photoreal illustrations of a good fifteen different animal species, with rich, vibrant backgrounds of all types. They're so detailed that you can recognize different mice at a glance.
All humans have disappeared, and a colony of mice is struggling to find enough food to survive. So begins a sprawling adventure of Wix and Pict as they try to protect their colony and fit for survival.
This is easily one of the best comics I have read this year. The artwork is stunning. If you enjoy nature and animals, these pages are simply breathtaking. I found myself pausing constantly to take in the beautiful details. The copious amounts of animal species depicted also warmed my heart. I was so excited to see what other critters would be featured.
The names of these characters are perfect, from Atlas, the moose, to Wix, the mouse; it just added to the unique environment of this story. But this story wasn’t just pretty; it was complex and intricate, dealing with themes such as betrayal, friendship, family, global warming, human political climate, and so much more. There is grief and there is love in these pages.
I am excited about whatever Mac Smith puts forth next because I am 100% invested. My heart was utterly taken with this graphic novel, and Mac Smith did something amazing…made me NOT root for the cats.
2.5 rounded to 3 Man. I’m glad that’s over. I had such high hopes for this graphic novel, but I am in the unpopular opinion group on this one.
The art was phenomenal. But that’s all I can really say that I enjoyed. The story is so choppy and all over the place, there are SO MANY characters and they pop in and out at weird times, and really by the end I wasn’t invested in the story at all.
My friend absolutely loved it and gave it 5 stars. She stated the same things as me but she got use to those things and I just didn’t.
If you are interested I still recommend trying it because you may love it like many others have. But for me, it was just not IT.