Nature's Labyrinth Vol. 1

by Zac Thompson, Bayleigh Underwood (Illustrator), Warnia Sahadewa (Colorist)

When eight former felons are left stranded on a deserted island with a murderous backpack strapped to them and nothing but a cartoon to help them through a deadly, constantly changing environment filled with danger around every corner, they have no choice but to result to violence in order to survive. Nature's Labyrinth is a battle royale filled with high octane action, off-kilter humor, cutthroat reality TV-style betrayals and ever-shifting alliances, and totally unpredictable twists and turns!

In the middle of the ocean lies a remote island complex lined with traps and an ever-changing landscape. Created by a mysterious man known only as “Ahab”, the island was designed to test the wills of the world’s most notorious criminals. In a battle royale style game, eight violent felons will fight for survival and to the death over the course of three days of relentless action. The winner receives a wealth or riches and complete anonymity, but at the cost of keeping their silence about the island’s existence. What Ahab doesn’t know is that someone is on to him. Someone has infiltrated his island with the intention of revealing the truth about this twisted game.
Nature’s Labyrinth is an all-new six issue mini-series from writer Zac Thompson ( Yondu , The Brother of All Men , Undone by Blood ) and Bayleigh Underwood ( It Took Luke , The Sixth Borough ).

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Graphic Novels Comics, Thriller, Survival

162 pages, Paperback

Published December 19, 2023

About the author

Zac Thompson is a writer born and raised on Prince Edward Island, Canada. He's written titles like Marvelous X-Men, Cable, and X-Men: Black for Marvel Comics. Along with indie books such as Her Infernal Descent, Relay, and The Replacer.

In 2019, Zac became the showrunner of the Age of X-Man universe at Marvel Comics. His critically acclaimed miniseries, Come Into Me, was called the best horror comic of 2018 by HorrorDNA. His debut comic series, The Dregs, was called "lowbrow brilliant" by New York Magazine. His novel, Weaponized, was the winner of the 2016 CryptTV horror fiction contest.

Reviews

[James DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Battle Royale but everyone is a piece of shit?

That's my main view when reading this. Not bad though. I was in it for the nifty kills which the art got to showcase. I really enjoyed the pace, it's never slow, and within those 200 or so pages you're pretty much getting a complete story. I will say though, these characters? None of them were likeable. Even the two "good" ones didn't come across as very "good". But overall for a bloody, horror, battle royale style book this was pretty fun, more than I expected, and would def recommend it for fans of this style genre.

[Dana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Exciting premise, not-so-exciting execution. I'm a sucker for battle royale survival games and was hyped for Nature's Labyrinth. It started off promising: a group of criminals with cool monikers alluding to their back stories, a weird cruise ship with an unsettling captain, weapons hinting at the characters' past crimes - gimme! The art was nice, the characters were easily distinguishable and their designs vivid and expressive, immediately telling you what types of people they were. That was very successful imo!

What ultimately didn't work was the pacing, or rather the jarring jumps that left a lot unexplained. Take Sofia and Julia: at a certain point, they start to behave as if they were one single person. They not only finish each other's sentences/speak at the time, but when one of them get injured, the other seemingly feels it. Apparently, there is something in the food they've been eating (according to the people who run the game) but we never get to know what it is, how it works, why exactly those two behave the way they do - nothing. Likewise, there were a bunch of seemingly "deformed" people/children thrown into the narrative without any rhyme or reason and I don't think I need to explain why we absolutely should not do this.
Generally, we didn't get to see a lot of the labyrinth itself. Most biomes are dealt with pretty quickly, but I would've LOVED to see more of what the arena/environment can actually do, how it is dangerous. Sadly, the comic book wastes a lot of cool setup and ultimately falls short.

So, where do I stand with Nature's Labyrinth? I see the potential and wish the creators had taken the time to properly flesh everything out. It could've been a really fun battle royale story, but ends up feeling rushed, unfinished and unpolished. It's fine if you're really into these types of narratives, but don't expect the new genre-defining masterpiece.

- ARC provided by NetGalley -

[Irene ➰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.7/5

- Thank you to the author and the publisher for providing me a copy through NetGalley. -

I have to say I did like this one.
Even if the main plot it's not very original I still had a great time living this action comic.

Basically it's a hunger games for criminals. I liked that all of them are from different parts of the world and that there's an actual original concept behind and I really liked the open ending too.

The set of characters even if "medium size" was all worked out well. All characters have their own personality and are very different one from the other.

Art was not my absolute favorite, but I will definitely read more if there's the chance, I was pretty entertained throughout the pages.

[Jiro Dreams of Suchy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some of the world’s deadliest killers are trapped on an island by former, disgraced CIA operatives. The story is fine, the art is a style I don’t really enjoy like an Americanized manga.

I think the twist of it being all trained killers kind of sullies the stories impact because it makes it feel less frightening, it really couldn’t happen to me!

Kind of squid games mixed with punisher, a decent read that I didn’t hate but didn’t love.

[Ashleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A group of varying criminals lured into a battle royale on an island with a maze they must escape from within a time limit.
The art is colourful and attention grabbing, lots of action and graphic fight/kill scenes.
The comic reminded me of an adventure, survival type videogame.
I would recommend this for a face paced amusing read to pass a little time.

#NaturesLabyrinthVol1 #NetGalley
Thank you Mad Cave Studios and NetGalley for this ARC.

[Δημήτρης Μπ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actual rating 2.5/5*.
A battle royale/arena kind of story in which the contestants are criminals. A lot of characters but their backstory is actually very thin and you can't get attached to any single one of them. The creator of the Labyrinth is a pretty uninteresting and shallow character, too.
The only thing worth looking for in this comic is the artwork. It's pretty gory and the violent scenes have a lot of details.

[Hannah Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Congratulations, you’re flourishing!" Criminals around the globe get this message along with an invite to an all-expenses paid cruise. The only ones who take the offer are those self-obsessed or deluded enough to believe they're worthy of recognition. The cruise does not turn out as expected, to say the least, and the invitees all end up in a battle royale game instead.

Set on a beautifully lush island, at first glance Nature's Labyrinth appears like a very different book than it actually is. It has scenes of beautiful nature, yes, but it's also full of gore, brutality, awful people, and a metric heck-ton of chaotic fun. Most of the commentary I've seen on Nature's Labyrinth has mentioned it has a good deal of tropes and that it relies on those tropes heavily. While the battle royale trope has been around for ages, Nature's Labyrinth tackles this sub-genre in a modern game show setting, which is fun if not entirely new.

Bayleigh Underwood's art and Warnia Sahadewa's coloring work perfectly pair in Nature's Labyrinth. The world is vivid and bold, with striking gore and violence contrasting the lush forest setting. The character expressions were also excellent, and each character had a vivid personality based on their body posture and facial expressions alone.

This is a really fun graphic novel. It's campy and a bit ridiculous, but it also has a lot of heart and grit. Yes, this story is full of tropes and gore, but I guess I'm learning I don't mind that so much. If you're a fan of brutal science fiction horror and graphic novels with beautiful art, Nature's Labyrinth shouldn't be missed.

Thanks to Mad Cave for a review copy!

[Jeremy Fowler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nature's Labyrinth is my newest obsession!

This story follows some of the darkest criminals (who responded) as they are pitted against one another in Nature's Labyrinth - the latest and deadliest competition for a black market audience.

I genuinely got hooked on this story and found myself unable to put it down. It flew by as I raced to determine who was behind all of the nefarious games, and who was going to make it out alive. (Yes, not everyone is going to make it out safely and this just raised the stakes in a perfectly fun way).

I really enjoyed the brief character profiles that you are given to start this story out with. You get a glimpse into each character and my imagination was spinning trying to determine why each character was nicknamed the way that they were. And the action plays into each character's ability or skill.

The ACTION in this story is next level. It plays out like a vicious Hunger Games. It is also like a dark video game with the guide interludes being some of my favorite parts of the story. (Also who doesn't love this fun illustration of a cowboy cat).

The illustrations are exactly what I have come to love and enjoy from Mad Cave Studios. You know that anything that they help produce is going to be vivid, and enthralling, and readers love it!

Check this story out!

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘Nature’s Labyrinth Vol. 1’ by Zac Thompson with art by Bayleigh Underwood is a graphic novel about a group of mostly bad people trying to survive in a crazy game show in nature.

Eight former felons are picked and given a chance for a big prize. If they cooperate to win, they all split it, but if one wins on their own, it’s even better. A bomb disguised as a backpack is strapped on them and they are set loose on an island to navigate a series of deadly traps and challenges. The biggest danger might be the other contestants.

I wanted to like this a lot more than I did. It’s a pretty familiar type of story, but seemed to hint that there was more going on, but that never really developed, or developed really weakly. The interior art is a manga style that revels in the grotesque way people meet their ends. The covers are actually really detailed and great, but don’t let that suck you in to a story that is better told elsewhere.

[Nicky Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

When it comes to comic books, I have one golden rule: the pictures better look incredible. Nature’s Labyrinth succeeds. Its story is troupe-y. Basically, a bunch of people have to kill each other on a military island, like the Hunger Games, Battle Royal, or The Most Dangerous Game. Few things make sense. Lady twin martial artists attack our hero, and then a few pages later, they blow up for some reason. Our hero asks why and immediately concludes, “Who cares?” The art sells the over-the-top zaniness and graphic gore. By the end, everything got so crazy that no complaint mattered. The story is pure pulp, and the art is fantastic. The big villain confusingly confesses NATO cops are responsible for the murder island. Hell yes, they are. This is the first book I’ve checked out by Mad Cave Studios but it won’t be the last,

[Sofia · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are a couple of things that would have prevented me to request to read this arc, had i know it before hand, not because it was lgbt themed but because is woke, and characters when introducing themselves they say what pronouns you should use with them… well keep that in mind if you chose to read this comic book, other thing is the violence, this is violence in same level of battle royal the movie, and I wasn't able to watch all parts, with a mix of squid game…
the good part is that I did like the art.

I am sorry but I wasn't the intended public to this ARC

Thank you NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios, for the free ARC and this is my honest opinion.

[Brittany ✨Bookishlyyoursforever✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher! I really enjoyed this graphic novel, I will definitely be reading future volumes as well. I’m not a huge fan of gore, but I still decided to read this because the premise seemed interesting to me. The main character is fascinating, I’m very interested to see more of her story. The illustrations were gorgeous as well, and I personally love that a list of pronouns was included in the beginning of the book. I would say if you’re a fan of The Hunger Games or Squid Game, you’ll love this book!

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story you've seen several times before. The Battle Royale type story where strangers are left on an island containing a changing maze and have to kill one another to win a treasure. The subplots are very much secondary to the fighting. They all are bad people even though their backstories are all one sentence cursory affairs that make them uninteresting. I do like this type of story and if it was fine tuned, it could have been really good instead of just OK. The art is heavily manga influenced. It also has super detailed but extremely boring covers that have little to do with the comic itself.

[Tasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nature's Labyrinth Vol 1 is an outstanding videogame horror type graphic novel. There is lots of action, blood and guts to satisfy the horror aficionado, while also not being so over-the-top for those that want an action filled story based on a videogame.

I think certain gamers and horror readers will love this doozy of a story.

A group of people wake up on a deserted island and try to survive a maze that was made to trap and kill. Creatures stalk the people and nature is ready. If anyone can finish the maze, they get a life changing prize.

Thank you #NetGalley and #MadCaveStudios for #NaturesLabyrinth

[Theediscerning · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some people yadda yadda false cruise yadda yadda Maze Runner yadda yadda Battle Royale yadda yadda, OK, no book is really deserving of so naff and simplistic a review, but then few reviewers are deserving so naff and simplistic a book, with an annoying 'cat' guide to some wholly unlikeable weaponised criminals as they fight their way through a maze to survive. Principally, this is a book that is too much a fan of the kitchen sink – a story than puts everything in because in a comic you can do anything, without it at all realising that you don't have to put everything in there, and what you do include should at least make some sense or provide some entertainment.

[Engel Dreizehn · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC Copy...O_O Ok that was violent and alot of blood! Mixed on how to review this as result (I'm really terrified of gore) plus just how close the narrative was to other death match narratives like Hunger Games, Battle Royal and Madworld. Although it was a nice touch of pace to include "work together" option and "something is up" behind the scenes POV too.

[Air · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

This one was a flabbergasting mix of a horror movie turned even worse and a hunger games vibe. Neither bad things! There were a few small technical issues but I think even with, the story was fun and gore-y. Plus I really liked the art style!

[Matthew Picardat · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a very quick read with some pretty decent illustrations, but the story was a little flat and unoriginal. It felt like any other high stakes, life or death style competition story. It was pretty gory and violent but overall I wasn't very impressed.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC

[Ananth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has been a nice find! The plot is basic but the treatment is amazing!! I have some concerns over the way some of the panels were thrown in and the sequence is off. Other that I love everything else. It's sinister mix of hunger games and wrong turn!

[Tim Rooney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ll have a proper review of this on a website soon and will link back to it here probably. But this was a fun book with some really nice art that executes exactly what it sets out to do. Just a darn good time. (Thanks to NetGalley for early access to this one)

[Pepper Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful with a great take on a battle royale storyline, I really like the characters and setting. Can't wait for the next issue!

[Cassidy]

Thanks to Mad Cave Studios and NetGalley for this ARC. Volume 1 of Nature's Labyrinth by Zac Thompson comes out on December 18, 2023.

[Melanie Gaum · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC from Netgalley.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review published to my X/Twitter @AdamReadsComics for Mad Cave Studios.

[Mateo Sanboval · Rating 3 out of 5]

For Filya Bratukhin's covers alone this is a must read. Great concept, yet a middling execution. Lots of great ideas left unexplored. But those covers...

[Ria Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun, absolutely wild ride! Definitely comes from a longstanding tradition of punitive deathmatches for entertainment purposes, but I enjoyed this one a lot. Grisly, entertaining, and an all-around good time.

[Mee Too · Rating 3 out of 5]

it's a bit like the movie 'SAW', but in natur-ish scenery.

I did not like the movie SAW

2 stars for art 1 for story

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

This was a fun read, although the blurb oversold it a bit. The parts that should have been more surprising were made too obvious. And, it didn't really feel like a battle royale. It was clear who was going to make it out from the start. I think it would've helped if some of the other characters were more fleshed out. But still, there were fun parts and I liked the art style.