Farmhand Volume 4: The Seed

Farmhand #16-20

by Rob Guillory

Jedidiah Jenkins was a simple farmer. His cash crop wasn’t corn or soy. He grew fast-healing, highly customizable human organs, which he used to heal the world.

But it was all a lie.

What Jedidiah planned for good, a dark entity has used to transform humanity into something monstrous. Only Jedidiah’s children stand in its way. Not all of them will survive.

Collects FARMHAND #16-20

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

144 pages, Paperback

First published October 12, 2022

About the author

Born, raised and currently based in Lafayette, Louisiana, Rob Guillory is most known for his art on Image Comics' longrunning series CHEW. Written by John Layman, the book has achieved much success, winning two Harvey Awards (including Best New Talent for Guillory) and two Eisner Awards (Best New Series in 2010 and Best Continuing Series in 2011).

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The various plot points and storylines that have been slowly percolating finally come to a head in this volume. I wouldn't say the previous volumes were a slow burn but there was a lot of focus on character so once things kicked into a higher gear in this volume it helps the more fantastical elements feel more grounded.

Possibly my favourite volume so far.

[Zedsdead · Rating 4 out of 5]

After four volumes in five years, Farmhand has been silent since 2022. Canceled? Extended hiatus? Doesn't bode well for an ending to the series.

Plot points:
--The conflict has gone quiet. The Jenkinses and their allies are holed up at the Farm researching a cure for the plant infection. Outside the walls, everyone is infected and controlled by Thorne, but she's biding her time.
--A sympathetic new transplant seeks shelter at the Jenkins Farm compound, but she's actually a Russian agent sent to collect Mikhail, which she does.
--Thorne manipulates Zeke into picking up a hitchhiker and then killing him. She believes that when Zeke crosses the line into violence, he will finally capitulate and join her.
--The infected keep getting stronger and weirder, vomiting pollen, spitting plant tar.
--Thorne finally ends the armistice. Thorne sends minions to collect the body of Jedediah's wife Anna. The family fights them, the traitor Tiberius shoots Tree, the casket breaks open, surprise! it's empty. Zeke confronts his father in grief and rage, and Thorne urging Zeke to kill him. But after a plant-chemical enabled conversation with his mother, Zeke embraces Jedediah and forgives him...
--...and Thorne flies into a fury. The three-eyed tree monster that controls Thorne like a puppet rages that it has spent generations manipulating events--as far back as the lynching of Jedediah's grandfather--to get to this point, and Zeke's forgiveness just undid all that plotting. She turns her attention to daughter Abby (who hates her father Zeke as only a teenager can) as an alternative.
--(Hints that after everything ends, unemployed Zeke will try his hand at creating comics.)

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are really starting to cook with some gas here. The plot threads are really starting to get tied up and make sense like never before. I do think it is kind of lame that he can't get over his father's doing when he himself is a father and keeps messing up. Surely that would lead to a rise in humility and a lowering of daddy issues. Also I am very curious if he will actually stay dead or his plant powers will just fix his wounds. Because it seems like the second he was making progress as a human being with a brain they made an effort to snuff him out completely. I really like how we've progressed in the book to exploring how the plants have taken people in different ways. I think there's something there with how the plants are drawing from their traumas and making them see their dead loved ones. I'm curious to see what happens next, but I see that it is on hiatus so I'm going to have to be very patient.

[Paul Allard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slightly interesting sci–fi comic series – quite good.

I haven’t read the first three volumes but a synopsis at the beginning put me in the picture. A manmade combination of human and plant has taken over Freetown and many people have been infected / converted. Zeke‘s family are at the centre of the struggle against it. It’s reasonably interesting but didn’t really enthrall me. I’m no great fan of the author‘s artwork, preferring more precise detailed illustrations. There’s one further volume to read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Mee Too · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, to be honest i was kinda hoping this was the last volume and i understand businesses are gonna make their money. That being said, this was my favorite so far.

I don't know what caused the shift in the writing or what took it so long to get there, but i beleive it has direction and hopefully they wisely end this series in volume 5.

A lot of these series turns into jokes that were only funny the first time.

Also, why are so many full grown adults still mad at their parents? LET IT GO! And start being good to your kids and loved ones.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rob Guillory is funny and creative but here he shows that he gets horror. The fourth volume of Farmhand gets dark as Thorne and her minions haunt, literally, the Jenkins family. The book also has a somber tone as things look bleak. I thought Guillory excelled at the horror elements here. The family drama is also excellent here. I wished we got more from Thorne's point of view. His art is, as always, phenomenal. Overall, this series doesn't get the press it should be its good every time out.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Individual issue reviews: #16 | #17 | #18 | #19 | #20

Total review score: 2.6

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

It seems like some of the revelations here should have more punch than they do. I don't know what it is--maybe the leisurely way the first volumes ladled the story out, with things becoming more frenzied and frenetic in the last two volumes, but this just isn't coming together in a satisfying manner. I'm still a fan of Guillory's artwork, but he still has some work to do with his plotting and storytelling.

[Ms. Woc Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume was a slower read for me. It felt like there was so much build up to the climax. I will say Chapter 20 was the best section of this collection for me. I thought for sure this was the end but then we got that cliffhanger that has me needing the next volume soon.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was operating under the assumption that this was the last volume of the series, but the ending doesn’t give a sense of finality. Still, if you’ve been reading this you will like it. Not sure when we’ll get more, but I will be ready to read it.

[Matthew Harwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well written and beautifully drawn comic book. The long gap between publications made me fear that the story was not going to be complete. Hopefully the cliffhanger that the book is left on is continued in the near future.

[Ondřej Halíř · Rating 5 out of 5]

Náhul jal debil! Tady to měl Guillory snad nejpevněji uchycené ze všech volumek kterw prisli po jednicce. Kadence humoru a napětí tu je asi nejvice vyvážená a celé to proste neskutecne šlape.

Moc mě to bavilo! Snad pohne s pokracovanim! Kresba i coloring mi tu btw taky prisli vybrousenejsi.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of great events that you won't see coming from the start, full of cinematic world building, great art that leaps off the page really showing what is going on and happening the characters, unbridled heroics from the start and epic genetic engineering you won't see coming! 😀

[Nuha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whoa!!!!! The seeds are finally coming up to fruit (though I'm still confused by Murderface Mikhail). I'm continually impressed by the way Guillroy explores plants vs. God, pitching the natural and unnatural in the way that only makes sense if you have lived in Louisiana.

[Bertazzo · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Rereading 2016]

Now I get the many hiatuses of the series. Although, the half way through is still enjoyable, Guillory was struggling to find his story. The issues seem disconnected and the time jumps are awkward.

[Carol Tilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[angelofmine1974 · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review of this book can be found on my YouTube Vlog at:

https://youtu.be/O5EhMC98T2Y

Enjoy!

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seeds.

[Janae (The Modish Geek) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What?! I need the next issue ASAP!

[Andres Pasten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creo que este es el peak de la historia, ahora a esperar a que se libere el ultimo volumen. Absolutamente recomendable.

[Mackeda(islandgyalreads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not trying to rush you or anything but like where is the next issue Rob??!! The masses(me) need to know wah happen next!

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I’m not sure why I thought this was the end of the series… Oh, man. Hopefully I won’t have to wait too long to find out what happens.

[Jon Hewelt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the series a lot, but with both Chew and Farmhand, I find it gets a little too dramatic and heavy-handed the further in it gets. Still enjoyable, but also a little more exhausting.

[Mateen Mahboubi · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been so long since I read the previous volume. I don't want to rate it harshly because of that but I can't help but let it impact my enjoyment. Ultimately, a pretty existing volume.

[Monique Tercero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ended on a cliffhanger

[Ezma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thought this was gonna be the final volume but apparently Guillory’s working on one more that’ll be out eventually….

[Jai · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't prepared for this ending AT ALL!! Volume 5 has to come out because the climax of this whole story-the family drama, the town's drama all of it needs to be told. Whewww! A wild ride

[Mathea Mae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not even exaggerating when I say I got actual CHILLS reading that ending...... wow

[Marisa Gettas · Rating 5 out of 5]

It all comes down to love.
This was originally supposed to be the end of the comic, but I’ve also heard there may be more issues. I’d be happy if it ended here, but I think we’re gonna deal with the young granddaughter next.