The Broadcast

by Eric Hobbs, Noel Tuazon (Illustrator)

Already fighting a vicious storm, a rural Indiana town loses power halfway through Orson Welles' War of the Worlds broadcast having never learned the infamous radio play is a hoax. Fearing the worst is upon them, four diverse band together in an effort to make it through the night. Tensions build, however, as long suppressed emotions and unsettled conflicts surface, and it isn't long before all involved realize they have more to fear from each other than they do the "alien invasion" heading their way.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Horror, Science Fiction, Suspense

180 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite the description and the title, this isn't a graphic novel about War of the Worlds. That radio drama broadcast is a Macguffin that lurks in the background, but this is really more about the monsters within the human heart - paranoia, distrust, and hatred. The creators really want to focus on those things, and how stressful situations can reveal those monsters, but pairing it with that legendary broadcast creates a cool context for fans of OTR drama.

Another thing I really liked about this was the art - it's done in a really hasty, scratchy style that would be bothersome elsewhere, but here it fits the story perfectly.

[Joy]

Fears of an alien invasion, sparked by Orson Welles' "War of the World" broadcast, bring old grudges in a rural Indiana community to the surface in this graphic novel.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

1938, Indiana, and a storm causes a power outage during the broadcast of Orson Welles' "War of the Worlds." Hidden tensions between three rural neighbors lead to some bad trouble. It's a solid thriller, very tautly written. Tuazon's art provides great atmosphere, but it's a little too loose, making it difficult for readers to distinguish many scenes. But it's a fun ride, and worth a look if you're into period piece thrillers.

[Dan Blackley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A graphic novel that sounds like it’s about the war of the world’s broadcast, but really it isn’t. It’s about a town in Indiana where a storm is going on and the broadcast is cut out because of the storm so four different families have to deal with the aftermath. Mostly it’s about prejudice and racism going on in small town America

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A power outage due to a bad storm strands a dozen or so people on a farm outside a small town just shortly after War of the Worlds begins its infamous broadcast. They all believe the invasion is real especially as two men are found incinerated in a truck.

[Suzanne Vokey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like the concept of this graphic novel. Though I like the style of art used, I wish it was a little bit more clean because I found it a bit difficult to figure out who was who.

[Aaron Brame · Rating 2 out of 5]

The graphic novel tells the story of a small Indiana community on the night of the titular broadcast. In this town, a storm knocks out the power just as Wells's story is getting going, and the townsfolk are left to fend for themselves in the face of what they perceive to be an alien invasion.

It's got a little bit of Night of the Living Dead in it, as well as some of the hysteria of that Twilight Zone episode, "The Shelter." But in the end, this story doesn't have much to do with The War of the Worlds, or Orson Wells. It's just a slightly tedious story told in words and scratchy black-and-white drawings. I'd call it average, but I'm not sure what an average graphic novel looks like.

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[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story about a small group of families who hear Oroson Welles' War of the Worlds broadcast and are swept up in paranoia. Solid storytelling in both language and images. My only quibble is that the looseness of the drawings tended to be distracting. I would have appreciated a little more crispness and I think that would have complemented the story. I like the style, just not the pairing.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked how the author carried the story beyond the "War of the World" broadcast and the "alien invasion" to show the conflicts of some of the inhabitants of an Indiana town. The story demonstrates how under stress and fear our emotions reveal so much more than just a concern for the immediate crisis.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the "War of the Word's" broadcast (October 30, 1938). This is the first graphic novel I ever read. I did not realize that a graphic novel could convey as much substance and character development and plot line as a traditional novel, but this one surely did. I'm very glad I read this. I'll likely read more graphic novels because of this one.

[Glen Farrelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting story with some good characters, but the art really didn't work for me. I love what the feeling that the artist was trying to convey, but it was at the expense of being able to tell clearly what was happen and to be able to clearly distinguish characters. I've seen ugly graphic art before, but never have I seen any that prevented from conveying the story or message except this one.

[Rosa Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in Rural Indiana during the War Of The Worlds broadcast... The story was fast paced and realistic to the time frame. As the reader, one can't help but feel sucked into the story. Enjoyed this graphic novel and have actually re-read this one.

[Alex]

i really though it was an interesting book i finished it peretty quickly because it was an awesome book i found marvins character the most interesing i give it 4 out of 5 stars i recommend reading it

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an extremely well-written little story. The pacing is wonderful. My only complaint is that the art is a bit too muddled at times. I enjoyed the style, but if certain panels had been cleaner it would have come together a lot more for me.

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[Mitch Donaberger]

A bit tough to chew on. Good though.

[Hermione · Rating 5 out of 5]

great graphic novel. Short read, great story!