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geekwayne's review
3.0
When the writers behind the hit series Deadpool set out to write a Christmas story, you should expect twisted and deranged and that's exactly what you get in The Last Christmas. The cover image should serve as a warning, with Santa standing over dead elves while holding 2 weapons. With prevalent gore and profanity, this is not a tale for the easily offended, and definitely not for children.
It's the near future and the apocalypse has happened. The North Pole has been unscathed and going about their business until one day marauders invade and kill Mrs. Claus. Santa is beside himself and attempts to kill himself, but he can't as long as one child remains who believes in him. Now all Santa wants to do is find that one child and finally rest in peace.
It's darkly funny and very twisted, but I enjoyed it. From the opening poem by Patton Oswalt, to the angry detraction letter from Mrs. Claus, you know exactly what you're in for and Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn deliver. Rick Remender's pencil's and Hilary Barta's inks give the book a Mad Magazine style of art (with a lot more gore, of course). The book finishes with a cover gallery.
I was given a copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distributors and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for letting me read this graphic novel.
It's the near future and the apocalypse has happened. The North Pole has been unscathed and going about their business until one day marauders invade and kill Mrs. Claus. Santa is beside himself and attempts to kill himself, but he can't as long as one child remains who believes in him. Now all Santa wants to do is find that one child and finally rest in peace.
It's darkly funny and very twisted, but I enjoyed it. From the opening poem by Patton Oswalt, to the angry detraction letter from Mrs. Claus, you know exactly what you're in for and Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn deliver. Rick Remender's pencil's and Hilary Barta's inks give the book a Mad Magazine style of art (with a lot more gore, of course). The book finishes with a cover gallery.
I was given a copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distributors and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for letting me read this graphic novel.
svnz's review
2.0
This was barely 2 stars for me. I was interested in the premise but the execution was so weirdly lackluster and boring that it barely kept my interest. The humour employed in the story just misses the mark for me completely and I almost never found myself chuckling at any of the jokes. I am also not a fan of such exaggerated cartoony designs so the visuals barely held my interest either.
sheldonnylander's review
4.0
It's the end of the world. Actually, it's after the end of the world. World War III has been fought, natural disasters have ravaged the earth. Roving gangs and mutant zombies roam the earth, seeking out the last of humanity. It's “The Walking Dead” and “Mad Max” rolled into one. The North Pole is attacked by marauders, killing Mrs. Claus and leaving Santa for dead. Depressed, he makes numerous attempts at suicide before realizing he can't die as long as one child still believes in him. So, Santa sets out to correct this...
This is the basic premise for The Last Christmas, a graphic (and gory) novel written by Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn, and illustrated by Rick Remender, supposedly conceived while the writers were playing Halo, according to the notes. I believe it. The whole book reads and looks like the thought train of smoking too much pot while staring at a box of Christmas decorations and imagining all their potential violent uses other than for their intended purpose.
The story is quite good and flows like smooth egg nog. Mostly. It can occasionally flows very quickly at times, almost too quickly, which gives it a jerky motion, but not overly so. Most of the time it ramps up appropriately rather than going from zero to sixty in a half second. The plot is also fairly entertaining, with some subtle twists, although it starts out a lot more interesting than it ends. While it starts out quickly with the apocalypse (it's always a good idea to begin with the end of the world) and the rampages and the murder, it turns into a fairly conventional rescue and destroy story. It would have been nice to see some more risks taken as the story went on, but we can't hope for everything. Plus, the very end felt like it was tacked on and unnecessary, and seemed like the creators were just saying “Hey, look what we're doing,” and felt like it served no real purpose and wasn't that funny.
While the characters are generally well drawn (in a literary sense, not artwise; I'll discuss the art in a moment), occasionally motivations seem strange. Santa is clearly depressed over the apocalypse and the death of Mrs. Claus, but somehow the elves seem simplistic. They are supposed to be happy and helpful, so they are happy and helpful, no matter the circumstance. Well, they do become violent a little later, but it felt like they could have used some more fleshing out. Also, the motivations for some of the villains seem lacking. One of the main villains is a mutant who wears a judge's robe, but this is never really explained or even capitalized on. It had a lot of potential that was never brought forth. At the same time, they serve their purpose for the plot, so it's not a huge drag.
The art is quite pleasing to the eye. The drawings are quite beautifully done, and the ink is colorful and vibrant. It's quite an interesting juxtaposition having a much darker story taking place in a bright and colorful world, but it's one that helps maintain the humor. It is supposed to be funny, after all. A lot of the drawings also include subtle details that make you want to take your time and fully enjoy them, rather than just blow through them.
The Last Christmas is a good read, even if it falls far short of perfection. Even taking some time to enjoy the art, it's a very fast read and gives a darkly funny Christmas story full of blood and guts and mutilations, just as Christmas should be.
The Last Christmas earns 3.5 slay bells out of 5.
Note: A review copy of this title was provided to this reviewer without charge through NetGalley. This has in no way affected to content of this review.
This is the basic premise for The Last Christmas, a graphic (and gory) novel written by Gerry Duggan and Brian Posehn, and illustrated by Rick Remender, supposedly conceived while the writers were playing Halo, according to the notes. I believe it. The whole book reads and looks like the thought train of smoking too much pot while staring at a box of Christmas decorations and imagining all their potential violent uses other than for their intended purpose.
The story is quite good and flows like smooth egg nog. Mostly. It can occasionally flows very quickly at times, almost too quickly, which gives it a jerky motion, but not overly so. Most of the time it ramps up appropriately rather than going from zero to sixty in a half second. The plot is also fairly entertaining, with some subtle twists, although it starts out a lot more interesting than it ends. While it starts out quickly with the apocalypse (it's always a good idea to begin with the end of the world) and the rampages and the murder, it turns into a fairly conventional rescue and destroy story. It would have been nice to see some more risks taken as the story went on, but we can't hope for everything. Plus, the very end felt like it was tacked on and unnecessary, and seemed like the creators were just saying “Hey, look what we're doing,” and felt like it served no real purpose and wasn't that funny.
While the characters are generally well drawn (in a literary sense, not artwise; I'll discuss the art in a moment), occasionally motivations seem strange. Santa is clearly depressed over the apocalypse and the death of Mrs. Claus, but somehow the elves seem simplistic. They are supposed to be happy and helpful, so they are happy and helpful, no matter the circumstance. Well, they do become violent a little later, but it felt like they could have used some more fleshing out. Also, the motivations for some of the villains seem lacking. One of the main villains is a mutant who wears a judge's robe, but this is never really explained or even capitalized on. It had a lot of potential that was never brought forth. At the same time, they serve their purpose for the plot, so it's not a huge drag.
The art is quite pleasing to the eye. The drawings are quite beautifully done, and the ink is colorful and vibrant. It's quite an interesting juxtaposition having a much darker story taking place in a bright and colorful world, but it's one that helps maintain the humor. It is supposed to be funny, after all. A lot of the drawings also include subtle details that make you want to take your time and fully enjoy them, rather than just blow through them.
The Last Christmas is a good read, even if it falls far short of perfection. Even taking some time to enjoy the art, it's a very fast read and gives a darkly funny Christmas story full of blood and guts and mutilations, just as Christmas should be.
The Last Christmas earns 3.5 slay bells out of 5.
Note: A review copy of this title was provided to this reviewer without charge through NetGalley. This has in no way affected to content of this review.
whatchareadingheather's review
5.0
THIS WAS SO FUCKING FUN! I'm going to read this every single year!
morawynsmom's review
3.0
Honestly, I wanted a lot more from this graphic novel. I hate Fairyland gave me more creep and thrill vibes than this did, which kind of makes me sad as it is a freaking bloody, gory, zombie-filled CHRISTMAS graphic novel. It was ok but pretty forgettable, which it is should not be for being what it was.
elturko64's review
3.0
Wow, so this book exists. I really don't know how I feel about this. Santa is unlikable until the last two issues. The art is decent and its done by Rick Reminder which shocks me cause I only knew him as a writer. The cover sort of explains what happens. The apocalypse happens and Santa gets rowdy and kills mutants and helps the last humans. Its pretty much what you get in this story. I don't think its worth a purchase but it's entertaining.
eskaybooks's review against another edition
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
cindymarie's review
5.0
Sometimes when you are getting burnt out from all the feel good holiday stories you're ready for an elf to die. I saw this cover and knew I was going to love this.
This book isn't for the easily offended. You have to be able to appreciate a certain dark humor to enjoy this. There is also swearing and it gets pretty graphic. None of those things bother me.
I loved this story, the artwork was perfect. Just when I thought it couldn't get better there were zombies.
This book isn't for the easily offended. You have to be able to appreciate a certain dark humor to enjoy this. There is also swearing and it gets pretty graphic. None of those things bother me.
I loved this story, the artwork was perfect. Just when I thought it couldn't get better there were zombies.
isalavinia's review against another edition
1.0
book courtesy of Image Comics through Netgalley
"The writers behind the hit series Deadpool present the sad, funny, and true story of Santa Claus — after the apocalypse!"
That was enough to make me click the download button and eagerly await to start reading right away.
The thing is, I forgot that I used to love Deadpool.
Deadpool was about using all the comic book tropes, all the sexisms, racism, idiotic heroics, maudlin dramatics, then breaking the 4th wall and going, "see how absurdly wrong this is?"
Deadpool could behave like a neckbeard basement dweller when around the ladies, but it was always made perfectly clear that his behaviour was not okay. He could do pretty fucked up things and we'd read them fully aware that he was not mentally healthy, and even he realised this and claimed it made no difference since it wasn't even real and he was a comic book character. All of it with the wittiest dialogue ever.
I don't begrudge success to worthy comics or any other medium - if it's good, the more people aware and buying it, the better! Alas, with success Deadpool stopped being about a disfigured man, battling cancer and mental illness, bringing up and breaking tropes, proclaiming his love for Bea Arthur, and switched to a dude making questionable jokes, with babes just fighting over each other for the dubious pleasure of his company.
Which is when I stopped reading it.
I forgot about all that, or I subconsciously hoped for a return of sanity within the insanity, so when I started reading The Last Christmas I was not ready for how ridiculously low grade it was.
It seriously is one dudebro joke gone way too long (they're all too long by their mere existence, but you know what I mean).
We start with a questionable montage about how human beings never got along featuring racist caricatures of Jewish and Arabic people.
Comics from the 21st century or Ku Klux Klan pamphlet?
Then comes the Apocalypse and toxic mutant making rain, but more importantly, Mrs. Claus, fulfilling the Disposable Woman trope, so Santa has an excuse for spiralling into alcoholism and suicide (hilarious, right?!).
But Santa can't kill himself if even one little boy or girl believes in his existence. One such boy continues to believe. So Santa decides to kill him.
Off he goes to meet the stereotypical white post-apocalyptic survivors.
The world may have ended, but ladies are still there mainly for decoration, reacting with pin-up poses to dire news of betrayal in this dystopian hell.
Oh no! My back is going to snap because of my unrealistic proportions!
But wait, another incredibly racist stereotype shows up to save the day in the form of a Japanese guy personifying the trope of All Asians Know Martial Arts.
Everybody Was Kung-Fu Fighting and it was terrible.
Cue more gore, alcoholism, racism, ageism, sexist jokes and then "happy" ending.
Though not really.
Parts! Because she's an object, not a person! Get it? Funny stuff...
Well, I guess it is a happy ending because I don't have to go on reading.
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