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stephen_arvidson's review against another edition
3.0
Like most of the readers of this graphic novel, I purchased this thin tome as an admirer of the film franchise. 18 Bucks Later...I found myself tottering on the proverbial fence, exclaiming "Ghaaagh!"
Scripted by horror comic maestro Steve Niles and brought to life by three talented illustrators, 28 Days Later: The Aftermath is a collection of four short stories centered around the initial outbreak from the first film. Stage 1: Development reveals the origins of the Rage Virus in which two unhinged scientists, Clive and Warren, attempt to create an anti-aggression inhibitor via experimentation on the criminally insane. But when that proves problematic, they switch to using chimps as test subjects. In Stage 2: Outbreak, a British family is picnicking in a park near Cambridge University when an escaped monkey attacks and infects the youngest son, Liam. While en route to the hospital, grim mayhem ensues. Stage 3: Decimation follows a lone survivor, Hugh Baker, as he exterminates the infected amidst a now devastated London. However, when some bloke in a hockey mask takes potshots at Baker immediately after saving him from a swarm of zombies, Baker is determined to reclaim his turf by any means necessary. Lastly, Stage 4: Quarantinesees the survivors of the three previous stories confined to an armed camp. Unsure of the soldiers' motivations, whether they're protecting the civilians or preserving them for further experimentation, the survivors vilify them and stage a poorly botched escape attempt.
The Pros: This book's primary saving grace is its impeccable artwork, which runs the gamut from efficacious to strikingly superb. The first and final stories aptly blend masses of dark shadows with glimpses of light to create a moody effect. Even better is the remarkable artwork found in the third story, comprising a ready-mix of scratchy, agitated line-work with a subdued wash. There's plenty of gore, the pacing is solid (though the stories themselves felt rushed), and generally-speaking, the book contributes to the undeveloped 28...Later mythos. What's more compelling is the juxtaposition of mankind's propensity for violence versus the insatiable blood-lust of rage-filled zombies. The uninfected humans behaved as violently as the infected, if not more so—and that's even before the rules of society are quashed by the chaos of the outbreak. Deplorable human nature is on full display, both before and after society has crumbled; the only difference is that in the wake of devastation, humans are better able to act out their primal aggression and twisted desires, thus attacking and ultimately destroying one other.
The Cons: "The Aftermath" subtitle is rather misleading, since the stories here occur either just prior to or concurrent to the events of the first film. Another troubling aspect of the story is that Niles never really presents an opening to care about any of the characters. A gross lack of character development makes the reader feel little to no sympathy for them or their fates. Ambiguous motivations are another pitfall, and it seems that Niles relies too much on the audience to just accept what the characters are doing without any such rationale. For instance, Clive's sudden suicide attempt seems a bit heavy-handed and a naked attempt to end the chapter on a dire note. Each of the four stories would've benefited from even a few extra pages of solid characterization.
While both riveting and flawed, this book will cater to lovers of blood-spewing zombies or any diehard franchise fans wishing to learn more about the Rage Virus. In one sense, this feels like an obvious endeavor to capitalize on a successful franchise and provide promotional filler for the sequel, as opposed to simply making an outstanding graphic novel. Even so, the artwork is damned impressive...if only it had a better batch of stories and characters to go with it.
Scripted by horror comic maestro Steve Niles and brought to life by three talented illustrators, 28 Days Later: The Aftermath is a collection of four short stories centered around the initial outbreak from the first film. Stage 1: Development reveals the origins of the Rage Virus in which two unhinged scientists, Clive and Warren, attempt to create an anti-aggression inhibitor via experimentation on the criminally insane. But when that proves problematic, they switch to using chimps as test subjects. In Stage 2: Outbreak, a British family is picnicking in a park near Cambridge University when an escaped monkey attacks and infects the youngest son, Liam. While en route to the hospital, grim mayhem ensues. Stage 3: Decimation follows a lone survivor, Hugh Baker, as he exterminates the infected amidst a now devastated London. However, when some bloke in a hockey mask takes potshots at Baker immediately after saving him from a swarm of zombies, Baker is determined to reclaim his turf by any means necessary. Lastly, Stage 4: Quarantinesees the survivors of the three previous stories confined to an armed camp. Unsure of the soldiers' motivations, whether they're protecting the civilians or preserving them for further experimentation, the survivors vilify them and stage a poorly botched escape attempt.
The Pros: This book's primary saving grace is its impeccable artwork, which runs the gamut from efficacious to strikingly superb. The first and final stories aptly blend masses of dark shadows with glimpses of light to create a moody effect. Even better is the remarkable artwork found in the third story, comprising a ready-mix of scratchy, agitated line-work with a subdued wash. There's plenty of gore, the pacing is solid (though the stories themselves felt rushed), and generally-speaking, the book contributes to the undeveloped 28...Later mythos. What's more compelling is the juxtaposition of mankind's propensity for violence versus the insatiable blood-lust of rage-filled zombies. The uninfected humans behaved as violently as the infected, if not more so—and that's even before the rules of society are quashed by the chaos of the outbreak. Deplorable human nature is on full display, both before and after society has crumbled; the only difference is that in the wake of devastation, humans are better able to act out their primal aggression and twisted desires, thus attacking and ultimately destroying one other.
The Cons: "The Aftermath" subtitle is rather misleading, since the stories here occur either just prior to or concurrent to the events of the first film. Another troubling aspect of the story is that Niles never really presents an opening to care about any of the characters. A gross lack of character development makes the reader feel little to no sympathy for them or their fates. Ambiguous motivations are another pitfall, and it seems that Niles relies too much on the audience to just accept what the characters are doing without any such rationale. For instance, Clive's sudden suicide attempt seems a bit heavy-handed and a naked attempt to end the chapter on a dire note. Each of the four stories would've benefited from even a few extra pages of solid characterization.
While both riveting and flawed, this book will cater to lovers of blood-spewing zombies or any diehard franchise fans wishing to learn more about the Rage Virus. In one sense, this feels like an obvious endeavor to capitalize on a successful franchise and provide promotional filler for the sequel, as opposed to simply making an outstanding graphic novel. Even so, the artwork is damned impressive...if only it had a better batch of stories and characters to go with it.
lorydory's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
marko_krstanovic's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
chemwizard22's review against another edition
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
wyrmbergmalcolm's review against another edition
3.0
This is a companion piece to the film 28 Days Later that gives a little bit more backstory to the origin and intention behind the disease and then follows a family as the plague hits.
It's more a collection of stories that loosely follows this one family and those they encounter but doesn't really give anything that hasn't already been covered countless times by other zombie tales. It does take different directions than you think it might, but not necessarily for the better.
The artwork fit the theme nicely and I did like the transcript at the back of the book for one of the stories.
It's more a collection of stories that loosely follows this one family and those they encounter but doesn't really give anything that hasn't already been covered countless times by other zombie tales. It does take different directions than you think it might, but not necessarily for the better.
The artwork fit the theme nicely and I did like the transcript at the back of the book for one of the stories.
natali_gramajo's review against another edition
3.0
SPOILER WARNING. I really liked this, but there were three things that made me change from a four-star rating to a three-star:
1. It makes no sense that they help the guy with the head wound escape. Why do they need to escape if the only thing he's told them is that the virus will evolve?
2. Why kill the guy if he's a scientist who says he wants to help? She says "so that it doesn't happen again", but that exactly what he's trying to stop!
3. Why does the girl kiss the scientist? They barely know each other. They've known each other for a few days and half the time he was unconscious.
1. It makes no sense that they help the guy with the head wound escape. Why do they need to escape if the only thing he's told them is that the virus will evolve?
2. Why kill the guy if he's a scientist who says he wants to help? She says "so that it doesn't happen again", but that exactly what he's trying to stop!
3. Why does the girl kiss the scientist? They barely know each other. They've known each other for a few days and half the time he was unconscious.
fenny_42's review against another edition
3.0
This short, 112-page-long graphic novel is a movie companion of sorts to 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later. It takes place behind the scenes of the creation and outbreak of the rage virus that permeates the story of the movies. Again, this was found in my perusal of the graphic novel section of the library.
The novel is set up in four distinct sections which focus on the Stages of the Rage virus: Development, Outbreak, Decimation, and Quarantine. Each section of the novel focuses on little vignettes of people who encounter the virus. If you have seen at least the first film (28 Days Later), you will be able to pick up on what is happening. If you haven’t seen the movies, it may honestly be a little confusing.
This was a really short graphic novel — though it says it is 112 pages, one whole section of that is the sort of action description of each panel and page of Stage 3: Decimation. This was a neat addition, but I only really skimmed it. The novel is really about 90 pages of continuous story.
There were two things I really enjoyed about reading The Aftermath. The first was the detailed description of how the Rage virus was created (human error, of course) and the surrounding characters of the section. The second was the art style. It was dark and bloody. This fit the story, and was just really well done.
If there was one thing I didn’t really like about the novel, it would be that it seemed short, almost to the point of being brief. Although it does make a nice companion to the films, I wouldn’t say it was required reading for a fan by any means. There isn’t really a lot of character development, and the one character who carries through most of the Stages doesn’t matter in the end.ed to show the art, as there wasn’t much dialogue — some pages were almost completely made up of pictures.
This book was a short read — it only took me about an hour and a half to get through. It was enjoyable to learn a little bit more of the Rage virus and the events surrounding each stage of its progression. However, because it was so short and added only a little to the established story of the movies, I would only tentatively recommend reading it if you’re not a big fan.
The novel is set up in four distinct sections which focus on the Stages of the Rage virus: Development, Outbreak, Decimation, and Quarantine. Each section of the novel focuses on little vignettes of people who encounter the virus. If you have seen at least the first film (28 Days Later), you will be able to pick up on what is happening. If you haven’t seen the movies, it may honestly be a little confusing.
This was a really short graphic novel — though it says it is 112 pages, one whole section of that is the sort of action description of each panel and page of Stage 3: Decimation. This was a neat addition, but I only really skimmed it. The novel is really about 90 pages of continuous story.
There were two things I really enjoyed about reading The Aftermath. The first was the detailed description of how the Rage virus was created (human error, of course) and the surrounding characters of the section. The second was the art style. It was dark and bloody. This fit the story, and was just really well done.
If there was one thing I didn’t really like about the novel, it would be that it seemed short, almost to the point of being brief. Although it does make a nice companion to the films, I wouldn’t say it was required reading for a fan by any means. There isn’t really a lot of character development, and the one character who carries through most of the Stages doesn’t matter in the end.ed to show the art, as there wasn’t much dialogue — some pages were almost completely made up of pictures.
This book was a short read — it only took me about an hour and a half to get through. It was enjoyable to learn a little bit more of the Rage virus and the events surrounding each stage of its progression. However, because it was so short and added only a little to the established story of the movies, I would only tentatively recommend reading it if you’re not a big fan.
booknooknoggin's review against another edition
3.0
Don't know why it's called Aftermath...this is a prequel story to 28 Days Later.