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The Strain #1-2
The Strain, Book One
When a Boeing 777 lands at JFK International Airport and goes dark on the runway, the Center for Disease Control, fearing a terrorist attack, calls in Dr. Ephraim Goodweather and his team of expert biological-threat first responders. Only an elderly pawnbroker from Spanish Harlem suspects a darker purpose behind the event--an ancient threat intent on covering mankind in darkness. In one week, Manhattan will be gone. In one month, the country. In two months--the world.
This horrifying first chapter introduces an outbreak of diabolical proportions that puts a terrifying twist on the vampire genre! Collects issues #1 through #11.
This horrifying first chapter introduces an outbreak of diabolical proportions that puts a terrifying twist on the vampire genre! Collects issues #1 through #11.
273 pages, Hardcover
First published July 22, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
July 15, 2014
Death, horror, and vampires all wrapped up in a graphic novel! This is the first TWO original volumes combined into one book! This was something I could not pass up. Although, I must confess, when I first got this, I had not fully read the summary so based on the covers and images I had scene with the biohazard warnings, I expected zombies. Still, I was very happy to have read this and more to come below and the vampire/zombie confusion.
The book centers mostly on CDC expert Dr. Goodweather and his partner. They are on assignment to figured out why a plane lands and then suddenly everyone in the plane mysteriously dies. But as the doctor and his partner investigate further, they learn the passengers are not "dead" for long. They come back as vampires and start attacking others. A race against time with enemies on all sides.
We mainly follow The good doctor as he struggles to balance his home life and work. He is in an ugly custody battle for his son when this all goes down. There is some great personal relations going on in the book. At first he is facing a medical mystery. Then a violent nightmare! In addition to his character we also get snippets into other officers, doctors, victims and a villain who is using his power and money to destroy mankind.
The art is very well done. Each character unique and very expressive. The violence is very graphic. And please note, very mature artwork containing violence and nudity. While I can enjoy what is in this, I would be horrified if a child got their hands on this! Great detail is given on every image. And it is very well done. The full page inserts were especially well done! The characters looked almost real. The only thing less that thrilling were that many of the "vampires" looked the same. But I will blame that on the transformation they undergo.
Speaking of the vampire concept, I still think of them as more zombie like. Besides their blood being drained and then filled with a white fluid replacement they are more zombie in reactions, behavior and overall looks. The exception is the "Masters." They way the move and attack very zombie like. Although they do burn in sunlight. Still, with how their stinger/tongues work these are some nasty, weird creatures of the night!
Now I love the concept! It is dark, fast-paced and will have you on edge and looking at the images with a twisted sense of glee. I love how the doctor meets one who is well familiar with the vampires but by doing so has even more consequences. Lots of action and great characterization fill these pages. My favorite character so far is the rat exterminator. Smart, logical, level headed and witty. I hope to see more of him in the future volumes.
Fans of the Walking Dead will likely enjoy this. The characters do not have quite the depth yet, but they and the story are constantly improving as it moves along. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for future volumes.
**I received this for review via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed are strictly my own**
The book centers mostly on CDC expert Dr. Goodweather and his partner. They are on assignment to figured out why a plane lands and then suddenly everyone in the plane mysteriously dies. But as the doctor and his partner investigate further, they learn the passengers are not "dead" for long. They come back as vampires and start attacking others. A race against time with enemies on all sides.
We mainly follow The good doctor as he struggles to balance his home life and work. He is in an ugly custody battle for his son when this all goes down. There is some great personal relations going on in the book. At first he is facing a medical mystery. Then a violent nightmare! In addition to his character we also get snippets into other officers, doctors, victims and a villain who is using his power and money to destroy mankind.
The art is very well done. Each character unique and very expressive. The violence is very graphic. And please note, very mature artwork containing violence and nudity. While I can enjoy what is in this, I would be horrified if a child got their hands on this! Great detail is given on every image. And it is very well done. The full page inserts were especially well done! The characters looked almost real. The only thing less that thrilling were that many of the "vampires" looked the same. But I will blame that on the transformation they undergo.
Speaking of the vampire concept, I still think of them as more zombie like. Besides their blood being drained and then filled with a white fluid replacement they are more zombie in reactions, behavior and overall looks. The exception is the "Masters." They way the move and attack very zombie like. Although they do burn in sunlight. Still, with how their stinger/tongues work these are some nasty, weird creatures of the night!
Now I love the concept! It is dark, fast-paced and will have you on edge and looking at the images with a twisted sense of glee. I love how the doctor meets one who is well familiar with the vampires but by doing so has even more consequences. Lots of action and great characterization fill these pages. My favorite character so far is the rat exterminator. Smart, logical, level headed and witty. I hope to see more of him in the future volumes.
Fans of the Walking Dead will likely enjoy this. The characters do not have quite the depth yet, but they and the story are constantly improving as it moves along. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for future volumes.
**I received this for review via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed are strictly my own**
January 24, 2023
I’m only going to read the first in the series on this one. The art is pretty basic except for some art in between chapters that was really amazing and detailed. I liked reading it just to see them. I enjoyed this more than the books, it just felt more like The Strain to me. I recommend the graphic novel over the book, but the show is obviously still my favorite.
June 9, 2014
I received a free eARC of this graphic novel from NetGalley.
Not to be confused with The Strain, Volume 1. This baby is actually both volumes 1 & 2, comprising the adaptation of the entire novel, The Strain. I was pleased to discover that this was a massive graphic novel set, covering issues 1-11. I read the original novel a few years ago, so I was glad to get hold of a graphic novel that was that whole book, rather than a fragment of it.
That said, the story was very good here. It was very consistent with the novel, keeping the spirit of the original story while transforming it to a reader friendly visual form. Some adaptations don't work, losing the author's storytelling voice. But del Toro and Hogan's story is still here with this one, to go along with some pretty good artwork.
As a fan of the series, I must say I'm happy with the transformation. I'm also looking forward to the upcoming television series...
Not to be confused with The Strain, Volume 1. This baby is actually both volumes 1 & 2, comprising the adaptation of the entire novel, The Strain. I was pleased to discover that this was a massive graphic novel set, covering issues 1-11. I read the original novel a few years ago, so I was glad to get hold of a graphic novel that was that whole book, rather than a fragment of it.
That said, the story was very good here. It was very consistent with the novel, keeping the spirit of the original story while transforming it to a reader friendly visual form. Some adaptations don't work, losing the author's storytelling voice. But del Toro and Hogan's story is still here with this one, to go along with some pretty good artwork.
As a fan of the series, I must say I'm happy with the transformation. I'm also looking forward to the upcoming television series...
October 24, 2021
(Zero spoiler review) 2.25/5
No, no no no no, this is not acceptable. Del Toro and Chuck Hogan (The Strain's original creators) start off this edition with a foreward, near to gushing about the contributions of Lapham and Huddlestone (writer and artist respectively). Perhaps they felt obligated, perhaps they felt sorry for the pair, or perhaps they had recently sustained a serious facial injury where their brain and eyes didn't work properly. This is horrendously average, and that is me being kind. I used to think quite highly of Lapham. Stray Bullets and Ferals were awesome, although now, his lesser work is now overtaking his better work in terms of quality, so it seems average or worse is his default state, rather than the an oddity. No spoilers prevent me tearing this writing the new asshole it deserves, although despite a reasonably positive start, this quickly descends into the most generically awful C grade horror writing, with plot holes the size of asteroid craters, bland characters and even blander dialogue, and more tropes than you can shake a severed limb at.
I don't know if I've encountered Huddlestone's artwork before, although when introduced to Lapham's limp and lacklustre writing, he said "hold my beer" and set about drawing something as bland and basic as the accompanying writing. Neither of these individuals should be anywhere near proud of what they have achieved here. That said, I certainly wasn't feeling very proud having forked out for all three deluxe editions, not to mention the excitement with which I looked forward to reading this series. Excitement which fairly quickly dissipated the further I delved into it. One can only hope it improves from here. I'm not holding my breath. 2.25/5
OmniBen.
No, no no no no, this is not acceptable. Del Toro and Chuck Hogan (The Strain's original creators) start off this edition with a foreward, near to gushing about the contributions of Lapham and Huddlestone (writer and artist respectively). Perhaps they felt obligated, perhaps they felt sorry for the pair, or perhaps they had recently sustained a serious facial injury where their brain and eyes didn't work properly. This is horrendously average, and that is me being kind. I used to think quite highly of Lapham. Stray Bullets and Ferals were awesome, although now, his lesser work is now overtaking his better work in terms of quality, so it seems average or worse is his default state, rather than the an oddity. No spoilers prevent me tearing this writing the new asshole it deserves, although despite a reasonably positive start, this quickly descends into the most generically awful C grade horror writing, with plot holes the size of asteroid craters, bland characters and even blander dialogue, and more tropes than you can shake a severed limb at.
I don't know if I've encountered Huddlestone's artwork before, although when introduced to Lapham's limp and lacklustre writing, he said "hold my beer" and set about drawing something as bland and basic as the accompanying writing. Neither of these individuals should be anywhere near proud of what they have achieved here. That said, I certainly wasn't feeling very proud having forked out for all three deluxe editions, not to mention the excitement with which I looked forward to reading this series. Excitement which fairly quickly dissipated the further I delved into it. One can only hope it improves from here. I'm not holding my breath. 2.25/5
OmniBen.
October 11, 2017
It's no surprise I enjoyed this as I have a special place in my heart for vampire and zombie comics. That being said, there is nothing ground breaking or new here. I do enjoy the way the various characters stories intertwined over time. And the nurse in me enjoyed chasing after the cause and potential cures for the epidemic. The art from Huddleston isn't my fave style and there wasn't adequate distinction between some of the characters looks. True rating would be 3.5. I'm intrigued enough to check out the TV show now.
October 17, 2020
To me, the most interesting aspect of this book was vampires' anatomy, which was given as such in the story but elaborated in very informative and helpful supplemental pages. That came as no surprise, since del Torro was one of the authors. Other than that, this felt pretty generic in the beginning, with only the art being somehow naggingly weird, what with strange and almost grotesque proportions (small heads). But I definitely warmed up to the whole thing as the story unfolded, and will jump on the next volume with vampire-like hunger and eagerness.
July 26, 2020
An interesting read this one. Certainly the drawing is quite graphic at times, evoking a visceral response at times. Quite a fast read, and gripping, but did feel at times that were slight jumps in the narrative, timeline was hard to keep track of and it felt like it relied on reader knowledge at times, but I haven't read the novel or seen the show, so a couple of bits were a little confusing. However, is a good read, and has made me want to read the novel now :)
February 28, 2022
David Lapham and Mike Huddleston's version of Guillermo Del Toro's wonderful horror novel is pretty damn good. It moves very fast, at times too fast, but captures a ton of what I loved about the novel. The main characters are fleshed out well and the evil is on full display. I wish they showed how gross the Strigoi actually are but its not bad. Overall, a very good read in an overpopulated genre.
September 7, 2020
I got this because im a huge the strain fan
this was an amazing journey. All the highlights from the first book are perfectly adapted in this graphic novel.
Everything was just as I imagined, the illustrations are overwhelming and dialogues just as exact.
I loved every single piece of this
And also loved the artwork between issues , it was ....outstanding, just art.
this was an amazing journey. All the highlights from the first book are perfectly adapted in this graphic novel.
Everything was just as I imagined, the illustrations are overwhelming and dialogues just as exact.
I loved every single piece of this
And also loved the artwork between issues , it was ....outstanding, just art.
August 4, 2014
Don’t you just know it but there’s always some ancient evil secret at the heart of any good horror-based conspiracy, no? Sure, there is! And most of the times those ancient evil secrets come from countries and cities all across Europe where civilization is much older than it is here in the States. Why, that practically goes without saying! Of course, once that ancient evil makes its way over here, it’s bound to have its butt kicked up one side and down the other because that’s what we do here in ‘Merica. We make it our business to kick evil’s butt! We’ll take any help we can get, especially when it comes our way via the kind elderly gentleman who has a long, private history of battling said demons himself.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last three paragraphs for my final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
A Boeing 777 lands in New York City, bringing with it a horror that’s gone undiscovered for the better part of the last century. It’s vampires – not the ordinary cape-wearing variety but undead, naked, lizard-tongued types – and they’re about to destroy civilization … unless an elderly pawnbroker and a team from the CDC can stop the carnage before it even begins!
What serves as a catalyst to set this story in motion (after the obligatory flashback set-ups) is an airliner lands in New York City and then loses contact with the tower. Once aboard, investigators find what appears to be the dead bodies of a doomed flight with three exceptions (believed to be survivors). The truth is something vastly more complex … but what I couldn’t help recognizing was that I’d seen this set-up before. In fact, I’d seen it twice before, both times on the Fox television network – it was a narrative construct used for The X-Files and then again in the pilot episode for Fringe. (Should I be all that surprised that the television version of this story is premiering only days away on the FX Network?!?!)
Now, I don’t want to feel like I’m picking on creator Guillermo del Toro. The man certainly has a way of telling a story that’s unique; he has a strong command of visuals, and that’s probably why most of his work inspires so much of fandom. I appreciate a visionary as much as the next person, but when you’re openly stealing ideas from your own previous exploits (such as the UV bombs featured in this story’s climax) maybe it’s time to hang it up until you have some other inspiration. See, the movie BLADE II was directed by del Toro, and maybe he’s hoping folks don’t notice the similarities between elements introduced there and those in THE STRAIN. UV bombs. Vampires with these long, long tongues. I noticed them. I did – they practically jump off the page – and, while I won’t fault the man for re-using good ideas, I honestly expected greater ‘wow’ factor giving this property’s excessive TV build-up.
Still, I’m a sucker for a monster story. On that level, THE STRAIN is a perfectly acceptable vehicle to get jazzed up about. It has a kind of visual flourish here that feels right – plenty dark and hints of sensuality never feel out of place in the more Gothic scares – though perhaps it smacks of some obvious theatricality at times. It’s worth a read, though I’d be suspect about where all of this can go that hasn’t been done before.
Therein lies my only real complaint with most of THE STRAIN: despite being a rather good modern-day vampire story, there’s an awful lot of it that feels like it’s been done before. Besides the doomed airliner set-up, there’s very little to distinguish these characters from so, so many who have come before. In fact, Syfy recently aired the first season of HELIX – a program involving some genetic virus in the Arctic – which featured a prominent scientist (played by Billy Campbell) who – lo and behold – had one failed marriage under his belt while coping with attractions from a prominent coworker; THE STRAIN’s main character is almost a carbon copy.
THE STRAIN: VOLUME 1 (HARDCOVER) is published by Dark Horse Comics. The story is adapted by David Lapham from creator Guillermo del Toro’s work; with illustrations and artwork provided by Mike Huddleston and Dan Jackson. (The artwork does look very, very solid consistently through the tome.)
RECOMMENDED. As a modern day vampire story, THE STRAIN works pretty well … even though there are huge parts of it that feel derivative of sights, sounds, and themes that have been explored elsewhere (even by Guillermo del Toro himself!). I guess that’s not a bad thing; it just kept me from possibly enjoying the story more than I would have under better circumstances.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Dark Horse Comics provided me with a digital reading copy of THE STRAIN: VOLUME 1 (HARDCOVER) by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review; and their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last three paragraphs for my final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
A Boeing 777 lands in New York City, bringing with it a horror that’s gone undiscovered for the better part of the last century. It’s vampires – not the ordinary cape-wearing variety but undead, naked, lizard-tongued types – and they’re about to destroy civilization … unless an elderly pawnbroker and a team from the CDC can stop the carnage before it even begins!
What serves as a catalyst to set this story in motion (after the obligatory flashback set-ups) is an airliner lands in New York City and then loses contact with the tower. Once aboard, investigators find what appears to be the dead bodies of a doomed flight with three exceptions (believed to be survivors). The truth is something vastly more complex … but what I couldn’t help recognizing was that I’d seen this set-up before. In fact, I’d seen it twice before, both times on the Fox television network – it was a narrative construct used for The X-Files and then again in the pilot episode for Fringe. (Should I be all that surprised that the television version of this story is premiering only days away on the FX Network?!?!)
Now, I don’t want to feel like I’m picking on creator Guillermo del Toro. The man certainly has a way of telling a story that’s unique; he has a strong command of visuals, and that’s probably why most of his work inspires so much of fandom. I appreciate a visionary as much as the next person, but when you’re openly stealing ideas from your own previous exploits (such as the UV bombs featured in this story’s climax) maybe it’s time to hang it up until you have some other inspiration. See, the movie BLADE II was directed by del Toro, and maybe he’s hoping folks don’t notice the similarities between elements introduced there and those in THE STRAIN. UV bombs. Vampires with these long, long tongues. I noticed them. I did – they practically jump off the page – and, while I won’t fault the man for re-using good ideas, I honestly expected greater ‘wow’ factor giving this property’s excessive TV build-up.
Still, I’m a sucker for a monster story. On that level, THE STRAIN is a perfectly acceptable vehicle to get jazzed up about. It has a kind of visual flourish here that feels right – plenty dark and hints of sensuality never feel out of place in the more Gothic scares – though perhaps it smacks of some obvious theatricality at times. It’s worth a read, though I’d be suspect about where all of this can go that hasn’t been done before.
Therein lies my only real complaint with most of THE STRAIN: despite being a rather good modern-day vampire story, there’s an awful lot of it that feels like it’s been done before. Besides the doomed airliner set-up, there’s very little to distinguish these characters from so, so many who have come before. In fact, Syfy recently aired the first season of HELIX – a program involving some genetic virus in the Arctic – which featured a prominent scientist (played by Billy Campbell) who – lo and behold – had one failed marriage under his belt while coping with attractions from a prominent coworker; THE STRAIN’s main character is almost a carbon copy.
THE STRAIN: VOLUME 1 (HARDCOVER) is published by Dark Horse Comics. The story is adapted by David Lapham from creator Guillermo del Toro’s work; with illustrations and artwork provided by Mike Huddleston and Dan Jackson. (The artwork does look very, very solid consistently through the tome.)
RECOMMENDED. As a modern day vampire story, THE STRAIN works pretty well … even though there are huge parts of it that feel derivative of sights, sounds, and themes that have been explored elsewhere (even by Guillermo del Toro himself!). I guess that’s not a bad thing; it just kept me from possibly enjoying the story more than I would have under better circumstances.
In the interests of fairness, I’m pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Dark Horse Comics provided me with a digital reading copy of THE STRAIN: VOLUME 1 (HARDCOVER) by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review; and their contribution to me in no way, shape, or form influenced my opinion of it.
January 20, 2017
I'm enjoying this version of the Strain. I have watched the show, but haven't read the book. I have to say, I've definitely enjoyed the illustrations and storyline in this graphic novel! Looking forward to checking out the rest of this series.
February 25, 2019
Amazing. Lush and rich with blood and gore. Creepy factor an all time high. Season 1 TV show follows very well and is a near perfect adaptation. Absolute top original graphic novel. Vampires, predator, and the undead come together.
March 26, 2024
jeden z lepszych i lepiej wydanych komiksow jakie do tej pory przeczytalem
nie wiem co bylo pierwsze czy serial czy komiks, ale jedno i drugie jest swietne!, gratka dla fanow horrorow, wciagajaca historia, rysunki klasa swiatowa!
polecam !!!
nie wiem co bylo pierwsze czy serial czy komiks, ale jedno i drugie jest swietne!, gratka dla fanow horrorow, wciagajaca historia, rysunki klasa swiatowa!
polecam !!!
July 17, 2017
Not bad at all, very gory and a different spin on the vampire lore.
January 7, 2022
Wasn’t sure if this would be good or one that tried too hard. I’m very grateful it was a fun ride and I can’t wait to see what the next tome holds!
June 14, 2015
My experience with this novel was unique, to say the least. Unlike most of those reading this adaptation of Guillermo Del Toro's The Strain, I read The Strain without watching the show or reading the original book. Even so, I can say it is my favorite graphic novel thus far. This Graphic Novel adaption of The Strain begins typically, following the epidemic motif. In the wake of what is assumed to be some kind of terrorist attack or widespread disease outbreak, a plane lands with all of its passengers dead from an unknown cause. This is where The Strain goes from good to great.
Although I'll be the first to admit I am a sucker for a good epidemic/zombie dystopian, The Strain breaks away from all norms when this seeming "disease epidemic" spreads and the passengers of flight come back to life as vampires which feed and infect other humans. Del Toro is essentially the king of all things vampire. The Strain is no exception. Del Toro's vampires are not the whimsical sparkling Edward Cullen's we have gotten used to seeing splattered all over movie screen, but rather a return to a more classic rodent like creature which more closely resembles Murnau's Nosferatu.
I'm sure most would read this graphic novel as a companion to the television show or Del Toro's novel, it is strong enough to stand on its own. I thoroughly enjoyed it as a stand alone series and it piqued my interest in the television show which I didn't have before. It's refreshing to see this new yet actually classic view on vampires. Del Toro juxtaposes this with topos ranging from WWII to conspiracy theories and finally back to the dystopian genre. The art work is breathtaking and further adds to the depth of this novel bringing it from the pages to life. Del Toro successfully removes vampires from the rom com daylight and brings them back into the midnight of horror where they belong.
5/5 stars I can't wait to pick up the next volume.
Although I'll be the first to admit I am a sucker for a good epidemic/zombie dystopian, The Strain breaks away from all norms when this seeming "disease epidemic" spreads and the passengers of flight come back to life as vampires which feed and infect other humans. Del Toro is essentially the king of all things vampire. The Strain is no exception. Del Toro's vampires are not the whimsical sparkling Edward Cullen's we have gotten used to seeing splattered all over movie screen, but rather a return to a more classic rodent like creature which more closely resembles Murnau's Nosferatu.
I'm sure most would read this graphic novel as a companion to the television show or Del Toro's novel, it is strong enough to stand on its own. I thoroughly enjoyed it as a stand alone series and it piqued my interest in the television show which I didn't have before. It's refreshing to see this new yet actually classic view on vampires. Del Toro juxtaposes this with topos ranging from WWII to conspiracy theories and finally back to the dystopian genre. The art work is breathtaking and further adds to the depth of this novel bringing it from the pages to life. Del Toro successfully removes vampires from the rom com daylight and brings them back into the midnight of horror where they belong.
5/5 stars I can't wait to pick up the next volume.
July 27, 2014
'The Strain Book 1' collects volume 1 and 2 of the graphic novel series. It's a good story, although the character names are all a little strange, and the art is good. I'm not familiar with the book or television series, but I believe this is the same plot and I liked it.
When a Boeing 777 lands at JFK and is dark on the runway, CDC specialist Ephraim Goodweather (see what I mean about the strange names?) is called in. The plane is dark and all shades are drawn except one. When he boards the plane, all the passengers are dead except for three, but none have any particular trauma. As he unravels this mystery, he finds he is not alone. He soon begins assembling a group of people to fight this new menace as it reveals itself, including a holocaust survivor named Professor Abraham Setrakian, a pest control specialist named Vasiliy Fet and his partner Dr. Nora Martinez. There are also different people discovering things along the way, and I think most of them will all team up against this threat.
I found it to be an engaging story. I do want to read the books at some point and they are on my reading list, so I don't know how faithful the adaptation is. I also have the advantage of not picturing what the characters should look like, and then being disappointed by the artist renditions. The art is good. The covers are terrifying. The parasites are just gross and I found this to be a good way to create a truly terrifying version of the creature. Good stuff.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
When a Boeing 777 lands at JFK and is dark on the runway, CDC specialist Ephraim Goodweather (see what I mean about the strange names?) is called in. The plane is dark and all shades are drawn except one. When he boards the plane, all the passengers are dead except for three, but none have any particular trauma. As he unravels this mystery, he finds he is not alone. He soon begins assembling a group of people to fight this new menace as it reveals itself, including a holocaust survivor named Professor Abraham Setrakian, a pest control specialist named Vasiliy Fet and his partner Dr. Nora Martinez. There are also different people discovering things along the way, and I think most of them will all team up against this threat.
I found it to be an engaging story. I do want to read the books at some point and they are on my reading list, so I don't know how faithful the adaptation is. I also have the advantage of not picturing what the characters should look like, and then being disappointed by the artist renditions. The art is good. The covers are terrifying. The parasites are just gross and I found this to be a good way to create a truly terrifying version of the creature. Good stuff.
I received a review copy of this graphic novel from Diamond Book Distributors and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.
August 13, 2016
The story is written by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan as a trilogy novel published by Dark Horse Books. Both writers claim in the preface of this graphic novel that "This is not an illustrated version of our novels. This is a graphic retelling: a visual translation, and a definitive one." I sort of understand what that means. The graphic novels couldn't capture the underlying emotions elicited by the books.
What this graphic novel is good at, it's making you think you are watching a film on a sheet of paper or a page in the digital reader for that matter. For that, I think that this novel will be great on the big screen.
E. M. Gist’s lush, hyperrealistic covers (and what I call transition pages or that page telling you you're on to a new chapter), reminds me of the japanese animation film, Blood: The Last Vampire. They're just pure horror.
I love how this graphic novel takes on Nosferatu (german's version of Dracula) seemingly as The Master of Strigoi, with the tall limbs and all. It made me feel like dark things are lurking, awaiting me at the corners wherever I go. If it were not for the bombardment of scientific things in the story, this would have been an unadulterated horror.
Putting all my prejudices aside (I prefer the feel of Japanese manga than American graphic novels), this graphic novel has a fluid plot, well-rounded characters and awesome art.
What this graphic novel is good at, it's making you think you are watching a film on a sheet of paper or a page in the digital reader for that matter. For that, I think that this novel will be great on the big screen.
E. M. Gist’s lush, hyperrealistic covers (and what I call transition pages or that page telling you you're on to a new chapter), reminds me of the japanese animation film, Blood: The Last Vampire. They're just pure horror.
I love how this graphic novel takes on Nosferatu (german's version of Dracula) seemingly as The Master of Strigoi, with the tall limbs and all. It made me feel like dark things are lurking, awaiting me at the corners wherever I go. If it were not for the bombardment of scientific things in the story, this would have been an unadulterated horror.
Putting all my prejudices aside (I prefer the feel of Japanese manga than American graphic novels), this graphic novel has a fluid plot, well-rounded characters and awesome art.
July 27, 2014
Succinctly putting what was an offputtingly fat novel into one chunky graphic novel must have taken some doing, but it's good to see this covers the ground of the first third of the del Toro/Hogan trilogy. After being a standard 21st century rewrite of Stoker – the coffin of vampire and his holy mud comes in on a Boeing 777 and sits silent and locked at the airport until the CDC find the beginnings of their many clues – the story branches out into a similarly routine vampire outbreak story. There is not a huge amount that is original – from del Toro's traditional Nazis making cameos in the back-story, to the personal troubles of the reluctant vampire hunter.
But that's not to say it isn't done well. Perhaps reflecting del Toro's taste in comix, the artwork does look a bit Mignola-esque at times, with angular lines to the faces, dramatic poses from low-down viewing positions, etc. There's still a hint of the grubbiness of 30 Days of Night, and other similar stories – just enough to hold back from the full reveal until things get going. Not all of the fight scenes come across as clearly as they should, but it's the more literary elements that will win a return for the rest of the trilogy – the human aider to the vampire and his tale, and the inter-strigoi fight promised near the close of this volume. There is enough to make this distinctive, if not essentially distinguished.
But that's not to say it isn't done well. Perhaps reflecting del Toro's taste in comix, the artwork does look a bit Mignola-esque at times, with angular lines to the faces, dramatic poses from low-down viewing positions, etc. There's still a hint of the grubbiness of 30 Days of Night, and other similar stories – just enough to hold back from the full reveal until things get going. Not all of the fight scenes come across as clearly as they should, but it's the more literary elements that will win a return for the rest of the trilogy – the human aider to the vampire and his tale, and the inter-strigoi fight promised near the close of this volume. There is enough to make this distinctive, if not essentially distinguished.
February 27, 2015
The Strain começou por ser uma trilogia que passou a BD e depois chegou à televisão.
Ainda não li os livros mas acompanho a série e comecei a ler a BD no final do ano passado. Em The Strain temos Dr. Ephraim Goodweather que se vê envolvido num estranho acidente de avião que chega ao aeroporto com todos os seus ocupantes mortos. A partir daí começa uma série de estranhos acontecimentos que envolve corpos a desaparecer e uma doença que começa a afectar dezenas de pessoas da noite para o dia.
Temos assim uma forma diferente de vampirismo que é retratada como um vírus de rápida mutação e contágio.
Goodweather alia-se a um velhote que parece saber muito sobre o assunto e assim acompanhamos o grupo, que se vai formando, para combater estes seres maléficos que perdem qualquer noção de quem eram anteriormente.
O desenho é brutal e não existe uma grande quebra relativamente à série televisiva.
Este livro contém os onze primeiros números. Adorei a BD, mesmo já sabendo a história, no entanto a razão pela qual demorei tanto tempo a ler foi porque a história acaba por se revelar um pouco mais aborrecida. Espero que o próximo livro / volume seja mais fácil de ler.
in: http://folhaembranco.blogs.sapo.pt/th...
Ainda não li os livros mas acompanho a série e comecei a ler a BD no final do ano passado. Em The Strain temos Dr. Ephraim Goodweather que se vê envolvido num estranho acidente de avião que chega ao aeroporto com todos os seus ocupantes mortos. A partir daí começa uma série de estranhos acontecimentos que envolve corpos a desaparecer e uma doença que começa a afectar dezenas de pessoas da noite para o dia.
Temos assim uma forma diferente de vampirismo que é retratada como um vírus de rápida mutação e contágio.
Goodweather alia-se a um velhote que parece saber muito sobre o assunto e assim acompanhamos o grupo, que se vai formando, para combater estes seres maléficos que perdem qualquer noção de quem eram anteriormente.
O desenho é brutal e não existe uma grande quebra relativamente à série televisiva.
Este livro contém os onze primeiros números. Adorei a BD, mesmo já sabendo a história, no entanto a razão pela qual demorei tanto tempo a ler foi porque a história acaba por se revelar um pouco mais aborrecida. Espero que o próximo livro / volume seja mais fácil de ler.
in: http://folhaembranco.blogs.sapo.pt/th...
May 24, 2014
The Strain is a graphic retelling of Guillermo del Toro's novel of the same name which has a very crazy, but interesting take on vampires. After a plane lands in NY, it appears that everyone on board somehow died - but there are no wounds and no toxins in the air. The CDC, including Dr. Goodweather and his partner. The novel follows Dr. Goodweather as he tries to determine what exactly is going on when it's clear that the "dead" passengers are anything but. No one wants to believe him - partially due to the fact that an eclipse is occurring, and partially because there is a cover-up going on! Once a survivor from the Nazi concentration camps shows up, the band has a good idea how to fight the monstrosities.
This is certainly a very different version of vampires than I've ever seen. I haven't read a ton of graphic novels, but I very much enjoy them. If you like the paranormal genre that is more on the side of horror than anything else, then this might just be the story for you. It definitely gave me the willies.
ARC provided by Net Galley.
This is certainly a very different version of vampires than I've ever seen. I haven't read a ton of graphic novels, but I very much enjoy them. If you like the paranormal genre that is more on the side of horror than anything else, then this might just be the story for you. It definitely gave me the willies.
ARC provided by Net Galley.
July 31, 2023
LEER RESEÑA COMPLETA EN MI BLOG: https://www.blogdivergente.com/2023/0...
The Strain, Book One, escrito por David Lapham y basado en la novela homónima de Guillermo del Toro y Chuck Hogan, es una novela gráfica ilustrada por Mike Huddleston y Dan Jackson que sumerge al lector en un mundo oscuro y aterrador de vampiros y epidemias.
Con una narrativa inquietante y una presentación visual cautivadora, esta serie se destaca como una buena combinación de terror y ciencia ficción, pues nos narra la historia de un avión aterrizando en el aeropuerto de JFK en Nueva York, aparentemente sin vida y sin ningún signo de comunicación con la torre de control.
El epidemiólogo Dr. Ephraim Goodweather y su equipo del Centro de Control de Enfermedades son llamados para investigar este misterioso y perturbador suceso. Lo que descubren dentro del avión es una escena aterradora: los pasajeros y la tripulación están muertos, pero sus cuerpos están aparentemente intactos, sin signos de violencia o lesiones externas.
The Strain, Book One, escrito por David Lapham y basado en la novela homónima de Guillermo del Toro y Chuck Hogan, es una novela gráfica ilustrada por Mike Huddleston y Dan Jackson que sumerge al lector en un mundo oscuro y aterrador de vampiros y epidemias.
Con una narrativa inquietante y una presentación visual cautivadora, esta serie se destaca como una buena combinación de terror y ciencia ficción, pues nos narra la historia de un avión aterrizando en el aeropuerto de JFK en Nueva York, aparentemente sin vida y sin ningún signo de comunicación con la torre de control.
El epidemiólogo Dr. Ephraim Goodweather y su equipo del Centro de Control de Enfermedades son llamados para investigar este misterioso y perturbador suceso. Lo que descubren dentro del avión es una escena aterradora: los pasajeros y la tripulación están muertos, pero sus cuerpos están aparentemente intactos, sin signos de violencia o lesiones externas.
June 21, 2014
This is a very well done conversion of the books by Guillermo del Toro's. I have read and enjoyed the trilogy before reading this graphic novel. This edition of the book does not skip out on any of the details in the books.
After a plane lands and everybody onboard is dead the CDC are called in to investigate. The situation quickly escalates and vampires begin to cause havoc in the city. This graphic novel collection shows you the true horror of a city in panic while the hord gets stronger.
A very well told story and I look foward to reading the rest of this set and the TV series to come.
I was provided a copy of this book by NetGalley.
After a plane lands and everybody onboard is dead the CDC are called in to investigate. The situation quickly escalates and vampires begin to cause havoc in the city. This graphic novel collection shows you the true horror of a city in panic while the hord gets stronger.
A very well told story and I look foward to reading the rest of this set and the TV series to come.
I was provided a copy of this book by NetGalley.
July 23, 2014
In a change from zombies, The Strain postulates a variant on the vampire myth that comes flying into Ne York City. Ephriam Goodweather from the CDC and a coworker, a rat exterminator, and a former professor who had survived the Nazi Holocaust make up the team that opposes the strigoi that came unwanted yet invited to America. If not stopped, NYC is gone, then New York, then the USA and then the World. However, there may be some unexpected help showing up in the next volume. Enjoy!
July 10, 2014
Guillermo del Toro is no stranger to vampires. Along with crafting visually brilliant films like “Pan's Labyrinth” and “Pacific Rim”, he also directed vampire features “Cronos” and “Blade II”.
Please read my full review at this link
Please read my full review at this link
September 23, 2014
Buena adaptación al cómic de la novela de Guillermo del Toro y Chuck Hogan. Tiene algunos errores de continuidad en el relato que pueden pasarse por alto si se tiene presente la lectura de la novela (no se cómo afectarán a quien lea el cómic sin información previa). Queda por ver cómo queda esta versión ahora que la serie televisiva recuente la historia una vez más.
November 12, 2014
Own the novel,but have yet to read it. I can only base my impression of this from the Fx show. This follows very similar plot,but few things are different. This also seemed condensed,and I don't know if they are from the book or tv series only. Great art,as the Master doesn't look like a Muppet like he does in the series.
August 18, 2014
Not too shabby. It's a pretty cool twist on vampire tales with an up-to-date feel. The artwork as well as the storyline were really good and it made me interested in reading the trilogy of books by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan. I can't wait to see where this goes.
January 10, 2017
I'm not usually one for this genre, but I really enjoyed this. I have liked a lot of the stuff that Guillermo Del Toro has done before so I thought I'd check it out. I was drawn in immediately and had to complete all volumes.
November 16, 2019
It might not be as detailed and immersive as the book is rumoured to be (which I have yet to read), but Book One has certainly gripped my interest in following where all this vampire madness and devastation will end.
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