Image Comics is proving time and again that you don’t need to be backed by a huge publisher like Marvel or DC to have a bestselling comic or graphic novel. Tim Seeley (Hack/Slash) and Mike Norton (Runaways) have created a comic that really breaks the mold and with the third graphic novel out this month, they’re showing readers just how exciting comics can be.
Revival isn’t like most books, comics or otherwise. It’s a zombie story without zombies, it’s crime noir, it’s rural fiction, and it’s so much more all rolled into one. The third book is the tensest of the series so far and it does a great job of keeping the reader on their toes.
So what happens when the dead come back, but they aren’t hungry for human flesh? What will the world think when one small town in Wisconsin gets their loved ones back? Revival is looking to answer those questions, but with every hint comes an even bigger question and it keeps the reader hungry for more.
For those who have yet to pick up this amazing series, it centers around two young women, sisters Dana and Martha, who are caught up in the panic caused by ‘Revival Day’. One is a cop, while the other is a Reviver herself. While trying to navigate the supernatural phenomenon that has fallen on their town, they’re also dealing with sneaky reporters, murderous thieves, and ghosts in the forest that surrounds town.
The third volume, A Faraway Place, gives readers a much wider glimpse at the bigger picture that is Revival. We get half answers to the biggest questions, but of course we are given even more questions along the way. The pace is quick and will leave you behind if you don’t pay attention, but it keeps you turning the pages for more. That is the one flaw in this book; sometimes the pace is too quick and details get missed in the race to keep up. Despite that, the characters are real, relatable, and engrossing. Even the town feels familiar, like a place we know from our own personal past.
One of the earliest things that drew readers to Revival was the art, and volume three is on point. Mike Norton’s style combines haunting with reality to bring Seeley’s words to life on the page. The characters feel so real and there is something he adds to the Revivers that makes them feel just a little off, just like something is missing. It’s subtle, but adds whole new dimensions to the story that have made this one a winner.
The news about Revival isn’t all great, but it’s not Seeley or Norton’s fault. No, Revival has made nerd news headlines due to its relationship with ABC television. On Sunday, March 9
a new show entitled Resurrection premiered on the network. The show has had some controversy surrounding it, especially when it was known as The Returned while in development. What does this have to do with Revival? Seeley and Norton have both said they were approached by networks about developing the comic into a series, but then ABC decided to pass on it. Then suddenly ABC was developing a very similar story with a plot almost too similar to Revival. They claim it was based off a different book, but said book had not even been released at that time. Without proof though, there isn’t much fans can do except keep buying and supporting Revival.
Imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery, and with the way Revival is going, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if more similarly themed books and shows start cropping up. With the success of The Walking Dead, people are going to want something similar, yet at the same time different and Revival fits the bill perfectly. Its haunting atmosphere and mysterious plot will leave readers guessing while giving them just enough information to keep them going.
Revival is a great series for anyone looking for something different. The story is layer upon layer of mystery, so you will need to read volumes one and two before you pick up number three, but the journey is well worth it.
