Mike Norton

In Wausau, Wisconsin, the dead just won't stay dead. Not surprising, the residents of Wausau are a bit discomfited when their dearly departed loved ones comes strolling home. The thing is, they're not zombies exactly, they walk and talk pretty much like they used to but, well, death seems to have given them a whole new attitude.

Juxtaposing the violence of the newly awaken dead against the backdrop of a sleepy midwestern hamlet is not new. However, writer Tom Seeley and illustrator Mike show more Norton seem to have taken this scenario and made it their own. The story seems to swing between peaceful rural life to extreme violence at the drop of a shroud. There is no setup, no pretty coeds cringing in the dark letting us know what to expect, no ominous shadows warning the townsfolk and the reader that danger is near. Instead, there is just sweet, dead grampa sitting comfortably and quietly on the couch with no hint of the violence awaiting the family upstairs.

This is the first volume of the series. It bring together volumes 1 - 6 of the comic in this graphic novel and it raises more questions than it answers. We don't find out why the dead are rising or why it is happening in this cozy little town in mid-America. It is really just a small taste of the story but, oh, what a taste! I read it from cover to cover without pause. The story is smart and the illustrations are gorgeous. My one complaint - it ends on a cliffhanger leaving so much unanswered - but, you know what, that's okay. Too often, I find that the endings of graphic novels seem to be rushed because of page limitations. In the case of Revival, the story is much too good to be told in a single volume. show less

The dead are coming back! But are they flesh eating zombies or ghosts or good souls given eternal life? When the dearly departed suddenly arise in and around a small town in rural Wisconsis they mostly they seem ordinary and confused, with a few notable exception such as they guy who was in the process of being cremated when the miracle occurred. In deepest winter, quarantined, the subject of global scrutiny and the walking dead in their midst, it all seems too much for anyone to handle. show more Officer Dana Cypress is put in charge of crimes related to the Revived, but her first callout leads to a horrifying and violent incident that, amongst other things, leads to a devastating discovery about her own sister.

With glowing figures haunting the woods, a would-be exorcist hunting the devil, a deranged old granny on the loose and the CDC contemplating internment for the Revived, fear is on the increase and secrets are bubbling under and over.

A brilliant mix of supernatural horror and rural crime drama packed with mystery and chills and sudden scenes of gruesome carnage, this is a strong start to en exciting series. The dead coming back is nothing new in fiction, but Seeley and Norton manage to make this both startling and original. show less

Some full-on moments of horror in this volume, as the revivers experience some dissociative affects of their return from the dead, and the strange wraiths haunt the woods. Dana Cypress hunts her sister's killer in earnest, with a little help from her sister, the murder victim. All sorts of strange troubles and doings sre brewing, from the white supremacist stirring things up, the journalist investigating the disappearance of the three brothers Em killed last volume, a figure in black setting show more fire to a university professor's office, and the professor himself possibly connected to Em's death. It's getting tangled and troubled in Wisconsin, and this is absolutely brilliant. show less

As a whole, collected volumes 1 thru 5 aren't very different from each other. The artwork is as gruesome as the story. The underlying elements in each collected volume vary a little; but the story arc stays cohesive. I'm sort of riveted by all the other ethical bits of the whole story
* should people that are different/dangerous be forcibly detained?
* how ethical is it to quarantine one or more towns?
* if you want to die, but can't, what are the ethical implications?

Each collected volume show more moves the entire story forward, which I'm pleased to see. show less