I read the odd AWA comic here and there, but I'll admit to having actively avoided this one due to the fact that it's about zombies. And honestly, zombies bore the hell out of me. Always have, always will. In fact, my fervent wish is that we actually experience a true zombie apocalypse...that is, an apocalyptic event that takes out all zombies.

And yes, I am the guy that read every single one of the 32 trades of Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead. But I found I enjoyed that because it was about the people, and much less about the shambling eaters. The humans were the walking dead, because they were all destined for the same fate.

Yet, for all of that when the manager of the comic shop I work at (yes, I work part time at both a comic shop and a book store...being semi-retired means I get to have my teenage dream jobs now) shoved this one into my hands and told me I had to read it, well...I had to read it. This was the guy that told me the same thing about the Tom King/Mitch Gerads [b:Mister Miracle|39208001|Mister Miracle|Tom King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1548140055l/39208001._SY75_.jpg|57475638], so I have to listen to him now.

Which is a long way around to saying (and yes, I know, Tobin, you're saying, get to the damn review...) that I not only read this, but I read the everlovin' shit out of this.

It's not necessarily a shockingly new take on the zombie story, nor is it necessarily groundbreaking comic book storytelling. But it is a captivating, multi-viewpoint tale of the survivors (and there's actually only an infinitesimal amount of real estate devoted to the zombies themselves, which I love). So, it's a zombie story virtually without zombies.

In other words, it's as much a zombie story as Stephen King's [b:The Stand|149267|The Stand|Stephen King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1213131305l/149267._SX50_.jpg|1742269] is a pandemic story. In Year Zero, Percy and Rosanas use zombies only as a trigger point, an inciting incident to give us a way in to the smaller story arcs of the various characters. Interestingly, none of the characters on their own are particularly fascinating, but taken as a whole, the sum of their stories seem greater than the individual parts.

The art is simply beautiful. Rosanas has a gorgeous, clean style that brings everything into sharp focus.

And the writing is quite good as well. If I have any complaint, it's that Percy can be a touch repetitive in reinforcing some of the various characters' personality traits, but that may be a symptom of monthly comic storytelling as well. And in a pleasant surprise, when this series started, as I said, I avoided it. After that, I never paid attention to it again until the trade was pushed into my hands. If I had, I likely would have realized that the writer of this series is also the author of a novel I read and really enjoyed a couple of months back, [b:The Dark Net|30971743|The Dark Net|Benjamin Percy|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1499860280l/30971743._SY75_.jpg|51589483]. That fact alone would have made me pick it up.

Don't come in expecting big answers, because there's another volume coming. But do come in for the great characters, good writing, and lovely art. ( )