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485th out of 554 books
—
1,743 voters
iZombie, Vol. 1: Dead to the World (iZombie #1)
by
Chris Roberson (Goodreads Author),
Michael Allred
Told from a female zombie’s perspective, this smart, witty detective series mixes urban fantasy and romantic dramedy.Gwendolyn “Gwen” Dylan is a 20-something gravedigger in an eco-friendly cemetery. Once a month she must eat a human brain to keep from losing her memories, but in the process she becomes consumed with the thoughts and personality of the dead person – until s...more
Paperback, 144 pages
Published
March 22nd 2011
by Vertigo
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You'd think zombies were done to death, right? But this is fresh! A sexy zombie!
iZombie is pure brains candy. And the art is otherwordly: Mike Allred's illustrations are delicious enough to eat. And Chris Roberson’s writing is bone chilled out. This isn’t scary monster land, this is a charming monster party.
The main character, Gwen, is a gravedigger in Eugene, Oregon. She looks relatively normal—mildly goth with ghostly pale skin. Only problem is—she has to eat brains or she'll lose her memory...more
iZombie is pure brains candy. And the art is otherwordly: Mike Allred's illustrations are delicious enough to eat. And Chris Roberson’s writing is bone chilled out. This isn’t scary monster land, this is a charming monster party.
The main character, Gwen, is a gravedigger in Eugene, Oregon. She looks relatively normal—mildly goth with ghostly pale skin. Only problem is—she has to eat brains or she'll lose her memory...more
I think the “Zombie Apocalypse” has happened and we are in the midst of it; zombies are everywhere, in comics, on tv, on film - they’re an entire sub-strata of pop culture and every single person on the planet knows what a zombie is. So it’s surprising to find that another comic book featuring zombies should prove to breathe new life into the oversaturated genre and discover an entirely new angle to approach it from.
Gwen is a zombie except she’s not a shambolic, rotting nightmare - but she will...more
Gwen is a zombie except she’s not a shambolic, rotting nightmare - but she will...more
I stayed away from iZOMBIE on Comixology for quite a while. Zombies are played out, we can admit this, right? How many variations on shambling corpses does anyone need?
After reading a sample issue, what really won me over was the general whimsy surrounding everything in this universe. It's not regularly laugh-out-loud funny, but it never gets mired in the melodrama that usually accompanies these sort of horror tropes.
It did concern me when the protagonist felt the need to solve a mystery after e...more
After reading a sample issue, what really won me over was the general whimsy surrounding everything in this universe. It's not regularly laugh-out-loud funny, but it never gets mired in the melodrama that usually accompanies these sort of horror tropes.
It did concern me when the protagonist felt the need to solve a mystery after e...more
I freely admit to giving extra stars based on Mike Allred, who is awesome.
This isn't the most original story ever - it is filled with zombies, were-creatures, ghosts, and vampires, and while some of them are very interesting takes on the conventional ideas, others seem, at least in the first volume, to be very typical to form.
What makes this work is the extremely compelling main character, who I refuse to tell you anything about, because it real is best to be surprised. Actually, all three of th...more
This isn't the most original story ever - it is filled with zombies, were-creatures, ghosts, and vampires, and while some of them are very interesting takes on the conventional ideas, others seem, at least in the first volume, to be very typical to form.
What makes this work is the extremely compelling main character, who I refuse to tell you anything about, because it real is best to be surprised. Actually, all three of th...more
This is just great. With Northlanders, Scalped and DMZ all winding to a close, you always start to worry about Vertigo as an imprint without a few successful new titles on the go. Unwritten is doing well, and I really, really want iZombie to do well, too. Set mostly in and around a graveyard in Eugene, Oregon, our heroine is Gwen, a gravedigger and zombie, who is forced to dig up the freshly dead to eat their brains or risk losing her memory and turning into a shambling mindless monster. Her bes...more
Ajat ovat muuttuneet ja niin ovat zombietkin. Päähenkilö - zombie - Gwen on hotti bööna, jolla on arvot kohdallaan: elävistä ei ammenneta! Päivätyökseen Gwen kaivaa hautoja, öisin hän kaivaa niitä taas auki saadakseen tuoreet aivot ateriaksi. Ilman aivoja Gwen muuttuu kuolaavaksi zombiehirviöksi ja sitähän Gwen ei halua. Valitettavasti aivojen mukana Gwen saa myös kuolleen muistot, mikä hiukan mutkistaa elämää. Gwenin parhaat ystävät ovat kummitus Ellie sekä ihmisterrieri Spot, sorry, Scott. Sam...more
Our shero is Gwen, Girl Zombie: gravedigger by day, brain-eater/painter by night. There's a little bit of mystery, some romantic tension, and an unsettling vampire "reservation" that reminded me of university sorority cliches. I wasn't crazy about the art, but I liked the story enough to get past it. This volume includes enough character introductions and back story to fuel future volumes, and I'm interested enough to read those future volumes. The story includes most of the basic "monsters" - w...more
I didn't read this as a single volume, but instead have been collecting them monthly since issue 3 (when I also picked up issues 1 and 2). And I didn't fall in love with it immediately. Hell, I wouldn't say I'm in love with it now, but it has definitely gotten better over the last year.
For this volume though, it took awhile for me, and a lot of others, to adjust to the idea that this wasn't your average Vertigo series. Instead, its a light, goofy, slice of life story about a group of monster fr...more
For this volume though, it took awhile for me, and a lot of others, to adjust to the idea that this wasn't your average Vertigo series. Instead, its a light, goofy, slice of life story about a group of monster fr...more
In an era littered with countless zombie stories, mostly mediocre to terrible, Roberson and Allred successfully morph the tired undead concept into a superior 21st century slacker neo-gothic. Eugene, OR grave digger Gwen Dylan lives a most unusual existence. Her closest friends include a ghost and a were-terrier. Her recent crush hunts monsters for a centuries-old secret society. Beautiful, bitchy vampires threaten Eugene. And to top it off, Gwen must eat a fresh brain at least once a month or b...more
My favorable rating is based entirely on two things: One, I feel like this series and this cast of characters has a lot of potential. 90% of what's going on in this volume is set-up, but its interesting set-up. Fun characters and concepts that manages to take classic monsters and turn them on their head in a way that doesn't seem forced or tired. I imagine a lot of people are going to complain "enough with the zombies and vampires already," but I'd argue that these are the types of zombies and v...more
Gwen Dylan works as a gravedigger in a Eugene, OR cemetery by day. By night, she hangs out with her friends, tries to figure out the meaning of her life, and tries to just survive.
But her friends are a ghost and a werewolf (or, more accurately, were-terrier). Gwen survives by eating brains once a month, in the process absorbing the memories of the recently-deceased and -consumed and finding herself compelled to resolve any unfinished business they've left behind. Because Gwen is a zombie, but n...more
But her friends are a ghost and a werewolf (or, more accurately, were-terrier). Gwen survives by eating brains once a month, in the process absorbing the memories of the recently-deceased and -consumed and finding herself compelled to resolve any unfinished business they've left behind. Because Gwen is a zombie, but n...more
A fun, light supernatural story.
Gwen is a zombie, but not the shuffling, moaning kind. She holds a job as a gravedigger, which helps her sneak a brain every month or so, keeping her from turning into such a mindless freak. Her latest brain, though, has memories that she finds hard to ignore. And so she sets off on the path to solve a mystery, accompanied by her ghost friend who died in the sixties and is baffled by things like the "Inner Nets".
Unlike other writers, Chris Roberson doesn't go for...more
Gwen is a zombie, but not the shuffling, moaning kind. She holds a job as a gravedigger, which helps her sneak a brain every month or so, keeping her from turning into such a mindless freak. Her latest brain, though, has memories that she finds hard to ignore. And so she sets off on the path to solve a mystery, accompanied by her ghost friend who died in the sixties and is baffled by things like the "Inner Nets".
Unlike other writers, Chris Roberson doesn't go for...more
Pop culture has been in zombie/vampire/werewolf overdrive the past few years, and it’s pretty rare to find a story that has a unique twist on the mythos. iZombie, an ongoing series from Vertigo by Chris Roberson and Michael Allred, isn’t the savior of the genre, but it does at least have a few original twists on some tired old archetypes.
iZombie tells the story of Gwen Dylan, an undead gravedigger who has to eat brains once a month to keep from becoming a full-on shambling zombie horror. She doe...more
iZombie tells the story of Gwen Dylan, an undead gravedigger who has to eat brains once a month to keep from becoming a full-on shambling zombie horror. She doe...more
As a huge fan of zombie fiction, I was intrigued to see how a story involving a self-aware and intelligent zombie would pan out.
Gwen, the main protagonist, covers her existence by working as a grave digger. In order to continue being self aware, she feeds on the brains of the recently-deceased (though adamantly hates this). In turn, this gives her an empathic link to the brain's former "owner" for a short time, leading her to try to finish their "unfinished business" for them.
Add in some superna...more
Gwen, the main protagonist, covers her existence by working as a grave digger. In order to continue being self aware, she feeds on the brains of the recently-deceased (though adamantly hates this). In turn, this gives her an empathic link to the brain's former "owner" for a short time, leading her to try to finish their "unfinished business" for them.
Add in some superna...more
Not a lot of substance, but it's a fun and fluffy read that hints at darker and more intense storylines in upcoming volumes. Gwen is a zombie who has to eat human brains at least once a month to avoid becoming the mindless, Romero-type of undead. Her best friends include a ghost and an unusual kind of lycanthrope. We also have vampires and a mummy and a pair of bumbling and yet dangerous monster-hunters. It's all written with humor and wit -- with the scarier bits to come -- and there's a great...more
Kind of interesting premise, but it wound up being fairly boring. None of the characters felt remotely fleshed out. The idea of solving murder mysteries of the dead people she eats was alright, but nothing felt fresh about the way it was actually set down on paper. Her friends, the ghost girl and the dog boy, were both annoying. A 50s era gogo style airhead ghost and a standard awkward nerd who happens to turn into a were-terrier (seriously?) and has an obvious crush on the main character that s...more
Interesting zombie book. The main character, Gwen, is a zombie who must eat a person's brain every week in order to maintain her human appearance and mind. Unfortunately for her she also gets the memories of the brain's owner. She hangs around with a ghost girl from the sixties and a guy who turns into a were-terrier every month. Pretty intriguing concept. Partway through the book a nice semi-egyptian explanation is given for the presence of different types of supernatural beings that are runnin...more
Päähenkilönä seksikäs zombie-haudankaivaja on aikas hyvä idea. Päivisin kaivetaan kuoppia, joihin haudataan ruumiit ja öisin kaivetaan ne jälleen auki pikkusnackeja varten. Jos aivoja ei tipu, alkaa homma muistuttaa Night of the Living Deadia - mutta vieraiden ruumiiden aivot tuovat älyn lisäksi mukanaa myös omat muistonsa.
Kun tämänkertainen ruoka paljastaa murhaajansa kasvot, on Gwenin ryhdyttävä toimeen. Mutkia matkaan tietää hirviönmetsästäjien parivaljakko, joista toinen on hyvin kiinnostava...more
Kun tämänkertainen ruoka paljastaa murhaajansa kasvot, on Gwenin ryhdyttävä toimeen. Mutkia matkaan tietää hirviönmetsästäjien parivaljakko, joista toinen on hyvin kiinnostava...more
Whaaaaa? I don’t even know how to react to this because I am so caught up with the locale description. This is set in Eugene, you guys. This book is set where I live! Only not. These people . . . and the places . . . so weird. Most of this takes place in a diner. A DINER! How weird is that? Have you even BEEN to Eugene? A diner called Dixie’s? Where the owner was part of the mafia? That crazy Eugene mafia. WTH? And it is open all night? I am lost to what you are trying to do here.
AND WHAT GRAVEY...more
AND WHAT GRAVEY...more
"It's easier to show than to tell."
Roberson and Allred present a fun take on monsters living in Eugene, Oregon and solving crimes. I was initially worried that the book would be too full of viscera and bloodletting, but in fact it was pretty charming. I often felt like there were large parts of the book that told rather than showed (the sequence explaining the under- and oversoul, for example) but the characters and their relationships make up for that.
I think Allred is experimenting with his ar...more
Roberson and Allred present a fun take on monsters living in Eugene, Oregon and solving crimes. I was initially worried that the book would be too full of viscera and bloodletting, but in fact it was pretty charming. I often felt like there were large parts of the book that told rather than showed (the sequence explaining the under- and oversoul, for example) but the characters and their relationships make up for that.
I think Allred is experimenting with his ar...more
This is so much fun. Think Buffy, except that she's a zombie.
I was originally attracted to this because I thought she would be a cyber-zombie ("i" connotes technology to me), but be warned, she's not. There are ghosts, vampires, a wereterrier, a mummy, and of course, a mystery. You don't know quite who to trust. But this is clearly an establishing volume for a much larger story.
And I think I'll read the rest.
At first glance, I wasn't a big fan of the illustrations, but they really do serve the...more
I was originally attracted to this because I thought she would be a cyber-zombie ("i" connotes technology to me), but be warned, she's not. There are ghosts, vampires, a wereterrier, a mummy, and of course, a mystery. You don't know quite who to trust. But this is clearly an establishing volume for a much larger story.
And I think I'll read the rest.
At first glance, I wasn't a big fan of the illustrations, but they really do serve the...more
The buzz around this book has been really good and after finally getting a chance to read it I see why but am still left wanting more. I didn't love this but it was very good. Chris Roberson does a fine job conveying the different characters point of view well. The book was a little slow at times especially the info dump in the fourth issue but there some fantastic ideas that I look forward to them being fleshed out. The art by Mike Allred seems like a perfect fit for this. I haven't liked much...more
We have too many movies, TV shows and books in the world about vampires and zombies, and here's another one about BOTH. But this one's actually pretty good! More than that, it's really good! If you're looking for an antidote to the sparkly, wistful monsters littering today's pop culture, here's a new series with bite and pith and snark to spare. And if you've never experience Michael Allred's deliciously retro looking artwork before, you're going to be in for a treat. Everything about iZombie po...more
Absolutely amazing. iZombie is well-written, complex, and complete. There are multiple story arcs all going on at the same time and Roberson weaves them together seamlessly. He even included genius lore to explain the supernatural in the world he's created. That really impressed me. The story is very human and relatable, which is counter-intuitive, since most of the characters aren't strictly human, per se. I have the clawing urge to get Vol. 2 ASAP and read it before Vol. 3 is released.
I conten...more
I conten...more
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Finally! A zombie with attitude and sex appeal - just what we'd all been waiting for! Gwen Dylan is a zombie, but she looks human, so long as she eats a brain once a month. If she doesn't, then she becomes just another shuffling Undead.
Gwen isn't the only supernatural being in her neighborhood, however: there are ghosts, vampires, mummies, and wereterriers, and this is only in the first volume. It's a great introductory installation in Gwen's adventures, setting up the cast of characters well, b...more
Gwen isn't the only supernatural being in her neighborhood, however: there are ghosts, vampires, mummies, and wereterriers, and this is only in the first volume. It's a great introductory installation in Gwen's adventures, setting up the cast of characters well, b...more
This was a fun, well-written urban fantasy. Took me far longer than it should have to finish - I kept getting distracted, and needed to read under bright light to see all the detail.
Gwen is a grave digger in Eugene, Oregon. In an organic, all-natural cemetery - no embalming. Oh, and once a month, she has to eat brains, since she's a zombie. Completely self-aware, which makes her better than the average bear. There're lots of interesting critters wandering around Eugene - ghosts, a werewolf (ok,...more
Gwen is a grave digger in Eugene, Oregon. In an organic, all-natural cemetery - no embalming. Oh, and once a month, she has to eat brains, since she's a zombie. Completely self-aware, which makes her better than the average bear. There're lots of interesting critters wandering around Eugene - ghosts, a werewolf (ok,...more
I almost skipped writing a review on this book because I’m not exactly sure how I feel about it. It took me, like, half the book to get invested in it at all. Beginnings are sometimes slow, so I’ll let it pass as a non-issue, especially because half a graphic novel isn’t actually all that much story wise. After that boring beginning part, though, we start getting more of the meat of the story and it becomes less of a book to finish and more of a book to enjoy.
The story is rather unique. I’ve nev...more
The story is rather unique. I’ve nev...more
I really tried hard to like this book, but the art almost killed me to slog through. Roberson comes highly recommended through a recent War Rocket Ajax podcast interview, and I'm a big fan of the whole zombie ethic, so i really wanted to enjoy this.
However - and maybe it's really just me - but I have a hard time connecting with Allred's art style. It's clearly a style, and I'm aware he's got talent, but I'll tell you two things that hurt it for me: the scenes, no matter what angle you're looking...more
However - and maybe it's really just me - but I have a hard time connecting with Allred's art style. It's clearly a style, and I'm aware he's got talent, but I'll tell you two things that hurt it for me: the scenes, no matter what angle you're looking...more
The Coolness—
• The main idea of iZombie vol. 1 Dead to the World is a thing of beauty if you're a horror fan (especially if you dig zombies). Gwen dies, wakes up undead and discovers that she has to feast on a brain a month or become a shambling mass of rotting flesh with an insatiable appetite. She is not just cute, she's hot (as David pointed out in his review, this is a wonderful change from the zombies we're used to seeing), and she has to navigate our everyday world while fighting and feedi...more
• The main idea of iZombie vol. 1 Dead to the World is a thing of beauty if you're a horror fan (especially if you dig zombies). Gwen dies, wakes up undead and discovers that she has to feast on a brain a month or become a shambling mass of rotting flesh with an insatiable appetite. She is not just cute, she's hot (as David pointed out in his review, this is a wonderful change from the zombies we're used to seeing), and she has to navigate our everyday world while fighting and feedi...more
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Chris Roberson is a science fiction author and publisher based in Austin, Texas, best known for alternate history novels and short stories.
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Mar 10, 2012 08:45am
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