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No Mercy #1
No Mercy, Vol. 1
It was just a trip before college. Build schools in a Central American village; get to know some of the other freshmen. But after tragedy strikes, a handful of once-privileged US teens must find their way home in a cruel landscape that at best doesn't like them, and at worst, actively wants to kill them. And then, of course, there are the secrets the kids are keeping from each other. From third-grade spelling bee champ Alex de Campi (Archie vs Predator, Grindhouse) and Eisner/LA Times Book Award winner Carla Speed McNeil (Finder) comes a highly episodic thriller of teenagers in peril.
120 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2015
About the author
Alex de Campi
260 books245 followersAlex de Campi is a New York-based writer with an extensive backlist of critically-acclaimed graphic novels including Eisner-nominated heist noir Bad Girls (Simon & Schuster) and Twisted Romance (Image Comics). Her most recent book was her debut prose novel The Scottish Boy (Unbound). She lives with her daughter, their cat, and a Deafblind pit bull named Tango.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
February 28, 2022
Not bad but not great. None of the kids are all that likable so I don't really care if they get killed off.
July 28, 2017
I made a mistake initially and started to read the third volume of this series, and then, what the heck, I just finished it,not liking it that much. But then I read the first volume and though it was good:
It's a nasty, darkly funny little survivor comic with a not very original premise: A group of students planning to attend Princeton in the fall go to Mataguey in Central America to build houses. Rich, pampered kids doing a service project, right? Clueless kids with no practical skills lost in the woods with no survival skills. Then their bus skids off the road and off a cliff 20 miles from the nearest town. What will they do??!! They only know how to party! They don't even know how to wipe their own noses! And they are lost, in a "third world" country facing predators, without food and water? Let the yuppies die, you say? Well, de Campi just might give you your wish.
The best thing here for me is the art of Carla Speed McNeil, which is highly accomplished state of the art comics, a little cartoony (think, a bit of Archie and Veronica with drugs and alcohol) for the YA audience and for the somewhat goofy tone, edging occasionally (as you might guess!) into a somewhat darker tone. No monsters here (that I have seen, anyway), but it is horror, teens in peril. I thought it was pretty good, pretty entertaining. Lurking here might just be some commentary on third world politics and class-consciousness, but nothing really deep that I have sen yet.
It's a nasty, darkly funny little survivor comic with a not very original premise: A group of students planning to attend Princeton in the fall go to Mataguey in Central America to build houses. Rich, pampered kids doing a service project, right? Clueless kids with no practical skills lost in the woods with no survival skills. Then their bus skids off the road and off a cliff 20 miles from the nearest town. What will they do??!! They only know how to party! They don't even know how to wipe their own noses! And they are lost, in a "third world" country facing predators, without food and water? Let the yuppies die, you say? Well, de Campi just might give you your wish.
The best thing here for me is the art of Carla Speed McNeil, which is highly accomplished state of the art comics, a little cartoony (think, a bit of Archie and Veronica with drugs and alcohol) for the YA audience and for the somewhat goofy tone, edging occasionally (as you might guess!) into a somewhat darker tone. No monsters here (that I have seen, anyway), but it is horror, teens in peril. I thought it was pretty good, pretty entertaining. Lurking here might just be some commentary on third world politics and class-consciousness, but nothing really deep that I have sen yet.
April 22, 2018
Re-reading this fucking masterpiece because I want to read the next volumes too now that I purchased everything!
Highly recommended drama!
#teenagers #survival #mystery #drugs #horror #facebook #instagram #coyotes #fire #bus #sadness #hashtags #more #hashtags
Old Review:
Rated 4 stars because, the story kept me wanting to read more and more. It's not like it's something WOAH, but damn, it keeps you on your toes.
Really like what Alex de Campi is doing here, very NOW-times setting, teenagers being stupid and stuff, a bunch of them before college, going to a trip... and then... Alex throws the bus over a cliff. HA!
It all starts from from issue 1, no flashbacks no his life is like that and her life was like that, none of that bullshit that I mostly hate. So that was REALLY good.
We basically have teenagers, mostly stupid ones, trying to survive out in the wild. And lots of mysterious characters inside. Alex is also MEAN to her characters, I mean, like, she's not giving anyone a chance. I love it.
The artwork is awesome. Really really awesome. The coloring is just wonderful too, what else do you want? OH RIGHT. We also get emojis all the time inside. WHO THOUGHT OF THAT? Before I read it, seeing previews, I thought that was totally stupid, but man, it fits SO right with the theme and the characters inside. It's genius.
If you like adventure/mystery/survival stories, you shouldn't read my review, you should read the first volume. And that cliffhanger at the end? Damn. I need to tweet at the team when's the next issue coming. I'm so hooked.
The ONLY thing I didn't like was that stupid brother who's punching and calling names his sister.. I found it.. kinda.. too much. Who talks/acts like that? C'mon. Other than that, everything else was great. A really great start.
Can't wait for the next issue!
Highly recommended drama!
#teenagers #survival #mystery #drugs #horror #facebook #instagram #coyotes #fire #bus #sadness #hashtags #more #hashtags
Old Review:
Rated 4 stars because, the story kept me wanting to read more and more. It's not like it's something WOAH, but damn, it keeps you on your toes.
Really like what Alex de Campi is doing here, very NOW-times setting, teenagers being stupid and stuff, a bunch of them before college, going to a trip... and then... Alex throws the bus over a cliff. HA!
It all starts from from issue 1, no flashbacks no his life is like that and her life was like that, none of that bullshit that I mostly hate. So that was REALLY good.
We basically have teenagers, mostly stupid ones, trying to survive out in the wild. And lots of mysterious characters inside. Alex is also MEAN to her characters, I mean, like, she's not giving anyone a chance. I love it.
The artwork is awesome. Really really awesome. The coloring is just wonderful too, what else do you want? OH RIGHT. We also get emojis all the time inside. WHO THOUGHT OF THAT? Before I read it, seeing previews, I thought that was totally stupid, but man, it fits SO right with the theme and the characters inside. It's genius.
If you like adventure/mystery/survival stories, you shouldn't read my review, you should read the first volume. And that cliffhanger at the end? Damn. I need to tweet at the team when's the next issue coming. I'm so hooked.
The ONLY thing I didn't like was that stupid brother who's punching and calling names his sister.. I found it.. kinda.. too much. Who talks/acts like that? C'mon. Other than that, everything else was great. A really great start.
Can't wait for the next issue!
October 6, 2020
Kinda didnt care about any of the college kids
February 5, 2017
I like No Mercy because it is a solid drama. Part of me wants to call it The Walking Dead if the zombie apocalypse was a bus crash in a Central American country. The plot threads are woven with care and highly dramatic.
What really draws me to this book is the art by Carla Speed McNeil and Jenn Manley Lee. The structure of each panel adds gravitas to the script. The angles and focal points are the kind of storytelling that makes any amateur filmmakers jealous. The coloring is some of the best that I have seen in comics in years. It is a broad palette that further deeps the impact of the visual storytelling.
If you like stories of class conflict, third world politics, consciousness raising and life-or-death suspense, then this is the comic book for you. If you like comic books with stunning art, then this is the title for you to buy every month.
What really draws me to this book is the art by Carla Speed McNeil and Jenn Manley Lee. The structure of each panel adds gravitas to the script. The angles and focal points are the kind of storytelling that makes any amateur filmmakers jealous. The coloring is some of the best that I have seen in comics in years. It is a broad palette that further deeps the impact of the visual storytelling.
If you like stories of class conflict, third world politics, consciousness raising and life-or-death suspense, then this is the comic book for you. If you like comic books with stunning art, then this is the title for you to buy every month.
November 26, 2015
Yeah, it is really quite good, nice and deranged but life like.
August 21, 2016
We certainly like to kill our teenagers, don't we? Between The Woods, Morning Glories, Hunger Games, and this, killing off teenagers is a favorite tendency, and this book follows the formula; introduce a number of teens, kill off a percentage of them in an opening sequence, then focus on the rest as they struggle to survive. This is a more real-world instance of it, as a bevy of pre-Frosh Princeton students in Mataguey go off a cliff 20 miles from the nearest town. They're ill prepared for the situation, and the one surviving adult isn't doing too well either. On top of that, there are drug runners, sibling issues, and prejudices all combining to make things worse.
The art is effective in distinguishing all the characters, and most of the characters are pretty distinctive (Anthony makes an immediate memorable impression). The sibling relationship is a bit over the top, but beyond that, it seems pretty true to life. And the travel reminiscences at the end of the book are as interesting as the main story. So as long as you don't mind seeing lots of teens endangered, this makes for an interesting book.
The art is effective in distinguishing all the characters, and most of the characters are pretty distinctive (Anthony makes an immediate memorable impression). The sibling relationship is a bit over the top, but beyond that, it seems pretty true to life. And the travel reminiscences at the end of the book are as interesting as the main story. So as long as you don't mind seeing lots of teens endangered, this makes for an interesting book.
May 9, 2016
The clue is in the title: this is a compellingly cruel disaster/survival horror comic, clearly built for a limited run and determined to have as much sadistic fun as possible on the way. A busload of teenagers meets catastrophe in the Mexican desert, and the calamities keep piling up. Alex De Campi starts the kids off relatively unsympathetic and clueless - the first issue is a garish blob of late-millennial markers - then gradually humanise them (well, some of them) as the pressure starts to build. Are the stricken teens still horrible idiots? Yes, sure, but by the end of Vol.1 No Mercy has hit an excellent balance between "hope they survive" and "well aware they won't". Carla Speed McNeil's expressive cartooning does a lot to help keep me on the kids' side.
February 14, 2016
The book started off pretty great, but around page 60/part 3, it just went downhill. Instead of sympathizing with the characters I was just shaking my head at their stupidity. I also felt like the plot was a bit confusing. [spoiler]Not only do we have the survivor theme, but we also have some drugs which will cause trouble. It didn't really fit, and I was actually not looking forward to that. I came for the survivor stuff, not for the OMG drugs + mexico stuff. [/spoiler]
The first half of the book was epic. We meet the kids, we get to see more about them (though I have to be honest, it was really obvious who survived the crash and who didn't from when we see them in the bus) and then the poo hits the fan when the busdriver has to dodge all kinds of stuff and then crashes off a cliff.
Say hello to death, coyotes, lack of water, food, friends who are ripped from life way to fast. The pace is set really fast, and I really was sucked in the book. So much happened, so much poo hit the fan, and at times I just had to look away because it was just too much.
And then as I said came part 3, and then I just lost interest.
The characters? Well as I said, I did like them (well not all of them, what is up with that brother/sister and why are is he such a big ass towards his sister? Why does he abuse her like that?), but as the story progresses you can see their true nature, and I can tell you, they aren't always pretty. :|
Also a warning, don't get too attached to the characters. The author doesn't shy away from just killing people it seems. I know, it fits the theme, but at times I was a bit stunned to see stuff happening that was pretty unnecessary.
I have to give a plus-point to the fact that the anime Mahō Shōjo Madoka Magika was referenced when one of the characters sang Connect by Claris song. I barely see anime being referenced in GN/comics, so it is a big happy thing when it finally happens. :D
The art is really pretty and I really love them. Though I have to also say that often the wounds on the characters looked a bit fake.
But I also have to give a minus-point for the fact there was a cliffhanger at the end. I HATE cliffhangers.
All in all, generally a good book, with good themes (just could do without the drugs) and pretty good art.
Will I be checking out the next book (whenever it comes out)? I am not sure yet. Maybe I will, for now I will say no though.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
The first half of the book was epic. We meet the kids, we get to see more about them (though I have to be honest, it was really obvious who survived the crash and who didn't from when we see them in the bus) and then the poo hits the fan when the busdriver has to dodge all kinds of stuff and then crashes off a cliff.
Say hello to death, coyotes, lack of water, food, friends who are ripped from life way to fast. The pace is set really fast, and I really was sucked in the book. So much happened, so much poo hit the fan, and at times I just had to look away because it was just too much.
And then as I said came part 3, and then I just lost interest.
The characters? Well as I said, I did like them (well not all of them, what is up with that brother/sister and why are is he such a big ass towards his sister? Why does he abuse her like that?), but as the story progresses you can see their true nature, and I can tell you, they aren't always pretty. :|
Also a warning, don't get too attached to the characters. The author doesn't shy away from just killing people it seems. I know, it fits the theme, but at times I was a bit stunned to see stuff happening that was pretty unnecessary.
I have to give a plus-point to the fact that the anime Mahō Shōjo Madoka Magika was referenced when one of the characters sang Connect by Claris song. I barely see anime being referenced in GN/comics, so it is a big happy thing when it finally happens. :D
The art is really pretty and I really love them. Though I have to also say that often the wounds on the characters looked a bit fake.
But I also have to give a minus-point for the fact there was a cliffhanger at the end. I HATE cliffhangers.
All in all, generally a good book, with good themes (just could do without the drugs) and pretty good art.
Will I be checking out the next book (whenever it comes out)? I am not sure yet. Maybe I will, for now I will say no though.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
October 17, 2015
I won a free copy of this book in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up liking this. In the beginning I was afraid it read a little too young for me, but the story was good and I got over it. I liked the characters and the pop culture references, and there was a sense of foreboding established early on. I am a big fan of foreboding. It was obvious that some horrific shit was going to go down, but there was also clever dialogue and humor. And I liked the art too! All in all I thought it was great and I look forward to reading the next volumes. I also want to check out other stuff Alex de Campi has done.
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up liking this. In the beginning I was afraid it read a little too young for me, but the story was good and I got over it. I liked the characters and the pop culture references, and there was a sense of foreboding established early on. I am a big fan of foreboding. It was obvious that some horrific shit was going to go down, but there was also clever dialogue and humor. And I liked the art too! All in all I thought it was great and I look forward to reading the next volumes. I also want to check out other stuff Alex de Campi has done.
July 17, 2016
This shouldn't be so fun but it is. The title really says it all. When a group of privileged students are involved in a bus crash in a fictional Latin country the characters face unsympathetic odds and no one is safe from the writer's hand. The story hooked me right away and I couldn't stop reading until I was finished.
December 28, 2015
Very well done, and I couldn't put it down -- I ended up reading it standing in my kitchen when I was supposed to be cooking dinner. But it was a bit unrelentingly depressing for my tastes, and I'm not sure that I'll read the rest of the series.
June 2, 2017
I read the first two issues of this FOREVER ago and was really curious to see where it would go. It's not supernatural, by any means - the story follows a group of teenagers who survive a bus crash in Mexico, several of them badly injured, while they wait for one of their chaperones to return with help. Things go terribly wrong and are in the midst of going even wrong-er when this volume ends - so I am excited to see that volume two is out and I can continue the story without having to wait around for months. Hoping it remains as compelling.
September 24, 2017
Not my cup of tea.
October 20, 2022
The emojis were dumb. Why does no one call out Chad?
Still interested to at least try the next volume.
Still interested to at least try the next volume.
November 11, 2018
Wasn't too into it at first but i enjoyed it the more i read it ans HOLY FUCK THAT CLIFFHANGER
October 2, 2018
No Mercy Series Ratings:
No Mercy Vol 1: ★
No Mercy Vol 2: Lost Interest in Series
—
This just didn't do anything for me.
—
I read this book as part of my 2018 Library Love binge, where I read as many library books as possible to take advantage of my great local library network before I move interstate!
___
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No Mercy Vol 1: ★
No Mercy Vol 2: Lost Interest in Series
—
This just didn't do anything for me.
—
I read this book as part of my 2018 Library Love binge, where I read as many library books as possible to take advantage of my great local library network before I move interstate!
___
│Blog│Instagram│Twitter│Tumblr│
April 20, 2016
Also available on the WondrousBooks blog.
While No Mercy by far does not possess the best or most original story out there, it's interesting and once I started, without meaning to, I kept flipping the pages until there were no more left. Therefore, I can definitely say that it was a pleasurable read.
No Mercy basically represents every survivor story ever written: a group of people, in this case student volunteers, go on a trip, they have an accident and are left to fend for themselves, again in this case in the dangerous and fictional Mataguey somewhere in Latin America.
To be honest, the first 4 issues are not even adequate in explaining the story, they provide no answers, just set the premise for the future developments. The entire idea is not all that obscure, but it's still fun to follow. And if not fun, by all means - it's funny in a gruesome way.
Which leads me to the thing I enjoyed the most about No Mercy: the means of the author to present the story. I really love it when instead of a straightforward narrative, writers use other means too. In the case of Love, Rosie it was all kinds of correspondence, including letters, emails and texts. Here, a lot of the story is shown through the tools of the social media platforms that most, if not all of us, use in our day to day life. And it is not hard to see our own dependence on our technology and especially on our phones as flawed as it can be if taken to extremes. Sure, I too support the idea that technology is helpful, but Tiffani as a character represents a type of person that we see every day - the people who don't really have fun, they just care about appearing to be having fun on social media. That's a flaw that deserves to be criticized and mocked, if only to make people give it a second thought.
Among all of the characters, I didn't find many likable ones, but in this case I think that's the point. This group of random, different from each other, spoiled kids will have to find a way to cooperate and find a out of the mess as a team, not as the annoying individuals that they are and I think that might be very interesting to follow.
*** 3.5 stars ***
While No Mercy by far does not possess the best or most original story out there, it's interesting and once I started, without meaning to, I kept flipping the pages until there were no more left. Therefore, I can definitely say that it was a pleasurable read.
No Mercy basically represents every survivor story ever written: a group of people, in this case student volunteers, go on a trip, they have an accident and are left to fend for themselves, again in this case in the dangerous and fictional Mataguey somewhere in Latin America.
To be honest, the first 4 issues are not even adequate in explaining the story, they provide no answers, just set the premise for the future developments. The entire idea is not all that obscure, but it's still fun to follow. And if not fun, by all means - it's funny in a gruesome way.
Which leads me to the thing I enjoyed the most about No Mercy: the means of the author to present the story. I really love it when instead of a straightforward narrative, writers use other means too. In the case of Love, Rosie it was all kinds of correspondence, including letters, emails and texts. Here, a lot of the story is shown through the tools of the social media platforms that most, if not all of us, use in our day to day life. And it is not hard to see our own dependence on our technology and especially on our phones as flawed as it can be if taken to extremes. Sure, I too support the idea that technology is helpful, but Tiffani as a character represents a type of person that we see every day - the people who don't really have fun, they just care about appearing to be having fun on social media. That's a flaw that deserves to be criticized and mocked, if only to make people give it a second thought.
Among all of the characters, I didn't find many likable ones, but in this case I think that's the point. This group of random, different from each other, spoiled kids will have to find a way to cooperate and find a out of the mess as a team, not as the annoying individuals that they are and I think that might be very interesting to follow.
June 17, 2017
As the title suggests, this book can be brutal. It starts off innocuously with a group of teens going on a volunteer trip to Latin America. The early portion of the book plays up the fact that these kids are preparing to move onto college and might just be going on this trip to make themselves look good. Their guide once they arrive is a nun, but even with her help they end up stranded.
The creators do a nice job easing into the crux of the story. I think it would have felt like a very different book if they opened right into the bad stuff. As it is, the tension created after the first major turning point works. From there it becomes a matter of survival for everyone. They will have to face some basic issues like what to do about food/water and protect themselves from predators. Groups are formed and there are a few stand out characters, but there is a large cast and not all of them get enough attention. That's okay for this collection as it is creating a tone for the larger story. I would expect there to be a greater character focus in the next volume.
I dig the illustrations in this book. Things start out sort of chaotic to match the business of the airport, which is a nice touch. The backgrounds are shown nicely and I like the character drawings. There are a few times when a character looks odd because of proportions, but it didn't ruin the story.
The creators do a nice job easing into the crux of the story. I think it would have felt like a very different book if they opened right into the bad stuff. As it is, the tension created after the first major turning point works. From there it becomes a matter of survival for everyone. They will have to face some basic issues like what to do about food/water and protect themselves from predators. Groups are formed and there are a few stand out characters, but there is a large cast and not all of them get enough attention. That's okay for this collection as it is creating a tone for the larger story. I would expect there to be a greater character focus in the next volume.
I dig the illustrations in this book. Things start out sort of chaotic to match the business of the airport, which is a nice touch. The backgrounds are shown nicely and I like the character drawings. There are a few times when a character looks odd because of proportions, but it didn't ruin the story.
June 15, 2017
Some people call Alex de Campi the new Alan Moore, some people are wrong.
Most strikingly she lacks the full, lavish, magnificent beard and almost just as evident, this story is written in a completely different style. But both remarks are in no way demeaning: so Alex isn't a bearded lady (can live with it) and she spins an unique type of yarns (can certainly live with this!).
No Mercy! is a bit deceiving, it's not what you expect it to be. I read the first few pages and somehow I thought I got the drift... but I was wrong, completely wrong because there are some U-turns in the story you wouldn't expect. But once they've happened they make sense and you can't imagine how the story could have gone differently.
Great reading and maybe a classic to be!
(I'm not commenting on the plot because I'd be spoiling your fun.)
Most strikingly she lacks the full, lavish, magnificent beard and almost just as evident, this story is written in a completely different style. But both remarks are in no way demeaning: so Alex isn't a bearded lady (can live with it) and she spins an unique type of yarns (can certainly live with this!).
No Mercy! is a bit deceiving, it's not what you expect it to be. I read the first few pages and somehow I thought I got the drift... but I was wrong, completely wrong because there are some U-turns in the story you wouldn't expect. But once they've happened they make sense and you can't imagine how the story could have gone differently.
Great reading and maybe a classic to be!
(I'm not commenting on the plot because I'd be spoiling your fun.)
January 3, 2018
Eu comprei o primeiro número de "No Mercy" em floppy e ainda não tinha lido nada assim. Um grupo de estudantes americanos do secundário foram em visita de estudo a Mataguey com o objectivo de construir uma escola - fica sempre bem num currículo de candidatura ao ensino superior, retorque Lily, a mais vocal das personagens naquelas primeiras páginas.
A interacção dos adolescentes era credível e, se bem que dependente de alguns estereótipos, engraçada. A história começa a estabelecer no leitor a famosa "falsa sensação de segurança" e depois o status quo é destroçado violenta e brutalmente.
É precisamente nesta brutalidade que reside o ponto mais forte da história, que converte o relato da vivência adolescente num de sobrevivência e relacionamentos humanos em condições de stress extremo: desde o abuso ao preconceito à perda do melhor amigo para uma matilha de coiotes(!).
A minha principal dificuldade foi digerir os emoticons e as referências a uma contemporaneidade que não acredito ser vivida pelos adolescentes como é retratada nesta bd. Há alguns problemas também com o ritmo da narrativa, que não parece fluir tão bem como devia, penso que poderia melhorar se fosse possível intercalar o tempo presente com a história pregressa das personagens (mas suspeito que seja influência do fã de "Lost" em mim).
Portanto, abordado o trabalho de Alex de Campi, passo agora a Carla Speed McNeil que, sendo muito sincero, sei ser melhor desenhadora. Não há uma consistência de estilo de traço e, mais notoriamente, de proporções. É pena, porque o seu trabalho no seu projeto pessoal - "Finder" - está a léguas em termos de qualidade e "No Mercy" perde também um pouco pelo seu aspecto pouco trabalhado e tentativamente redimido pelas cores de Jenn Manley Lee.
Há, no entanto, momentos de grande eficácia narrativa, especificamente os que dependem do contraste entre as duas realidades do livro (p.e., as memórias de infância de Tiffani invadidas pelas varejeira do presente).
Resumindo, "No Mercy" desiludiu-me, especialmente após a promessa daquele primeiro número dos fascículos que praticamente me obrigou a comprar este primeiro volume.
Não é, seguramente, um "Teen Lost", mas também não tem de ser.
A interacção dos adolescentes era credível e, se bem que dependente de alguns estereótipos, engraçada. A história começa a estabelecer no leitor a famosa "falsa sensação de segurança" e depois o status quo é destroçado violenta e brutalmente.
É precisamente nesta brutalidade que reside o ponto mais forte da história, que converte o relato da vivência adolescente num de sobrevivência e relacionamentos humanos em condições de stress extremo: desde o abuso ao preconceito à perda do melhor amigo para uma matilha de coiotes(!).
A minha principal dificuldade foi digerir os emoticons e as referências a uma contemporaneidade que não acredito ser vivida pelos adolescentes como é retratada nesta bd. Há alguns problemas também com o ritmo da narrativa, que não parece fluir tão bem como devia, penso que poderia melhorar se fosse possível intercalar o tempo presente com a história pregressa das personagens (mas suspeito que seja influência do fã de "Lost" em mim).
Portanto, abordado o trabalho de Alex de Campi, passo agora a Carla Speed McNeil que, sendo muito sincero, sei ser melhor desenhadora. Não há uma consistência de estilo de traço e, mais notoriamente, de proporções. É pena, porque o seu trabalho no seu projeto pessoal - "Finder" - está a léguas em termos de qualidade e "No Mercy" perde também um pouco pelo seu aspecto pouco trabalhado e tentativamente redimido pelas cores de Jenn Manley Lee.
Há, no entanto, momentos de grande eficácia narrativa, especificamente os que dependem do contraste entre as duas realidades do livro (p.e., as memórias de infância de Tiffani invadidas pelas varejeira do presente).
Resumindo, "No Mercy" desiludiu-me, especialmente após a promessa daquele primeiro número dos fascículos que praticamente me obrigou a comprar este primeiro volume.
Não é, seguramente, um "Teen Lost", mas também não tem de ser.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2018
This is a review for the first 3 volumes. Spoilers, probably.
Seems like a common enough premise--bunch of teens on a humanitarian trip in the jungle who get in an accident and struggle to survive. What made it unique was when the story split the group up and followed the characters through some very different sets of circumstances, getting rescued at different times, responding differently to what had happened to them, etc. It's pretty ambitious, trying to effectively characterize all those individuals, but de Campi does a pretty good job of it. There's a bit of stereotyping when it comes to the wealthy families, and a few of the characters are done away with in a manner that makes you feel like de Campi just got tired of writing them. But overall, she accomplishes a ton in 14 issues. It totally feels unfinished--imagine my shock and sadness when I got to the end of volume 3 and realized it was the end. I was confused at first, but upon reflection realized that in terms of the characters who were left unrescued, de Campi left enough clues for the reader to figure out the most likely scenario for a particular character. It's an unconventional way to end a series, with all those loose ends, but it then makes for a unique reading experience as well.
As for the art, it's why I picked up the series to begin with. I LOVED Finder and love McNeil's style-mostly realistic, but with a classic comics feel to it. The colors were also gorgeous. A beautiful book to look at. I just wish there was more.
A special shout out to the incredible standalone story of Sebastian's ordeal at the rehabilitation center. Incredibly effective. It should win some kind of award.
Seems like a common enough premise--bunch of teens on a humanitarian trip in the jungle who get in an accident and struggle to survive. What made it unique was when the story split the group up and followed the characters through some very different sets of circumstances, getting rescued at different times, responding differently to what had happened to them, etc. It's pretty ambitious, trying to effectively characterize all those individuals, but de Campi does a pretty good job of it. There's a bit of stereotyping when it comes to the wealthy families, and a few of the characters are done away with in a manner that makes you feel like de Campi just got tired of writing them. But overall, she accomplishes a ton in 14 issues. It totally feels unfinished--imagine my shock and sadness when I got to the end of volume 3 and realized it was the end. I was confused at first, but upon reflection realized that in terms of the characters who were left unrescued, de Campi left enough clues for the reader to figure out the most likely scenario for a particular character. It's an unconventional way to end a series, with all those loose ends, but it then makes for a unique reading experience as well.
As for the art, it's why I picked up the series to begin with. I LOVED Finder and love McNeil's style-mostly realistic, but with a classic comics feel to it. The colors were also gorgeous. A beautiful book to look at. I just wish there was more.
A special shout out to the incredible standalone story of Sebastian's ordeal at the rehabilitation center. Incredibly effective. It should win some kind of award.
December 24, 2017
I was actually quite surprised by this graphic novel. It’s not that I went into it thinking I’d hate it or anything. But I didn’t expect to like it as much as I ended up liking it. Great storytelling, intriguing plot. There’s really nothing to not like here.
The art is great. Fantastic coloring and landscaping, doesn’t get in its own way. It’s simple yet vibrant and tells a story all its own without contradicting the actual plot. It’s brutal where it needs to be brutal and unapologetic about it. I love that. The story and the art really complement each other in that regard.
The only part that made me uncomfortable was pretty much anything with Chad in it. But I imagine that’s the point. He’s a prick and I really hope, as the story carries on, he gets what’s coming to him. Because he really is a vile cretin that needs to get his. But other than that there isn’t a character in this ensemble cast that isn’t compelling and really volume one is where things just start getting good. Set the dominoes up and knock them all down. Except they’re still tumbling when you get to the end and you need to see where they tumble to next.
I look forward to more of the series!
4
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The art is great. Fantastic coloring and landscaping, doesn’t get in its own way. It’s simple yet vibrant and tells a story all its own without contradicting the actual plot. It’s brutal where it needs to be brutal and unapologetic about it. I love that. The story and the art really complement each other in that regard.
The only part that made me uncomfortable was pretty much anything with Chad in it. But I imagine that’s the point. He’s a prick and I really hope, as the story carries on, he gets what’s coming to him. Because he really is a vile cretin that needs to get his. But other than that there isn’t a character in this ensemble cast that isn’t compelling and really volume one is where things just start getting good. Set the dominoes up and knock them all down. Except they’re still tumbling when you get to the end and you need to see where they tumble to next.
I look forward to more of the series!
4
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
May 7, 2019
This first volume of the aptly named No Mercy series sings, with lush art by Carla Speed McNeil and the usual top-notch script by prolific comic-book scribe Alex de Campi. It's about a busload of insular and self-absorbed Princeton University hopefuls who have to learn to survive after a horrific bus accident. They get more sympathetic as things get bleaker. de Campi's admitted grindhouse-film influence is here for those who appreciate it, but also her admirable technique of always putting her characters through the wringer. No Mercy is harrowing and beautiful all at once. A trans protagonist features, once again showing that de Campi is out in front of everything, developing asexual characters and various queer characters alike in her other works.
Some critics liken Alex de Campi to a new Alan Moore, but to understand that comparison, readers must understand that de Campi can dance from genre to genre (grindhouse, film noir, horror, action, superhero, sci-fi, fantasy, drama/lit) with aplomb and consistent attention to character development. See also de Campi's Eisner-nominated anthology, Twisted Romance, for further evidence of her pervasive talent. As well, see Mayday for a white-hot, cold-war spy thriller (with a kick-ass Spotify soundtrack, to boot).
Some critics liken Alex de Campi to a new Alan Moore, but to understand that comparison, readers must understand that de Campi can dance from genre to genre (grindhouse, film noir, horror, action, superhero, sci-fi, fantasy, drama/lit) with aplomb and consistent attention to character development. See also de Campi's Eisner-nominated anthology, Twisted Romance, for further evidence of her pervasive talent. As well, see Mayday for a white-hot, cold-war spy thriller (with a kick-ass Spotify soundtrack, to boot).
January 19, 2019
The story is somewhat intriguing. Dumb students go to Mexico on a volunteer trip to do something or other and end up in a smashed van after their driver accidentally drives them over a cliff. People die. There are drugs. More people die. People are despicable.
The dialogue is instantly dated with tons of pop culture references, fading into obscurity even as you read the text.
In the back I struggled through several self indulgent essays about one of the author’s travels and bad behavior. Then for some reason there was an acceptance letter to Princeton for someone named Lily Park, but the main characters aren’t named that, and neither are the authors, and he letter is just that... an acceptance letter. I read brought the whole darned thing expecting something interesting.
Dumb,
The dialogue is instantly dated with tons of pop culture references, fading into obscurity even as you read the text.
In the back I struggled through several self indulgent essays about one of the author’s travels and bad behavior. Then for some reason there was an acceptance letter to Princeton for someone named Lily Park, but the main characters aren’t named that, and neither are the authors, and he letter is just that... an acceptance letter. I read brought the whole darned thing expecting something interesting.
Dumb,
June 13, 2025
Not the full throttle Hills Have Eyes/Teenagers Stranded in the Desert Horror I was hoping for, but it was fine I guess.
The best issue in the collection (of only 4) was the last one, and the way that set up all the grouped characters cliffhanger scenarios was the most thrilling I found it, but also frustrating because it meant I would have to carry on reading a book that I perhaps felt was kind of meh overall.
Also did not enjoy the travel essays included in the back which would have been published in the original come book format, and strangely the reason for that was I could almost imagine them as if something I might of written. Weird criticism I know.
The best issue in the collection (of only 4) was the last one, and the way that set up all the grouped characters cliffhanger scenarios was the most thrilling I found it, but also frustrating because it meant I would have to carry on reading a book that I perhaps felt was kind of meh overall.
Also did not enjoy the travel essays included in the back which would have been published in the original come book format, and strangely the reason for that was I could almost imagine them as if something I might of written. Weird criticism I know.
June 26, 2018
It's like nothing I've read before....but, I couldn't put it down! This series was a new addition to my library as I am trying to build the graphic novel collection. It's way more edgy than any other graphic novel I've read; however, it has all the relevant content and references for students along with some *hopefully* cautionary elements.
October 13, 2018
Probably a 3.5. I found some of the characters a little undistinguished and some of the sub-plots a little hard to follow (there had to be at least 4 groups that went in different directions) but it nonetheless held my interest and I liked the cliff-hanger ending.
December 7, 2018
Dark, smart, funny survival horror, driven by a diverse ensemble cast, a slow-building mystery, and excellent art from Carla Speed McNeil and colors from Jenn Manley Lee. (Also a couple of good dunks on Princeton University, which I can't help but appreciate.)
June 13, 2022
Ugs. I mean the action was tight and the characters, particularly the bad ones were pretty captivating, but it was a love/hate relationship. I don't think wanting to see the bad guys get their comeuppance is worth continuing to read.
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