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Sweet Tooth #1-6
Sweet Tooth Compendium
An inexplicable plague has women giving birth to human-animal hybrid children all over the world. The deer-child Gus is left to fend for himself after his father dies, leaving him with more questions than answers. A cross between Bambi and Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, Sweet Tooth follows the innocent journey of a young hybrid boy suddenly thrust out into a world no one can explain.
Collects issues #1-40 in a new story-only collection that places the reader directly into the action and doesn’t let up until the very last page!
Collects issues #1-40 in a new story-only collection that places the reader directly into the action and doesn’t let up until the very last page!
920 pages, Paperback
Published June 8, 2021
73 people are currently reading
706 people want to read
About the author
Jeff Lemire
1,397 books3,867 followersLibrarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Jeff Lemire is a New York Times bestselling and award winning author, and creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Trillium, Plutona, Black Hammer, Descender, Royal City, and Gideon Falls. His upcoming projects include a host of series and original graphic novels, including the fantasy series Ascender with Dustin Nguyen.
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name
Jeff Lemire is a New York Times bestselling and award winning author, and creator of the acclaimed graphic novels Sweet Tooth, Essex County, The Underwater Welder, Trillium, Plutona, Black Hammer, Descender, Royal City, and Gideon Falls. His upcoming projects include a host of series and original graphic novels, including the fantasy series Ascender with Dustin Nguyen.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 239 reviews
July 10, 2022
Crying my brain out for this one.
These type of stories get me, every damn time.
From walking dead with clementine and lee to ken to last of us with joel and ellie and now these two.
I gotta stop torturing myself, but i keep reading even though i know from the start what's about to happen.
(Loved comic's journey more than the series)
These type of stories get me, every damn time.
From walking dead with clementine and lee to ken to last of us with joel and ellie and now these two.
I gotta stop torturing myself, but i keep reading even though i know from the start what's about to happen.
(Loved comic's journey more than the series)
July 31, 2021
Actually 4.5 stars but I’ll round up because this hits all your emotions. What a journey. Lemire knows how to tug at the heart strings. So there’s a young boy and his father living in the woods in a cabin. Only thing in the boy is what the people in the book call a Hybrid. He has deer antlers. His father always told him growing up to not ever leave the woods because there is nothing but bad men out there. Really, a plague has broken out and most of the world has already died. So what’s left is just everyone scrambling trying to stay alive and some trying to find a cure to the plague that they call “the sick”. But the boy, whose name is Gus, has his father die from the sick. This prompts Gus to leave the woods. He runs across a man who says he can help and knows of a sanctuary where hybrids can be safe. This is where the journey begins. And oh what a journey it is. I don’t want to give anything more for the few people reading this review that haven’t read this book to not be spoiled. This book has it all. Action, high tense situations, violence, a lot of heart, some really sad stuff and a bit of a mystery as far as what caused the sick and the hybrids. I will say at first glance, the art was weird looking and not my taste. However, as I read more, the art ended up kind of fitting the tone of the story. There were a lot of small moments when I would see these hybrid kids faces and be so sad hoping nothing happens to them. Plus my eyes were watering up through the entire final issue. Damn you Lemire!! But yeah, amazing story that I highly recommend if you haven’t checked it out already.
June 29, 2021
"This is a story...."
February 20, 2025
In a world ravaged by a pandemic, a boy with antlers named Gus becomes entangled with a big thug named Jepperd.
There's a lot more to it than that but this tome collects all 40 issues of Sweet Tooth.
This was a captivating series combining post-apocalyptic survival, found families, and brutal action. I don't want to divulge too much about the inner workings but this is an emotional work and compulsively readable. I read it over two days and would have gladly read twice as much. By the end, I didn't quite want to let the big man and the boy go, not to mention the hybrid kids and everything else.
There's a lot more to it than that but this tome collects all 40 issues of Sweet Tooth.
This was a captivating series combining post-apocalyptic survival, found families, and brutal action. I don't want to divulge too much about the inner workings but this is an emotional work and compulsively readable. I read it over two days and would have gladly read twice as much. By the end, I didn't quite want to let the big man and the boy go, not to mention the hybrid kids and everything else.
February 27, 2022
An interesting story, and different enough from the tv adaptation to make it still worth reading! Really well done characters and plot, although the art was definitely…. to put it politely, stylized lol I wish that final issue had been it’s own series. I know there’s a sequel to this but from what I understand it’s like hundreds of years in the future so not quite what I mean, but I’ll still check it out.
June 9, 2021
Very good, I loved it!
Well written, I loved the flow of the stories but I found the art a bit rough. I wish to see cuter furry kids.
I noticed a spelling mistake - 'barley' instead of 'barely'. One scene also got the name wrong, James when it should be Louis.
Awesome read nonetheless.
4.5/5
Well written, I loved the flow of the stories but I found the art a bit rough. I wish to see cuter furry kids.
I noticed a spelling mistake - 'barley' instead of 'barely'. One scene also got the name wrong, James when it should be Louis.
Awesome read nonetheless.
4.5/5
February 17, 2022
It's easy to say that Sweet Tooth is good, but it's more than that. This really has all the marks of a modern literary classic. Without a doubt it's the type of book that should be on everyone's books shelf - not thrown in with the other standing graphic novels, but right there next to Cormac McCarthy's The Road or Bambi: a Life in the Woods by Felix Salten. It's THAT good.
There's no doubt that Jeff Lemire is on fire right now, but this book shows you exactly why that is. The quality of writing here transcends the format and is comfortably comparable to any great American novel. The art is more refined than Lemire's typical water colour style - although this is present in places - making it even more diverse and intriguing for both new and more familiar readers.
Overall, Sweet Tooth is undoubtedly a book that should be read at least once. Lemire delivers a deep dive into the human experience, one that forms a deep emotional connection with the reader that is rarely seen in comic books. Heartfelt and magical.
There's no doubt that Jeff Lemire is on fire right now, but this book shows you exactly why that is. The quality of writing here transcends the format and is comfortably comparable to any great American novel. The art is more refined than Lemire's typical water colour style - although this is present in places - making it even more diverse and intriguing for both new and more familiar readers.
Overall, Sweet Tooth is undoubtedly a book that should be read at least once. Lemire delivers a deep dive into the human experience, one that forms a deep emotional connection with the reader that is rarely seen in comic books. Heartfelt and magical.
July 17, 2021
Bleak and brutal but also amazing.
March 17, 2024
I had read Sweet Tooth some years ago, on Kindle thanks to KU, frame by frame, in black and white.
Today, I got hold of a hardcover copy, in color (in French) from my local library.
I had a better time with Sweet Tooth the first time I read it but I've definitely enjoyed the artwork a lot more this time!
Today, I got hold of a hardcover copy, in color (in French) from my local library.
I had a better time with Sweet Tooth the first time I read it but I've definitely enjoyed the artwork a lot more this time!
July 10, 2021
I loved The Underwater Welder and I wanted to read more Lemire since then. Finally with Netflix adaptation I decided to read Sweet Tooth (Comic is much darker than the series and it's more different.). In this compendium I liked the beginning but the middle of it, 4 and 5, was a little bit dull. The end was perfect, I will miss Sweet Tooth and his antlers.
June 11, 2021
Admittedly I read this after seeing the Netflix show. I loved the show, though it got a bit too cutesy at times but I wasn’t prepared for how dark the source material is. It’s a fantastic read but it’s pretty bleak.
December 23, 2024
Ще одна з небагатьох книжок, екранізація якої мені сподобалася більше за оригінал.
Здебільшого тому, що стиль малюнку автора мені не імпонує, не люблю я ось такі вуглуваті обличчя. В коміксі естетика суто пост-апокаліптична, в серіалі автори змогли додати в неї красу, хоча б завдяки прекрасним американським пейзажам і милим дітям-гібрідам (в оригіналі вони виглядають страшнувато). Каст Нонзо Аносі на роль Велета, незважаючи на заміну раси, яку так люблять критикувати глядачі, вийшов дуже вдалий, в його силу і тарганячу живучість вірилося більше, ніж коли бачиш оригінальні ілюстрації цього персонажа, де він просто білий мужик середнього зросту. Та й загалом, кастинг був зроблений якомога точніше до суті персонажів, що я змогла оцінити тільки після прочитання коміксу.
Сценаристи серіалу також серйозно попрацювали над сюжетом і його тоном: комікс дуже чорнушний, з великою кількістю насилля над жінками в стилі Josh Simmons (але не показаного настільки графічно). Деякі сцени й персонажі в екранізації були викинуті зовсім, а деякі перероблені й об'єднані в одне. Мені стало сумно, що сина Велета не було в серіалі, я цього дуже чекала, і, як виявилося, він таки існував в оригіналі. Також в екранізації пандемія передавалася більш реалістично, проте суть прокляття й хвороби трохи спотворилася й стала менш логічною через намагання зробити серіал дитячим і знизити йому рейтинг.
В цілому, мені було приємно повернутися до знайомої історії і я би однозначно рекомендувала комікс тим, хто хотів би провести більше часу з улюбленими персонажами.
Здебільшого тому, що стиль малюнку автора мені не імпонує, не люблю я ось такі вуглуваті обличчя. В коміксі естетика суто пост-апокаліптична, в серіалі автори змогли додати в неї красу, хоча б завдяки прекрасним американським пейзажам і милим дітям-гібрідам (в оригіналі вони виглядають страшнувато). Каст Нонзо Аносі на роль Велета, незважаючи на заміну раси, яку так люблять критикувати глядачі, вийшов дуже вдалий, в його силу і тарганячу живучість вірилося більше, ніж коли бачиш оригінальні ілюстрації цього персонажа, де він просто білий мужик середнього зросту. Та й загалом, кастинг був зроблений якомога точніше до суті персонажів, що я змогла оцінити тільки після прочитання коміксу.
Сценаристи серіалу також серйозно попрацювали над сюжетом і його тоном: комікс дуже чорнушний, з великою кількістю насилля над жінками в стилі Josh Simmons (але не показаного настільки графічно). Деякі сцени й персонажі в екранізації були викинуті зовсім, а деякі перероблені й об'єднані в одне. Мені стало сумно, що сина Велета не було в серіалі, я цього дуже чекала, і, як виявилося, він таки існував в оригіналі. Також в екранізації пандемія передавалася більш реалістично, проте суть прокляття й хвороби трохи спотворилася й стала менш логічною через намагання зробити серіал дитячим і знизити йому рейтинг.
В цілому, мені було приємно повернутися до знайомої історії і я би однозначно рекомендувала комікс тим, хто хотів би провести більше часу з улюбленими персонажами.
March 11, 2024
C'est brut de décoffrage, la vache! Je me le suis pris en pleine figure alors que je ne m'y attendais pas, wow !!!
D'un sentiment déplaisant face à la violence, à l'inhumanité des personnages et des thèmes, la fin ouvre la porte à quelque chose de beau et apaisé. Le dessin en fait de même, c'est brutal, violent, déplaisant, dégueulasse, c'est cash ! Puis le trait se montre plus doux sur la fin. Ça fait du bien.
Je n'ai pas pu lâcher malgré le malaise que m'a inspiré Sweet Tooth quasiment tout du long, grâce à la mise en scène très cinématographique, l'histoire très accrocheuse et les thèmes développés très intéressant. Je me suis sentie comme quand j'ai découvert La Servante Écarlate la série, écoeurée mais happée !
Merci à mon mari de m'avoir fait découvrir cette BD !!!
(Shiny Spring challenge 2024, rubrique Untitled 582 - Sherman)
D'un sentiment déplaisant face à la violence, à l'inhumanité des personnages et des thèmes, la fin ouvre la porte à quelque chose de beau et apaisé. Le dessin en fait de même, c'est brutal, violent, déplaisant, dégueulasse, c'est cash ! Puis le trait se montre plus doux sur la fin. Ça fait du bien.
Je n'ai pas pu lâcher malgré le malaise que m'a inspiré Sweet Tooth quasiment tout du long, grâce à la mise en scène très cinématographique, l'histoire très accrocheuse et les thèmes développés très intéressant. Je me suis sentie comme quand j'ai découvert La Servante Écarlate la série, écoeurée mais happée !
Merci à mon mari de m'avoir fait découvrir cette BD !!!
(Shiny Spring challenge 2024, rubrique Untitled 582 - Sherman)
August 27, 2021
Wow, that was incredible!
So Sweet Tooth is about Gus who is a hybrid, in his case he’s part deer part human, and he has been living in seclusion after a disease plagued humanity after hybrids came to be. But when his father dies, Gus is forced to go and see what’s out in the world and mysteries of what happened are slowly unraveled.
I definitly loved all of the characters in this book, other than the bad guys of course, I even cared about the supporting characters a lot which isn’t too easy to do! I seem to like Jeff Lemire’s artwork and with it being in colour (unlike Essex county) it made me like it more and I feel like the scruffy-ness suits the world that the book is set in. The story had me hooked the whole way through wanting to know the secrets and what was going to happen next. I was also satisfied with the ending too and felt like the story was the right length and ended when it should’ve.
Overall this does everything perfectly in my eyes and is among the best comics I’ve read without a doubt, I’d highly recommend it!
So Sweet Tooth is about Gus who is a hybrid, in his case he’s part deer part human, and he has been living in seclusion after a disease plagued humanity after hybrids came to be. But when his father dies, Gus is forced to go and see what’s out in the world and mysteries of what happened are slowly unraveled.
I definitly loved all of the characters in this book, other than the bad guys of course, I even cared about the supporting characters a lot which isn’t too easy to do! I seem to like Jeff Lemire’s artwork and with it being in colour (unlike Essex county) it made me like it more and I feel like the scruffy-ness suits the world that the book is set in. The story had me hooked the whole way through wanting to know the secrets and what was going to happen next. I was also satisfied with the ending too and felt like the story was the right length and ended when it should’ve.
Overall this does everything perfectly in my eyes and is among the best comics I’ve read without a doubt, I’d highly recommend it!
January 26, 2022
Don't usually like dear its to gamey but put him on a Roadtrip with a grumpy old man. * chef's kiss*
May 7, 2023
“This is a story.”
And what a story it is.
Like many others, I’ve started reading the graphic novel after I’ve watched the Netflix’s adaptation. Although the baseline is the same, the TV adaptation took a bit of a different route than the original. I am still not sure what to think fully of the adaptation, as it is yet to be finished, but it did spark enough interest for me to read the graphic novel. And boy, am I happy that I did!
It is not a usual dystopian story, quite far from it. The storyline, the characters, the drawing. It all perfectly blends into a story of love, hate, hope, despair, and overall - friendship.
This is THE story.
And what a story it is.
Like many others, I’ve started reading the graphic novel after I’ve watched the Netflix’s adaptation. Although the baseline is the same, the TV adaptation took a bit of a different route than the original. I am still not sure what to think fully of the adaptation, as it is yet to be finished, but it did spark enough interest for me to read the graphic novel. And boy, am I happy that I did!
It is not a usual dystopian story, quite far from it. The storyline, the characters, the drawing. It all perfectly blends into a story of love, hate, hope, despair, and overall - friendship.
This is THE story.
May 19, 2022
Absolutely loved Jeff Lemire's gritty take on a post-apocalyptic world that follows the journey of Sweet Tooth and Jepperd. This compendium is a dense read, but well worth the time investing in it as Sweet Tooth and Jepperd journey across America and make new allies and enemies, and eventually find out the origin of the "hybrid" and the resulting plague. The cast and side-plots expand as the story opens up, but Lemire is excellent at not leaving any loose ends, and nearly the entire cast has gratifying conclusions to their individual arcs. Too many post-apocalyptic stories have wishy-washy origin tales, but Lemire went for it in building up and delivering a satisfying origin story of what started everything and made it well worth the experience of finishing this compendium. The artwork may be too gritty and dark for some, but it behooves the narrative told and I would not have wanted it any other way. Do not pass up on this one, because it easily ranks in the top tier of dystopian graphic novels!
July 24, 2021
Loved this craziness.
February 8, 2024
Another emotional ride from Jeff Lemire. He has such a way with storytelling and imagery.
February 1, 2025
62%
Post-Apocalypse / Buddy Story
𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞. 𝐁𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝, 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐢𝐭. 𝐈’𝐦 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝—𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞. 𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭-𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬.
Post-Apocalypse / Buddy Story
𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞. 𝐁𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝, 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐢𝐭. 𝐈’𝐦 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝 𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝—𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞. 𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭-𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬.
October 6, 2024
Masterpiece!
May 8, 2022
(Zero Spoiler review) 3.5/5
I like Jeff Lemire as a writer. I really do. He is not without his flaws, though his ideas a strong and his stories are mostly solid. his art on the other hand, is an entirely different matter. Jeff Lemire's art is something of a matter of contention with comic book readers. It seems for the most part, that few actually enjoy it. A fairer statement would be that it is accepted, given that his stories are often rather beloved. I certainly fall into the latter camp, although I likely don't hold this book in quite as high regard as others do.
I picked up the first two trades (10 issues) a few months ago when I was just getting into comics, and I was immediately hooked. I love the dystopian, post apocalyptic genre as a rule. and given the similarities this had with Cormac McCarthy's The Road, with some added fantastical elements thrown it, it seemed the series was catered to my tastes. Again, the art was a point of contention, but I looked past the superficial to the substance underneath. Sadly, this affection didn't extend throughout the remainder of the run (40 issues in total) which I have just recently finished. as soon as the second arc of the story finished, which is where I stopped reading the first time, tedium begins to set in. the weaker points of the story become a little more obvious, and Lemire's art goes from acceptable to annoying at times. The man can still draw better than me, although when it is the art that need to tell the story rather than the dialogue, such as during scenes of conflict, it comes up wanting, which left me underwhelmed and wanting more. Character models vary widely and panel details are sparse to accommodate his style. Obviously it's his creation, he is free to do with it as he wishes, although I can't help but wish he had another artist handle said duties from the start. A few issues are handled by others throughout the run, although all but one of these were Matt Kindt, who is a writer with a similar style to Lemire's. Intellectually and stylistically it made sense, although it did nothing to show us what we were missing, which perhaps was more the point.
The story gets bogged down around half way when they reach a dam and drags on a little too long with . It is at this point too when a number of plot conveniences rear their heads and I had to switch off the logical/analytical part of my brain to keep ploughing through the story. This section really got on my nerves and is one of the main reasons I don't look back on this book quite as fondly as I would like too. It could have been tightened up by at least a few issues and the overall arc would have been all the better for it.
With pandemic stories, an author always has to choose between explaining the cause of the apocalyptic scenario, or leave it to the readers imagination. A well told story needs no explanation. And a poor explanation will drag down a well told story. Sweet Tooth's explanation was wholly unsatisfying, more so in execution than in conception. It could have been much better, although Lemire just didn't pull it off as far as I'm concerned. And the two issue flashback explaining the cause, whilst providing a welcome break from the main narrative which had become increasingly tedious, was so ridiculous and contrived, there was no getting me back after that. I won't spoil it, you'll just have to read it for yourself and make up your own mind.
The ending itself was ok. It was pretty much what one would expect. It tugged on the heartstrings a little, whilst stretching my patience for Lemire's quick fixes and hastily resolved story lines a little as well. Overall, Sweet Tooth is well worth a read, although sadly the promise of the first book didn't pan out over its entire duration. A few tweaks here and there could have seen it held much higher in my regard. 3.5/5
OmniBen
I like Jeff Lemire as a writer. I really do. He is not without his flaws, though his ideas a strong and his stories are mostly solid. his art on the other hand, is an entirely different matter. Jeff Lemire's art is something of a matter of contention with comic book readers. It seems for the most part, that few actually enjoy it. A fairer statement would be that it is accepted, given that his stories are often rather beloved. I certainly fall into the latter camp, although I likely don't hold this book in quite as high regard as others do.
I picked up the first two trades (10 issues) a few months ago when I was just getting into comics, and I was immediately hooked. I love the dystopian, post apocalyptic genre as a rule. and given the similarities this had with Cormac McCarthy's The Road, with some added fantastical elements thrown it, it seemed the series was catered to my tastes. Again, the art was a point of contention, but I looked past the superficial to the substance underneath. Sadly, this affection didn't extend throughout the remainder of the run (40 issues in total) which I have just recently finished. as soon as the second arc of the story finished, which is where I stopped reading the first time, tedium begins to set in. the weaker points of the story become a little more obvious, and Lemire's art goes from acceptable to annoying at times. The man can still draw better than me, although when it is the art that need to tell the story rather than the dialogue, such as during scenes of conflict, it comes up wanting, which left me underwhelmed and wanting more. Character models vary widely and panel details are sparse to accommodate his style. Obviously it's his creation, he is free to do with it as he wishes, although I can't help but wish he had another artist handle said duties from the start. A few issues are handled by others throughout the run, although all but one of these were Matt Kindt, who is a writer with a similar style to Lemire's. Intellectually and stylistically it made sense, although it did nothing to show us what we were missing, which perhaps was more the point.
The story gets bogged down around half way when they reach a dam and drags on a little too long with . It is at this point too when a number of plot conveniences rear their heads and I had to switch off the logical/analytical part of my brain to keep ploughing through the story. This section really got on my nerves and is one of the main reasons I don't look back on this book quite as fondly as I would like too. It could have been tightened up by at least a few issues and the overall arc would have been all the better for it.
With pandemic stories, an author always has to choose between explaining the cause of the apocalyptic scenario, or leave it to the readers imagination. A well told story needs no explanation. And a poor explanation will drag down a well told story. Sweet Tooth's explanation was wholly unsatisfying, more so in execution than in conception. It could have been much better, although Lemire just didn't pull it off as far as I'm concerned. And the two issue flashback explaining the cause, whilst providing a welcome break from the main narrative which had become increasingly tedious, was so ridiculous and contrived, there was no getting me back after that. I won't spoil it, you'll just have to read it for yourself and make up your own mind.
The ending itself was ok. It was pretty much what one would expect. It tugged on the heartstrings a little, whilst stretching my patience for Lemire's quick fixes and hastily resolved story lines a little as well. Overall, Sweet Tooth is well worth a read, although sadly the promise of the first book didn't pan out over its entire duration. A few tweaks here and there could have seen it held much higher in my regard. 3.5/5
OmniBen
September 4, 2021
Una de las novelas gráficas más satisfactorias que me he leído. Sweet Tooth es una serie de 40 números que nos plantea un mundo post-apocalíptico en el que los seres humanos fueron reducidos drásticamente por una enfermedad que se transmite por el aire, pero al mismo tiempo que esta pandemia comenzó, empezaron a nacer niños hibridos. Una mezcla extraña entre humanos y animales lo cual deja desconcertados a los científicos que no pueden encontrar ninguna explicación racional. 7 años después aparece Gus, el protagonista de nuestra historia, un niño ciervo que se ve forzado a abandonar su hogar en los bosques después de la muerte de su padre para conocer un mundo peligroso; lleno de cazadores, dolor y muerte pero tambien esperanza...
Sweet Tooth se ha convertido en una de mis sagas favoritas, si bien la trama de la enfermedad, el mundo post apocalíptico y los locos que andan por ahi no es nada original, creo que la historia escrita y dibujada por Jeff Lemire sin duda alguna logra tomar estos elementos ya utilizados hasta el cansancio y darles un giro interesante. Genuinamente Jeff logra crear un misterio que mantiene la intriga hasta el final y nos ofrece un guion con excelentes interacciones entre personajes que además son bastante interesantes, si bien creo que no hay un desarrollo como tal, estan bastante bien definidos y son divertidos de leer. Y el final es probablemente de lo mejor que he visto, ya no solo en el medio del cómic, lo digo en general, que buen cierre para la saga.
Ahora, el dibujo la verdad hay que decirlo: es feo, espantoso jaja pero Jeff consciente de sus limitaciones logra plasmar una serie de viñetas bastante expresivas y en algunos momentos tambien decide experimentar y entregarnos paneles únicos donde las páginas logran convertirse en un libro infantil, en otros momentos donde hay flashbacks hay un cambio de estilo radical y en ciertas páginas hay paisajes que si logran verse hermosos y en gran parte todo gracias al colorista José Villarubia que nos entrega una selección de colores sobrios que quedan a la perfección con el tipo de historia que se esta contando.
Sin duda alguna recomiendo que leas Sweeth Tooth y si puedes consigue este recopilatorio que trae toda la serie, de más esta decir que me encantó y que no pude leer otra cosa durante la semana que me duró. Una recomendación total.
Sweet Tooth se ha convertido en una de mis sagas favoritas, si bien la trama de la enfermedad, el mundo post apocalíptico y los locos que andan por ahi no es nada original, creo que la historia escrita y dibujada por Jeff Lemire sin duda alguna logra tomar estos elementos ya utilizados hasta el cansancio y darles un giro interesante. Genuinamente Jeff logra crear un misterio que mantiene la intriga hasta el final y nos ofrece un guion con excelentes interacciones entre personajes que además son bastante interesantes, si bien creo que no hay un desarrollo como tal, estan bastante bien definidos y son divertidos de leer. Y el final es probablemente de lo mejor que he visto, ya no solo en el medio del cómic, lo digo en general, que buen cierre para la saga.
Ahora, el dibujo la verdad hay que decirlo: es feo, espantoso jaja pero Jeff consciente de sus limitaciones logra plasmar una serie de viñetas bastante expresivas y en algunos momentos tambien decide experimentar y entregarnos paneles únicos donde las páginas logran convertirse en un libro infantil, en otros momentos donde hay flashbacks hay un cambio de estilo radical y en ciertas páginas hay paisajes que si logran verse hermosos y en gran parte todo gracias al colorista José Villarubia que nos entrega una selección de colores sobrios que quedan a la perfección con el tipo de historia que se esta contando.
Sin duda alguna recomiendo que leas Sweeth Tooth y si puedes consigue este recopilatorio que trae toda la serie, de más esta decir que me encantó y que no pude leer otra cosa durante la semana que me duró. Una recomendación total.
July 1, 2021
This is a review of the entire series!
Gus is an anomaly, a boy with deer horns growing out of his head living alone in the woods with his religious and protective father. He's been told all his life that the world beyond the woods is dark and dangerous, that he must never venture beyond them. After being attacked by a group of violent gunmen, he's forced out of the woods and into the care of the rugged Mr. Jepperd. Life outside the woods is brutal and mysterious. The world has been ended by a plague and animal-hybrids just like Gus are threatening to take humanity's place; with very little will of their own, mind you. Humanity doesn't go down without a fight though. In what could be their final moments, they kill, experiment and attempt to drive the animal hybrids to extinction before they can take their place as the world's new masters.
A very unique take on the apocalyptic horror genre, more akin to a twisted fairy tale with cute animal people being put through some truly terrifying situations just to survive in a world that wants them dead for existing. The rough bond between Gus and Jepperd is sometimes grim and frustrating, but the two banding together leads to some very touching moments. Jepperd is a merciless hardass with anger problems and a deathly bleak backstory, but Gus brings out his inner fatherly instincts and he learns to feel love after experiencing nothing but hatred and contempt for so long.
Gus is the main character, but Jepperd is the true star of the show here. The dynamic between the two really reminded me of the father and son duo from Cormac McCarthy's The Road. It isn't always pretty, but under such grim circumstances, it's hard for everything to be all sunshine and rainbows. The side characters, both human and hybrids bring a lot to the table with their own charming personalties and flaws. From a beaver boy who can barely speak a coherent sentence to the sympathetic brother of a heartless soldier who gets along with animal people better than his own kind.
As the story goes on, it begins to introduce some interesting religious, sci-fi and cosmic horror elements as well. This is all complimented by a uniquely bizarre, hyper surrealistic art style that looks like eerie cave murals from the stone ages come to life.
Gus is an anomaly, a boy with deer horns growing out of his head living alone in the woods with his religious and protective father. He's been told all his life that the world beyond the woods is dark and dangerous, that he must never venture beyond them. After being attacked by a group of violent gunmen, he's forced out of the woods and into the care of the rugged Mr. Jepperd. Life outside the woods is brutal and mysterious. The world has been ended by a plague and animal-hybrids just like Gus are threatening to take humanity's place; with very little will of their own, mind you. Humanity doesn't go down without a fight though. In what could be their final moments, they kill, experiment and attempt to drive the animal hybrids to extinction before they can take their place as the world's new masters.
A very unique take on the apocalyptic horror genre, more akin to a twisted fairy tale with cute animal people being put through some truly terrifying situations just to survive in a world that wants them dead for existing. The rough bond between Gus and Jepperd is sometimes grim and frustrating, but the two banding together leads to some very touching moments. Jepperd is a merciless hardass with anger problems and a deathly bleak backstory, but Gus brings out his inner fatherly instincts and he learns to feel love after experiencing nothing but hatred and contempt for so long.
Gus is the main character, but Jepperd is the true star of the show here. The dynamic between the two really reminded me of the father and son duo from Cormac McCarthy's The Road. It isn't always pretty, but under such grim circumstances, it's hard for everything to be all sunshine and rainbows. The side characters, both human and hybrids bring a lot to the table with their own charming personalties and flaws. From a beaver boy who can barely speak a coherent sentence to the sympathetic brother of a heartless soldier who gets along with animal people better than his own kind.
As the story goes on, it begins to introduce some interesting religious, sci-fi and cosmic horror elements as well. This is all complimented by a uniquely bizarre, hyper surrealistic art style that looks like eerie cave murals from the stone ages come to life.
June 22, 2021
The Sweet Tooth Compendium collects issues 1-40 of the series written and drawn by Jeff Lemire.
This is the story of Sweet Tooth, a hybrid boy who is raised by his father in the isolation of a Nebraska state park. A deadly plague has swept the world killing millions and has caused all child birth to result in animal/human hybrids. Human civilization is on the verge of collapse as survivors desperately search for a cure, many of whom think the answers lies in the hybrids. After Sweet Tooth's father passed from the plague, he encounters the Big Man who takes him in. The Big Man takes care of Sweet Tooth but is extremely violent when pushed. Can Sweet Tooth trust the Big Man in this new world?
This is another book that has been on my read list for years and I finally jumped on it when it realeased in one complete volume. This is an amazing piece of fiction. This is a bleak world, but the hybrid children have a great sense of hope and wonder. If I had one complaint it is that I believe the main villain is one dimensional and could have used more fleshing out and a reason for why he is so hateful.
The final issue was a remarkable end to the series and brought tears to my eyes. I may be a minority here but I constantly felt connections to Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead in which the story takes place in a world of unimaginable horror, but relationships are made for the hope of survival. I highly recommend this book to fans of all fiction and I cannot wait to read Sweet Tooth: The Return!
This is the story of Sweet Tooth, a hybrid boy who is raised by his father in the isolation of a Nebraska state park. A deadly plague has swept the world killing millions and has caused all child birth to result in animal/human hybrids. Human civilization is on the verge of collapse as survivors desperately search for a cure, many of whom think the answers lies in the hybrids. After Sweet Tooth's father passed from the plague, he encounters the Big Man who takes him in. The Big Man takes care of Sweet Tooth but is extremely violent when pushed. Can Sweet Tooth trust the Big Man in this new world?
This is another book that has been on my read list for years and I finally jumped on it when it realeased in one complete volume. This is an amazing piece of fiction. This is a bleak world, but the hybrid children have a great sense of hope and wonder. If I had one complaint it is that I believe the main villain is one dimensional and could have used more fleshing out and a reason for why he is so hateful.
The final issue was a remarkable end to the series and brought tears to my eyes. I may be a minority here but I constantly felt connections to Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead in which the story takes place in a world of unimaginable horror, but relationships are made for the hope of survival. I highly recommend this book to fans of all fiction and I cannot wait to read Sweet Tooth: The Return!
December 7, 2021
Un cómic que me ha sorpendido gratamente. A pesar de su dibujo sencillo y feo su argumento me ha gustado mucho. Gus es un niño que al igual que muchos otros ha nacido con características animales, en su caso unos cuernos de ciervo. Todos estos niños especiales nacieron después de un cataclismo y una pandemia que diezma a los humanos. El resultado es un mundo donde impera la ley del más fuerte y donde los niños como Gus son perseguidos ya que se cree que fueron los portadores del virus que afecta alos humanos normales.
Gus deberá aprender a sobrevivir en este mundo después de que su padre y única compañia desaparezca. No sé como será la serie pero vi el trailer y parecía un poco infantil. El cómic es una maravilla.
Gus deberá aprender a sobrevivir en este mundo después de que su padre y única compañia desaparezca. No sé como será la serie pero vi el trailer y parecía un poco infantil. El cómic es una maravilla.
August 26, 2021
This is a story of a boy and a man, the big man! 🧡
When an apocalyptic disease kills billions of people, the ones left need to find a way to survive amongst the rubbles. Every newborn child in this new reality, becomes a ‘hybrid’! So is Gus aka Sweet Tooth. In the forests where he and his daddy hide, no one can find them. And Gus had been instructed never to leave. But when curious Gus crosses a border he shouldn’t, after his Daddy’s gone, his life gets turned upside down!
This had been on my radar for ages but I just never got to buying it, not sure if it would be anything I’d love to read! And then came the Netflix series! At the same time this 900 pages behemoth of a Compendium was released, so I had to buy! And I haven’t regretted it! This is pure bliss! Such good writing, such awesome artwork… this graphic novel is way darker than its ‘life action counterpart’ but there’s so much in it to love!
For me this is a solid 5 ⭐️ graphic novel from page 1 to page 900 (and then some) 😁
When an apocalyptic disease kills billions of people, the ones left need to find a way to survive amongst the rubbles. Every newborn child in this new reality, becomes a ‘hybrid’! So is Gus aka Sweet Tooth. In the forests where he and his daddy hide, no one can find them. And Gus had been instructed never to leave. But when curious Gus crosses a border he shouldn’t, after his Daddy’s gone, his life gets turned upside down!
This had been on my radar for ages but I just never got to buying it, not sure if it would be anything I’d love to read! And then came the Netflix series! At the same time this 900 pages behemoth of a Compendium was released, so I had to buy! And I haven’t regretted it! This is pure bliss! Such good writing, such awesome artwork… this graphic novel is way darker than its ‘life action counterpart’ but there’s so much in it to love!
For me this is a solid 5 ⭐️ graphic novel from page 1 to page 900 (and then some) 😁
June 22, 2025
My first Jeff Lemire book and couldn’t be more impressed or glad I picked this up. I was skeptical going in, just because I figured it was another post-apocalyptic story that would be trope-heavy and assumed it wouldn’t offer anything new.
Aside from loving the art, the writing is top tier. Lemire does a great job of create distinct characters. It’s very character-driven and emotional - I can’t remember the last time I teared up reading a comic. Beyond character, I love the themes that are addressed - from environmentalism and humans’ impact on the world, to religion, Lemire has a way of seamlessly creating story around these themes.
I also love that there are side stories - like the three parter about Thatcher, as well as the horizontal issues that are recaps from Sweet Tooth’s perspective.
The ending of this got me in my feels and is almost poetic in how it’s written. Definitely an all-timer for me and something I will revisit, often.
Aside from loving the art, the writing is top tier. Lemire does a great job of create distinct characters. It’s very character-driven and emotional - I can’t remember the last time I teared up reading a comic. Beyond character, I love the themes that are addressed - from environmentalism and humans’ impact on the world, to religion, Lemire has a way of seamlessly creating story around these themes.
I also love that there are side stories - like the three parter about Thatcher, as well as the horizontal issues that are recaps from Sweet Tooth’s perspective.
The ending of this got me in my feels and is almost poetic in how it’s written. Definitely an all-timer for me and something I will revisit, often.
December 18, 2025
2.5 ⭐️ A 10000th loosely post-apocalyptic tale about a brooding, violent, lonely old man (with a dead wife) who is forced by chance and circumstance to at first begrudgingly protect, and then adopt and care for some random special kid. It was a highly readable and artistically pleasant graphic novel, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a more derivative work. One would also expect a post-apocalyptic novel to deconstruct social and moral structures, as well as truly test characters' resolve and idealism. Surprisingly, Sweet Tooth has very little interest in doing that. The entire story ended up being a collection of stock situations and tired and overdone narrative beats, topped with a rushed cliché ending that kind of pissed me off. Would be a better match for someone who loves shows like The Walking Dead and The Last of Us.
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