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The Ward: Welcome to the Madhouse
St. Lilith’s is a secret hospital for supernatural creatures. A place, and a life, Dr. Nat Reeves thought she left behind. She was wrong.
When a wounded woman (with a tail) appears on her doorstep, Nat crash lands at her old job in the emergency room of the city’s last recourse for the otherworldly ill. The personnel are overworked, the facility is underfunded, and all operations must be kept hidden from the public, including Nat’s own family. Some of the staff, like the self-duplicating nurse Lydia Black, are glad to have her back. Others, like Luis Cervantes, a new resident with something to prove (and more to hide), not so much. And who can tell what Dr. Kumasaka, the ghostly head of the department, is thinking?
All Nat knows is that the overwhelming need they face every day is enough to keep the truth of why she left St. Lilith’s at bay, at least, for a while. Then a magical plague hits the city, and everything sets to change, for everyone.
From the author of bestselling titles for Star Wars , Doctor Who , Star Trek , Warhammer 40,000 , Vikings , Judge Dredd , and others comes an intense medical drama abound with fairies, trolls, and real human pathos.
Collects The Welcome to the Madhouse #1–#4.
When a wounded woman (with a tail) appears on her doorstep, Nat crash lands at her old job in the emergency room of the city’s last recourse for the otherworldly ill. The personnel are overworked, the facility is underfunded, and all operations must be kept hidden from the public, including Nat’s own family. Some of the staff, like the self-duplicating nurse Lydia Black, are glad to have her back. Others, like Luis Cervantes, a new resident with something to prove (and more to hide), not so much. And who can tell what Dr. Kumasaka, the ghostly head of the department, is thinking?
All Nat knows is that the overwhelming need they face every day is enough to keep the truth of why she left St. Lilith’s at bay, at least, for a while. Then a magical plague hits the city, and everything sets to change, for everyone.
From the author of bestselling titles for Star Wars , Doctor Who , Star Trek , Warhammer 40,000 , Vikings , Judge Dredd , and others comes an intense medical drama abound with fairies, trolls, and real human pathos.
Collects The Welcome to the Madhouse #1–#4.
104 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2022
34 people want to read
About the author
Cavan Scott
842 books433 followersis a freelance comic writer and author. He is best known for his work on a variety of spin-offs from both Doctor Who and Star Wars, as well as comics and novels for Vikings, Pacific Rim, Sherlock Holmes, and Penguins of Madagascar.
Cavan Scott, along with Justina Ireland, Claudia Gray, Daniel Jose Older, and Charles Soule are crafting a new era in the Star Wars publishing world called Star Wars: The High Republic. Cavan's contribution to the era is a comic book series released through Marvel Comics titled Star Wars: The High Republic.
Cavan Scott, along with Justina Ireland, Claudia Gray, Daniel Jose Older, and Charles Soule are crafting a new era in the Star Wars publishing world called Star Wars: The High Republic. Cavan's contribution to the era is a comic book series released through Marvel Comics titled Star Wars: The High Republic.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 12, 2022
I loved this book, the drawing was exceptional and I love the storyline. I can't wait for the continuation of the story.
October 10, 2023
Прочитав лімітку "The Ward" і вона мені сподобалася. Серія розповідає про те як Нат Рівз, наша головна героїня, повертається працювати в лікарню для надприродних створінь. Сценарист Каван Скотт досить непогано прописав героїню в результаті чого особистосто мені хотілося їй співпереживати та спостерігати за тим, що ж з нею буде далі, з супортинг кастом тут теж все добре, більшість персонажів вийшли досить цікавими, але несильно розкритими. Щодо малюнку скажу те, що він тут є досить посереднім, але інколи художник все таки видає досить непогані сторінки. Однак у цієї лімітки є один дуже важливий мінус, вона триває всього 4 номери і в результаті чого деякі події відбуваються занадто швидко, особливо це видно в останньому номері в який запихали дофіга всього, як на мене то вартувало додати хоча б ще два номери для цієї серії, щоб краще розкрити деяких персонажів та ввести деякі ідеї з останнього номеру трішки раніше. Тим не менш "The Ward" це хороша лімітка з якою я раджу ознайомитися.
January 16, 2023
The art is my style of art - very straightforward, clean line. It reminded me of Stuart Immonen's work.
It's about a hospital that tends to the supernatural. So it's part St. Elsewhere/Grey's Anatomy/House; and part what... I guess sort of True Blood? But it really doesn't focus on the supernatural parts - yes, the giant having a baby is huge; but otherwise it's an emergency C-section - the doctor just has to build a scaffold to get up to the mother's abdomen. Most of the focus is on the medical stuff. I really liked the mix of medical and medicinal jargon - here's an example: "I'm going to need an X-ray of his lungs and a bag of Argantic solution, 60 percent Panacidan, 40 percent Horehound." It's great.
Just like with television hospital procedurals, there are multiple storylines going on at once.
There's the main character doctor (human) who left due to tragedy, but is getting pulled back because she loves the job. But her family does not want her to.
There's the junior doctor trying some risky things to "keep his edge".
There's the hospital admin (a ghost) who is just trying to keep the whole thing afloat.
There's a side plot about a group of "cryptid hunters" who unleash some sort of ritual that impacts non-supernatural people. It sort of felt tacked on or rushed - maybe due to the 22 page limit of the single issues.
I'd say, if you like hospital dramas or supernatural urban fantasy, then this book may tickle your fancy. I like both of those - but I'd like this series to take a bit more time to develop some of these storylines. Hopefully they get it.
It's about a hospital that tends to the supernatural. So it's part St. Elsewhere/Grey's Anatomy/House; and part what... I guess sort of True Blood? But it really doesn't focus on the supernatural parts - yes, the giant having a baby is huge; but otherwise it's an emergency C-section - the doctor just has to build a scaffold to get up to the mother's abdomen. Most of the focus is on the medical stuff. I really liked the mix of medical and medicinal jargon - here's an example: "I'm going to need an X-ray of his lungs and a bag of Argantic solution, 60 percent Panacidan, 40 percent Horehound." It's great.
Just like with television hospital procedurals, there are multiple storylines going on at once.
There's the main character doctor (human) who left due to tragedy, but is getting pulled back because she loves the job. But her family does not want her to.
There's the junior doctor trying some risky things to "keep his edge".
There's the hospital admin (a ghost) who is just trying to keep the whole thing afloat.
There's a side plot about a group of "cryptid hunters" who unleash some sort of ritual that impacts non-supernatural people. It sort of felt tacked on or rushed - maybe due to the 22 page limit of the single issues.
I'd say, if you like hospital dramas or supernatural urban fantasy, then this book may tickle your fancy. I like both of those - but I'd like this series to take a bit more time to develop some of these storylines. Hopefully they get it.
June 11, 2022
90%(A+) |4/5 | If Grey's Anatomy, ER, New Amsterdam and other shows based in hospitals were like this comic, I may actually consider watching it.
This was definitely a judge a book by the cover choice. It's clear just from looking at it that it is going to deal with supernatural beings working or being tended to in a hospital. With the abundance of supernatural content, this is personally my first time seeing something dealing with the supernatural in this way.
Saint Lilith's is a hidden, underfunded, overcrowded and overworked hospital that Doctor Reeves didn't think she would encounter again until she finds an injured woman on her way home. Her natural instinct to help to over to help the lady bleeding out but she noticed something odd about her. Realising a normal hospital would be no good and probably unsafe she calls an old friend and they head over to Saint Lilith's where we are met with an abundant variety of otherworldly beings coming and going.
Overall, it was a great first start to the comic getting straight to the point and diving into the story. This is another comic I have discovered this year that I am excited to see through to the end. The story and concept feels fun, innovative and something new.
This was definitely a judge a book by the cover choice. It's clear just from looking at it that it is going to deal with supernatural beings working or being tended to in a hospital. With the abundance of supernatural content, this is personally my first time seeing something dealing with the supernatural in this way.
Saint Lilith's is a hidden, underfunded, overcrowded and overworked hospital that Doctor Reeves didn't think she would encounter again until she finds an injured woman on her way home. Her natural instinct to help to over to help the lady bleeding out but she noticed something odd about her. Realising a normal hospital would be no good and probably unsafe she calls an old friend and they head over to Saint Lilith's where we are met with an abundant variety of otherworldly beings coming and going.
Overall, it was a great first start to the comic getting straight to the point and diving into the story. This is another comic I have discovered this year that I am excited to see through to the end. The story and concept feels fun, innovative and something new.
November 29, 2022
Consumers of media are used to the police procedural, both straight-faced and supernatural. From Gotham Central to the BRPD, there's no shortage of comic book cops busting all manner of crimes. Altogether less visited, however, is the hospital procedural. While you might have better luck on the idiot box (Casualty, House, Grey's Anatomy), the medical procedural has yet to properly translate to the medium of funnybook. Not unless you count Marvel's The Vitals: True Nurse Stories, should you be some kind of completist.
Enter the four issues of The Ward: Welcome to the Madhouse, by Cavan Scott and Andres Ponce. Now collected in this trade paperback edition, The Ward tells of St. Lilith's – a secret hospital for mythical and supernatural creatures. Ghosts, mermaids, goblins, giants and blobs populate the corridors of this magical madhouse. It's Hogwarts meets ER; Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, played straight.
You can read Joel's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
Enter the four issues of The Ward: Welcome to the Madhouse, by Cavan Scott and Andres Ponce. Now collected in this trade paperback edition, The Ward tells of St. Lilith's – a secret hospital for mythical and supernatural creatures. Ghosts, mermaids, goblins, giants and blobs populate the corridors of this magical madhouse. It's Hogwarts meets ER; Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, played straight.
You can read Joel's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
October 23, 2022
trigger warning
Imagine an emergency room - but for creatures that go bump in the night.
This is the story of a doctor who decided to live in the regular world, but an injured person in the building she lives in brings her back to St. Lilith, the hospital for non-human beings. She has to chose between the safe life her mom wants her to lead, and the path she'd rather follow.
While in theory I have a certain dislike of stories centered around hospitals and doctors, this felt new and exciting. Usually I'd list the types of creatures mentioned in the plot so you can easily find them, but in this case far too many of them make an appearance so I stuck to the main ones.
I would love to see more from this world, especially what changes occur after the plot of this issue, and what the protagonist's daughter thinks of it all as she gets older.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
Imagine an emergency room - but for creatures that go bump in the night.
This is the story of a doctor who decided to live in the regular world, but an injured person in the building she lives in brings her back to St. Lilith, the hospital for non-human beings. She has to chose between the safe life her mom wants her to lead, and the path she'd rather follow.
While in theory I have a certain dislike of stories centered around hospitals and doctors, this felt new and exciting. Usually I'd list the types of creatures mentioned in the plot so you can easily find them, but in this case far too many of them make an appearance so I stuck to the main ones.
I would love to see more from this world, especially what changes occur after the plot of this issue, and what the protagonist's daughter thinks of it all as she gets older.
The arc was provided by the publisher.
November 25, 2023
Pretty fun read, nothing terribly surprising. Supernatural medicine meets human bigotry, meets family tensions and values. It is a metaphor, of course, about openness instead of mutual xenophobia, but the comic doesn't drive the point so hard that it gets in the way of the story. The art is nothing earth-shattering either, but it is perfectly adequate.
August 2, 2022
Solid first issue, just like ER but with ogres, minotaur, the fae, ghosts and a nurse that can split to fill the needs of all the patients. I'm interested to see why the main character quit and how she got into it and being a regular human.
September 26, 2023
The story features a hospital for supernatural beings. It's like fantasy ER. Or Grey's Anatomy with monsters. Not so much Dr. House because it's more about the emergencies. It has solid pseudo-medical stuff (of the fantasy variety), quality drama and even humor. We need more comics like this one.
February 9, 2023
I think it was pretty good, for the story it was telling. The stuff with her mother & daughter was ridiculous and the ending was hokey.
April 21, 2023
A great looking book with a fun, fascinating, and very unique premise
February 15, 2024
Good premise and interesting characters. A solid first chapter that doesn’t forget to provide a sub-arc to close out the graphic novel.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews