Title: The Extinction Parade: Vol 1
*Series: The Extinction Parade
Author: Max Brooks
Illustrator: Raúlo Cáceres
Publisher: Avatar Press
Pages: Paperback; 160
Release Date: July 1, 2014
Source: NetGalley
Max Brooks, the best selling Zombie writer in history, unleashes an all-new horror epic! As humans wage their losing fight versus the hoards of the subdead, a frightening realization sets in with the secretive vampire race: our food is dying off. This is the story of the vampire’s decent into all-out war with the mindless, hungry hordes of the zombie outbreak as humanity tries to survive them all! This collected edition contains the entire first chapter of Extinction Parade (Issues #1-5) and a massive undead cover gallery!
Full disclosure, I totally picked this up because it’s a new story from Max Brooks. I’ve read The Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z cover to cover numerous times, and I’m always impressed with the way he writes. This man knows his zombies, and he shows it. So when I saw his name on the cover of this graphic novel? I had to read it. It wasn’t even a choice, it was a necessity.
True to form, Brooks has once again changed up the zombie apocalypse story line. This time the “subdead” are front and center, but there are no human survivors. No small packs of people fighting for their lives. Instead, our main characters are two female vampires who are used to a life of luxury. They’ve seen the world change, they’ve gotten comfortable with the way things work, and then suddenly there’s a wrench in their lives. What does a vampire do when there are no more victims? When zombies are the new rulers of the Earth?
I loved the story line concept, but sadly I wasn’t a fan of the execution. I say this a lot, but illustrations have a ton to do with my interest in a graphic novel. In order to draw me in, a graphic novel has to marry the writing and the illustrations together in perfect harmony. That being said, my biggest complaint about The Extinction Parade: Vol 1 was actually the illustrations. They were so stylized, so glitzy. As much as I think that absolutely relates to the vampires who were front and center, it didn’t translate so much to their zombie counterparts. There’s a line where zombies stop looking cool, and start looking odd.
My other issue was that this first story arc for Volume 1 is so short. It introduces the concept, and then ends before anything actually happens. I felt so disappointed when I reached the end and realized… well, that it was the ending. The whole novel builds anticipation, teasing you with the chance to see what the world would be like when it’s vampires vs. zombies, and then it just ends. Leaving me, the reader, rather upset. I’ll admit that, yes, I did pout. I was so looking forward to something that just never came.
That does mean, however, that I’ll probably give Volume 2 a shot. My interest has been piqued enough that I’ll likely come back for more. For now, Volume 1 of The Extinction Parade gets three stars.
FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.
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