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Revival #1-2
Revival: Deluxe Collection, Volume 1
For one day in rural central Wisconsin, the dead came back to life. Now, it's up to Officer Dana Cypress to deal with the media scrutiny, religious zealots, and government quarantine that has come with them. In a town where the living have to learn to deal with those who are supposed to be dead, Officer Cypress must solve a brutal murder, and everyone, alive or undead, is a suspect. The sell-out hit series created by New York Times Bestselling author Tim Seeley and Eisner-winning artist Mike Norton is collected in this oversized hardcover featuring Revival #1-11 and the Free Comic Book Day 2012 short story, plus many behind-the-scenes bonuses and other features.
300 pages, Hardcover
First published October 30, 2013
About the author
Tim Seeley
1,455 books556 followersTim Seeley is a comic book artist and writer known for his work on books such as G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, The Dark Elf Trilogy, Batman Eternal and Grayson. He is also the co-creator of the Image Comics titles Hack/Slash[1] and Revival, as well as the Dark Horse titles, ExSanguine and Sundowners. He lives in Chicago.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
October 30, 2022
(B+) 79% | Good
Notes: Review pending re-read. Individual reviews for included volumes can be found here:
- Revival, Vol. 1: You're Among Friends
- Revival, Vol. 2: Live Like You Mean It
Notes: Review pending re-read. Individual reviews for included volumes can be found here:
- Revival, Vol. 1: You're Among Friends
- Revival, Vol. 2: Live Like You Mean It
February 6, 2015
Soooo it's a zombie story...but without the zombies.
Or something?
Okay - it's not a zombie story. It's about dead people coming back to life in a small Wisconsin town. Don't make the same mistake that I did writing this series off because it's just another zombie story. I mean really...how many more of those do we need?
No...this isn't that simple. This is rural/noir/horror at its finest. This is about fucked up people trying to come to grips with a fucked up situation. This is about heavy character development and some damn fine supernatural mystery. There's a lot of 'what the hell' moments that leave you scratching your head only to slap yourself in the forehead when things all come together and shock the shit out of you.
Really...what this is...is candy crystal meth sprinkled on top of cocaine cupcakes. Thank the gods I bought both of the large deluxe editions because I just didn't want to stop reading.
At first I was like...meh.
Then I was like...meh?
And then I was like...OH MY FUCKING SHIT!!
and now I'm here.
A damn fine comic. And seriously...that artwork! o_O
January 17, 2018
Ever since Chew introduced me to Revival, I knew I had to get my hands on this rural noir horror graphic novel. The two are quite different in style, but I'm so glad I decided to give this a shot because I think I can safely say that it's now a new favorite. While the "revivers" are technically zombies, I love how it doesn't go in more of a traditional route with them. Instead it's a very tight mystery with paranormal horror elements, but it's definitely noir at its core. It's great trying to put things together with the unique cast. By the way, this story features some fantastic character development, and brilliant artwork. I can't wait to continue on with this graphic novel series! I really hope the plans for the adaptation go through because this has so much potential as a film (or tv series) - I wouldn't say no to Naveen Andrews taking on the part of Ibrahaim Ramin!
January 30, 2018
Revival brings to mind two different tv shows. One is the HBO show " The Leftovers" and the other is the Kirkman show "Outcast".
The town of Wausau, Wisconsin is the epicenter of a very strange events. The dead are not staying dead. While they are not returning as zombies the fact that a deceased cancer patient, is happily strolling the hospital wards, greeting people is cause for consternation.
So a full blockade of the city, a 'la Leftovers style, is causing Wausau to become a hotbed of strange and bizarre events. In the middle of all this, the story follows of the adventures of the Cypress family- a dysfunctional family of a father and his two annoying daughters. The events take place as seen through their eyes. The father and the one daughter are local police, so it is an informative look at the events. I will not spoil any more of the story- but suffice it to say there are some big questions here. Not to mention the idea of people who can not die is bound to cause multiple issues for the police trying to maintain control. More than this I shall not spoil.
The artwork is good and fits the story well. So why 3 stars? Two things- the unexplained nature of the ghost spirit thing, the irritating people of Wausau (especially the annoying Cypress family-all of them) and the utter disbelief in the scenario that dead people are rising from death and the Federal government response is to send 1 CDC doctor and then leave the rest up to the 5 local police officers. Yeah? Really? As if 10,000 Federal Agents/troops/whatever wouldn't descend on Wausau in seconds and boot the local yokels to the curb (where they belong). Still it was an interesting read and has some potential. I will be interested in volume two as there are some huge unanswered questions from this story.
The town of Wausau, Wisconsin is the epicenter of a very strange events. The dead are not staying dead. While they are not returning as zombies the fact that a deceased cancer patient, is happily strolling the hospital wards, greeting people is cause for consternation.
So a full blockade of the city, a 'la Leftovers style, is causing Wausau to become a hotbed of strange and bizarre events. In the middle of all this, the story follows of the adventures of the Cypress family- a dysfunctional family of a father and his two annoying daughters. The events take place as seen through their eyes. The father and the one daughter are local police, so it is an informative look at the events. I will not spoil any more of the story- but suffice it to say there are some big questions here. Not to mention the idea of people who can not die is bound to cause multiple issues for the police trying to maintain control. More than this I shall not spoil.
The artwork is good and fits the story well. So why 3 stars? Two things- the unexplained nature of the ghost spirit thing, the irritating people of Wausau (especially the annoying Cypress family-all of them) and the utter disbelief in the scenario that dead people are rising from death and the Federal government response is to send 1 CDC doctor and then leave the rest up to the 5 local police officers. Yeah? Really? As if 10,000 Federal Agents/troops/whatever wouldn't descend on Wausau in seconds and boot the local yokels to the curb (where they belong). Still it was an interesting read and has some potential. I will be interested in volume two as there are some huge unanswered questions from this story.
Want to read
February 6, 2015I need a "I'm only reading this because I love the cover" bookshelf.
June 15, 2015
It should be 3.5 stars because of the first half of the volume which was quite boring. That was the reason for me to stop reading it some time ago. What a complete fool I was! Yeah this comic IS GOOD. Finally there is a story with dead people who come back to life without becoming a zombie. Finally something unexpected. The art is fine and the story itself is atmospheric. First it wasn't catching at all, somehow a little bit later I found myself reading the last page. I can't imagine what to expect from the next volume, more surprises I guess!
June 29, 2015
Not a bad 'intro' storyline. I enjoyed the initial setup and I'm looking forward to reading Volume 2. Art is solid and not confusing (able to quickly ID characters and not confuse them), writing is good, (not great) and content is fun. A bit of mystery and suspense but not a huge page turner.
December 2, 2018
So far, I had no experience with Tim Seeley, but I planned to try the hack/Slash and the Revival for a long time. So I finally started at three hundreds pages of Revival. At first, I must say one thing - I unconditionally Love Jenny Frison's cover arts. they're both lifelike and aerie, beautiful in from composition to details. And it definitely outshines the work of Mike Norton and Mark Englert. Mike and Mark did a good job, I like the art/ colouring there, but it has no wow factor. It feels like "standard issue (Image) comics art" to me. Which is not bad, but it brings no extra points.
Now back to Seeley. The premise of Revival is very intriguing. I really enjoyed the story, even sometimes if teel long and stretched by some unnecessary scenes. And I really wish that it would (and I hope it will) get more of the premise that some of dead were revived and continues their lives (with newly gain powers of regeneration and adjusted strength).
Now back to Seeley. The premise of Revival is very intriguing. I really enjoyed the story, even sometimes if teel long and stretched by some unnecessary scenes. And I really wish that it would (and I hope it will) get more of the premise that some of dead were revived and continues their lives (with newly gain powers of regeneration and adjusted strength).
December 19, 2015
Wanted to like this more but there are just too many things wrong with the pacing. The transitions from scene to scene are too abrupt to allow the reader to be vested in what's going on. And when things do get interesting it gets lost in the plethora of side stories. It should never have taken 9 issues for Dana to address seeking out her sister's killer again. Also, this book was pegged as being a mystery but I didn't get that much from reading it because there wasn't enough exploration of anyone's death. And had the later issues shown the actual murders like in the first issue, it would have gone a long way in sustaining the graphic tone.
There's too much dialogue that does nothing to propel the story forward or garner interest in some of the secondary characters. Sheriff Cypress, to me, is the most consistent in his arc. I also love Em, but I feel the story should be centered around her and Dana more. The last few issues really got the ball rolling and their complex relationship with their father is a huge part of it. Had certain subplots been introduced sooner it would have made the payoff at the end that much sweeter.
Still, there are several flashes of potential and "OMG" moments that kept me on the edge just enough to warrant a bit of patience. I hope volume 2 builds off the momentum of the last two issues. A very slow and lengthy set-up but everything SHOULD go downhill from here. I liked the art for the most part and the cover/chapter illustrations are AMAZING. By far my favorite hardcover in my collection.
There's too much dialogue that does nothing to propel the story forward or garner interest in some of the secondary characters. Sheriff Cypress, to me, is the most consistent in his arc. I also love Em, but I feel the story should be centered around her and Dana more. The last few issues really got the ball rolling and their complex relationship with their father is a huge part of it. Had certain subplots been introduced sooner it would have made the payoff at the end that much sweeter.
Still, there are several flashes of potential and "OMG" moments that kept me on the edge just enough to warrant a bit of patience. I hope volume 2 builds off the momentum of the last two issues. A very slow and lengthy set-up but everything SHOULD go downhill from here. I liked the art for the most part and the cover/chapter illustrations are AMAZING. By far my favorite hardcover in my collection.
February 17, 2018
Outstanding first volume in what will most likely be a long running series, for the characters and plot lines are set up for growth. I will definitely be reading future volumes of this series to see how the idea of loved ones reviving, which could be a dream come true for some, will be a nightmare for many.
Reviews can be found on my graphic novels blog:
Volume One- https://graphicnovelty2.com/2016/04/0...
Volume Two- https://graphicnovelty2.com/2016/08/0...
Volume Three- https://graphicnovelty2.com/2016/11/2...
Volume Four- https://graphicnovelty2.com/2017/04/2...
Reviews can be found on my graphic novels blog:
Volume One- https://graphicnovelty2.com/2016/04/0...
Volume Two- https://graphicnovelty2.com/2016/08/0...
Volume Three- https://graphicnovelty2.com/2016/11/2...
Volume Four- https://graphicnovelty2.com/2017/04/2...
July 2, 2022
Is this a zombie series? Or just a crazy series? Or something else? In a town where in one day the dead came back is changing everything. I can easily see the religious contradictions and riots happening. That seemed very realistic if such a thing happened. But some of those coming back also seem different. Or are they just more...aware...and angry? Some seem heavily effected, others acting more normal. For now. But I expect more to be revealed in future volumes. But amongst the revived, we also have other secrets. A Murder, a black market team and more... There is a LOT happening in this!
July 27, 2017
Great subtle twist on a familiar genre. Great art!
February 4, 2021
(Zero spoiler review)
I actually read the first three trades a few months ago, and was initially entranced by this little story. By the time I finished trade number 3, I seem to recall the series had lost that initial luster that drew me in. Regardless, I still bought the deluxe editions (as you do) and I finally got around to delving back in to see what was what in Wausau, Wisconsin. Now, I was going to skip the first three trades, seeing as how they had left a rather band taste in my mouth (or so I thought). But I made the rather wise decision to go back and reread the series from the start, and I'm really glad I did. I'm not quite sure what led me to think the series had tapered off? As soon as I dove back in, I was instantly hooked again. The clean and polished art. The big cast of characters. The ever present sense of intrigue that floats throughout the book, hinting at things, then rather craftily having you second guess yourself. There is quite a bit going on here in Revival, and admittedly not all of it is stellar. The frequent song lyrics and poetry the author comes up with can veer a little to close towards cringe for my taste for one. But overall, this is a really solid story, that you can easily find yourself hooked on. You will sit down to read an issue, and find yourself still going an hour later. This really feels like a binge worthy Netflix show just waiting to be made. Someone check to see if anyone has optioned the rights to this yet? It might go down smooth and easy, but this is no weakness of the story, let me tell you. The vast majority of the cast are interesting, multi layered and all seem to serve their purpose. As I already stated, the cast is large, and generally has that 'epic' feel about it, that big and bold productions sometimes do. I'm really looking forward to seeing how this all turns out, and whether it can maintain the same high standard throughout its 47 issue run. I'm most ways through book 2 as I write this, and all is well so far. 4.25/5
OmniBen.
I actually read the first three trades a few months ago, and was initially entranced by this little story. By the time I finished trade number 3, I seem to recall the series had lost that initial luster that drew me in. Regardless, I still bought the deluxe editions (as you do) and I finally got around to delving back in to see what was what in Wausau, Wisconsin. Now, I was going to skip the first three trades, seeing as how they had left a rather band taste in my mouth (or so I thought). But I made the rather wise decision to go back and reread the series from the start, and I'm really glad I did. I'm not quite sure what led me to think the series had tapered off? As soon as I dove back in, I was instantly hooked again. The clean and polished art. The big cast of characters. The ever present sense of intrigue that floats throughout the book, hinting at things, then rather craftily having you second guess yourself. There is quite a bit going on here in Revival, and admittedly not all of it is stellar. The frequent song lyrics and poetry the author comes up with can veer a little to close towards cringe for my taste for one. But overall, this is a really solid story, that you can easily find yourself hooked on. You will sit down to read an issue, and find yourself still going an hour later. This really feels like a binge worthy Netflix show just waiting to be made. Someone check to see if anyone has optioned the rights to this yet? It might go down smooth and easy, but this is no weakness of the story, let me tell you. The vast majority of the cast are interesting, multi layered and all seem to serve their purpose. As I already stated, the cast is large, and generally has that 'epic' feel about it, that big and bold productions sometimes do. I'm really looking forward to seeing how this all turns out, and whether it can maintain the same high standard throughout its 47 issue run. I'm most ways through book 2 as I write this, and all is well so far. 4.25/5
OmniBen.
October 4, 2016
3.5 something is missing for me... but I can't pinpoint what :(
June 28, 2017
Not just another "zombie" comic. I love the diverse and unique characters. I love the art work and story which is very relevant for these times. Can't wait to read more.
April 13, 2019
This was amazing! I loved the premise of people coming back to life (but not as zombies!) and seeing how this affects the town and the rest of the world. This is heavy on characters and character development which I liked. I liked how nobody was shown as perfect, everyone is just as flawed as people in real life, so I often found myself not agreeing with characters even when I was rooting for them. Not to say that there isn't any action, sometimes very gory action, which I also liked. The pacing is great and I love the mood of the comic, you can feel the tension. I would totally recommend this to everyone.
November 23, 2020
I am obsessed.
This story is fantastic, I didn't want to put it down!
Between the incredible artwork, the interesting concept, and the well-written characters, I am completely captivated and I wish I bought the entire set of deluxe editions because waiting for the next one to come in the mail is going to be a pain!
If you need a fresh take on epidemic & zombies stories, def pick up this book. Gore was on point for this kind of horror story, and the mystery of the supernatural is very strong.
I NEED TO KNOW.
Sorry I didn't describe the actual contents of this, I am just too excited.
You'd have to read it yourself ;)
This story is fantastic, I didn't want to put it down!
Between the incredible artwork, the interesting concept, and the well-written characters, I am completely captivated and I wish I bought the entire set of deluxe editions because waiting for the next one to come in the mail is going to be a pain!
If you need a fresh take on epidemic & zombies stories, def pick up this book. Gore was on point for this kind of horror story, and the mystery of the supernatural is very strong.
I NEED TO KNOW.
Sorry I didn't describe the actual contents of this, I am just too excited.
You'd have to read it yourself ;)
December 22, 2021
The premise of this graphic novel series is very cool. One day, in a small, nobody could care less about town, the dead come back to life. And we're not talking zombies here either. One day they were dead, the next they are not. I really liked the art, and the story telling is quite good. I plan on reading the rest of this series soon. A side note - not for the kiddos or faint of heart. See that cover? Nuf said.
August 23, 2019
Så otroligt obehaglig! Fantastiskt välskriven och väl-illustrerad skräck med en känsla av något oväntat och "nytt" i handlingen. Vågade knappt släcka lampan efter att jag läst...
April 5, 2021
Great artwork and punchy comic. Certainly was an interesting take on the dead coming back to life - not as zombies. The dead return with psychoses and angst right before their deaths. Some discover horrible truths about their murder, other are befallen to despicable gangs with macabre intentions. I love the idea of a heroine who can't die. You follow the story of a town forced into quarantine because of 'revivers' - the government aren't sure if they're contagious. It's a good read.
April 21, 2020
Awesome! I didn't expect it to be this good! ♥️
September 19, 2014
Als Jugendlicher hatte ich einmal diesen Traum:
Ich kam nach Hause und sah unseren Cocker Spaniel in der Garage. Dort ließ ich ihn eingeschlossen zurück und öffnete die Wohnungstür. Freudig mit dem Schwanz wedelnd begrüßte mich - - - unser Hund!
Hatte die Continuity-Abteilung meines UBW geschlampt oder war der Traum hinterhältig und durch die kalte Küche von Anfang an als genuiner Albtraum konzipiert gewesen? Einerlei, der Horror beim Anblick des zweiten und doch selben Hundes war unbeschreiblich und noch heute abrufbar.
Was das mit REVIVAL zu tun hat? Gar nicht so wenig. Zum einen zeigt es, warum ich immer noch ein Horror-Novize bin; ich kann auf viel Blut und Gewalt gut verzichten und "grusele" mich gerne auf die vielleicht herkömmlichere Weise, die eher Geistergeschichten zugrunde liegt. Zum anderen aber wirft sich die Frage auf, warum Identität so ein hervorragendes Schauermotiv ist. Ob im Paranoia-Kino der 50er Jahre oder im Doppelgängermotiv in der Literatur, es bereitet uns einmaligen Schrecken, wenn jemand nicht der ist, der er vorgibt zu sein oder der er sein sollte.
REVIVAL verlagert das Motiv nun ins waschechte Horrorgenre. In dem kleinen Städtchen Wausau, Wisconsin, kehren plötzlich die Toten unter die Lebenden zurück. Seeley erzählt die Story aber nicht im Stile einer Zombie-Apocalypse. Unaufgeregt stellt er die Frage, wie mit den Verstorbenen umzugehen ist, die ihren Platz im Leben wieder einnehmen.
Polizei, Gesundheitsamt, Presse, Kirche - alle Instituionen laufen auf Hochtouren und können doch nichts dazu beitragen, Normalität wieder herzustellen. Dabei verhalten sich die meisten Zurückgekehrten (Sleeper) unauffällig, nehmen ihre frühere Beschäftigung wieder auf und treffen sich in Selbsthilfegruppen. Gerade dieser Versuch, Normalität zurück zu gewinnen, macht für mich den größten Horror an REVIVAL aus.
Natürlich verzichtet Seeley nicht auf waschechte Horrorszenen, und gelegentlich fließt (nicht wenig) Blut, Täter und Opfer finden sich unter den Sleepern genau wie unter der Bevölkerung.
Gerade die Mischung aus scheinbarer Normalität und Unerklärlichem macht den Reiz der Handlung für mich aus.
Ich kam nach Hause und sah unseren Cocker Spaniel in der Garage. Dort ließ ich ihn eingeschlossen zurück und öffnete die Wohnungstür. Freudig mit dem Schwanz wedelnd begrüßte mich - - - unser Hund!
Hatte die Continuity-Abteilung meines UBW geschlampt oder war der Traum hinterhältig und durch die kalte Küche von Anfang an als genuiner Albtraum konzipiert gewesen? Einerlei, der Horror beim Anblick des zweiten und doch selben Hundes war unbeschreiblich und noch heute abrufbar.
Was das mit REVIVAL zu tun hat? Gar nicht so wenig. Zum einen zeigt es, warum ich immer noch ein Horror-Novize bin; ich kann auf viel Blut und Gewalt gut verzichten und "grusele" mich gerne auf die vielleicht herkömmlichere Weise, die eher Geistergeschichten zugrunde liegt. Zum anderen aber wirft sich die Frage auf, warum Identität so ein hervorragendes Schauermotiv ist. Ob im Paranoia-Kino der 50er Jahre oder im Doppelgängermotiv in der Literatur, es bereitet uns einmaligen Schrecken, wenn jemand nicht der ist, der er vorgibt zu sein oder der er sein sollte.
REVIVAL verlagert das Motiv nun ins waschechte Horrorgenre. In dem kleinen Städtchen Wausau, Wisconsin, kehren plötzlich die Toten unter die Lebenden zurück. Seeley erzählt die Story aber nicht im Stile einer Zombie-Apocalypse. Unaufgeregt stellt er die Frage, wie mit den Verstorbenen umzugehen ist, die ihren Platz im Leben wieder einnehmen.
Polizei, Gesundheitsamt, Presse, Kirche - alle Instituionen laufen auf Hochtouren und können doch nichts dazu beitragen, Normalität wieder herzustellen. Dabei verhalten sich die meisten Zurückgekehrten (Sleeper) unauffällig, nehmen ihre frühere Beschäftigung wieder auf und treffen sich in Selbsthilfegruppen. Gerade dieser Versuch, Normalität zurück zu gewinnen, macht für mich den größten Horror an REVIVAL aus.
Natürlich verzichtet Seeley nicht auf waschechte Horrorszenen, und gelegentlich fließt (nicht wenig) Blut, Täter und Opfer finden sich unter den Sleepern genau wie unter der Bevölkerung.
Gerade die Mischung aus scheinbarer Normalität und Unerklärlichem macht den Reiz der Handlung für mich aus.
May 24, 2017
The good:
-The gore visuals. Mike Norton does an spectacular job illustrating bloody scenes.
-The tension keeps raising since issue 1.
-Some of the characters, like Anthony brothers or Mr. Anders, are very interesting.
-The poem of the 11# is gorgeous.
The bad:
-Tim Seeley has a very confusing manner of writing, but as the story moves, you start getting the grip of it.
-Too many characters.
-The plot it's not very original, too many clichés.
-The gore visuals. Mike Norton does an spectacular job illustrating bloody scenes.
-The tension keeps raising since issue 1.
-Some of the characters, like Anthony brothers or Mr. Anders, are very interesting.
-The poem of the 11# is gorgeous.
The bad:
-Tim Seeley has a very confusing manner of writing, but as the story moves, you start getting the grip of it.
-Too many characters.
-The plot it's not very original, too many clichés.
December 9, 2013
Want something different to read? Like a little "WTF" to your reading? Tired of the over use of zombie genre but still looking for that feel? This is your book. Not safe for kids under 16 or for people with a strong Christian belief. But if none of that bothers you, happy reading.
August 28, 2016
This story takes the whole "dead returning to life" concept, and instead of going the zombie route, turns it into a pretty great supernatural mystery. It does everything I had wanted Jason Mott's The Returned to do.
February 25, 2016
I wasn't I huge fan of hack and slash so I was a bit skeptical of Revival but I have to say this was a fantastic comic. It has great art, drama, creepy children, badass characters, weird alien like things and a kick ass story. Definitely continuing this series.
January 2, 2014
A great graphic novel; the art is gorgeous, the unnerving mood is set, and I appreciated how the female protagonists are depicted. I look forward to the second volume!
July 18, 2015
Wow! I think this is probably the best comic I've ever read, loved everything about it. Just ordered volume 2.
February 11, 2018
Interesting take on zombies, definitely want to continue the series. Loved the art.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews