August 4, 2026 by Graphix
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
In this starkly illustrated graphic novel, we see a hockey bus get lost and skid off a snowy, remote road. The driver and coach try to figure out what to do with the high school team members, and take them to a nearby cabin. Sadly, when blood from the driver drops onto the snow, it unleashes horrible zombie-like monsters that destroy everyone. We also meet Dante and Jen, influencers who specialize in extreme sports. They have a staff that includes a pilot and camera person who are not particularly fans of the teens. They jump onto a snowy mountain in the same region, but when they get to the bottom, find their crew missing. They make their way to a local store, but their equipment is stolen by a resident named Kyle. Even though the clerk warns that they should not follow them, they do, with the help of another clerk, Callum. They find a cabin, but run into the creatures as well. They barricade themselves inside, and end up on the roof, watching the creatures trying to climb the walls. They can be fought off by light as well as water piped in from local rivers. At one point, Jen falls off the roof but makes it to a nearby storage shed. Dante is turned into one of the monsters. Callum’s mother shows up, and it turns out that there is deep local and family history that has caused her to become a monster hunter. An avalanche sweeps her away, and damages the cabin, so Jen and the others have to try to survive. They are eventually rescued, but a final page shows a sign declaring that the cursed area will be home to a future resort and spa!
Strengths: There are not a lot of horror graphic novels, and this certainly had a sort of simplistic appeal, with the stark black and white background with touches of red. The creatures are fairly scary, and indiscriminate in their carnage. There’s a lot of poking them with metal spikes, which dissolves them into a satisfying goo. The backstory makes sense, and the inclusion of social media influencers will be appealing to young YouTuber wannabes. This could be a series, especially if the resort gets built.
Weaknesses: There was really no character development, and it was hard to keep the characters straight. The hockey team didn’t have much of a reason to be in the story, although the bus did show up later. The illustrations are okay, but have a standard, comic book sort of feel to them.
What I really think: This didn’t strike me as particularly good, but I can see its appeal to readers who don’t want a particularly involved story or who struggle a bit with text complexity. I might end up purchasing a copy for readers who aren’t quite up to reading Goosebumps books and enjoyed the P.J. Night graphic novels.
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