Max Brallier is best known as the author of the much-acclaimed Last Kids On Earth series that has now been adapted as a show on Netflix. Other books and series that he has written include Eerie Elementary, Galactic Hot Dogs, Mister Shivers, and Can YOU Survive the Zombie Apocalypse. The Last Comics On Earth is the first book in a new spinoff graphic novel series of The Last Kids On Earth.
At an unspecified time during the apocalypse, the last kids on Earth, Jack, Quint, June, and Dirk are brushing up on their favourite comic book series. They soon realise that due to the nature of apocalyptic events, no further issues will ever be made, leaving the main character at a major cliff hanger moment. To rectify this, the kids decide to continue to write in on their own, and to make it even more interesting they include themselves in superhero form.
Thus, we are introduced to the city of Apocalyptia, the famous superhero Z-Man, and his new team of haphazard beginner heroes. As the new heroes battle to save Z-Man from an evil villain, they must also learn what it takes to be a hero while facing new foes and inner group turmoil. Will the four independent heroes learn to work together, or will their stubbornness tear their apocalyptic paradise apart?
Full of comic book and superhero tropes, cringeworthy moments, terrible jokes and an air of general silliness, readers of The Last Kids On Earth will find great enjoyment in this new spinoff series. While you do not need to have read The Last Kids On Earth books or seen the Netflix show to enjoy this book, because it is not entirely independent, readers may be a bit confused at places and miss out on some character easter eggs.
With all of the hero characters’ back stories, secret lairs, wonderfully weird and colourful illustrations (courtesy of Jay Cooper and Douglas Holgate), and even including fake merchandise ads throughout the book, it really does feel like a traditional comic book. This book is a bit of a conundrum in that it is a comic book within a comic book within a novel that all adds up to one big graphic novel! With a cast of diverse main characters, crazy monster villains, and a lot of not-so-serious fights, young readers will find this new series to be a light and fun read.
