In today’s society, there is nothing you want more than to be free of the pandemic’s realities. But what if I told you that you could simply disappear into another world? Even though it was created before the epidemic, Spread offers an alternate universe that reminds us of the current state of the globe.
It is a fantastic blend of science fiction and horror in the form of a comic book. By blending themes reminiscent of John Carpenter’s The Thing with traditional horror elements, the series manages to be both powerful and compelling (gore, cannibalism, excessive violence).
Justin Jordan has crafted a lighthearted story that brings levity to what would otherwise be a dark and terrifying tale. In the first arc, Jordan also introduces a host of intriguing characters, each with their own voice, ambitions, and quirks. Kyle Strahm’s art is equally enthralling, alternately lively and precise, resulting in something that is comprehensively readable.
The Spread is set in a world that has been devastated by the Spread, a creature/organism/virus that is one of comics’ most horrible inventions, and it analyzes how the world changes around it. The majority of the world has devolved into fairly normal post-apocalyptic settlements, however, instead of taking place in a dry desert, the story is set in the woods during the winter, setting it apart from most of its contemporaries.
No-Hope
In this first issue, Jordan and Strahm serve up some post-apocalyptic monster/zombie realism, and both the premise and artwork are sharp and invigorating. The story starts after the disease has spread across the land. It is mysterious and gruesome. The art makes the spread look even gorier.
Our main character, No, yes that is his name (at least the one given to him by Molly) is immune to the Spread. But that doesn’t mean that he is immune to death or dismemberment at the hands of the zombies the Spread leaves in its wake or the cruel and ruthless Raiders. These Raiders are humans who have survived the spread so far owing to the tactical skill and a complete lack of remorse in stealing, killing, and destroying. While No is looking for Hope to fulfill the dying woman’s last wish, he has a stand-off with some raiders.
Once No met Hope, things took a turn. The spread is a weird thing, and it has runners. They are like physical entities of the disease it seems. Naturally, it starts to chase No and Hope and they run. This is when Hope shows No why she is called that. It is what she is. She is the hope in this madness. Even though we see No as a man of few words, Strahm is able to show us glimpses into his emotional condition in a few important panels, notably during the issue’s conclusion, when No discovers a little new-born who may hold the key to saving people and maybe even stopping the spread.
Dip and Die
No one learned that the monsters that now roam and hunt humans can be killed by the tears of the infant. These red-tentacled eating machines can not only kill humans directly but also take control of their bodies to carry out their will as we saw in the previous issue. It’s awful stuff, and no human has ever killed one of them. With those tears, the baby has some magical abilities, so No one has to keep her alive, for the sake of humanity. Aside from that, they’re being pursued by a weird, evil-looking dude. He made a brief appearance at the end of the last issue as well. He was holding a cross and wearing priestly clothes. There is a sense of foreboding in his character.
We see the raiders who attacked No in the last issue make a reappearance. This time with their leader. They are led by a blonde-haired egomaniac who appears to be quite skilled in combat. The last man standing who ran away is shown being beaten up by the leader who appears to know the importance of Hope but maybe that is just my inference. The issue then reverts to No, and we’re treated to a generous serving of plot development. No, and Hope comes into conflict with a pair of slave traders and a large portion of the Spread, which is oddly called by the mysterious misfit in the suit from the last issue.
As “Team No Hope” adds another survivor to their growing family – one who will wind up being a vital (if insane) part of Hope’s existence, we will know her as Molly. This comic has a lot of gore, so be advised. In this issue, writer Justin Jordan reduces the baby’s narrative and instead uses it as reactionary color rather than exposition. This keeps the action moving and the emphasis on showing rather than telling.
Civilizing the Meat
We’re going to have a tonal shift in this third issue. The universe opens up a little more in this issue, as we see a resolution to No’s trip. No one is willing to trade so he can take a bath and eat something. Of course, given the current state of the globe, it won’t end well.
No, our protagonist, demonstrates that he is capable of more than hatchet bludgeoning and one- or two-word utterances, while Molly, the group’s newest member, continues to be her goofy but amusing self. That’s significant since No appears to protect and regard her almost tenderly on several occasions, establishing a sense of humanity that counteracts his gruff exterior and brutal fighting technique. Molly is a ray of sunshine in an otherwise bleak world. Baby Hope continues to amuse us with her strangely drawn face and nonsense speech bubbles.
This time around, Jordan adds two new “primary” characters: Fat Jack and the town he rules as a warlord and head cook. And, as with most stories of this type, it’s through them that we witness sometimes-smiling humanity that’s arguably more horrifying than anything our heroes would confront in their fight against the titular Spread. Jordan handles even the most unpleasant areas of his universe with accessibility in this issue, and it’s a fun trip learning the “rules” (if there are any) through Hope’s narration of No. Our characters, Jack and the cult leader seem to be taking the reins of the story from No. The issue ends with a standoff between the two leaving you craving for more.
A little Molly for the road
On one side, Ravello and his raiders, and on the other, the Church of the Risen God, with No, Hope, and Molly in the middle. This isn’t going to end well.
One of the best things about this post-apocalyptic novel is about a pandemic Lovecraftian sickness in each issue. The flaxen-haired pretty boy, Ravello, and the bulbously bellied ginger, Fat Jack, as the tyrants who lord over their respective last bastions of civilization in this world, tentatively join forces in a prisoner exchange (of sorts) that would put No, Hope, and Molly squarely within the clutches of the diabolical Ravello.
This chapter essentially combines the kind of action we’ve already seen while adding a little more twisted fun to the mix. We’ve got everything from the Spread putting on a brutal show to No demonstrating his blades manship before finally meeting his match. Molly even has a chance to let loose. It is wonderful to see her character transform into someone who can even kill for the ones she loves. Jordan does an excellent job of moving the plot forward while enthralling us with insane action.
This issue adds to our understanding of Fat Jack, Ravello, and the Spread. We learn a little more about the agreement that the two human groups have reached, and the difference between them is rather humorous. Fat Despite being surrounded by filth, mayhem, and sorrow, Jack is as direct and uninhibited as they come, while Ravello is surprisingly calm and hopeful.
If you’ve been following along, you know who I’m talking about when I say that the tall and creepy guy finally gets his moment in the spotlight, and the reveal is totally enthralling. We also get a look into Molly’s background, which helps to strengthen our emotional attachment to the character. I’m hoping Jordan follows up on this and we get to see what happens if Ravello notices her.
Is it possible that he wouldn’t know her if she didn’t have her hair? What will her reaction be? We’ve already seen how she reacts when confronted, so it’ll be fascinating to watch what Jordan does with the character. No is the only one who doesn’t receive much development here, although he does have a great battle scene and another opportunity to entertain us with his limited language.
Caught between a rock and a hard place
In this issue, scumbag survivors confront not just our loose-knit band of heroes, but also an invasion of sentient versions of the Spread, led by a pseudo-religious leader, at one of the last remaining human camps. This issue is jampacked with a lot of action and gore.
No, Molly and Hope are on the run, but they’re stuck between a rock and a hard place, as well as a swarm of mutants. The Preacher is hunting for Hope while Molly plays keep-away. Jack is there to keep the peace in his own, messed-up way; Ravello and No continue to violently engage in their relatively unspoken tension. Molly encourages baby Hope to unleash her Spread-wreaking up-chuck when they are surrounded by the infected followers of the Preacher, revealing the infant’s astounding secret to everybody. Hope, small and defenseless as she is, is suddenly desired by all – to be used, destroyed, or kept safe.
As you might guess, chaos ensues, with Jordan’s free writing style, which I normally appreciate but which this time feels like it errs on the side of brevity.
End of an Arc
The consequences of No’s decision to bring Ravello out into the open in front of three spread worms aren’t nice. Turns out, they are called spread worms because they can spread, obviously, but to each other as well. So, they just end up becoming bigger and bigger. As the crowd moves in around the trading post, the two continue their well-matched bouts.
We also get a new perspective on overweight Jack, who is struggling to defend Molly and baby Hope. The preacher’s presence and weird control over the spread continue to make your skin crawl. The demolition of Jack’s home is violent and chaotic as the three-headed spread worm follows No into the civilization area. There are no dull periods in the action, which is chaotic from beginning to end. It seems that this issue brings No and Jack closer, resulting in him becoming a part of the little band. Ravello makes a reappearance till he gets eaten by one of the spread worms. But not before he is able to injure No.
This issue concludes with a fun little cliffhanger that fits well into the storyline.
The Preacher’s Path
The first thing to note is that this is a side narrative, not a direct continuation. The rationale for this is stated at the end of the issue, and it is quite reasonable. As a result, this novella provides some background information for one of the characters. This month, we’re digging into the history of one of Spread’s more intriguing characters, the Preacher – sorry, Ravello fans, we’re peering into the history of the Preacher this month.
Before the Spread, who was the Preacher? As we learn about this subject, he is not a man of faith. As humanity approaches its end, a small group of scientists discovers a youngster trapped in the Spread and risk his lives to save him. The youngster, on the other hand, has already been infected — but not all is as it seems as he is led into the armored mobile fortress/laboratory where these explorers live.
This issue does a lot to bring Spread back to its horror roots – we get to see people in a state of desperation, acting like animals cornered in a room; but, you know, with science and all. We learn not only how and why the Preacher came to accept his role in the closing days of man, but also how a tiny group of humans reacted differently to the commencement of the Spread, as well as the moral and survival bounds.
Child’s Play
Issue 8 is the first chapter after the end of the first arc where we see No and his group, and it begins with a troop of warrior youngsters fighting for survival in a world ruled by scavengers and monsters. The children are skilled warriors and excellent manipulators working under the guidance of an older man to stay alive. They live like a family.
After becoming acquainted with this new crew of feral children and, of course, their paths eventually meet in what could be one of the most fantastic story arcs of the year, we catch up with No and his company after the violent attack on the compound, which seems like an eternity ago. The children attack the band by pulling at Molly’s mother’s instincts and well just attacking Jack.
The spread monster attacks the group, but Jack does his best to save the child and run. They end up meeting in one place with the leader holding a knife to No’s head and Molly with her hands bound. There’s a lot of potential for greatness here, and issue 8 has already sold me. Spread is a brutal and intriguing series that is hellbent on pushing story and artistic boundaries.
Rat Problem
No is comatose and dying of blood loss. Issue 9 demonstrates that this comic could definitely thrive as an ensemble work with other strong characters to focus on, something he didn’t say much about before. The big-bellied cannibal Jack continues to amaze, and his acts in this chapter further complicate him.
The leader of the children asks Jack to get back the three kids taken by slavers in return for his companions. Despite being a complicated character, he has a lot of loyalty to his troop it seems. So, he does go to get the children and free the members of his group. Turns out, the leader of the slave group is a friend of his. Well, after 9 issues of saying things always get worse, maybe things are going to get better for the no hope group and quite possibly bad for the children.
Friends and foes
In issue #10, Justin Jordan’s latest storyline, The Children’s Crusade, approaches a boiling point. Jack has made a deal with an old acquaintance and the slaver gang, and it appears that he is about to screw No and the warrior kids utterly. While No heals from his wounds in the forest, the giant bearded cannibal has essentially taken over the Spread comic.
The Spread appears only on the first two pages and the last page, and while it is still present, it is no longer the main focus of terror. Instead, Jordan has chosen to focus on the horrors that humans perpetrate on one another in situations like these, in this case, child slave trading. Readers who are sensitive to kid endangerment should avoid this book, albeit there are a few terrible children in it as well. These are children that have grown up in this world and know nothing other, making them almost as frightening as the Spread monster. The book has evolved from a survival horror thriller to a Mad Max-style post-apocalyptic tale.
We see Jack turn on his friend Merri. It seems like his loyalties are still in the right place which honestly feels like a breath of relief on my side.
Child crusaders head to the Sanctuary
In this issue, we see the spread monsters, or flyers as they are called, attack the area where the hostages are kept. As violent and insane as this episode was, and it most certainly was, it comes to a near-happy conclusion. I was taken aback. Spread has been a depressing comic as we see the flyer eat one of the children, but we see Jordan has made up by offering us readers a ray of hope.
As the flyers begin their attack in the forest, every character from No, Jack, Molly, and even the infant faces severe risk. There is a moment where you are just filled with uncertainty and anxiety for the characters because you really want them to survive. Every page turn had me holding my breath, fearing the worst. This chapter contains several casualties as well as some surprises that demonstrate how the ‘spread’ is changing. That is a terrifying revelation in and of itself.
A Glimpse into Molly’s past
It’s time for another look back at one of our favorite Spread characters, this time Molly. Molly is one of my favorite characters; she’s mad, fierce, and one of the good ones. She is now my favorite character in the entire series as a result of this comic.
As we delve into her backstory, we see her getting adopted by a duo of men who take care of her and help her survive throughout the years. We see her transform into a young and capable woman who speaks articulately and cracks jokes and even haggles with people in the markets on occasion.
Unfortunately, the times change with the influx of raiders. She is captured by the raiders and brought back to…ding ding ding… that’s right, Ravello. He is truly one of the worst characters. He forces himself on Molly and on the other girls as well I’m sure. We see that she gets pregnant but the encampment does not provide for children. the women are routinely forced or maybe some aren’t that we don’t know but there is ample lovemaking in the camps. Yet, there are no children who bother Molly.
She decides to run away after burning a tent. She is discovered by the raiders again once she has given birth to the baby. Unfortunately, in an effort to escape them, her baby dies of asphyxiation. Thus, we find Molly desperate to save and protect Hope, our little baby, and it also explains the way she was found by No and the others.
The misfit we love
Justin Jordan decided it was time to tell us how our favorite bearded cannibal Jack became the guy he is now after the heartbreaking tale of Molly was revealed in issue 12. It’s not as emotionally draining as #12, but it’s a fascinating glimpse at the development of a youngster who is repeatedly put into harsh situations. Jack has had his share of terrible luck, but he’s also transformed into a villain in the process.
It just so happens that we may cheer for Jack because he has sentiments and appears to be doing well among our major characters. We just have to stay on our toes because he’s a cannibal who ended up backstabbing the one man who protected him from being killed terribly during the Spread breakout.
Issue 13 spans Jack’s boyhood coping with bullying, his recruitment in the army, and the initial outbreak of the Spread, before concluding with a frenzy of catch-up to get us to where we need to be in the story today. For a change, Felipe Sobreiro handles all of the art in this stand-alone chapter, and it works beautifully – I’d love to see more of Felipe in the future because what he’s given us with Jack’s story is fantastic.
The Sanctuary
No wakes up in the sanctuary in a comfortable bed. Turns out, they made it to the sanctuary, the one place that has been free of infections so far despite being located so close to the spread. Despite all of this hope suddenly springing out of nowhere, you can’t help but be cautious of this unexpected good fortune.
Sanctuary appears to be a fantastic game on the surface. You’d want to plant some roots there if you were in a similar circumstance. No makes us skeptical right away, but we’re not sure if it’s justified. Something is obviously going on in this town. You have to ask how much these people paid – or continue to pay – for their protection.
One of the companions from Molly’s story makes a reappearance. He had run away and got to the sanctuary where he has been staying so far. From the looks of his interactions with the man in the wheelchair, trouble is brewing, and this might just be the calm before the storm.
Nowhere is safe
The people Jack brought in were suspicious from the beginning and then they went on to prove themselves to be untrustworthy. They orchestrated an entire plan to try and get out of their cell. They attacked the men and well, it turns out they were just like the Preacher. Infected but able to walk and talk. Jack and No were right to feel like the Sanctuary won’t last.
Justin does a great job of building the mystery and his characters. We see Hope describing Cameron as a good guy but says that it is a gray area. She knows that we don’t and probably won’t view him as a good guy. Well, yeah, I don’t view him as one. Especially after the cliffhanger, Justin leaves us with. Cameron says the couple failed a test which really pushes me onto a sort of ledge and fills me with foreboding.
The benefit of the Doubt
Cameron, despite what Hope says, is not looking like a good guy. He is also controlling the spread as the Preacher did. His theory is that the spread is an intelligent thing that understands everything. So, he treats it like an equal. He communicates with it. It is unfortunate that he can’t give humans the same kind of respect and benefit of the doubt. However, even if I do believe that the spread should be killed off, Cameron does make some sense. He talks about wanting peace and coexistence, something that he has been managing so far in the sanctuary by simply communicating with the spread.
The trio, No, Molly, and Hope, are caught in a standoff against Cameron and his army of the spread as Molly’s past companion is unable to sneak them out of the encampment. On the other hand, Jack is also facing off with the spread in a different area.
Heart of Gore
Justin Jordan’s ‘Sanctuary’ story arc’s fourth and final chapter is here, and it’s turmoil from start to finish. You know you’re in for a good time when your problem starts with someone jamming their thumbs into their eye sockets. This is not a ‘pleasant’ ride, but it is entertaining to look at. And if by fun you mean nasty and mayhem-filled… The Spread tries to engulf No after it is revealed that the Sanctuary was a fake safe haven (obviously), and Jack is led into a trap that he must ruthlessly struggle his way out of beyond the walls.
To be sure, Spread is a brutal book, but it also has a lot of heart in between the huge chunks of gore and violence.
While Molly and Hope escape over the wall, No and Raven keep the others and the spread too busy to chase them. After which they take one of the vehicles and run away. They don’t know where Molly, Hope, or Jack are but they don’t lose heart. They plan on finding them anyway. But, as the story has said from the start, things can always get worse.
Bomb the Way
The army joins in as one of the characters in the overarching theme of the story. Turns out that while they didn’t really do much, they have been keeping an eye on the entire situation of the spread all these years. There is a world outside of the spread and Officer Lamb here claims that he can help Jack, Molly, and hopefully get out of here.
But the government wants the baby also known as the Hope against the hell created by the spread. Obviously, there is no way that Jack will give up Molly and the baby. They fight and unite. Officer Lamb, it seems, is a fan of Jack from when he was in the Royal Marines. This creates an added effect of an interesting environment making me have high hopes for how the story progresses.
Shield Maidens
We see a different group in a village this time, but they claim to be different from the raiders. They are a group of women warriors who are offering protection in return for food and supplies. They are like a civilizing force who stands against Ravello from the looks of it. They attack and kill not only the creatures who are a result of the spread, but the infected or as the Preacher used to call them, the perfected as well.
No, and Raven reaches the area near the village the Shieldmaidens just saved when Raven tells them about the maidens and their leader, Serena. The name rings a bell for No and he immediately decides to turn back and walk the other way. Before they can leave, the maidens are upon them. Just as you think they will get captured; Serena shows up. I’m not going to lie; I was expecting her to be an ex-girlfriend or something. However, they are siblings. On that note, Justin leaves us reeling.
Tick tock, time is running out of the clock
With No and Serena’s reunion, we find out that No is actually named Sean. Serena is all that is good in the world. She has been protecting and reinventing the world, trying to take care of all the people she can find, all while searching for Hope. It just so happens that she has Hope’s mother in the camp with her.
They have been searching for the child ever since the mother got injured and captured after their plane crashed. On the other hand, we find out that Merriweather has turned into a follower of the so-called risen God and transformed into one of those walking talking infected people. He is there to get his revenge on Jack and the others because of his new powers, thanks to Ravello. However, before he can do anything, we see Sean make an appearance. He and his sister with their army have come to the rescue of the rest of the gang.
The edge of Insanity
Things just seem to be happening so fast in this issue. Everything is so action-packed and full of gore that I really just can’t seem to stop reading it. The maidens, Jack, Sean, and Molly, everyone is fighting the army of the undead or half-dead, I don’t even know what to call them. Ravello shows up again and demands Hope and claims to be the risen God. He turns into something so gruesome with teeth and tentacles that makes it is hard to even look at him. Talk about glowing down am I right?
My favorite moment in this issue is when Molly uses Hope’s urine to ward off the creatures. I just find that super cool of her. During the entire mayhem, the main goal is to keep Hope safe and protect her. Lamb tells the group that he can take them out of the quarantine zone where Molly and the baby will be safe. So, they form away and hope for the best.
The message will find a way
Ravello revels in his journey. He talks about how he became the message in the belly of the beast as he was spread immune. He talked about connecting with the spread like one. They communicated with the two of them. The spread showed him its origins and how it spread over the past billion years, slowly and steadily building power, becoming stronger and more intelligent.
The previous messenger was the preacher who did not work out so well for the disease but Ravello seems to be getting the job done. He is patient now that he has transformed, more like devolved but that is just my opinion, and he is willing to let them flee. He is okay with waiting because that is just how much he believes in his cause. He thinks that he is the message, the message that talks about coexistence with the spread and he thinks that it will find them anyway.
Dungeons and (Spread) Dragons
Lamb leads the entire group to an underground shelter that was built when they thought the entire area was going to get bombed. They have to make it through twelve hours before they can access the outside world.
Inside the dungeons, Sean asks everyone to get to work and protect Hope considering their only options are to get nuked to death or die by the spread in they can’t protect Hope. Molly goes around exploring the place like the others. While Jack ends up finding ammunition, she finds what seemed like dormant Spread behind a door. Until it wasn’t dormant anymore. It came alive and attacked them as they tried to save themselves.
Jack the reaper till the end
Jack, our big broody yet jovial cannibal steals all the thunder in this issue. He goes outside the bunker with one of the maidens, Ash, with a lot of ammunition. Their plan is to blast the creatures and hold them off for as long as possible. While he had told Ash to pull back the moment it became difficult to fight, he did not stand by it.
He died in the most doomed yet heroic way possible, blowing up a bunch of bombs along with himself. It wasn’t meant to be a suicide mission, but Jack was just the sort to not back down. He always wanted to try till the end, and he did. Even though it wasn’t the most successful idea, it served its purpose.
Onto Saving the World
The ultimate battle is the focus of this issue of the comic. Ravello and his Spread army are up against No. Ravello makes his final assault to wipe off the remaining people in our story, with hatchets hacking down red tentacles left and right. The action is beautifully done, and it’s been a joy to watch Kyle Strahm, John Bivens, and Felipe Sobreiro conjure up such terrifying images throughout the years. Jordan and his revolving band of artists have managed to startle, entertain, and occasionally make me sad as hell with their exploration of the universe.
We see Sean smile again in this issue which is always taken as a sign of things going wrong. But it seems like he has figured out a way to make things better. He followed the pattern took a page out of the book of the preacher and Ravello and decided to communicate with the spread. Except he decided to tell it about their struggles and what it has been taking from them instead of listening to the spread. We see a grown-up Hope, 20 years into the future and still looking for answers but still full of hope.
Review: Why should you read Spread?
I think the entire comic is quite beautifully done. It is engaging from the beginning to the end with quite likable and well-created characters. The artwork by the various artists is unique and absolutely breathtaking. Jordan created this post-apocalyptic world back in 2014 but it is so much more relevant in the current pandemic. It is definitely a read that makes you draw parallels and think not only about an apocalyptic situation but zombies also in a way. At least I thought of them.