Voracious: Appetite For Destruction #5 delivers the finale of this three-volume series. Nate and his friends must pick up the pieces after experiencing a devastating loss. Can they move forward with their lives after everything they’ve been through? 

Review Spoiler: I’m going to recommend you read the entire series. There are two trades and the four floppies of this miniseries. If you want to go in blind, just know that this series is perhaps one of the very best stories I’ve read in comic book form. There will be spoilers for the first two volumes and possibly every issue so far in this series.

Even with the above spoiler warning, I’m still hesitant to reveal too much. It’s very tough to talk about this comic without talking about previous events. If you’ve come this far then you don’t care about spoilers or read every issue. In which case, you probably don’t care about spoilers anyway.

But here we are.

The finale to one of my favorite stories in comic form. It’s a very bittersweet moment.

Voracious: Appetite For Destruction #5 surpasses any expectation I had for the series finale. This is a comic that takes everything from the previous fourteen issues (thirteen if you count the over-sized first issue as one) and pulls it together. It’s an end that rewards readers who have obsessed over every detail in each issue.

There are no sudden deus ex machina to resolve the dangling plot points; Naso left hints and clues throughout the previous comics so that nothing feels unexpected. But nor is it telegraphed. Voracious: Appetite For Destruction #5 holds a place in my personal top five of series finales. I’m being cagey here because right now it’s my number one, and while I can’t think of another issue to top V:AfD #5 right now, that’s also because I have just read this comic. It’s a wonderfully rewarding book.

After the events of the previous issue, the finale feels more like an epilogue. And I absolutely love that Markisan Naso gave himself time to wrap up the story in such a complete way. Yes, there are still options for spin-off series. With such a rich multiverse, there are almost limitless possibilities here for a multitude of different stories. I hope Naso, Jason Muhr and Andrei Tabucaru can tell them in the future. In the meantime, we’re still left with an utterly beautiful story about loss, redemption, and a cutting undertone about the selfishness of humanity that will resonate for decades to come.

The entire Voracious series is probably the highest scoring run I’ve ever reviewed. It is a nigh-on perfect three trade story (I don’t think there are any flaws I can pick with the entire story). This has been a fantastic journey, and Voracious has ensconced the creative team as one of the finest in the sequential art medium. Markisan Naso is one of the few writers, along with Jeff Lemire, Matt Kindt and Robert Venditti, whose work I will pick up without question.

Thank Andrei Tabucaru, for such wonderful coloring work. You brought life to the long-extinct, such that I could smell the roasting of dinosaur flesh from my desk.

Thank you, Jason Muhr. Your talents have blossomed over the years from the first issue. Even on Voracious #1, you captured the essence of these characters in a way that has stayed with me.

Thank you, Markisan Naso. This story has given me such ups and downs, an emotional roller coaster of a journey, but most of all it came at a time when my love of comics was faltering. Although not the sole reason I am still reading, Voracious certainly played its part.

I am sorry to see the story come to an end. Holy frig am I glad that I was able to read this book.

Story: Markisan Naso Art: Jason Muhr Colorist: Andrei Tabucaru
Story: 10 Art: 10 Overall: 10 Recommendation: Buy

Action Lab provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review. I have every intention of buying this book (and the trade) anyway.

Maribel’s mysterious past is revealed in Voracious: Appetite For Destruction #4. Nate and his friends face the monstrous Owen in a final battle for Blackfossil and the fate of two worlds.

Review Spoiler: I’m going to recommend you read the entire series. There are two trades and the four floppies of this miniseries. If you want to go in blind, just know that this series is perhaps one of the very best stories I’ve read in comic book form. If you read further there will be spoilers for the first two volumes.

Even with the above spoiler warning, I’m still hesitant to reveal too much about this story. I know, if you’ve come this far, then either you don’t care about spoilers or you’ve read every issue. Then you probably don’t care about spoilers.

But here we are.

One issue away from the finale.

Voracious: Appetite For Destruction #4 would have made for an incredible cliffhanger at the end of a series. It’s the kind of comic that wraps everything up without giving closure. It hooks the reader for the next series that you inevitably wait longer than you wanted for. Instead, Markisan Naso delivers one of his hardest-hitting issues in the comic before the finale.

This comic has a one-two punch that will leave you feeling emotionally vulnerable. The other dozen or so jabs that will wear away at any pretense you have of being an emotionless fool. You’re not. And that’s okay. It is, frankly and honestly, one of the best single issues I’ve read in a long time. There are so many different layers to this issue. Was we learn about Maribel’s past, get a hint toward Nate’s future and see Gus Horncrusher closing in on rock bottom.

There’s an inevitability to this issue. They way Naso’s words play across the page you can’t help but wonder if the writer is both talking to you directly. You may not notice it until you’ve closed the comic for the first time. But when you do you’re going to wonder if certain parts of the narration are the writer bidding farewell to you and the series. It adds another layer to the already powerful words.

Voracious: Appetite For Destruction #4 finally reveals what has only been hinted at previously: Maribel’s story. The issue splits between the flashback retelling of her story and the events of the present. Two separate tales intertwining as they rush to their meeting point. The juxtaposition of the two stories – the frantic rush and heartbreak of the present as Nate tries to make it to a certain characters side as Gus’ memory of his wife fades further against the slower biographical telling of Maribel’s story, and the gradual finding of hope and love that she finds with Nate’s grandfather – turn into one of the surprise stars of this book as Naso demonstrates a flair for comic book storytelling seldom seen.

Jason Muhr‘s art, combined with Andrei Tabacaru‘s coloring, is perfectly suited for the style of story. If there is one thing I am as impressed by in this comic other than the writing, it’s the art. The beauty of this series is that neither the art nor the writing is consistently better than the other. Muhr has been on top form the entire series. Believe me, I’ve tried to nitpick, but there’s nothing for me to find. His talent is on full display here with some phenomenal double-page spreads. They give a very whimsical retelling of the past in a detailed yet condensed way. And then there’s the penultimate page… oh boy.

And through all of this, Tabacaru adds the warmth, emotion, and panic needed to the art through his vibrant coloring. The only exception to his vibrancy is the previously mentioned double-page spreads in which he uses a sepia-like color scheme to highlight the golden memories of the past.

As one of my favorite series prepares to come to a close, the creative hit us with one of the strongest issues in the series yet. It’ll be a bittersweet moment when I get the next issue, but this has been a fantastic journey and I cannot wait to see how it ends.

Story: Markisan Naso Art: Jason Muhr Colourist: Andrei Tabucaru
Story: 10 Art 9.4 Overall: 9.6 Recommendation: Buy

Action Lab provided a FREE copy for review, but I have every intention of buying this book (and the trade) anyway.

In Voracious: Appetite For Destruction #3, Nate Willner makes a lot of mistakes in his life. Things like hunting and cooking dinosaurs from another dimension. But one of the biggest blunders he’s ever made is taking his best friend, Starlee, for granted. This issue, she confronts him about that. Plus, Captain Jim makes a plan for taking down Owen.

Review spoiler: I’m going to recommend you read the entire series. There’s two trades and the three floppies of this miniseries. If you want to go in blind, just know that this series is one of my absolute favorites. If you read further there will be spoilers for the first two volumes.

We are all the hero of our own story, right? No matter who you are, your story centers on you. And that’s okay, as long as you realize that the world doesn’t revolve around you. But what if you’ve forgotten that other people also have their own stories to live? Their own lives to live and their own needs to be met? In fiction, it’s often all too easy for us to forget that. We get engrossed in reading the story of the lead character. In this case Nate Wilner. The other characters have their own dreams, desires and motivations (or at least they should). Markisan Naso plays with this wonderfully in this issue that slows things down a touch in the action department, but hits home in the character and plot development area.

Voracious: Appetite For Destruction #3 allows readers to take a bit of a breather from the hunt for a giant dinosaur bird monster that Owen has become that was the focus of the first two issues, and allows the readers and story to breath before the next confrontation. Naso demonstrates a grasp of pacing and plot development that some have either inexplicably forgotten or never knew about. It’s this kind of mid series breather that allows the writer to double down on the action over the remaining chapters, as hints he’s dropped as seed up to ten issues ago are beginning to flourish into full blown oak trees of awesome.

Jason Muhr‘s art, combined with Andrei Tabacaru‘s colouring once again rises to meet the quality of the writing. There’s a deft subtlety to the way these two create their respective artwork, with each issue still managing to surprise me; whether it’s the body language in the opening scene that feels so natural, or the surprisingly human emotion on the face of Gus Horncrusher… it’s a comic that despite the deliberately slower pace, still remain visually exciting and interesting.

Slowing the pace of a story in the middle can be risky, but the creators have been able to retain the tension in the series with an intense focus on character development as the series begins to wrap. There’s a reason I love this series so much, but it essentially boils down to the raw talent of Naso, Muhr and Tabacaru.

I had been waiting more than six months to read this issue, after getting my hands on the first two via Kickstarter. After such a long wait, I am very happy to say that it didn’t disappoint.

Story: Markisan Naso Art: Jason Muhr Colourist: Andrei Tabucaru
Story: 9.4 Art 9.4 Overall: 9.4 Recommendation: Buy

Action Lab provided a FREE copy for review, but I had already received my copy from Kickstarter.

Detectives Gus Horncrasher and Owen Talonburg have been partners on the CCPD for a long time. Over the years they’ve grappled with many lowlifes and criminals, but they’ve never had to face off against each other. They will in Voracious: Appetite For Destruction #2…

Review spoiler: I’m going to recommend you read the entire series. There’s two trades and this floppy. If you want to go in blind, just know that this series is one of my absolute favorites. If you read further there will be spoilers for the first two volumes.

As the final volume of writer Markisan Naso and artist Jason Muhr‘s genre crossing story to a bittersweet close. Voracious‘ best selling point is the tag line “time travelling chef hunts dinosaurs”. While that’s a great elevator pitch, it doesn’t give the story, the characters or the concept as a whole the credit that is deserved.

This is one of the few comics that has left me emotionally fragile after I put it down; it is, on all fronts, an utter masterpiece of comic storytelling from Naso, Muhr and colourist Andrei Tabucaru.

The first volume centered on the real world problems of the inhabitants of Black Fossil. Albeit with one or two of its residents being time travelling dinosaur hunters. Naso and Muhr laid the foundations for the relationships between the characters with some brilliant dialogue and some surprisingly subtle body language. They hinted toward something deeper within the sleepy desert town. The second volume took a much sharper turn into the science fiction when it’s revealed that maybe the dinosaur hunters weren’t time travelling to our world’s past… This volume opens the door to horror, and it’s a jarring step that makes total sense within the context of the story.

It has been a long time since I first read Voracious: Appetite For Destruction #2 as part of a Kickstarter reward, and the comic still holds up after multiple readings – that I have had to wait months for the third issue hasn’t been easy, but now there’s only 30 days between me and issue #3, and I can’t wait to see where the story ends up. There should be no surprises that I love this series – I have been raving about it almost as long as I have been writing for this website. It’s time you picked Vorcacious: Appetite for Destruction. It helped remind me why I fell in love with comics in the first place.

Story: Markisan Naso Art: Jason Muhr Colourist: Andrei Tabucaru
Story: 9.1 Art 9.2 Overall: 9.2 Recommendation: Buy

Action Lab provided a FREE copy for review, but I had already received my copy from Kickstarter.

The critical favorite series returns with an all new volume with Voracious: Appetite For Destruction #1! Chef Nate Willner’s dinosaur hunts in an alternate dimension reignited his passion for cooking and turned his life around. But traveling through time and space for prehistoric meat has consequences he never imagined. He’s damaged another universe, fractured the trust of the people he cares for most, and unleashed a flesh-hungry monster on his hometown. Can Nate and his friends put aside their differences long enough to save Blackfossil?

Review spoiler: I’m going to recommend you read the entire series. Two trades and this floppy.

Voracious: Appetite For Destruction #1 begins to bring the final chapter of Markisan Naso and Jason Muhr‘s seminal story to close. Voracious was sold to me with the line “time travelling chef hunts dinosaurs”. Over the course of two miniseries, the story evolved from a simple elevator pitch into a time-travelling science fiction masterpiece. It has more layers than a tiramisu.

Voracious remains the only series I have ever backed on Kickstarter (full disclosure). It contains one of the best comics I’ve ever read. It genuinely earned watery eyes with the scenes when Gus desperately tried to hold on to his memory of his wife. Naso has a deft hand for humor and emotion. When paired with the artistic talents of Muhr, the comic comes alive (especially with the vivid colouring from Andrei Tabucaru).

The first volume centered on the real world problems of the inhabitants of Black Fossil. Albeit with one or two of its residents being time travelling dinosaur hunters. Naso and Muhr laid the foundations for the relationships between the characters. They hinted toward something deeper within the sleepy desert town. The second volume took a much sharper turn into the science fiction. Stunning visuals from Muhr and Tabucaru ramped up the emotional impact. The third volume has big shoes to fill. I’m confident that the creative team will deliver upon the high expectations they’ve earned (especially after reading this comic).

You may have noticed that I’ve kept this review very vague in regards to the comic in question. That’s because my hope is that you’ll invest in the series as a whole once reading this. In doing so you’ll appreciate the lack of spoilers. Voracious is a series that will be held as a comic that you absolutely must read.

This is not a series I would have ever expected to be a writer’s debut. But, that’s exactly what this is. Markisan Naso first series is one of the very best I have ever read. That’s not hyperbole, I’m not blowing smoke or trying to curry favour – I just love this series. And Naso, Muhr and Tabucaru have delivered a high quality product each and every time. The worst thing about this comic is that it is the beginning of the series’ end.

Story: Markisan Naso Art: Jason Muhr Colourist: Andrei Tabucaru
Story: 9.1 Art 9.2 Overall: 9.2 Recommendation: Buy

Action Lab provided a FREE copy for review, but I had already received my copy from Kickstarter.