‘Wool: The Graphic Novel Omnibus’ review
By Brittney MacDonald, Life & Style Editor
4/5
For those keeping up with trends in science fiction, Wool by Hugh Howey probably sounds familiar. The lengthy novel was an instant smash hit among readers. The book’s success prompted Jet City Comics to endorse a graphic novel adaptation. Though good, the graphic novel does not completely live up to the standard set by the book.
Adapted by writers Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray, Wool takes place in a dystopian future where mankind is struggling to survive after the apocalypse. The world outside the human colony is terrifying and dangerous, so much so that even the thought of venturing out is punishable by exile.
The narrative of the graphic novel follows the book pretty closely, and as a fan of the book I definitely appreciate that. Discussion of the plot is a little difficult, however, because part of the charm of Howey’s writing is the constant plot twists. You never know what to expect, which makes both the book and the graphic novel adaptation a page-turner.
The art by Jimmy Broxton reminds me a lot of Lazarus, in that it was good but nothing really stood out as amazing—just really consistent. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it makes the overall aesthetic of the graphic novel really pleasing.
However, there were a couple of things that were lost in translation. Since the original novel is so long, the adaptation felt a little rushed in comparison. I was also a little disappointed that the characters all looked a little white-washed and didn’t reflect the full racial diversity I had imaged when reading the book.
I would definitely recommend this adaptation if you’re a fan of the book. If you haven’t read the book, then I’d recommend checking that out instead of picking up the graphic novel.
