Comics Bulletin logo
Search
  • Columns
    Random
    • All The Rage: Batmobilin'

      Jason Sacks
      March 16, 2003
      All the Rage
    Recent
    • Revisiting the Witchblade/Fathom/Tomb Raider Crossover

      Daniel Gehen
      February 8, 2021
    • The Full Run: Usagi Yojimbo – The Wanderer’s Road Part 2

      Daniel Gehen
      December 4, 2020
    • The Full Run: Usagi Yojimbo – The Wanderer’s Road Part 1

      Daniel Gehen
      October 30, 2020
    • What Looks Good
    • Comics Bulletin Soapbox
    • The Full Run
    • Leading Question
    • Top 10
    • The Long-Form
    • Jumping On
    • Comics in Color
    • Slouches Towards Comics
  • Big Two
    Random
    • Comics Bulletin Exclusive Preview – Batman '66 # 50 from DC Comics!

      Jason Sacks
      December 22, 2014
      DC Comics, News, Previews
    Recent
    • 3.0

      Review: X-MEN LEGENDS #1 Delivers A Dose of Nostalgia

      Daniel Gehen
      February 22, 2021
    • 4.5

      DCeased: Dead Planet #7 Presents a Hopeful Future (Review)

      Daniel Gehen
      January 22, 2021
    • Retro Review: Detective Comics #826 Remains a Holiday Classic

      Daniel Gehen
      December 3, 2020
    • DC Comics
    • Big Two Reviews
    • Marvel Comics
  • Indie
    Random
    • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Power Rangers Team Up in BOOM! Crossover

      Jason Sacks
      July 15, 2019
      Boom! Studios, IDW, News, Press Release
    Recent
    • 4.5

      Review: THE LAST RONIN #2 Hurts So Good

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • TIME BEFORE TIME—A HIGH STAKES TIME TRAVEL SCIENCE FICTION SERIES SET TO LAUNCH THIS MAY

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • Image Comics and TMP Announces SPAWN’S UNIVERSE

      Daniel Gehen
      February 18, 2021
    • Reviews
    • Archie Comics
    • Boom! Studios
    • Dark Horse
    • IDW
    • Image
    • Oni Press
    • Valiant
  • Reviews
    Random
    • 5.0

      ADVANCE REVIEW: Holy Terror #3

      Jason Sacks
      November 15, 2011
      Reviews
    Recent
    • 3.0

      Review: X-MEN LEGENDS #1 Delivers A Dose of Nostalgia

      Daniel Gehen
      February 22, 2021
    • 4.5

      Review: THE LAST RONIN #2 Hurts So Good

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • 2.3

      Review: SAVAGE #1 Needs Taming

      Daniel Gehen
      February 16, 2021
    • Singles Going Steady
    • Slugfest
    • Manga
      • Reviews
    • Small Press
      • Reviews
      • ICYMI
      • Tiny Pages Made of Ashes
  • Interviews
    Random
    • Bryan Lee O'Malley: Scott Pilgrim vs. CB's Charles Webb

      Jason Sacks
      May 18, 2010
      Interviews
    Recent
    • Interview: Jon Davis-Hunt Talks SHADOWMAN

      Daniel Gehen
      June 8, 2020
    • Interview: Becky Cloonan talks DARK AGNES and Her Personal Influences

      Mike Nickells
      March 4, 2020
    • Simon Roy

      Interview: Simon Roy on His Inspirations and Collaborations on PROTECTOR

      Mike Nickells
      January 29, 2020
    • Audio Interview
    • Video Interview
  • Classic Comics
    Random
    • Harvey Pekar and American Splendor: A Comics Bulletin discussion

      Jason Sacks
      June 19, 2014
      Classic Comics Cavalcade, Columns
    Recent
    • Countdown to the King: Marvel’s Godzilla

      Daniel Gehen
      May 29, 2019
    • Honoring A Legend: Fantagraphics To Resurrect Tomi Ungerer Classics

      Daniel Gehen
      February 15, 2019
    • Reliving the Craziest Decade in Comics History: An interview with Jason Sacks

      Mark Stack
      January 2, 2019
    • Classic Comics Cavalcade
    • Classic Interviews
  • News
    Random
    • Madefire’s Free Friday 11/21/2014: Unity - Episode 1

      Jason Sacks
      November 21, 2014
      News
    Recent
    • TIME BEFORE TIME—A HIGH STAKES TIME TRAVEL SCIENCE FICTION SERIES SET TO LAUNCH THIS MAY

      Daniel Gehen
      February 19, 2021
    • Image Comics and TMP Announces SPAWN’S UNIVERSE

      Daniel Gehen
      February 18, 2021
    • SAVAGE DRAGON IS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH THIS MAY

      Daniel Gehen
      February 17, 2021
    • Press Release
    • Kickstarter Spotlight
  • Books
    Random
    • Review: 'Otto Binder: The Life and Work of a Comic Book and Science Fiction Visionary' by Bill Schelly

      Jason Sacks
      July 20, 2016
      Books, Classic Comics, Reviews
    Recent
    • Collecting Profile: Disney Frozen

      CB Staff
      November 22, 2019
    • Collecting Profile: NFL Superpro

      CB Staff
      August 31, 2019
    • “THE BEST OF WITZEND” is a Wonderful Celebration of Artistic Freedom

      Daniel Gehen
      September 15, 2018
    • Review: ‘Machete Squad’ is a Disappointing Afghan Memoir

      Jason Sacks
      July 31, 2018
    • Review: ‘Out of Nothing’ is the Antidote to Our Sick Times

      Jason Sacks
      July 23, 2018
    • Review: ‘Bizarre Romance’ Shows Rough Edges in the Early Days of a New Marriage

      Jason Sacks
      July 10, 2018
What's New
  • Review: X-MEN LEGENDS #1 Delivers A Dose of Nostalgia
  • Collecting Profile: Kraven the Hunter
  • Review: THE LAST RONIN #2 Hurts So Good
  • TIME BEFORE TIME—A HIGH STAKES TIME TRAVEL SCIENCE FICTION SERIES SET TO LAUNCH THIS MAY
  • Image Comics and TMP Announces SPAWN'S UNIVERSE
  • SAVAGE DRAGON IS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH THIS MAY
  • RSS Feed
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Contact Us
  • Write for us!
  • Visit Video Game Break!
Home
Reviews

Everlast

Jason Sacks
February 2, 2012
Reviews

Derek Everlast is a soldier. He's a man who sees the future, sees a world full of trial and tribulations for the vast majority of people. He follows an impulse called the Nudge to see a world where 144,000 people are fated to reach the mythical kingdom of Haven, a perfect world inside the Earth.  The road for that 144,000 to reach Haven will be long and hard, but the journey will be worth all the violence and conflict and giant monsters that stand in his way. Derek Everlast saves souls and sends them to Haven. He's a warrior for Good, with a capital G. He's a Robin Hood for human existence. 

Actor Chad Michael Murray, star of One Tree Hill, wrote this new graphic novel from Archaia Publishing. I have to admit that I prejudged a bit before reading this book, wondering if this graphic novel might represent an attempt by a pretty boy TV actor to get some indie cred by creating his own graphic novel. But I was surprised that this book really wasn't too bad. There's some pretty decent insight and philosophy underpinning this book that makes it a pretty entertaining read.

One of the reasons this book works pretty well is that five different artists illustrate the story. The story shifts its mood as each artist takes their  turn telling the story of this graphic novel — one dark and angled, the next warm and watercolored, adding their own interesting take to the story that they are telling. The shifting style really accentuates Murray's story, deepening and broadening the adventure and bringing different elements to light.

The art does a nice job of overcoming the occasional shortcomings of the story. There are some parts of the story that feel a bit of a cliché or a bit overwrought. I had a bit of trouble following the shifting reationship between Everlast and his counterpart Stavros. I also felt that the supporting characters in the graphic novel felt a bit shallow and undefined. 

I also found it a bit strange that we never really get a feeling for the larger mission that Everlast is part of. He's an odd sort of angel saving souls, but we don't get much objective viewpoint of his mission. It's actually a lot like the early issues of Green Lantern before the revelations of the Guardians of Oa or the epsodes of Doctor Who before we learn about the Gallifreyans. This air of mystery around Everlast gives the book an intriguing sort of subjective quality that matches the confusion of the characters that Everlast saves, but at the same time it gives this book a slightly vague context.

I did really enjoy the metaphysical underpinnings of this book and the subjective way that it is presented. A lot of movies and TV shows create a mystery and just as quickly reveal the truth behind the mystery. All suspense is destroyed when the truth is revealed too quickly. Murray does a nice job in this book of displaying just enough context as the story goes on, emphasizing the mystery of the story in intriguing ways.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this graphic novel. My fears about the pretty boy actor creating comics were unfounded. Chad Murray has created an interesting world with a tremendously and wonderfully flawed lead character. 

 


 

Jason Sacks has been obsessed with comics for longer than he'd like to remember. He considers himself a student of comics history and loves delving into obscure corners of this crazy artform. Jason has been writing for this site for about seven years and has also been published in a number of fan publications, including the late, lamented Amazing Heroes and The Flash Companion. He lives in north Seattle with his wife and three kids.

Andrew HuertaArchaiaChad Michael MurrayDaniel ZezeljJason SacksJH WoodwardRobbi RodriguezTrevor Hairsine

Share On:
Tweet
Feynman
ADVANCE REVIEW: King Conan: The Scarlet Citadel

About The Author

Jason Sacks
Publisher Emeritus

Jason Sacks has been obsessed with pop culture for longer than he'd like to remember. Jason has been writing for Comics Bulletin for nearly a decade, producing over a million words of content about comics, films and other media. He has also been published in a number of publications, including the late, lamented Amazing Heroes, The Flash Companion and The American Comic Book Chronicles: the 1970s and 1980s. Find him on Facebook and Twitter. Jason is the Owner and Publisher of Comics Bulletin.

Related Posts

  • 4.5

    DCeased: Dead Planet #7 Presents a Hopeful Future (Review)

    Daniel Gehen
    January 22, 2021
  • THE SACRIFICE OF DARKNESS is Coming from BOOM! imprint Archaia

    Daniel Gehen
    January 26, 2020

Latest Reviews

  • 3.0

    Review: X-MEN LEGENDS #1 Delivers A Dose of Nostalgia

    Daniel Gehen
    February 22, 2021
  • 4.5

    Review: THE LAST RONIN #2 Hurts So Good

    Daniel Gehen
    February 19, 2021
  • 2.3

    Review: SAVAGE #1 Needs Taming

    Daniel Gehen
    February 16, 2021
  • 4.3

    Review: RADIANT BLACK #1 Shines Brightly

    Daniel Gehen
    February 12, 2021
  • 2.7

    Review: DEEP BEYOND #1 Can’t Commit to a Premise

    Daniel Gehen
    February 4, 2021
  • 2.0

    VINDICATION Falls Short of its Lofty Goals (Review)

    Daniel Gehen
    February 1, 2021
  • 4.5

    DCeased: Dead Planet #7 Presents a Hopeful Future (Review)

    Daniel Gehen
    January 22, 2021
  • Review: The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Cartoonist

    Daniel Gehen
    December 14, 2020
  • Retro Review: Detective Comics #826 Remains a Holiday Classic

    Daniel Gehen
    December 3, 2020
  • 4.5

    TMNT: The Last Ronin #1 Lives Up to the Hype (Review)

    Daniel Gehen
    October 29, 2020
RSSTwitterFacebookgoogleplusinstagramtumblr

Comics Bulletin is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, audible.com, and any other website that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, Comics Bulletin earns from qualifying purchases.

All content on this site (c) 2018 The Respective Copyright Holders