SAFE by Justin Zimmerman is a Wild Ride from Start to Finish

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4HNKa1SugE]

Rating: ★★★★★ 

Summary: How far would you go to keep your family SAFE? A bold new comic take on the horror genre in breathtaking color!

Have you ever read a comic that blows your mind and makes you question everything you know?

SAFE by Justin Zimmerman packs more into a single issue comic than most other stories. He wasn’t kidding in his interview and during his Kickstarter campaign when he said that this particular comic will break from the usual mold. On the surface it appears to be similar to the usual zombie comic, filled with brain hungry living dead intent on killing everything in their path. However, Justin Zimmerman takes the horror genre to a different level and leaves the reader questioning what the hell they just read. 

It was glorious, and by the end of the short comic I had goosebumps. SAFE is one of those stories that will leave you staring at the last page wondering if what you just read really happened.

The thing I love about SAFE, and all of Justin Zimmerman’s comics, is how in touch with humanity they are. I think I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: his comics are real. The characters are understandable and relatable. His heroes are flawed, the supporting characters are intriguing, and at the end his stuff always leaves the reader asking questions about the world around them.

SAFE is no different in that it is not only a great, entertaining read, but a thought provoking one. From beginning to end, the reader gets a chance to see a part of the human condition that is very real and rarely ever talked about. When it is the end of the world and you’re scrambling to protect the ones you love, how far will you go? SAFE says, “pretty damn far,” but probably not in the way you’re expecting.

You guys, I don’t think you understand just how badly I want to spill the secret. The plot twist, the climax, the thing that makes this whole comic so utterly worth owning is the one thing about it I can’t talk about. It would take away from the beautiful arch Justin created and if I spoil it, you won’t be sitting at the end like I was, staring at the last page with your mouth hanging open.

Or else you wouldn’t believe me altogether because it is just that crazy good.

What I can tell you about, other than the realistic writing, is that the art is superb. The art is by Russell Brown who has worked on previous projects with Justin and continues to bring the story to life with his drawings. There’s a certain rough yet complex quality to his characters that enhances the story without distracting from it. His realistic drawing style compliments the realistic writing that is found all throughout the comic. Justin and Russell are a match made in heaven when they put their creative talents together to produce something which is a work of art on multiple levels.

Have I mentioned I really, really liked SAFE?

On one hand, I was devastated by how short it really was. After all, I could probably read an inch-thick comic put together by Justin and still not be satisfied. There’s so many great things he includes in every single page, it leaves me wanting more. Yet if something else were to be added to the end of SAFE, I don’t think it would have quite the same impact.

When it is all said and done, SAFE definitely makes my list of must-read indie comics. Then again, so does The Killing Jar and pretty much everything else produced by Justin Zimmerman and his various teams. His writing is constantly realistic and down to earth, and he picks only the best to represent his stories in visual form.

The best part? You can own your own copy of SAFE (and The Killing Jar, and Justin’s other works) by checking him out on ETSY. Believe me, you won’t regret it.

SAFE is a wild ride from start to end, with a plot twist that will leave you equally amazed and devastated. Justin’s writing, partnered with beautiful art printed locally through environmentally sound practices, will have you yearning for more and spending some hard earned dollars devouring his collection. I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.