Zoo: The Graphic Novel
Oz, a former PhD student in biology, is determined to prove his theory of HAC (human-animal conflict). Unfortunately, the rest of the world doesn’t want to listen. But with animal attacks on the rise, Oz’s theory holds growing weight, though his warnings may come too late to save humanity. Yen continues its streak of graphic-novel adaptations of popular novels with this dark and violent apocalyptic tale. MacDonald’s black-and-white color palette and strong, realistic art style make the characters and settings—and the animal attacks—stand out, but keep the story from drowning in the gore that might have come from a full-color rendition. He doesn’t waste time on words when images should carry the tale, and when the dialogue is heavy he varies panel perspective to keep the story flowing. Readers may wish for a bit more character development, but the brooding ending wraps things up nicely. Graphic violence, sexual situations, nudity, and strong language make this one for adults, especially lovers of end-of-the-world stories. --Snow Wildsmith