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The Only Living Boy #1
The Only Living Boy
The Only Living Boy tells the story of 12-year old Erik Farrell, who runs away from home only to find himself without his memory, stranded on a patchwork planet with danger lurking around every corner. Every day is a struggle to survive. Erik quickly allies himself with Morgan, a mermaid warrior and Thea, a teenage princess from a mysterious insect race. He'll need their help to escape the Dreaded Lord Baalikar and the evil Doctor Once and maybe, one day, find his way back home.
80 pages, ebook
First published July 1, 2013
10 people are currently reading
352 people want to read
About the author
David Gallaher
63 books73 followersAuthor David Gallaher has received multiple Harvey Award nominations and won The Best Online Comic Award for his work on High Moon for DC Comics. David was an early pioneer of digital comics developing projects for Marvel's Iron Man, Captain America, and Spider-Man as well as Box 13 - the first comic designed specifically for the iPhone - for ComiXology. He has served as a consulting editor for Attack on Titan, Sailor Moon, and Fairy Tail for Kodansha. He is represented by the Hill Nadell Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
September 14, 2016
3.5/5
When David Gallaher offered review copies of the first few The Only Living Boy graphic novels over at Booklikes, I hopped on the chance. I've been reading a lot of graphic novels lately, most of them adult, and I wanted to try one that's for all ages, so here we are.
The story is about a young boy, on the verge of becoming a teenager, named Erik Farrell. He runs away from home and now, for some reason, has lost his memory and finds himself on a strange planet. He meets allies and foes along the way, while trying to find his way back home.
That's all I can say about the plot, because there isn't much there. The story ended rather abruptly, so I assume we'll learn more as the series continues. The artwork in some cases is stunning, which helped to make up for the somewhat simplistic tale.
I'm going to continue with the series because A) Mr. Gallagher provided a few more issues and B) despite the tale being uncomplicated, I do like young Erik and I want to find out what happens.
Recommended to all fans of comics, but especially to young adults!
When David Gallaher offered review copies of the first few The Only Living Boy graphic novels over at Booklikes, I hopped on the chance. I've been reading a lot of graphic novels lately, most of them adult, and I wanted to try one that's for all ages, so here we are.
The story is about a young boy, on the verge of becoming a teenager, named Erik Farrell. He runs away from home and now, for some reason, has lost his memory and finds himself on a strange planet. He meets allies and foes along the way, while trying to find his way back home.
That's all I can say about the plot, because there isn't much there. The story ended rather abruptly, so I assume we'll learn more as the series continues. The artwork in some cases is stunning, which helped to make up for the somewhat simplistic tale.
I'm going to continue with the series because A) Mr. Gallagher provided a few more issues and B) despite the tale being uncomplicated, I do like young Erik and I want to find out what happens.
Recommended to all fans of comics, but especially to young adults!
June 2, 2018
I have to say that overall I'm confused as to what is going on here. Must be me. It is interesting and colorful. So far, it has been hard to relate to anyone and the Boy is on his own. He is betrayed by just about everyone. It's a harsh world.
It's pretty original.
It's pretty original.
May 4, 2015
4.5 Stars, Buy it
Self Purchase, Humble Bundle.
First Impression- I really like the art style.
A young boy runs away from his past that he can’t remember. He wakes up in a world not his own. Fairies! So of course I’m going to have to keep reading this. Of course there are monsters too. Erik, the young boy, is forced to fight for his life. The creature he fights turns out to be Morgan, a creature who had earlier saved his life. Another creature is thrown into the mix and then they all escape the prisons where they were being held. That is my general summary of issue #1.
I hate it when I see ratings on something I haven’t read yet. I never can tell if it has affected my opinion. I really like this story, so far anyway. I love the art and the bright colors. Maybe the writing could improve a little, but it’s definitely not terrible. My rating is higher than other people’s on comixology. I always feel like I’ve done something wrong or I missed something when I like something other people don’t. In anycase, I’m going to subscribe to the series because it has potential for me.
Description: (Comixology): Lost, without his memory, in an unfamiliar world, Erik Farrell must piece together a new life for himself. Can he survive as the only living boy left in the world?
July 22, 2014
This fantasy comic book is the first in a series and it looks like a promising series.
The plot centres around Erik Farrell who is always running away although we don’t find out what from. He wakes up in a fantasy world full of strange and wonderful creatures and he seems to be the only human, the only living boy of the title.
The artwork is very good and I enjoyed the story and format. I’d recommend this to any comic lover who enjoys a simple fantasy tale. As it is only the first issue, it would be nice to see how the story develops.
Enjoyable enough and I look forward to the next instalment.
The plot centres around Erik Farrell who is always running away although we don’t find out what from. He wakes up in a fantasy world full of strange and wonderful creatures and he seems to be the only human, the only living boy of the title.
The artwork is very good and I enjoyed the story and format. I’d recommend this to any comic lover who enjoys a simple fantasy tale. As it is only the first issue, it would be nice to see how the story develops.
Enjoyable enough and I look forward to the next instalment.
July 13, 2014
What I loved about this is book is how much it reminded me of Saturday Morning cartoons while still retaining the flavor of something new and unique. The story seems to be unfolding according to the same sort of master plan these creators had in store for readers with HIGH MOON and BOX 13.
August 3, 2017
I read this story when it first came out. I loved it then and I still adore it. The story begins with a simple premise, a boy on the verge of adolescence runs away from home and soon find himself thrown into another world where monsters and magical threats abound. He must navigate these threats and learn about this new world that he's been flung into.
First up, we have a good idea of the motivations of the main character whilst also managing to create a certain amount of mystery as well. Erik Farrell is a complicated kid that has his share of flaws, but not out of the scope of humanly possible. He feels like a real kid dealing with his own share of problems at the time that he is thrown into that other world. He has to adapt to his new circumstances and figure out what is going on.
The other characters are kind of neat as well. His allies aren't necessarily as helpful, but their motivations seem appropriately complex as well. We also get an idea of what sort of villain that we are dealing with, their personality and available resources.
The artwork does a great job of conveying the story. The linework is neat, with the right amount of colouring to help make the world and the characters come alive. It is a good balance. The character, monstrosity and world designs are excellent.
The first instalment is well-paced. The first instalment is very must reactionary, as one would expect. Erik is thrown into the middle of a terrible situation that he must quickly make sense of. He also has to deal with the inhabitants of the world, none of which are big on hugs and teddy bears. Everything works together to give us a sense that the characters are also in a living, breathing world that has a wide array of threats.
Yes, I very much enjoyed reading this first instalment of the series. It hit all of the right notes. There were no info dumps either, allowing the reader to learn about the world alongside Erik. The series is also good for repeat reads as well. Three thumbs up. Would read again with teddy bear nearby.
(Review originally posted on amazon)
First up, we have a good idea of the motivations of the main character whilst also managing to create a certain amount of mystery as well. Erik Farrell is a complicated kid that has his share of flaws, but not out of the scope of humanly possible. He feels like a real kid dealing with his own share of problems at the time that he is thrown into that other world. He has to adapt to his new circumstances and figure out what is going on.
The other characters are kind of neat as well. His allies aren't necessarily as helpful, but their motivations seem appropriately complex as well. We also get an idea of what sort of villain that we are dealing with, their personality and available resources.
The artwork does a great job of conveying the story. The linework is neat, with the right amount of colouring to help make the world and the characters come alive. It is a good balance. The character, monstrosity and world designs are excellent.
The first instalment is well-paced. The first instalment is very must reactionary, as one would expect. Erik is thrown into the middle of a terrible situation that he must quickly make sense of. He also has to deal with the inhabitants of the world, none of which are big on hugs and teddy bears. Everything works together to give us a sense that the characters are also in a living, breathing world that has a wide array of threats.
Yes, I very much enjoyed reading this first instalment of the series. It hit all of the right notes. There were no info dumps either, allowing the reader to learn about the world alongside Erik. The series is also good for repeat reads as well. Three thumbs up. Would read again with teddy bear nearby.
(Review originally posted on amazon)
September 1, 2016
I picked up this book after getting an interview with author David Gallaher for a college project of mine. As it turns out, he's not only an incredibly nice guy, but a talented storyteller as well. I've been a fan of comics for many years now and I take great joy in finding new ones to read - new worlds to explore. I'm delighted to have discovered The Only Living Boy, as it checks almost all of my boxes for a great comic.
In a world of superheroes and spandex, The Only Living Boy is a breath of fresh air. The story is both intriguing and refreshing, with a whole cast of characters from out of a dream. Immediately, you are plunged into the story and hooked by the struggles of the main character. On top of that, the world is so surreal and fantastic you want to turn the pages just to see more of it. I think the best part about it was that it was almost like reading through the Labyrinth - that is to say, it was such an incredible piece of fantasy and adventure, and yet it still felt like it hit home.
Something about it was beautifully nostalgic for me, and I can't wait to read more. I love the art as well. It meshes with the story perfectly, and adds to the wonder of the world the creators have built. The only drawback to this book was that it wasn't long enough. I wanted more! Definitely going to buy the next volume.
In a world of superheroes and spandex, The Only Living Boy is a breath of fresh air. The story is both intriguing and refreshing, with a whole cast of characters from out of a dream. Immediately, you are plunged into the story and hooked by the struggles of the main character. On top of that, the world is so surreal and fantastic you want to turn the pages just to see more of it. I think the best part about it was that it was almost like reading through the Labyrinth - that is to say, it was such an incredible piece of fantasy and adventure, and yet it still felt like it hit home.
Something about it was beautifully nostalgic for me, and I can't wait to read more. I love the art as well. It meshes with the story perfectly, and adds to the wonder of the world the creators have built. The only drawback to this book was that it wasn't long enough. I wanted more! Definitely going to buy the next volume.
March 3, 2016
David Gallaher and Steve Ellis have created an amazing pulp world all-ages comic book story that I cannot recommend highly enough. In today's marketplace its hard to find a comic book / graphic novel that I feel comfortable with my four children reading, but this book hits every note perfectly: strong characterization and story, fantastic dynamic art, and more importantly its not aimed for adults yet marketed to kids with over-the-top violence, sexual situations, or language.
If you are looking for a book to share with your kids, tired of the traditional superhero tropes, feeling a little nostalgic for comics being comics -- this is definitely the book for you. Please do yourself a favor: grab this book, read it, and share it with everyone you can.
If you are looking for a book to share with your kids, tired of the traditional superhero tropes, feeling a little nostalgic for comics being comics -- this is definitely the book for you. Please do yourself a favor: grab this book, read it, and share it with everyone you can.
November 1, 2015
This is a great example of what fantasy comics should be. All of these are rather amazing. The story is well told through both graphics and written word. It doesn't feel lacking like some comics that I have read in the past.
March 9, 2016
I can't remember exactly how I originally stumbled on 'The Only Living Boy' as a webcomic, but what I do remember is that I'm glad that I did.
Discovering 'The Only Living Boy' as a serialised story was both exciting... and exasperating... and I mean that in the best possible sense. Anyone who has childhood memories of Saturday morning television will no doubt understand how nail-bitingly frustrating it was to watch an episodic show that you knew would undoubtedly end on a cliffhanger and then have to wait a full week until you found out what happened to the hero. It was a delicious feeling! Well, 'The Only Living Boy' is just like that. Discovering what action-packed situation Erik would end up in next has been a ongoing highlight of my week (and still is). But now of course, Erik's adventures can be enjoyed without the tantalising wait in this collected volume and it's been a blast reading through the story the second time around.
I've been an avid comic book reader since the 80's and I've seen a great number of changes over the years in both the quality and content of comic stories. Modern comics now seem to cater primarily for the tastes of the adult market and there is a definite gap between children's picture books and graphic novels, the majority of which are increasingly becoming rated for a mature audience. This is where 'The Only Living Boy' undoubtedly succeeds and fills that gap. The story is refreshing and intriguing, playing upon the heroic aspirations and diverse imaginations that we a grew up with as kids. And where I might lose myself in the pages of any of my other graphic novels in a very singular and self-absorbed fashion, with 'The Only Living Boy' I can share my delight and fascination with my children, allowing them to read the story with me, or on their own, safe in the knowledge that they can enjoy the same thrilling adventure that I am. Gallaher's thought provoking and fascinating storywriting, combined with Ellis' energetic and beautifully drawn illustrations have made 'The Only Living Boy' an absolute winner in my mind and I'm more than happy to rank Erik Farrell's exploits alongside my favourite comic books and graphic novels on the shelf.
Discovering 'The Only Living Boy' as a serialised story was both exciting... and exasperating... and I mean that in the best possible sense. Anyone who has childhood memories of Saturday morning television will no doubt understand how nail-bitingly frustrating it was to watch an episodic show that you knew would undoubtedly end on a cliffhanger and then have to wait a full week until you found out what happened to the hero. It was a delicious feeling! Well, 'The Only Living Boy' is just like that. Discovering what action-packed situation Erik would end up in next has been a ongoing highlight of my week (and still is). But now of course, Erik's adventures can be enjoyed without the tantalising wait in this collected volume and it's been a blast reading through the story the second time around.
I've been an avid comic book reader since the 80's and I've seen a great number of changes over the years in both the quality and content of comic stories. Modern comics now seem to cater primarily for the tastes of the adult market and there is a definite gap between children's picture books and graphic novels, the majority of which are increasingly becoming rated for a mature audience. This is where 'The Only Living Boy' undoubtedly succeeds and fills that gap. The story is refreshing and intriguing, playing upon the heroic aspirations and diverse imaginations that we a grew up with as kids. And where I might lose myself in the pages of any of my other graphic novels in a very singular and self-absorbed fashion, with 'The Only Living Boy' I can share my delight and fascination with my children, allowing them to read the story with me, or on their own, safe in the knowledge that they can enjoy the same thrilling adventure that I am. Gallaher's thought provoking and fascinating storywriting, combined with Ellis' energetic and beautifully drawn illustrations have made 'The Only Living Boy' an absolute winner in my mind and I'm more than happy to rank Erik Farrell's exploits alongside my favourite comic books and graphic novels on the shelf.
January 30, 2016
The Only Living Boy is that rarest of things, a book that can genuinely be enjoyed by readers of all ages. I detected influences as varied as the Narnia books, Thundarr the Barbarian, and the old Kamandi comics (and even Stephen King and Peter Straub's "The Talisman"), but this story of a boy from New York who runs away from home and ends up in a weird, creature-filled, post-apocalyptic Manhattan (a parallel dimension? Our future? That's a mystery to be solved, along with his dim memory of his old life) blazes its own trail. Dragons, mermaids, insect queens and dastardly villains abound. There are plenty of thrills and perilous moments, but nothing too gory or scary for kids over the stated age of 7+...yet it also doesn't feel "dumbed down" or otherwise compromised for the children's market. The art is creative and imaginative, and tells the story beautifully. I'm on board for the rest of the series, and if I had kids, I'd be sharing it with them.
March 9, 2016
Only Living Boy is an utter joy. This fantastical adventure falls somewhere between the pages of Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain and John Byrne's stellar 80s run on the Fantastic Four. (specifically his wild Negative Zone stories) The book follows young Erik Farrell as he runs away and then stumbles into a strange world in the process. The series creators Gallaher and Ellis clearly understand children – what makes them tick and what makes them interesting. Their world is bursting with imagination and Ellis' dynamic and stunning artwork makes the rollicking writing of Gallaher sing. Cannot recommend this enough. If a Narnia/Oz adventure that's a sidestep from NYC sounds like a good time, run, don't walk, to pick this up!
March 31, 2016
Kamandi is one of my favorite comics that deserves to be relaunched for modern readers. This book really plays tribute to Jack Kirby's classic and is a pure delight. It channels Kamandi and Planet of the Apes to create a thrill ride about a boy in a future patchwork world. The art is fantastic and the writing is fast-paced. I look forward to future volumes.
February 18, 2021
Hmm... it's really hard to figure out how I feel about this one. It wasn't amazing and it wasn't bad. It was just... there. I feel like I don't know Erik that much, even though there's 80 entire pages here. One thing I definitely am is intrigued. Intrigued as to what will happen next and where exactly this is going.
I'm definitely going to keep reading. After all, the beautiful art warrants it. And I have got the The Only Living Boy Omnibus edition borrowed on Hoopla, so I might as well read The Only Living Boy #2: Beyond Sea and Sky. And I feel like after this brief introduction things are about to heat up.
Something I did pick up on was the narration. It was sometimes poignant and I liked that but towards the end I was growing a bit tired of how those narrative bubbles were encroaching on the action and dialogue in each of the scenes. I hope that gets dialled back in the next vol...
I'm definitely going to keep reading. After all, the beautiful art warrants it. And I have got the The Only Living Boy Omnibus edition borrowed on Hoopla, so I might as well read The Only Living Boy #2: Beyond Sea and Sky. And I feel like after this brief introduction things are about to heat up.
Something I did pick up on was the narration. It was sometimes poignant and I liked that but towards the end I was growing a bit tired of how those narrative bubbles were encroaching on the action and dialogue in each of the scenes. I hope that gets dialled back in the next vol...
February 19, 2016
I really liked the artwork in this book. It’s extremely well put together and I felt the variety of characters was impressively done. That would almost put me over the edge to four stars, but I really struggled with the plot.
Though provided as a book, I felt the story was fragmented too much. I only had the barest sense of where the story was going to be going and not enough to make me feel completely invested. I was also disappointed with where the story was cut off because it felt awkward without having had a conclusion to at least the mini-story. (Typically I’d expect a mini story as part of the over-arching plotline.) Once more of the story comes out, I may continue with it, however as a standalone I was somewhat disappointed.
Warning: Contains some violence.
Who should read it? Folks willing to be patient for the whole series to come out.
Please note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review courtesy of the publisher.
See all my reviews and more at www.ReadingToDistraction.com or @Read2Distract
Though provided as a book, I felt the story was fragmented too much. I only had the barest sense of where the story was going to be going and not enough to make me feel completely invested. I was also disappointed with where the story was cut off because it felt awkward without having had a conclusion to at least the mini-story. (Typically I’d expect a mini story as part of the over-arching plotline.) Once more of the story comes out, I may continue with it, however as a standalone I was somewhat disappointed.
Warning: Contains some violence.
Who should read it? Folks willing to be patient for the whole series to come out.
Please note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review courtesy of the publisher.
See all my reviews and more at www.ReadingToDistraction.com or @Read2Distract
December 21, 2018
Adventurous and nerdy in the best way!
The art style isn’t unique but it iS easy to read and the characters are well designed. So much color! Fast-paced story and some of the dialogue is almost clever. Okay so the story isn’t memorable. So you don’t really learn anything about any of the characters in this first book. But it’s FUN to read if you don’t take it too seriously.
Great for intermediate reading level kids.
***And almost immediately a couple of really kickass fem characters are introduced***
Honestly, I might have given it 3 stars but I really love mermaid people so there’s thaT bias.
The art style isn’t unique but it iS easy to read and the characters are well designed. So much color! Fast-paced story and some of the dialogue is almost clever. Okay so the story isn’t memorable. So you don’t really learn anything about any of the characters in this first book. But it’s FUN to read if you don’t take it too seriously.
Great for intermediate reading level kids.
***And almost immediately a couple of really kickass fem characters are introduced***
Honestly, I might have given it 3 stars but I really love mermaid people so there’s thaT bias.
March 9, 2016
I handed my advance copy (thanks to a lucky sweepstakes win) of this book over to my 9-year old daughter who loves any and all strange, weird, and otherwise out of the ordinary tales, and she really liked this. "It was good weird", is a direct quote. Fantastic illustrations, a thrilling story, and a strange world inhabited by all sorts of wonderful and weird creatures: mermaid warrior, an insect-ish princess... Recommended!
May 1, 2016
I followed this as a webcomic for a while and loved it enough to pre-order a copy when they said they were printing it. This first volume just establishes the story of a boy who runs away and finds himself on an alien planet much more brutal than earth. Not much world-building yet, but the art is gorgeous and they've got buy-in on the various characters from me. I can't wait for Volume 2 in July!
January 12, 2016
Admittedly, I am not the target audience for this book. The book is a throwback to Kamandi, The Last Boy on Earth from old, old, old DC Comics. One gripe that I had is that the book is a bit tropey with its protagonist being a young blond haired boy. I am really tired of that. I'd like to see this story with someone else as the protagonist.
July 9, 2015
A fantastic book, like a cross Between Chronicles of Narnia and one of Jack Kirby's classic adventure tales. Steve Ellis artwork pops, and David Gallagher's writing keeps your attention the whole way through.
February 8, 2016
I've had the pleasure to discover The Only Living Boy through single issues, and hadn't read all of them, but this collection from Papercutz is a masterpiece! Great story. Great art. David Gallagher and Steve Ellis make every panel count! It's the all-age comic book you don't want to miss.
August 9, 2016
All action and excitement. Very lacking in depth and character development, with what there is being cliche and repetitive. A star added for the art, which is perfect for the adrenaline rush that is the book's appeal.
December 10, 2014
The best volume yet! The hero discovers his resolve. We get at the very heart of the characters. There's some brilliant stuff here that's not too heavy and just pitch perfect on menace.
July 14, 2014
Great fun! The postapocalypse actually looks almost appealing, if this book is any indication. Gallaher and Ellis continue to be an unbeatable team and I'm looking forward to much more from them.
July 18, 2014
Great potential... I can't wait to check out the future installments!
January 26, 2016
While the material that was here might earn a fourth star, it came across as a slightly-too-short fragment, rather than a full volume of a story. The break point was awkward and annoying, leaving the book as not telling a complete story in any form.
Erik finds himself on another world, and one which doesn't make any sense, but he seems to be the only human boy in a world of alien beings. From that point on, things get weird, and only sometimes in a good way.
The book is so short that you can read it in one sitting, but that is not always a good thing. Once more of it comes out, I can more properly evaluate the story, but right now I have no idea how long it will take to reach a point at which it makes sense. Right now, the story is like Jack Kirby on defective drugs, but with flashes of sense in the distance.
Erik finds himself on another world, and one which doesn't make any sense, but he seems to be the only human boy in a world of alien beings. From that point on, things get weird, and only sometimes in a good way.
The book is so short that you can read it in one sitting, but that is not always a good thing. Once more of it comes out, I can more properly evaluate the story, but right now I have no idea how long it will take to reach a point at which it makes sense. Right now, the story is like Jack Kirby on defective drugs, but with flashes of sense in the distance.
March 16, 2016
A fun new adventure series for kids 9 and up. What I really like about this story is that while it's always age appropriate, it also doesn't shy away from some of the weirder characters, ideas, and storytelling techniques you might see in a "grown-up" comic. This is also reflected in the art itself - in many ways this felt like a bridge comic for long-time comic readers into titles for older readers, while still remaining perfectly kid friendly and engaging. This first book serves mostly as a set-up for more to come and leaves a lot of questions up in the air for kids to wonder about. In that sense I'm glad that the next one comes out so soon (in October) partly selfishly because my interest is piqued, but also because I think if kids had to wait too long to find out "what happens next" they might lose interest and move on to another series.
January 1, 2018
This was a great set of graphic novels. I loved the world the authors built, I only wanted more detail. This could have been very fun as a written novel that was very profusely illustrated. I would have loved all the filling in that could have taken place in a medium that allows for more. However, the art could not be removed from this story, it is essential. I loved the art, it was creative, imaginative and lots of fun. I'd read any other books by these authors.
October 27, 2017
Just read the whole five book series in one sitting yesterday. Tremendous work by Gallaher and Ellis, who I discovered from their Marvel work. Looking forward to more (will there be more?). The third and fifth volumes are the STANDOUTS, 5/5 stars. Absolutely mortified by what happens to Bear.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2015
Wonderfully headlong pacing and several nicely surreal touches make this a standout opener for me...but I think it loses a star for being really only a chapter--and a short one at that.
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