Review Detail

APOCALYPSE TACO is a horror graphic novel that follows two middle school aged boys, Axl and Ivan. Axl and Ivan are working with their mother and high schoolers on the set of Brigadoon. They plan to work all night to have it ready for the dress rehearsal the next morning. After some wrestlers eat most of the pizza, their mom plans to take the boys and get an order from McDonald's. When she's busy with the set, a student with a car, Sidney (Sid), offers to take them instead.

Their real journey begins when they cross over into a strange world with melting people and horrific bug creatures who seem to be destroying everything around them, beginning with their order from Taco Bear. When they arrive back t the school, they find melting copies of themselves, seemingly trying to eat them. Eventually, they find a creature who is basically just arms but who introduces herself as a graduate student named Wendy, and who can tell them what is really going on and can help them figure out how to stop it.

What I loved: The illustrations are great and really capture the horror very well. It is well-suited to this genre, as I found it quite horrific, so audiences be forewarned! There's horrific creatures, fear of being eaten, and an uncertainty that permeates the story that suits the genre well. The images don't shy away from scary. The book is mostly dialogue, and this keeps it moving fast also, great for the genre.

What left me wanting more: The story was a bit confusing at times, and the events are explained by a story within a story (within the story of the book), but it helped to describe what was going on. However, it would have been nice to have some clarity in places so that the story was easier to follow. That being said, a heavy dose of mystery does keep the plot moving fast. The ending is also not quite final, so it seems like there could be a sequel in the works (maybe).

Final verdict: A graphic novel of horror, APOCALYPSE TACO is truly a scary book made for the middle grade crowd. Would only recommend for children who are not prone to nightmares, as this book is definitely creepy! Illustrations convey the story well and are well-suited for the genre. This is a fast-paced and scary read that will keep readers guessing!