Cover Image: The Big Country

The Big Country

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

The Big Country has a cowboy noir vibe to it. It's late 1970s Texas and a little girl's parents have just been murdered. Now the small town sheriff is on the lookout for the killer who knows the backroads of the county like no other. At points the art while good could be dark and not always get the intended point across

Was this review helpful?

In this graphic novel we follow a sheriff who is dealing with a double homicide and the girl that survived. Grissom Callahan is trying to figure out what happened and he opens a can of worms that he can't seem to put a lid on. There's murder, guns, and drugs all mixed up in what happens in this story. Overall, this was just ok. It didn't seem to have many surprises although the artwork was really great. If you're a fan of the shows Justified or Longmire then you'd probably like this.

Was this review helpful?

In this small town Texas noir graphic novel, Sheriff Grissom has a big problem. Randall Wilkie murdered his wife and her boyfriend, took back his dog, and left for the back country leaving his daughter Taylor behind. Sheriff Grissom need to collar this killer, prove he is as good a peace officer as his dad and grandfather, and keep everyone alive. Not everyone is happy, not everything is as it seems, especially Taylor looking back at those events from 1978. An interesting read.

Was this review helpful?

The Big Country is a dark and gritty story set in Texas during the late 1970s. Grissom, the town's rough-around-the-edges sheriff, isn't your typical lawman. He's got problems. Between dealing with his aging father, his "friend" Clara, and a dark family secret, he has little room in his life or heart for much else. A gruesome double murder, witnessed by a young girl, takes him on a wild chase that changes his life in more ways than one.

I've never been to Texas, and I wasn't alive in 1978. However, I'm pretty confident that Texas in 1978 was exactly how the author and illustrator portrayed it, dusty, and a little dangerous. I was reading a book, but I felt like I was watching a movie. While reading, I couldn't help but think of Eleven and Hopper's relationship in Stranger Things. Though Taylor's interactions with Grissom are brief during the book, I can imagine that they soon have a relationship similar to Eleven and Hopper.

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing an e-copy with me in exchange for my honest review.*

Was this review helpful?

A gritty story in a small town. Told with a child narrator, who leaves out a lot of important info. When you finally hear the whole story you find out not just what awful things people can do, but what a tough lawman will do to set things right. Looks like more will be coming. Grissom Callahan is a force to be reckoned with.

Was this review helpful?

I could feel the grit from the Texas dust in my eyes from the first page. The art captured all the fine detail of place and character. This town's story, through the lens of law enforcement, was compelling and repellent at the same time. But real. Very realistic. Humans are flawed and this story shows it in heartbreaking detail at times.

Was this review helpful?

I picked this comic up because the cover reminded me of Hop from Stranger Things (the characters do have similarities). I don't feel like the publisher description is super accurate for what the story ends up being. The villain doesn't meet the technical definition of a serial killer. It's more of a deranged crime of passion sort of situation. As such, the story didn't end up being what I expected. Also, the book was labelled as a "True Crime" on NetGalley which I don't think it is. Anyway, the eArc didn't give any indication that it was and a very minimal effort Google search didn't turn up any news that made me think it was. Overall, not a bad story, good art, but not necessarily what I was looking for.

Was this review helpful?