I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Nick Shaw's father is haunted by the past. There are vague rumblings about Unit 731 being responsible for the constant nightmares that haunt him, and the tension between him and his wife. Nick doesn't understand what it all means, not until he comes across a reel with that mysterious number on it and watches it. Now fully grown and a respected doctor, he continues to be haunted by what he saw and learned - and that past is catching up to him in Honduras, where he works with Doctors Without Borders. There's a serial killer on the loose in the town, but those numbers seem to be there at every site that he strikes.

Unit 731 is, of course, an actual part of history. The legacy of it remains, and even just reading about what happened there you are bound to be haunted by it. Other reviewers have pointed all of this out, and the fact that this graphic novel seems to be exploiting real life horrors for cheap thrills. This only being the first three issues of the twelve issue series, I don't know whether or not more tact is added to the discussion of it before it reaches the end. This first volume just left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth.

I'm a big lover of horror, but I don't tend to go for the torture porn sort of offerings as this volume seems to be. The psychological horror wasn't really there for me, though Shaw is undoubtedly haunted by all that happened to him. The narrator just isn't unreliable enough to really grip me, and as gorgeous as the art is, it just isn't in service of my sort of horror.

The other volumes might improve it, but overall this one just didn't really do it for me.

A quick and decent read. I’m interested enough to read the next volume, but I must admit the killer is a bit corny

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

A forgettable plot featuring characters I couldn't care less of.

Thank you to the author and the publisher for this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

A Legacy of Violence is...well violent.

We have our main lead, Nick, trying to figure out what's happening. Throughout this book we have a murderer basically chopping people up and setting up traps. While he does that, Nick's past is slowly revealed. We're trying to piece together how it's all connected. Is Nick part of the killer? Is it his other personality? What is the truth behind 731?

There's plenty of intrigue here. The art also does a goodjob setting the tone, this is a nasty looking book with how disgusting some of the deaths are. I enjoyed the pacing, fast paced, and lots of questions with a few answers here or there. My biggest drawback is so far I can't or don't feel the attachment to the characters I was hoping to have. So the big twist didn't hit me as much as I hoped. But at a quick paced read, it was enjoyable and I'll check out volume 2.

I am torn while writing this review. A Legacy of Violence is another super creepy title by Cullen Bunn. It is about a serial killer loose in Honduras and a group of doctors trying to help. If it was just that, 5 stars. But. The story is connected to Unit 731 which is a real thing that happened. Unit 731 is the name of a group of Japanese WWII experiments done on men, women, and children. They were horrific and not really something you want to see a fictional horror story based on when it killed so many people that the actual totals are debated on. I love horror and I love Cullen Bunn, I just struggle with such a horrible event being the inspiration for a horror comic.

3 stars because it was a good read and it drew you in. But the historical connection is rough.

The artwork style was great and very gory and I enjoyed the flashbacks but while the blurb sounded really interesting, it wasn't portrayed as well as it could have. It does jump around a bit which was getting a bit confusing so I'm not sure if I'll continue with the series!

I would expect a TPB to have at least 128 pages; this one has only 96, which would be fine if the quantity was offset by quality.

Unfortunately, the art is awful and so unimaginative the main villain looks exactly like Punisher’s symbol (yeah, really) and what little story there is here is boring and uninteresting (it ends in a cliffhanger and my only reaction is “meh”).

If you haven’t read Mad Cave’s blurb, this first volume of a planned trilogy (yeah, you guessed it, that’s why it’s so thin) is about a doctor whose entire life (since early childhood) was somehow linked to a mysterious Unit 731. After being assaulted by a bloodthirsty crazie whispering “Unit 731” the young doc runs away by enrolling in a Doctors Without Borders mission in Honduras, where the first thing that happens is that… another guy dies in his arms, covering him in blood while whispering, you guessed it, “Unit 731”.

The book is labeled horror, yet I didn’t care for any character and all I felt at the excess of blood and guts was… disgust. The worst Cullen Bunn book so far. It might get better in the next volumes, but I won’t know ‘cause I’m not invested enough to even try. Too bad, I loved Bunn’s “Harrow County” and “The Sixth Gun”. Go read those if you haven’t yet.

Disclaimer: I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. This didn't influence my opinion in any way.

A serial killer loose in Honduras, a doctor who went there to help but is haunted by his own past, and a mysterious Unit all somehow fit into this story. Being the 1st volume, I'm not completely sure what is going on but it has grabbed my interest.
Thanks to @netgalley for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Would you like to read a fantastic horror graphic novel! Then look no further! In this we follow our main character, Dr. Nicholas Shaw, who is traveling with a group of doctors to Honduras. He's trying to outrun a traumatic experience but it seems that it's followed him. Or maybe it's something more sinister? Hopefully we'll get some more answers in volume 2!

Thank you Netgalley for offering me an ARC of a legacy of violence.

This did not seem to be the right read for me, I'm an avid horror reader and enjoyer of the genre however this comic came off a bit exploitative especially as it was based on the very real Unit 731 which existed during WWII in Japan. It seems disrespectful to the survivors and families of the victims who suffered the inhuman tortures in that place.
Apart from that, the killer of this comic was a very random person who came off quite laughably corny and did not relate at all to the story somehow and just seemed there for the shock value, just as the inhuman tortures of real life victims were used for shock value in this comic.
This is not at all what horror readers are looking for in a comic, it could have been done well and respectfully but it ended up to be a waste of time and effort.

Thank you net galley for providing me with a free copy of a legacy of violence in exchange for a honest review.


While I did love the artstyle and found the premise promising this lacked severely in terms of actual plot. I understand that this is the first volume but I still believe that it should of been longer, as the ending was so disappointing and sudden I had to check twice that yes it did indeed end this way.

The characters are in no way memorable. And as someone who does heavily care about characters in stories this lacked severely when it came to making the characters fleshed out. Other than Nick I couldn't remember anyone's name.

The killer arguably the most important character in horror media also seems to have no motivation to kill people other than entertainment.

Overall a pretty lacking and unmemorably graphic novel I would not recommend.

I don't think I was in the right headspace to read this horror comic, having just come back from a medical brigade to Honduras. Perhaps I would never be in the right headspace. The story reeks of white savior complex. Unit 731 was a horrifyingly real genocide involving human experimentation during WWII. Google it since it isn't taught in high school history classes. Horror is supposed to feel icky, but this just feel exploitative.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Mad Cave studios for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

A legacy of violence is a horror comic book about a serial killer and a doctor with a dark past. From my understanding this is just the first volume, so not a lot is explained here. I was left with many doubts, but they will probably be addressed as the story continues. I don't really like reviewing separate arcs, I usually prefer reviewing the whole story as the sum of the parts is what really matters and makes sense in the end. This was a short read that doesn't bring anything new to the table, but it was entertaining enough for me. I'll just wait and see how it develops.

Notes:
● I am loving how the author is showing "flashbacks" from the past at times that it's good for the reader to see them. I'm also enjoying the colour pallet changing between time settings to indicate a change.
● left me with a cliff hanger that has me desperate for more

Positives:
● Art is well done
● interesting story
● flashbacks at relevant moments 
● has me guessing

Negatives:
● too few place and date banners used

Many thanks to NetGalley, Cullen Bunn, and Mad Cave Studios for a chance to review this book. I was given this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinion. I have not felt compelled, in any way, by the author, the publisher, or NetGalley to alter my sincerest thoughts on this book. Every word of this review is solely and completely mine.
I always feel a little frustrated when I have to review a book that is only a part of the story. A novel may start really well, but then deteriorate, or vice-versa, so this is really a partial review. Doctors Without Borders has sent a contingent to work in Honduras. A serial killer garbed in a skull-faced mask and medical outfit is killing people in extremely gory ways. There is usually a historical, prior evil component to slasher type stories, and this one is no different. There is a hint that one of the doctors as a child overheard something from his grandparents that involves Unit 731, a Japanese unit that experimented with WWII prisoners. This is sufficiently repeated as to appear significant although the doctor's involvement may be a red herring. I love the artwork by Andrea Mutti. The watercolor gives a splatter effect that works as a medium to convey horror, blood, and gore.

Thank you, NetGalley and Mad Cave Studios for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

3,2 ⭐

I don't usually go for this kind of book but I wanted to give it a chance and try something new. In general, it was a good and quick read. I'm not sure if I'll look for the next installment though.

I think the art was okay, but while I understand the dark shades added to the creepy atmosphere, sometimes it was frustrating because I couldn't see clearly what was going on. The story was a bit cliche for my taste but it was interesting to learn about Unit 731.

This short comic follows a doctor being haunted by his past, a serial killer and Unit 731.
The killer looked really goofy throughout the whole comic and didn't really achieve any suspense or horror. It also didn't really made me care about the main character. The body horror has potential but lacked details. Overall quite forgetable.

Thank you netgalley and Mad Cave for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The story of a Legacy of Violence follows a well-to-do Dr Shaw who, after a traumatic encounter with a tortured patient, decides to leave behind his city life and work with Doctors without Borders to forget his past. However, a killer follows him and victim after victim show up, all of them repeating an eerily familiar phrase: Unit 731. As the comic progresses, we see that nick as a child discovered a horrific, unseen, tape recording titled 731 in his grandparents basement. Can he figure out the connection between the killer and his past before it is too late?

Overall, this was an interesting comic with an intriguing hook but it suffered from multiple angles in my opinion. The art was average with an over reliance on dark shades which made it hard to see certain details, for example, the cuts and marks on the victims, expressions on faces were vague and difficult to see clearly etc. Also, having a crazed killer with the barest connection to the hero/story really broke the immersion because it seemed like the violence/torture/gore was unearned and mainly there for shock value.

I may finish this series just out of curiosity for what the author was going for but one can find many more superior comics than this one.

𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: Unit 731 - Madness Begins
𝗙𝗮𝘃 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿: Unit 731
𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Easy
𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲: Comic
𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: Investigative Serial Killer Mystery
4/𝟱

🌱THE EXCELLENT
~ Gritty art (1985-1966)
~ A mystery spanning 20 yrs
~ War time experiments

Nick Shaw is pursued by deaths & the mention of Unit 731 at his hospital in the US, & later after joining Doctors Without Borders & ending up in Honduras. There is a serial killer on the loose & his team is being taunted by the killer - but the mentions of Unit 731 by random patients & his own memories, make us question what is REALLY going on & what his grandfather and others did in Unit 731.

✨𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱.

🦖 It was a good & super quick read, but kids being traumatized because of the irresponsibility of adults… upsets me. 🤦

🌱THE MEH
~ 😬 Children being traumatized this way always makes me highly uncomfy and paranoid… like, how many of them are walking around today?!

♡🌱 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗲 ;)

I honestly don't read graphic novels on a regular basis but the description of this one, along with the cover and the author, all had me intrigued enough to give it a go, and I'm so glad I did! The art work just enhanced the creep factor of the already gory story. At only 96 pages, this is a very quick read, and I'm really looking forward to the next installment to see where the story goes from here!

5/5 stars.

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, Mad Cave Studios, and Cullen Bunn for the opportunity to read and review this book.