This graphic novel is about spontaneous human combustion. This was almost a DNF because the start is slow and trying to figure out what’s going on takes too long. But sticking with it means you get to the end of a pretty fantastic story. There’s a teenage boy Melvin, and two different time periods where Melvin has not been born yet, and the one he is experiencing right now. There’s a new journalist following him around trying to get to the bottom of all the fiery deaths. This is a horror graphic novel, so it is a bit bloody and a bit dark but if you like that, give this a shot. The artwork is unique, and at first, I didn’t like it, but it grew on me, as well as the story. By the end this all works well together to make a very interesting and well worth the graphic novel story. ( )

It was really the premise of Spontaneous that first prompted me to review this. Spontaneous Human Combustion is something that we really don't stop to think about. I was intrigued to see what path author Joe Harris would take. So with an open mind, I dove right in.

The story flies by as the pages tell Melvin's story. The problem with this brevity is that there is really no time to develop the characters. Melvin is a tormented soul, and that's him through the whole book. Emily is that no-holds-barred reporter who is dead set on getting her story, and again she doesn't change. In fact most of the secondary characters don't even get enough face time for the reader to fully even notice them. I liked that the book moved so quickly, but I would have read for longer if it meant more time to spend with the characters.

What's good about the way that this story is written is that there isn't any down time at all. From page one the reader is drawn into the mystery of the people who are suffering from this odd fate. Melvin's story blossoms beautifully, slowly letting the reader see just enough to keep them intrigued. I think this is where Emily's character truly shined. As you are doing your best to figure out what Melvin is going to do next, Emily is uncovering the story behind it all. At the end I honestly did a double take. It was that interesting.

In terms of illustrations, Spontaneous is a lot different than other books I've seen. The art style is a mixture of hard, bold lines with soft watercolor providing some warmth. The people in the story look more like sketches than anything else. More like caricatures than actual people. It works for the story though, and I'm honestly impressed by Brett Weldele's talent. His illustrations allow the story to shine through, without taking over.

Final verdict? Spontaneous is definitely something to check out if you are a fan of graphic novels. The story is unique and quick moving, and I'm certain that you'll fall in love with the illustrations. ( )

Background: Melvin was only three when his father died of a horrible combustion, otherwise known to Melvin as Spontaneous Human Combustion. Melvin is now older and trying to place the puzzle pieces together about why his father died and what is going on with the others that have had the same blistering death.

Review: This was an interesting read. It is a graphic novel with beautiful artwork, however the character close ups all look pretty similar so it can get confusing at times. The story line was interesting. Melvin’s character meets up with an aspiring journalist and together they try to solve the mystery of spontaneous human combustion. Melvin is enthusiastic to search because he wants to explain away what happened to his father, so the story jumps right into another person dying of a horrible accident.

The story seems like it would be an interesting one, the main issue I had with it was its terseness, the story doesn’t have time to develop the plot as much as I would have liked it to, and the characters are underdeveloped because of it. The overall idea behind the story is what kept me reading, I think the spontaneous fiery death thing has a lot going for it, however overall it fell a little shorter than I had hoped, the ending was a bit of a cop-out. If it had been a little lengthier, I think the ending would have fit nicer, once we got to know the characters more.
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It's rather obvious from the beginning where it will end up. The writers try for a twist but this only serves to make the storyline confusing. The artwork is bland, with extremely subdued colors unfitting for a story of fire and emotion. However, considering the flat characters and predictable ending, perhaps it is appropriate. The one saving grace is the full action. Even that, though, is not enough to make it an enjoyable read. ( )