Did you miss the good ole zombie apocalypse? If so, then you're going to enjoy the dead-ridden horror-thriller Survival Diary by SSurplus man is going to help scratch that itch.
Summary
Months after a heated epidemic has turned society into flesh-eating monsters. Society has completely broken down. Resources have become scarce, survival has become paramount, and trust has become paramount. Good thing for Lynn, though; the first two hiccups aren't exactly a problem. Ever since this apocalypse started, her memory has been fuzzy and frazzled.
All she does know is that her mysterious red eyes, unearthly pain tolerance, and pale veins have made her look and replicate many of the undead's features. Yet she remains herself. She'll have to figure out a mysterious phenomenon for herself as she ventures out into the world, looking for any companionship she can find.
Characters
Lynn: Our resident infectee, Lynn, is a friendly 19-year-old girl who is friendly, sentimental, kind, and conversational. While we don't know her past pre-apocalypse, it was checkered. To pass the time and record her findings, Lynn inherited a detailed survival diary to properly record her new state.
Rawin: A seasoned mercenary on the hunt for his son and wife, Rawin is a man of little faith, nonsense, and words. Pragmatic to a fault, Rawin is often the first to act and shoot away at his problems, but after meeting Lynn, we see a bit more of the man's humanity come out.
Summary
Between Zom 100's more comedic-centric tone and TACIT's sci-fi edge, returning to a more traditional zombie story feels good. SSurplus Man uses a simple black, red, and white color scheme to show numerous bleached-out cityscapes. Despite the limited color scheme, depth and thin outlines make you adapt rather quickly.
Supplementing the visuals, we're treated with a strong duo of leading lads. Lynn's frazzled memories and Rawin's bloodied past intersect to create a strong parallel. One desperately wants to find connections amidst a paradoxical existence. While Rawin is using his clear connections to hold himself together and push people back
Like any good zombie story, the apocalypse's early start is able to push the story into exciting directions. Crazed cannibals, shifty survivors, and the potential for other "unique" cases like Lynn leave behind a constantly shifting balance of deadly threats. Yet, at the same time, we see the potential for a more human and kinder throughout the process to prevail through these quiet moments in between.
Epilogue
Survival Diary is a webtoon in its infancy still, so I'm very much going to keep it on my radar. We've tread the waters of this genre many times, but the strong writing and compassionate touch there'll probably have me return to this like a zombie. However, let's see where the spotlight will take us next until we need to revisit this story.
YOU ARE READING
Webtoon Spotlight
RandomJust a simple person is trying to shine a little light on the beautiful world of webtoon. With a splash of sarcasm, narration, and spitfire along the way. And who knows I might have other segments just for the hell of it.
