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Declan Thomas's body temperature is dropping. He never gets sick, never feels pain. An ex-inmate of an insane asylum that was destroyed in a fire, he has the strange ability to step inside a person's madness - and sometimes cure it. He hopes to one day cure his own, but time is running out, as a demonic predator pursues him through a nightmare version of Boston - and when Declan's temperature reaches zero...it's over!

110 pages, Paperback

First published November 7, 2012

13 people are currently reading
1,304 people want to read

About the author

Paul Tobin

902Ìýbooks402Ìýfollowers
Paul Tobin is the Eisner-award winning, New York Times-bestselling author of Bandette, Colder, and many other comic books and graphic series.

Bandette, drawn by Colleen Coover, was awarded the Eisner Award for Best Digital Series in 2013, 2016, and 2017; and was a finalist for the Oregon Book Award for Graphic Literature in 2016. His original graphic novel I Was the Cat was nominated for an Eisner in 2015.

The Genius Factor: How to Capture an Invisible Cat , first in his five-book series of middle-grade books, came out in 2016 from Bloomsbury Kids. It was followed in 2017 by How To Outsmart A billion Robot Bees , and How To Tame A Human Tornado in March 2018.

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5 stars
308 (25%)
4 stars
456 (38%)
3 stars
330 (27%)
2 stars
89 (7%)
1 star
17 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 173 reviews
Profile Image for Anne.
4,578 reviews70.6k followers
October 2, 2021
This cover is so fucking gross!
And it's hugely misleading about what's inside the comic.
Ew. I don't know whose idea this nasty serial killer-y/body horror thing was, but it definitely kept me from reading it, so I can only imagine there are a lot of other people out there who have been avoiding it for the same reasons.

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I took one look at this thing and assumed it was about some gross fucker that liked to wear people's skin. Or it was about a monster who sheds its skin...peels its skin off...something.
Ugh.
No. No, to any or all of the above.
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When I did finally decide I couldn't just leave it there (staring at me!) on my dresser anymore, I started flipping through it and found that it was shockingly not a vile looking comic on the inside.
Huh.
So I read the back.
What's this about, you ask?
It's about a mental patient whose body temperature runs colder than humanly possible, due to spoilery stuff that happened to him, and he's a good guy trying to help save people (especially the nurse who has taken care of him) from a maniacal being from another dimension.
Ish.
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There's even like this whole adorable little love story happening in it. I know, right?
With that cover?!
Yes. With that cover. <--stop judging the book by it already!

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I don't want to spoil anything, but this was very cool (<--pun intended). I honestly liked everything about it, and if I get a chance I'd absolutely read more about these characters.
Big thanks to my creepy compadre who sent this one to me!

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Profile Image for Jan Philipzig.
AuthorÌý1 book300 followers
March 24, 2016
Pulpy, Bonkers, Enjoyable Enough

Nimble Jack is an inter-dimensional demon who feeds on madness. Once he has devoured a "crazy" mind, the remaining body conveniently commits suicide. The madder the yummier, so Jack decides to nourish the madness of our protagonist, Declan, for a few decades before eating it. In the meantime, he prevents Declan from aging by gradually lowering his body temperature, keeping things fresh and delicious. Problem is: if the body temperature drops below zero, it's game over for Declan. And then Declan falls in love with his caretaker�

Colder is a bit on the pulpy, heavy-handed side with its clunky storytelling, forced dialogue, and clichéd characterization (especially in terms of gender and mental health). I mean, even the premise is built upon the rather problematic notion that “madness� is at its core a physical phenomenon and can thus be cut away like a tumor, which implies that a clear line can be drawn between those who are “mad� and those who are “normal.�

And yet, Colder feels vivid and bonkers and unpretentious enough to make for a moderately entertaining, undemanding read in the b-movie-horror tradition. Ferreyra’s elaborate painted artwork is clearly the main attraction, as it holds all those half-baked ideas together and manages to turn even Tobin's most ham-fisted writing into a twisted spectacle - the book's cover is a good example: it is actually representative of the interior artwork in this case. 2.5 stars, I'd say.
Profile Image for Sam Quixote.
4,728 reviews13.3k followers
February 27, 2016
Declan is a catatonic invalid who’s been “frozen� young for 70 years. Reece is his minder. Nimble Jack is an interdimensional demon who wants to eat Declan’s soul. Yup, that old chestnut - oh, the fun they have together!

I’m surprised Colder isn’t more well-known � this comic is great! Paul “Bandette� Tobin and artist Juan Ferreyra concoct a relatively simple cat’n’mouse storyline with astonishingly brilliant horror visuals that’s really good fun to read. I can’t stress how good Ferreyra’s painted art is. His Nimble Jack looks like Joker without the green hair and he is creepy as hell. Because he’s this weird demon creature, he moves around really oddly and unlike any human does � a bit like a contortionist. And the visual of Jack “eating� souls is really excellent too with a great use of colour.

Ferreyra depicts “the Hungry World� (Jack’s hidden realm that exists alongside ours) as this nightmarish windswept place with crazy looming Escher-like architecture that looks wonderfully gothic. It’s populated with the kinds of monsters that HP Lovecraft probably saw when he wrote his stories, and some that are easier to describe like one-eyed people (as in they have no heads, just one big eye) and giant dogs. By far the most disturbing visuals is the body horror like when Jack emerges from within a homeless man’s mouth or when he “opens up� Declan’s head like he were a machine � just incredible artwork.

Tobin is on fine form too, crafting a fast-moving and compelling original narrative without the plodding pace that sometimes accompanies introductory first volumes. Declan is a strong protagonist � likeable, funny, flawed - though Nimble Jack is the star of the show; like Joker, he’s the guy you love to hate and he’s always doing something interesting whenever he’s on page.

I had a couple of reservations about the script � Reece is a bit of a weak, traditional female character, relegated to the role of damsel in distress for the majority of the book, and the exposition between her and the cop in the first issue came off as quite clumsy (cop asks pertinent question, Reece replies, repeat). Mostly though Tobin did a great job, especially in choosing a straightforward chase plotline for the first volume rather than attempt something overly complicated on top of all the world-building.

Colder Volume 1 is a very good fantasy horror thriller comic with a brilliant antagonist and even better visuals � great stuff and well worth checking out!
Profile Image for Chad.
9,669 reviews1,026 followers
March 6, 2018
If you can get past that disturbing cover, this is pretty great. The real star is the art. Juan Ferreya's painted art is tremendous. He brings in a ton of Lovecraftian elements. And then there's Nimble Jack. He's like a contortionist version of the Joker and Ferreya brings such life to the characters. You can see the madness and menace in Jack's face.

The story is a bit confusing in places and a lot is left unexplained. The gist is that Nimble Jack causes madness and then eats it while killing the individual while Declan can drain madness from a person which lowers his body temperature.
Profile Image for Oscar.
303 reviews33 followers
January 25, 2025
The cover is absolutely disgusting! The hungry world was a trip!
Profile Image for Athena Shardbearer.
355 reviews209 followers
February 16, 2015
Hello Declan. You will grow colder

This graphic novel was a quick and easy read. I really enjoyed the artwork but the story was lacking. The concept, original, but the execution could of been better.



Declan has been a ward of the state moving from mental institution to the apartment of a lonely nurse when the hospital burns down. For 40 years he has gotten colder and colder till one day Jack Nimble comes back into his life to claim what is his.



Jack Nimble feeds off of the insane. And Declan can cure it.





The artwork is so real, so creepy and dark and I'm interested to read more.
Profile Image for CS.
1,205 reviews
February 5, 2016
Bullet Review:

Geez Louise. I get wanting a catchy cover art, but I had to hide this f$&@er or never get it read. -1 star for that fact alone.

Story is rather absurd. Guy turns cold when he taps into crazy people (ableist much?); if he turns 0 degrees, he's a goner. Even though 0 degrees F is of no real significance and any human would have been long dead.

Reece is a stereotypical damsel in distress and the only named female with lines. Who basically falls in insta-lust with Cold Boy.

Best part by far was Nimble Jack.
Profile Image for The Lion's Share.
530 reviews92 followers
November 1, 2018
Wow, this is excellent.

This is how grant morrison writes when he’s good. This is fantastic, so much so I can’t even compare it to anything except maybe....a little like the invisibles, but much better.

Read it!
Profile Image for James DeSantis.
AuthorÌý17 books1,182 followers
November 23, 2017
Shortest review I can think of is boring...art was nice tho.
Profile Image for Stewart Tame.
2,426 reviews113 followers
November 25, 2014
This was more interesting than I expected. The cover is a tad on the graphic side, and I found myself setting the book face down quite a bit if other people were in the room. So the main character, Declan, is mad. As in crazy. He's in an asylum in the 40's as the book opens. There's a fire, and in the chaos, something that looks like a rift in space opens and Nimble Jack comes through. He's a brilliant, Joker-like antagonist and he eats madness, which kills the ones he feeds from. He does something to Declan, a sort of cat-and-mouse, playing with his food deal. Then we jump to the present day. Declan hasn't aged, but now sports a drastically lowered body temperature and the ability to enter people's madness and restore them to sanity. This is a great first volume, lots of intriguing ideas and the art, particularly the character designs, is crazy good. Looking forward to future volumes! I'm curious to see where they take things from here.
Profile Image for Rocio Voncina.
533 reviews152 followers
December 15, 2023
Titulo: Colder, Vol. 1
Autor: Paul Tobi, Juan Ferreyra
Motivo de lectura: -
Lectura / Relectura: Lectura
Mi edicion: Electronico
Puntuacion: 3.5/5

En este primer volumen se nos presenta a tres personajes. Declan, un hombre que sobrevivio una tragedia en un asilo y eso altero su cuerpo, Nimble Jack un demonio hambriento absolutamente demente (y por ahora mi personaje favorito, ya veremos si esto cambia con el tiempo) y por ultimo tenemos a la enfermera Reece Talbot una mujer solitaria, y con un altisimo grado de empatia.

Paul Tobi es el encargado de escribir la historia, la cual es entretenida, y para ser un primer volumen, es satisfactorio.
Juan Ferreyra es el encargado de la ilustracion, la cual es excelente. Logra de manera increible los gestos faciales para capturar la locura en varias viñetas. Por momentos calido, por momentos demencial, Ferreyra nos entrega un arte deslumbrante.

La unica queja que tengo? La traduccion es pesima. Lei este volumen en español, y senti que la traduccion no era buena, y entonces al leer este volumen en ingles y comparar pude comprobarlo.
El puntaje alto es por haberlo leido en ingles, si tomara en cuenta el volumen traducido, seria 2 estrellas.
Profile Image for destiny ♡ howling libraries.
1,954 reviews6,137 followers
May 31, 2019
It took a little while to get into, but I was sold around the halfway mark and desperately needed to continue by the end. The level of imagination and creativity that went into some of this is absolutely staggering.
Profile Image for Eloy Cryptkeeper.
296 reviews219 followers
July 9, 2020
3.5*
Una buena historia, bien lograda y bien narrada. Con una premisa que se debate entre la locura y eventos sobrenaturales. Pero lo que se lleva todos los galardones es el arte alucinante del argentino Juan Ferreyra. Deslumbra desde la portada, y de la primera a la ultima viñeta. Quiero verlo en mas trabajos para Dark horse y otras editoriales grandes.
Profile Image for Devann.
2,460 reviews184 followers
September 26, 2021
I was originally kind of on the fence about it based on the summary alone but once I got a good look at a larger version of the cover I was hooked. That cover is AMAZING. The art all throughout this is gorgeous really, and although it doesn't get that much into body horror until near the end, if you're really grossed out by the cover then you might just want to skip it. The story is a little bit light on the details at this point but I like both the main characters and overall it's just a really fun read.
Profile Image for Bucletina.
532 reviews101 followers
November 14, 2014
Superlativo dibujo para una historia que está bastante bien pero que queda relegada a un segundo plano frente al soberbio arte. Lo que sin embargo opaca cualquiler puntaje superior e impide una correcta lectura del cómic es la espantosa traducción y la aún peor (e inexistente) corrección. Lleno de faltas ortográficas, cambios de persona, mezcla de tiempos verbales y una dureza tan pasmosa que la mitad de las veces no se entiende lo que estás leyendo. Es bueno tener ediciones locales pero no hechas de esta forma. Una vergüenza, gente de Llanto de Mudo.




Profile Image for Dávid Novotný.
573 reviews13 followers
December 12, 2021
World where strange creatures feeds on human insanity. These predators are inhabiting strange world that is something like dark mirror to ours. I really enjoyed art that bring creepy nightmares to life. However storytelling fails to set basic rules of the world like who, why and how? So whole book you are wondering if you are didn't get something or author just didn't bored with it. Anyway, visual style really worked for me so I'm willing to let the it be.
Profile Image for Logan.
1,015 reviews38 followers
September 6, 2016
Okay! So Colder Is an original series from Dark Horse Comics; it tells the story of a man named Declan, who has been in this vegetable state for a very long time, and he has been under the private care of a nurse named Reece; he's got cold sub zero skin, which they explain later in the book! Declan is also tormented by a demon? Ghost? I'm not sure, called Nimbles Jack! Long story, no spoilers short, Declan wakes up, and the adventure begins! That's as much as I can say, with no spoilers! The Artwork is pretty nice, I felt it fitted the story well; the story itself is good and well written! Nimbles Jack is an awesome villain, as I pretended to hear Mark Hamil's voice when he spoke, seriously they ever do an animated movie, Mark Hamil for Nimbles Jack! Overall its a pretty good volume, but overall not too exciting, I can't rate It low, because of there not really being any faults, but I'm not exactly gonna rush out to read volume 2.
Profile Image for Connie.
1,586 reviews22 followers
October 7, 2021
I read a digital version of this book.

Colder starts with a mental asylum in 1941 burning to the ground, and a portal opening and a creepy being leaning through to Declan, a patient within the asylum with the threat he is going to get Colder. Fast forward 70 years, Declan has remained the same. Never speaking, never changing, growing colder and colder. A medical marvel, passed from care home to care home and his records being lost every time. When his last home was closing due to lack of funds, his nurse Reece gained custody of his care and she has lived with him ever since. He rarely speaks, or does anything other than basic essentials like eat and perform basic hygiene, that is until the creepy being from the asylum 70 years ago reappears, and Declan's days are numbered. Nimble Jack is back and Declan and Reece have to move to protect themselves from being consumed by him. But Declan is getting colder and colder as they travel in between their city and the Other Place, a horrorfying alternative to their current world that lacks colour and is based on insanity.

Nimble Jack is a great villain. He's like a mix of the Joker and any character played by Johnny Depp. And this world is great. I did find the romance between Reece and Declan weird as hell, but I also really liked the story. It was creepy and dark and it was definitely not for the faint of heart but I will definitely continue this series.
Profile Image for Geraldine (geraldinereads).
589 reviews114 followers
July 30, 2020
Declan Thomas was a patient at an insane asylum until it was destroyed in a fire.

He has an unexplainable condition, he's always cold and his body temperature is still dropping. He also can cure people's madness, but will he be able to cure himself before a demonic predator gets to him?!

I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would! I really loved the art and the scenes with them in the "madness" world. The concept was also very original, and I had never seen anything like it before. I would definitely read the next volume in the series especially because this one ended in somewhat of a cliffhanger. Overall a really great start to an original horror series!

*If you're interested in reading this one, it's available on Hoopla for free!
Profile Image for Titas.
AuthorÌý2 books32 followers
May 17, 2015

Do you really think you are sane? But what if you just need a tiny little push or a tipsy bit of wrong in your righteous mind to prove that wrong!?! Do you think madness can't be spread? What if madness is actually a feast for a soul eater? What if everyone mad are just trapped in another world but can not get back? Now tell me what would you do when these happen to you!!

Incredible! The story is so gripping that you can feel it slowly crawling up your spine! A nurse (Reece) keeps a mental patient (Decan) at her house under observation after the mad-house went on fire. Decan is growing colder and colder with each passing day for unknown reasons! But now it is her turn to feel the world going crazy. Now between the soul-eater (read Emo-Joker) and Reece, only Decan can save her by taking a stand against his creator of madness!!

Do you really need more push to read this book?! See the cover! Just that gorgeously horrifying cover is enough to get you interested. Paul Toban's story is superb and Juan Ferreyra's art is out of the world. Juan Ferreyra has drawn the mad world like nothing else! It is a creepy yet mesmerising tale of horror and fantasy mixed with scariest nightmares!!
Profile Image for Wayne McCoy.
4,152 reviews30 followers
December 10, 2013
When the asylum Declan Smith was in burned down in 1941, he managed to survive in a catatonic state where he never ages, but with a very low body temperature. In our time, a nurse named Reese has taken him home to observe him and to keep her company in her lonely life. What she doesn't know is that he is tied in with a supernatural character known as Nimble Jack who feeds of the insanity of people.

When Declan awakens, the battle with Nimble Jack is on. Declan can help cure those with mental issues, but at the cost of his own dwindling body heat. When Nimble Jack threatens Reese, Declan attempts to save her, but it may cost him the rest of his body heat.

Nimble Jack is a great character, kind of similar to the Joker. Art by Juan Ferreyra is truly gruesome. The striking cover should clue you in to how gruesome the book is. Story by Paul Tobin is engaging and interesting. We don't find out why Declan is in a mental hospital in 1941, but perhaps that is for future issues.

I was given a review copy of this graphic novel by Diamond Book Distriburs and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for letting me review this graphic novel.
Profile Image for Just a Girl Fighting Censorship.
1,948 reviews124 followers
July 16, 2015
3 1/2 stars

This horror comic from Dark Horse was a pleasant surprise. The story does feel a little rushed resulting in a lack of character development and scarce explanation of the mythology that drives the plot. The abilities and origins of Jack Nimble, the bad guy reminiscent of Joker, and Declan, the hero, are murky at best. Also there are several plot points that I felt went unexplained.

However, it is a non-stop breakneck pace and you will not be bored. The standout star of this book is the artwork, it is amazing. The world that has been created and the creatures in it seem like they would appear in a Tim Burton /Guillermo del Toro collaboration.

Overall, the story was dark and creepy with some truly horrific images. The plot needed some work and the dialogue was clumsy at times but the characters that were created were interesting and the reader was left wanting more. This book was visually stunning and is worth checking out for that reason alone!
Profile Image for Violetta.
192 reviews31 followers
October 30, 2020
HOLY SHIT IS THIS BADASS. I love gory stuff, and this really takes the cake.

I'm not really over-analyzing the story line or even the way the writers deal with insanity and mental illness (agoraphobia, schizophrenia, etc.) Because this isn't the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders but a work of fiction and fantasy. So there.

Recommended for lovers of psychological thrillers, horror, and the paranormal.
Profile Image for Tomas.
459 reviews9 followers
August 11, 2017
The cover is the main reason why I picked this book up. And I must say that I did not get much more from this book. There is no explanation of what is going on and premise is really weird. Some sort of crazy oi hooligan vampire kills people by eating their insanity and this turns Declan (main character) somehow cold. I would be more satisfied if magic was involved or draining souls or whatever. But insanity ? It tries to make people insane by showing them weird stuff and then he kills them. meh ... Art is OK though
Profile Image for Clin.
256 reviews3 followers
July 21, 2023
C'est vraiment trop spécial. Le côté gore a outrance j'adhère pas du tout. Je mets quand même 3 car on ne peut pas dire que ce soit une mauvaise bd, ni même au niveau du dessin, c'est bien fait mais il faut vraiment adhérer au gore a chaque page. Trop pour moi.
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