***Contains Spoilers***
At its core, Bone is a story about three cousins—Fone Bone, Phoney Bone, and Smiley Bone—who are exiled from their hometown and find themselves in a mysterious valley filled with strange creatures, ancient secrets, and a looming war. What starts as a lighthearted adventure gradually unfolds into an epic fantasy saga, as the cousins become entangled in the fate of the valley’s inhabitants, particularly the enigmatic Thorn and her formidable grandmother, Gran’ma Ben.
What struck me most about Bone was its gradual evolution. The first book (Out from Boneville) felt simple—almost too simple—but I quickly realized that Jeff Smith was playing the long game. The humor was charming (I loved the recurring jokes about Moby Dick, Phoney’s endless cons, and the one rat creature’s bizarre obsession with quiche), but what really impressed me was how seamlessly the series layered in complexity. Characters who initially seemed like minor side players, like Ted the bug and Gran’ma Ben, were given real depth over time.
The artwork was deceptively simple. Reading the black-and-white version, I was blown away by how much Smith conveyed through subtle changes in expression. Whether it was Fone Bone’s quiet determination, Thorn’s internal conflict, or the sheer menace of the Hooded One, everything felt alive. And some moments—like the reveal of Thorn’s true heritage—hit even harder because of that slow build-up.
By the second book (The Great Cow Race), the stakes started to rise, and I was completely hooked. Phoney Bone’s scam to pass himself off as a “dragonslayer” was both hilarious and eerily relevant, showing how easy it is to manipulate people through fear. Given the state of the world today, his ability to convince an entire town to follow his nonsense felt unsettlingly real. But for all the humor, the story never lost sight of its emotional core, especially as we learned more about Thorn’s past and the dark forces threatening the valley.
Rock Jaw, the rogue lion, was a fantastic addition, blurring the line between friend and foe. And Bartleby, the baby rat creature, was another standout—his journey from choosing his own kind to ultimately helping the Bones was one of my favorite subplots. By the final books, the story had transformed into something massive, filled with war, prophecy, and tragedy. I was genuinely surprised when Fone Bone and the others left the valley at the end, though it was the right choice—it made the adventure feel like a complete, lived-in experience rather than an endless cycle.
If I had any criticism, it would be that the series demands patience. The first book felt more like a cozy introduction than an urgent, must-read story. But by the time the full scope of Bone was revealed, I was completely invested. It’s rare to find a comic that can be laugh-out-loud funny one moment and deeply emotional the next, but Jeff Smith balanced it masterfully.
This is one of my all-time favorite stories. 5 stars.
Feature Image Bone The Complete Epic Cover art by Jeff Smith
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