Dead@17 is surely a sleeper hit for comic book fans and it's finally might be finding its audience. For those who missed the first issues, the trade paper back is a worthy substitute. The format is smaller than original comic book size pages, to appeal to younger readers and Manga fans. This little book is a perfect pocket book for a long ride or commuting.

Dead@17 is the story of Nara, a typical 17 years' old girl with a dark secret. After being murdered, her friends investigate and began to uncover hidden parts of her life. However, before they can do anything about it, events propel them within a cultist turf war where the fate humanity rests on what happens after Nara's death. Is Nara's death the beginning of a new age for men?

Howard is a strong plotter and managed to weave a very complex tale within the four issue span of the original series, although he rushed the ending. His artwork in this compilation is clean and focused, compared with some of his earlier Manga-inspired sketches, available within the collected edition. Howard's strengths are his strong storytelling abilities that reinforce his plot.