I’m honestly undecided about this one. When I read any book that touches on childhood trauma, I FEEL it. But for some reason, I had a major disconnect with this one.

While I enjoyed the illustrations, I feel like they would’ve been SO MUCH more meaningful in color.

And while this story did touch base on a lot of topics, it all felt—surface level? I think that’s the right term because it was okay but not DEEP, you know?

The writing was good and this could’ve just been a “me” thing.

{I was gifted a complimentary copy of this book. All reviews are my own}

This was an interesting look at how mental states decline relative to sleep in a scifi setting. I didn't hate it, but also didn't love it. I feel like it could have been longer.

Despite how short this book is, I can't help but admit that it took me 3 attempts to sit down and read it. Station Grand promises this space psychological horror story where our main character slowly succumbs to paranoia as he becomes convinced that there is someone else in his spaceship. At the same time, the computer that operates all the systems suggests that he is struggling with mental health. The story feels incomplete; not in a "this is an ending open to interpretation" type of way,, but rather in a "a good 50 more pages is missing" and it is disappointing in so many ways since I was expecting horror, horror of the unknown, of the human mind... anything that was unsettling or scary.

This feels more like a short story than a novella. I wish the author had chosen to either flesh out the story a bit more or to bundle it with a few other small ideas to sell as a collection. It had some interesting ideas there just wasn't enough to work with. I will say I did love the artistic choices that were made here. Pencil was the perfect medium to convey the static-y appearance of the monster and the sleep deprivation. A good idea for a story, just feels like it needs a bit more work before it's "done".

Thank you netgalley for this ARC in return for an honest review.

genuinely, i was expecting something existentialist or eldritch but i was taken aback. this is such a unique way of interpreting childhood/religious trauma into space horror. it is quite short which cuts out any room for character or plot development but it leaves a feeling of dread in the end.

the art isn’t very complex buuut it stands out in all of the graphic novels that i have read—there was a use of multimedia style, plus the adoption of raw sketches instead of solely digitalised versions, resembling german expressionism which added to the heavy atmosphere.

believe it or not, this has inspired me to write a short narrative comic myself, and that says something about craig’s story.
recommend for those who love the russian sleep experiment.

x

This is my first read from Hurd-McKenney, and it is a heavy one. For those sensitive to the topics of trauma please check for content warnings before reading this graphic novel.

Live your nightmares in this dark future world on Station Grand, sleep depravity and traumatic events can physically haunt you. Our Venus terraforming protagonist Dr. Michael Kinney is isolated from Earth. Dr. Kinney is doing his part to make sure his mission is successful but his insomnia and internally retrospective questioning begin to take over his sanity (and existance).

The premise is great for science fiction and horror fans, paired well with stylish illustrations.

Thank you to Oni Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this graphic novel.

I loved this comic! I loved the idea of it. Sleep paralysis demons are a concept that is so fascinating to me. The idea of it happening to someone in space where no one is there to help you and no one can save you is terrifying.

I was creeped out and terrified with every page. The art is so detailed and well done. I loved that it drew from the authors personal experience with sleep-paralysis. Not having control over your body no matter how long it lasts is a scary experience.

This comic was so cool. It’s very short, but it is effective in telling the story it set out to tell. If you appreciate horror and art and want to have a quick read I recommend “Grand Station”.

"Station Grand" by Craig Hurd is an immersive and thought-provoking read that pulls you into its psychological depths from the very first page. The story masterfully blends tension, introspection, and an eerie atmosphere, making it impossible to put down.

What makes this book stand out is how effortlessly it keeps you engaged. The writing is crisp and compelling, resulting in an easy yet deeply absorbing read. The psychological elements are woven in so seamlessly that you feel the unease creeping in without even realizing it. A constant sense of intrigue makes you question everything while remaining glued to the pages.

The atmosphere is perfectly crafted—dark, haunting, and filled with moments that compel you to pause and reflect. The way the story unravels keeps you hooked, revealing just enough to keep you wanting more. The pacing is spot-on, balancing intensity with moments of quiet contemplation.

If you love books that challenge your perception, draw you in with an engaging narrative, and linger in your thoughts long after you’ve finished, "Station Grand" is a must-read. It’s the kind of book that resonates in your mind, deepening your appreciation for its layers even after you’ve turned the last page.

I can see where this would be really powerful to folks who struggle the way this character and the author has struggled with things. But as a graphic novel I didn’t love this. I hoped it be scarier and while socially yes it’s kind of middling. I hope this finds its audience as I still think it’s got merit it just wasn’t for me. Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.

Thank you to NetGalley and Oni Press for this ARC

I was reminded a bit of the TV show Alone when reading this. In this show people are put out in nature with alone with 10 survival items, filming equipment, and a panic button to call for pick up. Quite a few of the participants find they can get enough food, shelter, and clean water to survive indefinitely, but many cannot handle the emotional strain of being alone for such a long stretch of time. It made for pretty compelling television.

Station Grand imagines a man in a space ship. Left alone with a computer for months at a time. It highlights the mental and emotional toll this takes combined with his own issues with insomnia. So why if given I found a TV show on a similar subject so compelling, did I not enjoy this title? It is simply that the character was not fleshed out enough. I know nothing about the protagonist of this book other than his immediate issues with sleep and being alone. While in the TV show Alone the participants would talk about their friends and families back home, what they cared about, and what they would do when they got back to their normal lives, this graphic novel has no such humanizing elements. The book is well drawn, and it is scary and haunting in its way; however it is a vignette without a fully realized character the reader can feel for.

Not recommended for most. Read it from the library if you are very interested in psychology sci-fi set in space and don't mind the lack of a fleshed out protagonist.

A very interesting read, Sci-fi with a solid helping of real-world darkness. Solid artwork and narrative, I’d love to know more about these characters.

My thanks to both NetGalley and Oni Press for the ARC copy.

In "Station Grand" we follow Dr. Michael Kinney, who's overseeing the terraformation on Mars, spending almost 300 days of the mission as the only human aboard: a computer his only companion. This derives into sleep deprivation, paranoia, even trust issues between him and the computer that's supposed to aid him.

Isolation in space is one of my favorite type of stories in the science-fiction genre, so I knew I would enjoyed this when I came upon it. And so it was. McKenney has crafted an amazing tale of horror with the subtle imagery of Dr. Kinney's slowly altering reality. For such a short graphic novel, McKenney takes us where he wants to the point that we (the readers) end up embedded in Michael's psyche, doubting everything alongside him, even his trusty computer.

I suggest going in Station Grand without knowing much more than this, so to get scared by the unexpected and horrifying truth of it all. Moreover since this graphic novel is inspired by both the author's personal experiences and actual phenomenons that ocurre to astronaut that get isolated for months in space, like our main character.

So, I enjoyed this, I felt the dread alongside the character and the drawing was amazing. What else can i ask from it, really? I recommend Station Grand to lovers of space-horror like me that also love graphic novels or want to venture in this world.

As someone who suffers from insomnia, this was really tense for me. I can relate to getting so bad just from not sleeping that I feel like I'm losing my mind. The ending was chilling, too. I liked the graphic style and felt it increased the feeling of being alone and paranoid.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

Didn't jive with the art style, so I didn't finish the comic. I likely wouldn't have requested a copy for review if there was a sample page to view first.

Not my cup of tea unfortunately, though I would recommend to a friend who would find the German expressionist influence of interest.

This just didn't work for me. Nothing really clicked, from the art style, to Michael, to the plot. The ending is fine? I'm not opposed to it. I think a little more time with Michael before he went to his work site might have helped me get more invested in him as a character.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley

This book should be reviewed in two parts. I really enjoyed Station Grand and its haunting narrative of a man going through the effects of insomnia in space. It was suspenseful, eerie, and the art was great. I think the ending left lots to be desired, but I could look past that for how much it offered. Station Grand showed how past trauma can affect your sleep and work in the present.

The second story in this book is referred to as "In All Your Mystery, I Am at Your Mercy" in the Author Note. This was a whole different vibe from the title story. It's still dark, but much more real and understandable. It's told in a three-part perspective and is derivative from the authors' and illustrators' pasts. I deeply understood this part, it is brave to show the hurt inside of you and I appreciated reading it on the page.

Station Grand presents an intriguing premise—space isolation horror that explores the effects of trauma and sleep deprivation. The cover sets high expectations, promising both a gripping story and strong visuals. Unfortunately, the execution doesn’t fully deliver.

While the concept is compelling, the storytelling feels uneven. The tension builds but never quite pays off. Instead of a satisfying or chilling resolution, the ending feels abrupt and too open-ended to be effective. Rather than leaving an eerie, lasting impression, it just feels incomplete.

Overall, Station Grand had the potential to be a haunting, mind-bending horror story but didn’t quite stick the landing.

This comic looks good and it's an interesting setup, but sadly it feels incomplet.
I really was looking forward to more information about what the shadow person was and how it got on the station.
The art was so nice, I love the soft black and white illustrations, and the station looked realistic.
Overall, I really felt like the whole thing veer off and was left unresolved.

"Station Grand" by Craig Hurd-McKenny is a graphic novel about Dr. Micheal Kinney running a space station by himself. The longer he is at the space station, the less sleep he gets, and the more paranoid he becomes.

This graphic novel is dark and unsettling. It is a fast read, but I wish it was a bit little longer.

Overall, I recommend this graphic novel. Thank you, NetGalley and Oni Press, for sending me an ARC of "Station Grand." It comes out on 04/08/2025.

Station Grand was dark, reflective, and thought provoking. I really loved the art and the atmosphere it created. It's a climactic read that I can absolutely recommend.