The Last of Us: American Dreams

The Last of Us: American Dreams
The original front cover of the first issue, with artwork by Julian Totino Tedesco. The covers were designed to bridge the realistic look of the game and the stylized look of the comic.[1]
Publication information
Publisher	Dark Horse Comics
Format	Limited series
Genre	Horror
Publication date	April 3 – July 31, 2013
No. of issues	4
Main character(s)	Ellie
Creative team
Written by	Neil Druckmann Faith Erin Hicks
Artist(s)	Faith Erin Hicks
Letterer(s)	Clem Robins
Colorist(s)	Rachelle Rosenberg
Editor(s)	Jay Edidin Brendan Wright

The Last of Us: American Dreams is a four-issue comic book series based on the video game The Last of Us. It was written by The Last of Us creative director Neil Druckmann and cartoonist Faith Erin Hicks, with illustrations by Hicks and coloring by Rachelle Rosenberg. The series was published by Dark Horse Comics between April and July 2013, and a collected edition was published in October 2013.

Like the game, the comic is set in a post-apocalyptic United States, overrun by zombie-like creatures infected by a mutated strain of the Cordyceps fungus. The comics serve as a prequel to the game, chronicling the journey of the young Ellie and her meeting with another young survivor, Riley Abel. Druckmann chose Ellie as the focus of the comic due to the uniqueness of her birth and upbringing in the post-apocalyptic world. Hicks joined the project after discovering Ellie's role in the game, considering her an unusual character to include in a survival horror game. The comic's art style is different than the game art—a choice from Hicks to give the comic a unique feel and identity.

The series received generally positive reviews. Critics particularly praised Druckmann's writing and character development, as well as the simplicity of Hicks' illustrations. The series was also a commercial success, with some issues requiring reprinting due to high demand.