Zombie Spotlight: Fresh Blood: New Zombie Comics

 

I love zombies in all their various forms: Books, Movies, Toys and Comic Books. For a while now The Walking Dead has been the main source of my zombie comic book fix:

 

In the past few months though some incredible books have been released:

Afterlife with Archie

 

AHHH! I’m in love with this series! At first I thought it would be the Archie gang on the run from a few zombies but I was wrong. DEAD wrong. Afterlife has real consequences as is evident in the covers below. The story opens with a distraught Jughead showing up at Sabrina’s home with his injured pet Hot Dog. Sabrina casts a spell to bring the dead pet back to life( BAAAD IDEA!). The dog comes back but changed and one chomp on Jughead and everything falls apart. I’ve read this story three times and I find wonderful things I missed each time. This is a wonderful collaboration by writer Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa and Artist  Francesco Francavilla. The story is so cinematic and wonderfully creepy. I originally brought the book in digital format from Comixology but after seeing the variant covers like the two side by side I’ve decided to buy all the physical variants as well. Visit HERE to learn more about the series.

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The Other Dead

Zombie animals?? That’s not something you see everyday. I’ve only ever read a few books with zombie animals but they have all been over the top. This series however really captures the horror element of animals gone undead. In the world of the Other Dead the power is still going, phones work, and the rest of the world seems to be fine except for the residents of Louisiana. I was totally freaked out by issue ones reanimated deer and issue 2 has zombified gators and dogs!

I only had one problem with this series so far and it was the extended stripper scene in the first issue. Two of the characters in the book are strippers. I’m not naive to what strippers do or even upset over the characters occupation. What bothered me was the two page explicit dance that didn't add anything to the story. Also because it is our first introduction to the character Justina it really colors what the reader might think of her. When we see Justina clothed her dialogue shows she is an intelligent, ethnically diverse character that is truly interesting. I’m really tired of this trope in comics. You don't get a pass for creating such a great character if your first use of the character  is objectify her.

Thankfully the rest of the story really held up or I wouldn't have brought issue two. Amazing art and a solid story. Learn more about this book form the IDW site.

 

 

I really didn't know what to make of this series. I really like the author Fred Van Lente.  There was some humor as the book focused on a smart nerd who has written a scenario to recover from the zombie apocalypse. There was a little zombie action but for the price : 3.99 I would have liked a little more substance. Learn more about this book HERE