MARVEL ZOMBIES 2 – Issue #2
Marvel Comics
Written by Robert Kirkman Art by Sean Phillips
Hulk tired of talking. Hulk want brains now! The Marvel Zombies continue their travels back to Earth because they’ve eaten everything in the universe already. Decked out in cybernetic parts, they seem unstoppable. Spider-Man realizes that what they’ve become is no longer what they were or want to be. And from there, the conflict begins. Robert Kirkman pulls out the Willy Wonka hat, and writes with an addictive humor, drastically different from his long-winded, dramatic zombie book over at Image Comics, The Walking Dead. It’s like spaghetti sauce with sugar, or crack. Let’s stick with sugar for safety reasons. Each character is just outside their box, and it’s an experience with Marvel’s popular superheroes you won’t find anywhere else. Sean Phillips has a unique art style, but it fits perfectly along subconscious that this story is just way out there freaky. It’s a marriage made in Marvel heaven. Why Kirkman can’t apply this formula to The Walking Dead is a good question. Maybe he’s writing too many books, and Marvel Zombies is his playtime without an X-Box. The only thing that bugs me is how everyone is decked out in metal arms and limbs, as if the future was modeled after Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers. It only works well for comedic effect on Hawkeye, as his head can only be contained in a female Wasp suit, boob guards and all. The rest is golden in the fun and entertaining realm, and I’m constantly looking forward to what Kirkman and Phillips come up with next in the land of Marvel Zombies.
GRADE: A- CONTINUE READING? Of course. Anytime Zombie Hulk is around, you have to read it. Green Machine cracks me up!
BAD PLANET – Issue #4
Raw Entertainment
Image Comics
Written by Thomas Jane and Steve Niles Art by James Daly III & Tim Bradstreet
First off, I have to give a loud shout out to James Daly part 3. He did most of the art chores on the 3-D extravaganza in the previous issue, and me doing the credit, went by the cover instead of the guts where he was listed. So, it was partially my bad. Issue 4 is here, and I already miss the 3-D fun. Maybe we can get one every 3 issues? Anyway, the spiders are closing in on the children of Tembhutu, and our alien warrior appears to show up to take them on (the alien spiders, not the kids) in a suicide mission. Turns out, these spiders are worse than standing in a circle of ten-year olds with chicken pox. But we get a nice theory of how things began on Mars, and how that planet was probably destroyed by the same spider menace. Thomas Jane and Steve Niles do a great job in the history lesson department, creating a logical explanation in a science fiction environment and keeping the book on that surreal edge without going overboard. However, not much else happens here with the exception that our alien friend has solar-powered pimples, and it appears the book is gearing up more for the next issue, laying down the traps and setting them up underneath the kitchen sink. The art is pretty good from James Daly part Tres and Tim “Not Bad” Bradstreet, keeping that succulent 60’s science fiction taste intact. (Say that five times fast!) This is a cool book that deserves a film script and big Hollywood budget thrown at it. Until then, please do more 3-D books!! Love those, love it, love it…
GRADE: B CONTINUE READING? Yep, this appears to be leading us earthlings to a big turning point and revelation.
LIVING WITH THE DEAD – Issue #2
Dark Horse Comics
Written by Mike Richardson Art by Ben Stenbeck
Why can’t I hate this book? It’s a zombie book. I’m tired of zombie books, but this one… this one just charms the hell out of me. Rich characters and smart dialogue crafted from Mike Richardson just makes me red in the face, and I like it. In this issue, everyone finally gets a name, as Straw and Whip fight over Betty Davis, the lone female to survive the zombie apocalypse. Right away, we know there’s an attraction between Betty and Straw, but Richardson doesn’t spell it out, and it’s crafty. Oh, how I love those that are crafty and unpredictable! Ben Stenbeck compliments Richardson’s writing with some very animated and energetic panels, creating a comfortable environment and allowing the reader to be right there with the characters. The reader is also treated to a recipe for duck, and another zombie mask for your “real-life” protection. How this series ends at issue # 3 is puzzling to me because this is addictive writing, and I definitely want more. The question is, will they survive issue the next issue? If they do, you better give Dark Horse a call and tell them to stretch this one out a little farther. I’m just sayin.
GRADE: A CONTINUE READING? Oh yes. That’s a great cliffhanger. It seems obvious, but then, Richardson could easily pull the rug out from under us… or however that phrase goes.
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