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helpfulsnowman's review against another edition
4.0
Marvel Zombies, but with DC!
Okay, it makes a little more sense because there's some Darkseid explanation nonsense, but we don't really care about that, right?
MONSTARS! MONSTEERS! That's what we care about!
And this one's got 'em.
But wait...maybe WE are the real monsters! Those of us who enjoy reading these comics with so much death and mayhem.
Wait, no, definitely the monsters are the real monsters. Whew, I was worried we were supposed to learn something here for a second! Close call.
Okay, it makes a little more sense because there's some Darkseid explanation nonsense, but we don't really care about that, right?
MONSTARS! MONSTEERS! That's what we care about!
And this one's got 'em.
But wait...maybe WE are the real monsters! Those of us who enjoy reading these comics with so much death and mayhem.
Wait, no, definitely the monsters are the real monsters. Whew, I was worried we were supposed to learn something here for a second! Close call.
teachinsci's review against another edition
4.0
Great art and a great cast of characters. DC 'zombies' makes a more coherent story than Marvel did.
I look forward to reading how they did deeper into this idea.
I look forward to reading how they did deeper into this idea.
himbomeena's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Solid story, did feel like traumatizing these characters just for the sake of it at first but as the plot extends in the second book this feeling went away. Both fun and tragic to see my favorites in a zombie apocalypse
lipsandpalms's review against another edition
5.0
Creative and awesome. The story weaves characters together and adds spectacular moments while building to the potential for a great sequel. Probably the best comic I've read this year
vigneswara_prabhu's review against another edition
5.0
Rating 5 out of 5 |Grade: A+; Don’t you get it? We ARE The Walking Dead!
Premise
Darkseid, in his latest bid to invade earth, is once again thwarted by the Justice League and driven back to apokolips. Undeterred, he kidnaps Victor Stone a.k.a Cyborg, whom he believes to be one part of the vaunted Anti Life equation. The other is the essence from the Black Racer, the embodiment of death itself.
But in combining cyborg’s life essence with the Black racer's deathly one, Darkseid gives rise to a catastrophe beyond his calculations, which then promptly kills the New God, and destroys Apokolips.
Unfortunately, while this was happening, Cyborg was teleported back to earth, and carried with him the corrupted plague that the Anti Life equation had become. It jumps from cyborg to the world network, enslaving and corrupting anyone who were staring at a screen. The people who were exposed to the equation turned into mindless horrors, who are driven only by the drive to extinguish life, as is the prerogative of the anti-life equation.
Within a matter of seconds, hundreds of millions around the globe glued to their screens were infected; several superheroes amongst them. Now, what remains of the League must rally their forces, and go beyond their limits to take back the planet from the impending doom. All the while confronting the loss and corruption of their friends and loved ones.
Detailed Synopsis
Some Thoughts:
As I mentioned earlier, this whole event is filled with so many great panels that I’d like to take some time briefly touching upon them.
When this whole thing is going on, one might wonder, Atlantis, which is similarly isolated as Themyscira, could be a good location where the survivors could gather, barring some issues with environment & breathability.
You are then immediately reminded how the Anti Life virus is also spread through blood. And with so much death and destruction, even in the oceans, all the gallons of blood which stains the ocean, which attracts the predators, which then travels as if having a life of its own, infecting the entirety of Atlantis, through the very waters which they use to breathe. And in quite a Jaws inspired full spread panel.
Now Aquaman, he doesn’t get much to do in the story, having been infected much early on. But I gotta say, he has the honor of starring in some of the most impressive full page, gore filled panels. I mean, in one page, a zombified Arthur is riding a freaking Sharktopus in a sharknado to battle. That is the height of awesomeness. That is a WIN.
One has to give the writer credit, for impeccably pacing the story. Over the course of the series, who knows how many people & heroes become infected and die. And while they’re sometimes given poignant send off and time to grieve, for the most part the survivors have to hide their grief and take action for the greater good. By not delving too much on all the death and destruction, the story is allowed to be ever progressing smoothly.
There is this contrived twist towards the end, when Victor Stone, being Patient Zero of the Plague, chose to stay back to restrain an infected Wonder woman. Using her lasso, he interrogates Zombie Diana, and through her the Anti Life equation itself. It’s revealed that Cyborg was the cure all along, his Techno-Organic constitution was the lynchpin stabilizing the Virus, and his death would’ve caused it to fizzle out.
Why then, eagle eyed viewers question, didn’t Diana think of doing this before, perhaps with a moral zombie which would’ve been easier to subdue. Well the simple answer is, for the story to happen. Things wouldn't have been nearly as thrilling if a quick fix solution to the pandemic was discovered. Also, the survivors would’ve had less of an onus to abandon ship, if they thought there was even a sliver of chance of curing the infected and reclaiming the planet.
Another aspect which I have to give credit to the writers is the narrative decisions which they chose to make, at key points in the story. Particularly when it comes to the Trinity. Batman is arguably DC’s most beloved character, and especially in recent years has displaced even Superman as the Flagship hero of the publisher. So, making the decision to kill him off early and not play a role in the events to come, is a good example of a writer killing off their darlings. Even though the darling in question is not exclusive to the story. This allowed the other characters to develop and contribute to the evolving narrative. Characters such as Dinah Lance, Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy all benefited from this decision.
I’m sure there was some version of the story, where, as my head cannon went, Batman would find a way to stave off the infection with the containment suit, direct the reclamation of the planet and curing of the Plague using his considerable intellect, and maybe in the final moment after that mission was accomplished pass on in a poignant death. While I’m miffed, I do appreciate how things actually played out.
The same could be said about the death of Superman. With Batman gone, the Big blue boy scout would’ve been the perfect symbol for the survivors to rally around. And, so far in the story, Supes had used his considerable repertoire of abilities to stay several steps ahead of the encroaching plague. Using his super speed and strength to combat the infected heroes, using his X ray vision to not be accidentally infected through some technology, as well as organizing and directing the survivors to safe haven.
The decision to have him turned, just took away the brief glimmer of hope which had been cultivated so far in a terrible situation. While highlighting his all too human empathy and emotions, which have always been Superman’s greatest strength and weakness, this also gave us a formidable adversary to overcome in the 11th hour.
For the most part, the writing for this series seems to be based on the principle; ‘If your characters are at a crucial crossroads in the narrative, one leading to hope, and the other leading to damnation, take the option which leads to the worst outcome.’ And this approach clearly works with how engaging the story is.
The artwork
Gory, Amazing fight scenes, emotional, violent, dark, horrifying, frightening, clean, minimalistic.
One of the Issues I had when reading Marvel Zombies was how mundane and uninspired the artwork seemed to be. I mean, this was supposed to be superhumans vs superhuman zombies duking it out towards mortal consequences. Yet it just felt like another episode of the freaking walking dead; Too much drama, and not enough action.
Then again marvel characters always had the problem of being a bit too relatable. DCeased on the other hand, gives the demigods of the DC pantheon the epicness they deserve. Whenever a key character gets turned the threat that they pose is brought to fore in its gory glory. Especially Superman.
The action scenes, of which there are quite a few, are bloody, gory, dynamic, and never overstay their welcome. The action & combat always function towards furthering the narrative. For example there is one scene, as mentioned before, when the Amazons make a last stand to allow the survivors to escape.
This war scene, while epic, is not on the forefront. Because narratively, at this point, the focus is on the evacuation efforts carried out by the heroes. So, towards the end, we are left to wonder about the final moments of these brave warriors. Which makes the whole affair that much melancholy.
In another point towards the climax, a Zombified Superman stared down the entirety of the Green lantern corps, including the Guardians. Based on previous instances, despite being 7200 plus strong, this bout might go either ways. Instead of indulging her in a full sized brawl, where Zombie Supes rips through a whole lot of lanterns before being put down, the story takes a more subdued approach. Albeit one which makes sense in context of the setup.
For most of the panels, the coloring, atmosphere, and emotions of the characters, they all paint a dark picture. Taylor & co. have endeavored to communicate this as a horror story, featuring metahumans, rather than the inverse. The foreboding sense of fear, uncertainty and pessimism all help to elevate the sense of helplessness which pervades across the pages.
As befitting of the genre, the story and action doesn’t shy away from displaying blood, gore and violence as is required. But not in excess, and not the kind of fetishism evident in more mature comics such as The Boys. It maintains the clean frames as evident from a mainstream publishing platform, while not compromising with some PG bullshit, the kind that marvel movies are known for.
The story takes place in a wide variety of locations, many of which are familiar to mainstay fans of DC stories. Across the various locations, even when the story is taken to outer space, the art is able to keep pace and maintain the consistency across the pages. It also makes good use of the environment, such as the ocean or the sun, to create some magnificently rendered pages.
I would suggest this story to anyone, (not children) who has even a passing interest in the Universe and characters. And even those who are fans of the Zombie genre. Trust me, all the hype surrounding the series is warranted. You will be entertained.
Ciao.
Premise
Darkseid, in his latest bid to invade earth, is once again thwarted by the Justice League and driven back to apokolips. Undeterred, he kidnaps Victor Stone a.k.a Cyborg, whom he believes to be one part of the vaunted Anti Life equation. The other is the essence from the Black Racer, the embodiment of death itself.
But in combining cyborg’s life essence with the Black racer's deathly one, Darkseid gives rise to a catastrophe beyond his calculations, which then promptly kills the New God, and destroys Apokolips.
Unfortunately, while this was happening, Cyborg was teleported back to earth, and carried with him the corrupted plague that the Anti Life equation had become. It jumps from cyborg to the world network, enslaving and corrupting anyone who were staring at a screen. The people who were exposed to the equation turned into mindless horrors, who are driven only by the drive to extinguish life, as is the prerogative of the anti-life equation.
Within a matter of seconds, hundreds of millions around the globe glued to their screens were infected; several superheroes amongst them. Now, what remains of the League must rally their forces, and go beyond their limits to take back the planet from the impending doom. All the while confronting the loss and corruption of their friends and loved ones.
Detailed Synopsis
Some Thoughts:
As I mentioned earlier, this whole event is filled with so many great panels that I’d like to take some time briefly touching upon them.
When this whole thing is going on, one might wonder, Atlantis, which is similarly isolated as Themyscira, could be a good location where the survivors could gather, barring some issues with environment & breathability.
You are then immediately reminded how the Anti Life virus is also spread through blood. And with so much death and destruction, even in the oceans, all the gallons of blood which stains the ocean, which attracts the predators, which then travels as if having a life of its own, infecting the entirety of Atlantis, through the very waters which they use to breathe. And in quite a Jaws inspired full spread panel.
Now Aquaman, he doesn’t get much to do in the story, having been infected much early on. But I gotta say, he has the honor of starring in some of the most impressive full page, gore filled panels. I mean, in one page, a zombified Arthur is riding a freaking Sharktopus in a sharknado to battle. That is the height of awesomeness. That is a WIN.
One has to give the writer credit, for impeccably pacing the story. Over the course of the series, who knows how many people & heroes become infected and die. And while they’re sometimes given poignant send off and time to grieve, for the most part the survivors have to hide their grief and take action for the greater good. By not delving too much on all the death and destruction, the story is allowed to be ever progressing smoothly.
There is this contrived twist towards the end, when Victor Stone, being Patient Zero of the Plague, chose to stay back to restrain an infected Wonder woman. Using her lasso, he interrogates Zombie Diana, and through her the Anti Life equation itself. It’s revealed that Cyborg was the cure all along, his Techno-Organic constitution was the lynchpin stabilizing the Virus, and his death would’ve caused it to fizzle out.
Why then, eagle eyed viewers question, didn’t Diana think of doing this before, perhaps with a moral zombie which would’ve been easier to subdue. Well the simple answer is, for the story to happen. Things wouldn't have been nearly as thrilling if a quick fix solution to the pandemic was discovered. Also, the survivors would’ve had less of an onus to abandon ship, if they thought there was even a sliver of chance of curing the infected and reclaiming the planet.
Another aspect which I have to give credit to the writers is the narrative decisions which they chose to make, at key points in the story. Particularly when it comes to the Trinity. Batman is arguably DC’s most beloved character, and especially in recent years has displaced even Superman as the Flagship hero of the publisher. So, making the decision to kill him off early and not play a role in the events to come, is a good example of a writer killing off their darlings. Even though the darling in question is not exclusive to the story. This allowed the other characters to develop and contribute to the evolving narrative. Characters such as Dinah Lance, Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy all benefited from this decision.
I’m sure there was some version of the story, where, as my head cannon went, Batman would find a way to stave off the infection with the containment suit, direct the reclamation of the planet and curing of the Plague using his considerable intellect, and maybe in the final moment after that mission was accomplished pass on in a poignant death. While I’m miffed, I do appreciate how things actually played out.
The same could be said about the death of Superman. With Batman gone, the Big blue boy scout would’ve been the perfect symbol for the survivors to rally around. And, so far in the story, Supes had used his considerable repertoire of abilities to stay several steps ahead of the encroaching plague. Using his super speed and strength to combat the infected heroes, using his X ray vision to not be accidentally infected through some technology, as well as organizing and directing the survivors to safe haven.
The decision to have him turned, just took away the brief glimmer of hope which had been cultivated so far in a terrible situation. While highlighting his all too human empathy and emotions, which have always been Superman’s greatest strength and weakness, this also gave us a formidable adversary to overcome in the 11th hour.
For the most part, the writing for this series seems to be based on the principle; ‘If your characters are at a crucial crossroads in the narrative, one leading to hope, and the other leading to damnation, take the option which leads to the worst outcome.’ And this approach clearly works with how engaging the story is.
The artwork
Gory, Amazing fight scenes, emotional, violent, dark, horrifying, frightening, clean, minimalistic.
One of the Issues I had when reading Marvel Zombies was how mundane and uninspired the artwork seemed to be. I mean, this was supposed to be superhumans vs superhuman zombies duking it out towards mortal consequences. Yet it just felt like another episode of the freaking walking dead; Too much drama, and not enough action.
Then again marvel characters always had the problem of being a bit too relatable. DCeased on the other hand, gives the demigods of the DC pantheon the epicness they deserve. Whenever a key character gets turned the threat that they pose is brought to fore in its gory glory. Especially Superman.
The action scenes, of which there are quite a few, are bloody, gory, dynamic, and never overstay their welcome. The action & combat always function towards furthering the narrative. For example there is one scene, as mentioned before, when the Amazons make a last stand to allow the survivors to escape.
This war scene, while epic, is not on the forefront. Because narratively, at this point, the focus is on the evacuation efforts carried out by the heroes. So, towards the end, we are left to wonder about the final moments of these brave warriors. Which makes the whole affair that much melancholy.
In another point towards the climax, a Zombified Superman stared down the entirety of the Green lantern corps, including the Guardians. Based on previous instances, despite being 7200 plus strong, this bout might go either ways. Instead of indulging her in a full sized brawl, where Zombie Supes rips through a whole lot of lanterns before being put down, the story takes a more subdued approach. Albeit one which makes sense in context of the setup.
For most of the panels, the coloring, atmosphere, and emotions of the characters, they all paint a dark picture. Taylor & co. have endeavored to communicate this as a horror story, featuring metahumans, rather than the inverse. The foreboding sense of fear, uncertainty and pessimism all help to elevate the sense of helplessness which pervades across the pages.
As befitting of the genre, the story and action doesn’t shy away from displaying blood, gore and violence as is required. But not in excess, and not the kind of fetishism evident in more mature comics such as The Boys. It maintains the clean frames as evident from a mainstream publishing platform, while not compromising with some PG bullshit, the kind that marvel movies are known for.
The story takes place in a wide variety of locations, many of which are familiar to mainstay fans of DC stories. Across the various locations, even when the story is taken to outer space, the art is able to keep pace and maintain the consistency across the pages. It also makes good use of the environment, such as the ocean or the sun, to create some magnificently rendered pages.
I would suggest this story to anyone, (not children) who has even a passing interest in the Universe and characters. And even those who are fans of the Zombie genre. Trust me, all the hype surrounding the series is warranted. You will be entertained.
Ciao.
bouncingsquirrel's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
So well done. The reason for the outbreak fulfills a decades long cannon, and the way the characters respond is logical and tragic.
lintkaurea's review against another edition
4.0
Sorprendentemente bueno, aunque no alcanza el nivel del Injustice original.
olivia23_23's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
4.0