I, Zombie #15

July 13, 2011

Title: Going Down

Writer: Chris Roberson
Art: Michael Allred
Colorist: Laura Allred
Letterer: Todd Klein
Cover: Michael Allred
Editor: Shelly Bond           
Publisher: DC Comics/Vertigo

Horacio, the monster-hunter, is descending into the Earth to find Gwen’s missing friend Scott. Horacio isn’t aware, of course, that Gwen herself is a vampire, or that Scott is a were-terrier, and often goes by the appellation “Spot.” As the two of them do battle with a mob of zombies of the non-intelligent variety, up on the surface Ellie clues Amon in on the tunnels beneath the graveyard, and Scott’s grandfather (a ghost living in the body of a chimpanzee, duh) decides to set out and save the lad himself. I can’t think of a comic book more indicative of what Vertigo is today than I, Zombie. Chris Roberson and Mike Allred seem to have taken every weird, crazy, bizarre idea they’ve ever had about the classic Universal Pictures-style monsters, thrown them into a blender, and come up with a book that’s fresh, exciting, and frequently hilarious. Gwen’s efforts to hide her zombism from Horacio don’t really smack of similar stories that we’ve seen in other comics and TV shows. The dynamic is different, because Gwen has really stood out and become her own character instead of a clone of anybody else. Amping up the weirdness is the back-up story, The Dead Presidents, which continues this issue. Like the main story, this is a concept full of goofy, lovely weirdness that touches on lots of different monster tropes all at once. These guys love what they’re doing, and they’ve turned out a comic that is easy to love in turn.

Rating: 8/10

Irredeemable #8

November 21, 2009

Irredeemable #8 (Boom! Studios)
By Mark Waid, Peter Krause & Gene Ha

Last issue, Charybdis pulled out the reveal that he didn’t lose his powers with his brother’s death after all — if anything, he’s stronger… maybe even strong enough to take on the Plutonian solo. As he battles the fallen hero, we learn more about just why the Plutonian went bad, what final straw ended his life as a hero and turned him into something dark and terrifying. It’s a sad story, one almost as sad for him as it is for his victims. And as engaging as it is, in the end it’s still his fault, his choices that led to the downfall, which helps this story immensely. Peter Krause‘s art, as always, is great, and we get a nifty cover by Gene Ha (with a nice little subtle use of the background to illuminate Tony’s true nature. Fine issue, and a great series.
Rating: 9/10

Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four #2

May 18, 2007

Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four #2 (Marvel Comics)
By Jeff Parker & Mike Wieringo

While the first issue of this miniseries was a bit Spider-Man heavy, this issue does nice work to balance that out. As the H’Mojen begin their invasion, taking over the bodies of humans across the globe, Spidey and the Fantastic Four begin planning a way to fight back. The invasion is going a bit too well, though, with even friends and family falling under prey of the aliens’ new “Silver Age.” I must say, the title “The New Silver Age” is incredibly appropriate for this issue. The story is rather silly, dodgy from a scientific standpoint, and at times a bit implausible. In short, it’s everything that made the Silver Age of comics such a wonderful, imaginative ground for stories. Parker and Wieringo are clearly having a blast with this miniseries, and as this is a sort of fun that’s sorely missing from the Marvel Universe these days, I’m happy to go along with them. Why, oh why, can’t the regular titles have this kind of old-school excitement anymore?

Rating: 8/10