Marvel Zombies review

How can it possibly have taken me this long to discover that a Marvel Zombies comic existed? Neatly combining the two best things in the world (Spider-Man and zombies) into one book (or five comics) the Marvel Zombies mini-series is probably one of the daftest comic book conceits you’ve ever heard of. Which doesn’t stop it being awesome.

See, Marvel Zombies is set in an alternate universe. A universe in which all the Marvel heroes have become infected with a virus that makes them ravenous for human flesh, and also stops them from being killed. Imagine a team of nigh-unstoppable superheroes who don’t want to save the world any more. They just want to eat your brains. Eeeek.

This mini series covers an alternate version of the Silver Surfer/Fantastic Four story, The Coming of Galactus. Only the Fantastic Four aren’t in it, because they’ve been whisked off to another alternate universe, and the Devourer of Worlds is about to get more than he bargained for when he attacks a zombie-infested Earth…

It’s hard to convey in words just how awesome this is. Every imaginable superhero (and supervillain) shows up, and though a little too much time is devoted to Ant-Man (really, who cares about him?) it’s always fun to see them all together. Rather than being the shambling, brain-dead, moaning zombies I usually prefer, these are just greedy, evil, rotting zombie versions of the superheroes. So Spider-Man is still emo, the Hulk is still the Hulk, and Galactus is still a bloody huge purple giant thing. The art looks great – especially Arthur Suydam’s painted covers, all of which are zombified versions of classic Marvel covers – and despite the nonsensical plot, the story is hugely enjoyable. It’s also hilarious and very, very gory. There’s something terrifying about seeing this iconic figures so horribly, well, disfigured – it’s the stuff of nightmares. Especially since the characters keep their own personalities, which makes it feel that much more perverse and wrong. But oh, so right at the same time.

The only problem with this book is that it doesn’t include all the comics which deal with the Marvel Zombies universe. There are issues of Ultimate Fantastic Four, where the story starts, a one-shot called Dead Days, another mini-series crossover called Marvel Zombies vs the Army of Darkness, and some issues of Black Panther… I just want it all. Actually, I’ve got one more mini-whinge: not enough Ghost Rider. Having him stick his flaming head in for just one panel is a tease, and it’s not fair.