Zombies. Can’t get enough of them these days.
Who would have thought that the living dead monstrosities that once only appealed to a niche audience in low-budget, bad-quality horror movies would go onto take over the commercial mainstream? And while you have those without respect for the genre who simply want to milk the cash cow dry (cough *World War Z* cough), you occasionally get those actually have a great level of respect for the shambling ghouls and who try to give them what they deserve (no, not human flesh). Enter Zomblicity.
While it will inevitably be compared to a certain other black-and-white comic book series about zombies, comparisons with The Walking Dead end there. Zomblicity #5 hits high because rather than copying many of the other more well known series out there it sets out to do something different with the zombie genre.
Immediately its manga-style artwork serves to differentiate Zomblicity from the countless other horror titles out there. We’re all used to the grim and overly detailed styles many of those books employ, so Farcreazy Farid opts for something a bit brighter. While it may distance the reader from reality, it’s certainly a welcome innovation on a tired genre.
The old-fashioned style of the series is a welcome throwback to the past. How many mature oriented comics today use thought balloons? The dialogue throughout the issue was kept to a minimum, and was short and snappy, because clearly actions speak louder than words.
The fact that each page only contained a small number of panels also allowed the story to run more smoothly then if everything had been crammed into one.
And while the plot was relatively straightforward (zombie outbreak, government considers nuking city, friends are separating in the commotion and hoping that each other are still alive), we are nonetheless treated to some truly unexpected events.
Take for example, the government officials more concerned with the quality of their tea and coffee then what do to about the zombie outbreak that has already cost many lives and will take many more. We’ve seen selfish politicians whose actions cause others to suffer in countless stories before, but the way that writer Robin Sandiford creates humor out of it certainly makes Zomblicity #5 a fun read. And when the selfish tea-obsessed leaders get their comeuppance, you initially cheer at their demise, only to find that their death will trigger the nuke. As they say, one good act of revenge deserves another.
And while the lack of gore may disappoint some hardened zombie fans, The Walking Dead had better watch out, there’s a new living dead series about, and it means business.
