Deadworld: War of the Dead TPB – Advance Review

Issue: Deadworld: War of the Dead TPB
Writer:Gary Reed
Artist:Sami Makkonen
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Release Date: November 2012
Price: $19.99
Order Code: SEP12 0375

“The undead have overrun the Earth! A small outpost, remnants of a twisted scientist’s scheme to defeat the plague, holds out against the army of King Zombie with their secret weapon, the Lepers – victims of a bizarre experiment that left them with dead flesh in breathing husks that even zombies won’t touch. “

Dying Breath: 5.0 out of 5
Holy $*!+! That about sums up what just happened at the end of this GORE-Geous and ARGH-Mazing book. Collecting the mini series, that was showcased during Deadworld Month in August from IDW, this book captures the same spirit as what came before, and leads readers into the future of this Dead’verse. The artwork by Makkonen is beautiful. I said it when I read Slaughterhouse, and I will say it again, Sami’s style is so perfect for this series. His character designs have a very creepy edge to them, placed into his dark backgrounds and my eyes just melt with joy. The issues that arose with Slaughterhouse, black and white art that at times was too dark, have been corrected by adding in color. I have to admit that when this was first announced I was not super excited about it, the series has always been black and white, but when I read the first issue my opinion changed. The colors add a dimension to this book that ups the feeling of how dark and depressing this world really is. The story in this “chapter” takes place 1 year after the events of Slaughterhouse. I personally do not think that you need to read the previous stories to grasp what is going on here, but I suggest that you do because it is amazing (pick up the omnibus).  I think the best way to sum up what happens in this book, is to really categorize it as a solid story, that is a great base to lead into what is to come. Reed is a master of detail in his writing. If you have ever read his St. Germaine books you will know this, and if not I suggest you do that as well. The way that he explains the concept of defending where the human survivors live, to the description of why it might be best for humans to live in breeding and work camps, left me floored. The pacing was perfect throughout the book, with plenty or build and some great action scenes. Then you get to the ending and it is such and amazing cliffhanger. I plan on sending 1 email to Gary a week to find out what happens next, just to get him moving on more issues ASAP. For almost 30 years Deadworld has been at the forefront of zombie and horror comics. It is a series I love more than anything, and this series took that love to a whole new level. I pray that more issues will be coming our way soon, because I need my fix as a Dead(world) Head. The perfect creative team worked on this book, and it would be a crying shame for it not to be a part of your collection. This is hopefully only just the beginning folks.

Artwork: 5.0 out of 5 • Story: 5.0 out of 5

If you would like to know more about Deadworld: War of the Dead TPB please go to  http://www.idwpublishing.com/or http://www.garyreed.net/.