Marvel Zombies

Robert Kirkman(writer), Sean Phillips(art), Arthur Suydam(covers)

From the Cover: "On an Earth shockingly similar to the Marvel Universe's, an alien virus has mutated all of the world's greatest super heroes into flesh-eating monsters! It took them only hours to destroy life as we know it- but what happens when they run out of humans ot eat?! Follow their search for more food, and witness the arrival of the Silver Surfer!"

What it is: The Marvel Zombies mini-series collected into one hardcover volume (softcover out Oct 30th, 2007), that tells the story continueing off of the Ultimate Fantastic Four #30-#32 where the Marvel heroes have gone zombie style (flesh craving/eating, yet fully thinking and logical), and basically have managed to wipe out all life as we know it. The comic focuses on the zombified Spider-Man, Hulk/Bruce Banner, Iron Man, Colonel America, Wolverine, Giant Man, Power Man, Wasp, and Daredevil (until they eat him too); the unzombified Black Panther, Magneto, and Magneto's Acolytes. Watch as the zombie heroes do battle with Surfer, Magneto, eachother, and zombified villians.

What I think: This comic is a fun ride where we get to see our heroes be anything but. Sure, sure, they retain a certain moral fiber (Spider-Man keeps his mask out of guilt for EATING Mary Jane and Aunt May), but regardless these heroes just want to feed their hunger... regardless the cost. Now here's the thing, I didn't read the Ultimate Fantastic Four series which began the story so as a reader I was left with questions. How did they wipe out the population so fast? Why is it only super-humans have remained (as zombies)? How did it spread so fast? How did it all begin? Where in the Marvel continuity would this alternate Marvel Universe take place? Luckily in June they released Marvel Zombies: Dead Days one-shot which shows the near-beginning (starting with the aformentioned Spider-Man eating stated loved ones), and hopefully they'll put that in the softcover graphic novel in October. Also I have yet to read Marvel Zombies vs Army of Darkness which I believe adds more to the story in the explanation department. So that too is requiered reading (I'll update this when I read it myself).
But even without the other parts of the story this is a good stand alone. Kirkman (of Walking Dead fame) tells a nasty little story with no moral high groud in sight. Phillips' art works well with this environment (no complaints here), and the zombies sure look zombie-ish. And the covers are a work of art from Suydam.
Of course I love Marvel comics and I do love zombies (mostly of the non-thinking variety though), so maybe I'm not an unbiased opinion. Screw, this is my review.

Final Word: This is a good stand alone as far as telling a solid, self-contained story. It's fun, it's harmless (and actually lowl-level gory considering). Is it for everyone? Probably not. Should you buy it today? I'd say wait for the softcover (it might have more extras). The bad is the story doesn't start in this comic, just continues and (for the most part) ends within; and for the beginning/rest you need to get Marvel Zombies: Dead Days, Marvel Zombies vs Army of Darkness, and Ultimate Fantastic Four Vol 6. Not that I'm saying you shouldn't pick those up, I'm just saying if you wanted a graphic novel that solidly tells a complete story in one book this isn't fully it.
But maybe that's the point.
I don't know, I enjoyed it.

.