Cloaked by night and the fetid fatigues of the undead, Sgt. Rock is hot on the heels of Hitler’s personal physician, Morell. Will the not-so-good doctor lead Easy Company straight to the Fuhrer’s doorstep? Or has Easy Company fallen into another trap? One thing is for certain: their disgusting disguises probably won’t fool anyone with more than half a brain.
“Some missions are long and tedious, with nothing to show for it… ”
DC Comics
Oozing with expertly crafted horror and action sequences, Bruce Campbell’s trademark wit permeates every panel of DC Horror Presents: Sgt. Rock vs. The Army of the Dead #4. Campbell’s voice is not only present in every one-liner uttered by our heroes, but also in Sgt. Rock’s narrative insight. Although Campbell does a good job exploring Sgt. Rock’s mindset, there is little more narrative meat for the reader to sink their teeth into. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing as this book achieves its main objective: to perfectly capture the balance between B-movie horror, humor, and bombastic action on every page.
From DC Horror Presents: Sgt. Rock vs. The Army of the Dead #4’s opening pages, it is clear that the entire creative team is firing on all cylinders. As a result, it is impossible not to discuss this issue’s narrative without including its artwork as part of the conversation. These two elements are inextricably linked. Moreover, the work of Risso, Rossi, and Leigh are a major selling point for this issue.
Throughout the opening sequence, Eduardo Risso’s artwork and panel layout perfectly capture the swelling horror movie tension as our unnamed woman is pursued by Hitler’s undead. Kristian Rossi’s colors heighten this tension through the muted colors and black as much of the action is veiled by the darkness of night, thereby leaving the finer details to your imagination. Rob Leigh’s letters viscerally capture each onomatopoeia in a manner that adds to the tension as Easy Company’s truck smashes into the woman’s assailants. This moment is punctuated by Bruce Campbell’s wit, as Sgt. Rock responds to queries regarding helping the woman by saying, “We just did.”
DC Horror Presents: Sgt. Rock vs. The Army of the Dead #4 is filled with fast-paced moments like this as Easy Company bounces from one objective to the next. To detail every one of these would spoil the entire narrative. However, one of my favorite sequences throughout the book involves Sgt. Rock using a rocket launcher, a fuel tank, and his zippo to escape his Nazi Zombie pursuers. The use of small panels to track the lighter’s trajectory and the use of black with muted orange hues to convey this sequence captures the horror movie vibes with style.
Additionally, the inversion of these colors in subsequent panels is perfect as the fire swells and the undead emerges from the flames. This moment is once again punctuated by Campbell’s wit, as Sgt. Rock plants his boot in the zombie’s face, telling it to “Burn baby.” It’s a moment so groovy, you can hear the writer’s inflection in the dialogue’s delivery.
“…Others are short and exhilarating, with a huge payoff.”
DC Comics
Throughout the final sequence of DC Horror Presents: Sgt. Rock vs. The Army of the Dead #4, Campbell’s narration provides some of the greatest insight into the series thus far. Sgt. Rock states, “Some missions are long and tedious with nothing to show for it… others are short and exhilarating, with a huge payoff.” Although the verdict for the series in its entirety may still be out, I think this issue falls into the second category. This issue is fast-paced and seeping with B-movie horror and action. As a result, this book feels short and exhilarating. Additionally, the discovery of Hitler’s hidden warehouse promises a big payoff in future issues.
Ultimately, your mileage with DC Horror Presents: Sgt. Rock vs. The Army of the Dead #4 will depend on your expectations. If you are looking for a comic book dripping with meaty themes to sink your teeth into, then you will find it sorely lacking. However, if you are looking for a book overflowing with Bruce Campbell’s charm and B-movie beatitude, you will find yourself in paradise. It’s undeniable that this issue is just plain Nazi Zombie slaying fun.
DC Horror Presents: Sgt. Rock vs. The Army of the Dead #4 oozes with expertly crafted horror and action sequences and Bruce Campbell’s trademark wit. Campbell’s voice can be heard in every one-liner uttered by our heroes and Sgt. Rock’s narrative insight. Although Campbell does a good job exploring the titular hero’s mindset, there is little more depth to the narrative. However, this is not necessarily a negative, as this book achieves its prime objective: to perfectly capture the balance between B-movie horror, humor, and bombastic action on every page.
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