It took Marvel a few years, but they had the common sense to give Marvel Zombies the “Black, White & Blood” treatment this year. The second issue is out this week, and it’s stacked with incredible creators and incredible stories. Watch as Reed Richards attempts to save humanity, Beta Ray Bill fights forever with his impenetrable skin, and witness Warpath take one for the team.
This is an exceptional anthology issue that’s well worth picking up. It starts with a sharply written story by Gail Simone and Dal Eaglesham titled “Under the Eye of an Unkind Future.” This story resembles a classic Fantastic Four tale with sharp art and creative ways of conveying Mr. Fantastic’s abilities. It opens with the First Family dropping Reed off, who knows for a fact humanity has seven days before all is lost. Rendered in sepia tones that border on red, red here conveys a sense of doom hanging over everything. Usually, red is used for blood, but we see Reed slowly go mad.
Simone writes a psychological story as we read Reed’s thoughts via captions and see he’s slowly losing himself even when a robot is programmed to keep him eating and sleeping. She also utilizes Iron Man well here to show that Reed’s lack of social skills grows worse as the days wear on. Ultimately, this tale is about a man who can’t live without his family, especially when all is lost. This story largely works because Simone never loses sight of Reed’s humanity, nor does she make it a gore-fest.
Poor Reed, but what a great opening story!
Credit: Marvel
Erica Schultz and Nelson Daniel take Beta Ray Bill on an adventure across the stars in “The Last Ballad of Beta Ray Bill.” Featuring Skuttlebutt, this is a Beta Ray Bill on the run with his back against the wall. You can see how this story could fit in Daniel Warren Johnson’s excellent miniseries. Early on we learn Beta Ray Bill’s skin being chew-proof is a detriment as he loses friends and questions why he fights at all. Schultz does a fabulous job of capturing the character’s heroism and utilitarian demeanor. He will never give up. It’s not in his blood. The use of red serves as a reminder of Beta Ray Bill’s strength, not blood or gore, which is another pleasant surprise.
Closing out this issue is “Warpath” by Doug Wagner and Juan Gedeon. Warpath, Siryn, Feral, Cannonball, Spiral, and Boom-Boom are collecting the heads of their zombie friends, but we learn quickly Cable is still standing. Super powerful, Warpath uses the fact that he will turn to their advantage in an action-packed, last-ditch effort. Gedeon gets creative with how the action moves across the page, with a great sense of detail in his cartooning. Overall, it’s a nice action-heavy romp that evens out the internal narrative-focused first two tales.
Marvel Zombies: Black, White & Blood #2 is an excellent chapter in a long line of great tales in the Black, White & Blood legacy. Above all else, the duration of the three tales maximizes the entertainment, never getting too action-heavy or character-focused. For a zombie series, Marvel Zombies: Black, White & Blood is thrillingly alive.
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