As the cover shows, Marvel Zombies: Red Band #4 features Thanos, further upping the stakes in a near non-stop series of ideas and plot progression. Not only have zombies arrived on an alternate Earth, but in the last issue, they were sent to Battleworld amid all that. Now that Phoenix is in the clutches of the virus, the fourth issue widens its lens as the Silver Surfer enters the picture, bringing terrible news.
Marvel Zombies: Red Band #4 opens on Bleecker Street, where we find Doctor Strange in his astral form due to his body being turned into a zombie. Captions give us his internal monologue, which effectively lays out how bad things are currently for heroes and the world. This ties into Silver Surfer, who we last saw in the cliffhanger of the first issue, and the two go on a journey serving the A-plot of the story.
Meanwhile, the B-plot picks up where we left off, with the remaining non-zombie heroes realizing Jean Grey is now a zombie. Gore and violence ensue, with Spider-Man and Jewel ending up becoming the main focus. Griffen Sheridan and Ethan Parker pluck at this relationship, subtly building a potential friendship (or maybe romance) in the process. It adds a bit of humanity to a series that’s losing it left and right at the hands of zombies.
Some of the best scenes involve Thanos, who enters the story expecting a fight, but again, the creative team defies expectations. One can assume he’ll give the good guys an edge, although literal gods are being eaten in this series, so who knows what may come next.
“Shush.”
Credit: Marvel
Another standout is a short one-page scene in which the zombies discuss their next meal. The dialogue is fun and funny, with a not-so-serious take that lightens the overall mood.
Jan Bazaldua gets to lean into the gore a few different times, swinging the story back into adult territory. Brains and eyeballs being eaten is one thing, but the way Bazaldua and color artist Erick Arciniega draw puddles of blood is particularly well rendered. There’s a density to it that will send a shiver down your spine.
As far as plotting, this issue feels less clear in its focus than previous issues. The main plots jump back and forth a bit jarringly at times, which allows the story to move forward quickly but results in a bit of whiplash. Closing out the issue is a scene with Spider-Man and Jewel, who seem to arrive at a new location randomly, or at the very least conveniently, so that Spider-Man can acquire a new suit. One can see where this is going, making portions of the issue feel forced to serve the plot.
Marvel Zombies: Red Band #4 is a grisly, fast-moving installment that widens the horror and cosmic stakes while keeping character moments alive through unlikely partnerships and clever subversions. Although the issue’s pacing occasionally wobbles and a few developments feel conveniently engineered, the mix of emotional beats, dark humor, and relentless gore keeps the series engaging as it pushes deeper into zombie-fueled chaos.
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