I think what's most enjoyable about this latest zombie-themed anthology from Boom! Studios is that we get to see some established comics-industry talent take on some unconventional fare and show how they've developed and changed as creators. There are some relatively new names to be found amid the creative credits for this book, but there's a lot of experience at play as well. The key to this book's storytelling success lies in the fact that the subject matter lends itself to the short form offered by the anthology. Some of the ideas here would make poor full-length stories, but they work just fine as briefer segments.
A parable from the Bible is explained as a devoted priest learns of a secret lying deep beneath the Vatican. A soldier who's been transformed into a zombie clings to the final vestiges of his humanity, but given his proclivity for killing in life, his transition into the world of the undead is a little less predictable. Animals caged in an urban zoo await an inevtiable confrontation with zombified humans, while a child's memories of his beloved father and an undead invasion leave him reeling.
Those are just some of the stories offered in this volume. Some of the stories are clever, exploring the zombie genre from radically different perspectives. Others try to bring personality to the zombie characters, with varying success. Giffen's internal monologue for a zombified mercenary was surprisingly effective, for example. "A Game Called Zombie" -- written by Jim Pascoe (is this inker James Pascoe, I wonder?) -- offers the most intriguing script. It's told through the stream of consciousness of a traumatized young boy. I can't tell if the zombies are actually there or if it's a delusion he's come up with to explain his father's absence. I do know that I like comics stories that keep me guessing and make me think.
As is the case with most anthologies, the quality of the stories is uneven overall, and that holds true for the art as well. I loved seeing familiar artists try out different approaches to comic art. Lee Moder surprised me with his recent work on Painkiller Jane, and his work here is different still. Ron Lim's art on this book is much more detailed and tightly illustrated than what we're used to see from him. Fabio Moon's art on the final story is inconsistent and confusing, unfortunately, and Ed Tadem's on the zombie dentistry piece is murky and a bit difficult to follow.
There's plenty to enjoy in this book, though, but what's not enjoyable is the price tag. I was lucky enough to have this book provided to me by the good folks at Boom!, but $6.99 US strikes me as a lot to ask for when the storytelling is enjoyable but ultimately ordinary. I know it's difficult for a new publisher to find an audience while trying to make ends meet, but this price seems more like it would alienate potential readers. Mind you, I could be wrong. Perhaps the zombie-genre fanbase is voracious enough for new material so as to make the price point a profitable one. 6/10
