DCeased No. 2 is wild and absurd in the best way
After just two issues, DCeased has already emerged as the most wonderfully weird comic of the summer.
“Year of the Villain” and Event Leviathan have been dominating headlines because they’ll reshape the DC Universe. As a result, DCeased has flown under the radar because it’s self-contained. But goodness gracious, this zombie invasion might be the most fun story DC publishes all year.
With writer Tom Taylor’s first installment, DCeased built a strong foundation. The miniseries would be a typical zombie movie, set in the world of everyone’s favorite DC heroes; that premise alone could tempt even the most jaded viewer to give this event a chance. But the second issue builds on the successes of DCeased No.1, and there’s no telling just how delightfully wacky the series will become.
On the second page, Taylor leans into the B-movie tone that accompanies most zombie invasion stories these days. While Aquaman is overwhelmed by a horde of zombies, the narrator states, “We had no idea how far the horror reached.” The narration ends with “how deep,” as the zombies tear Aquaman apart after they chase him into the ocean. You can practically hear the cheesy, suspenseful music in the background while Aquaman meets his doom.
More from Comics
- X-Men: 6 reasons why Marvel’s mutants are the best superhero team
- Harley Quinn renewed for a fifth season on Max (and it’s well-deserved)
- Marvel Comics announces seven important X-Men comic books
- The X-Men were betrayed by Captain America in Uncanny Avengers
- Spider-Man: Miles and Peter team-up for their first ongoing series
One man alone carries this issue and his name is Oliver Queen. Like the best (or worst) B-movies, DCeased needs a protagonist who delivers cheeky one-liners. Green Arrow delivers and then some. When Batman declares that the trigger for the zombie invasion is an equation, the Emerald Archer quips, “I always knew math would doom us all.” Later, after Batman says the heroes will have to take down the internet to save the world, Oliver practically repeats him verbatim. The moment is somewhat gratuitous, but it adds to the Zombieland-like atmosphere. Maybe penciler Trevor Hairsine will slap a grizzled goatee onto Queen to complete his transformation into a classic zombie movie protagonist. (Fingers crossed).
Next. 100 greatest superhero stories ever. dark
At this juncture, DCeased has to be considered a success. It’s weird, it’s fun and it manages to sprinkle some heartfelt moments into the absurdity.