With a story billed as The Walking Dead meets Homeward Bound I was immediately intrigued. Something that I really love as an adult and something I was very fond of as a kid, this could be cool.
I can’t remember the last time I read a comic where the main character wasn’t a human, or at least humanoid so that note alone makes this a unique comic. But then add in the fact that the entire cast is talking animals in a zombie infested world and you’ll find one of the most unique horror comics in years.
At first I was thinking I wouldn’t like this book. The dialogue is written in a very forced manner, to the point that I found myself stopping and re-reading bits to make sure that they make sense. But as I got further and further along into the story, I found myself wanting to know what happened next, wanting to make sure that all the animals would be okay, and plenty of zombie smashing.
The dynamic between all of the characters is great. They all have their own voice and they all meld together very well, meaning they behave like a team instead of a group of the same characters with different faces, er, snouts.
The art for this book done by Dafu Yu compliments the tone of the story well. It maintains a flair of cartoon like innocence for all of the animals within the narrative and has some pretty rotten decay and gore that matches what they’re doing in The Walking Dead. I also love the incorporation of the long time lore that dogs don’t see in color into the story. My only real complaint with the art for this book is why does the gorilla look like he’s bald?
I will say Anderson’s pitch of Walking Dead meets Homeward Bound is spot on. It does feel like a story that takes place in the universe of The Walking Dead right down to the character interactions and limited zombie blood bath. So, if you’re buying this comic based solely on the fact that you want to see a baseball bat swinging gorilla crush zombies, you’ll only be mildly satisfied. That’s where comics like this really excel is in their character studies, they’re not made to serve as action movie flip books for the ADD audience that craves brains on every page.
Don’t go into this book expecting it to be something like From Hell, this comic is FUN, plain and simple. So, if you’re feeling weary, slip into a comfy chair and let this goofy zombie tale take you in it’s arms.
Rex, Zombie Killer hits shelves in April, ask your local comic shop to order you a copy!
