Deadworld has been one of my favorite independent comics ever since it first appeared some 20 years ago for several reasons. First, while zombies are all over the place to day in films, comics, books, etc, it wasn’t the case 20 years ago when superhero comics truly dominated the scene. The second thing is that the comic was produced right here in Michigan by Arrow comics. In fact, the original artist, Vince Locke, lived in the same city as I did and when I published by first fanzine he was kind enough to be interviewed and even produced an original zombie illustration that I used as the first issue’s cover. The stories in this collection are written by another fellow Michigander Gary Reed whom I’ve also known for 20 years.
This volume collects Deadworld Vol. 1 #19 – 21, Deadworld: To Kill a King # 1 – 3, Deadworld Vol. 2 #8. The collection focuses on the character of the Dead Killer, a mysterious angel of vengeance who hunts down zombies. Now the unique thing about Deadworld was that while most of the zombies were your typical mindless shamblers, there were a few rare ones that were intelligent, could speak and control the other zombies, in particular the punk-looking zombie known as King Zombie.
The Dead Killer has set his sights on killing all of the intelligent zombies but King Zombie in particular. An initial run in with the King and his pet, multi-armed monster almost proves disastrous for the Dead Killer as a bit to his hand means cutting off his own limb before the zombie plague kills him as well. He tracks the King and his underlings to an abandoned side show where the former freaks are now being kept as slaves for the amusement of King Zombie. The Dead Killer thinks he’s found an ally with a human named Bowker but soon learns his only loyalty is his own self-preservation, even if that means betraying other humans. The Dead Killer will also discover a startling secret about the intelligent zombies that will make his task even more difficult.
“Dead Killer” works because Gary Reed is not just a writer but a storyteller, and storytelling is almost a lost art in comics today. While comic art is far better overall than it was 30 or even 20 years ago, the writing has only gotten worse outside of a handful of very talented writers. Deadworld never was strictly a gore-fest. It was always about the characters and their physical and emotional struggles to survive as it was about the horror all around them and Reed keeps up this tradition in his stories. My only minor disappointment would be with the art. While Ron McCain’s art is solid it’s simply not on a par with Vince Locke’s. Locke had an incredible eye for detail and his zombies literally spilled their guts right off the page. Locke did, however, provide the lettering for the book.
I am truly thankful that Image Comics is not only re-printing this great Deadworld material, but recently started a new, regular Deadworld series, also written by Reed.
– Tim Janson
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
