Writer: Phillip Kennedy Johnson
Art: Leonard Kirk and Inhyuk Lee
Price: $5.99
Release Date: September 2nd, 2020
If you read the title of this week’s Marvel Zombies: Resurrection #1 and were massively confused, you’re not the only one! Whether it’s the fact that we get a book for the third week in a row that features a dead Galactus, or that a title called Marvel Zombies: Resurrection #1 JUST came out in October 2019, there’s a whole lot to straighten out. So, let’s dive in a see what the heck is going on in this SPOILER-FREE review!
I love comics. I really, really do. They’re my escape from a crazy, depressing world. I’m gonna do my best and not be a Debbie Downer, a Negative Nancy, a glass half empty guy….. you get the idea. Because once you get past the utter nonsense that is some of the details of this book and its backstory, it’s actually pretty darn good!!
In our above preview picture, we see Galactus. He’s dead, the previews tell us, but we’d also know that if we read Marvel Zombies: Resurrection #1. What am I talking about you may be asking??? Well….. on October 30th, 2019 we got the above-mentioned book. Same exact title, issue number, and creative team that created the book that comes out September 2nd, 2020. The issue that came out last fall is the setup/backstory to this issue. The fact that there is absolutely no mention that the issue even exists is an absolute joke. It’s really good, and more importantly, vital to this mini-series. This issue should be issue TWO!!!
Second rant point – I’m assuming there’s little to zero communication in the various offices at Marvel or their zoom meetings. The fact that we’ve seen a dead version of Galactus in three different books in three consecutive weeks, while two of the books are elseworlds stories is hard to believe but true!! It’s a complete letdown and doesn’t seem to have the intended effect when we’ve seen it for three weeks in a row.
Now to the good stuff. Zombies are here to stay apparently. Zombie stories are in every form of entertainment with varying degrees of success. Mix together zombies in an elseworlds story with Marvel comics vast amount of characters, and you could fashion quite an interesting story. Philip Kennedy Johnson does this in great fashion. Using common tropes of zombie stories – dreariness, darkness, despair, death, along with a wide variety of characters Johnson tells a whole lot of story in one issue. Albeit an oversized one. Being elseworlds, and facing extinction of sorts, characters seem like themselves but amped up. Taking more chances, being more brazen, and violent.
As the above pictures show, we get a wide variety of heroes and villains. Plus a zombie Johnny Storm. The issue one from last October shows how that came to be. An editor’s note wouldn’t really work because they’d be referencing a book with the same EXACT title, so if you didn’t know about that book you’re left to your own imagination I guess.
Another minor gripe is that Spider-man is front and center, even in an elseworlds story. I love Spidey, but would have much rather seen another somewhat lesser tiered character take the lead. But, put Spidey or Wolverine on a team or leading a mini series and it’ll sell. So, while not what I’d personally do, I get it.
We then get some more despair, violence, and even a glimmer of hope! We end with a nice cliffhanger that sets up issue two very nicely!
Zombie stories open doors to a seemingly endless variety of variant covers too. Check out these variants!!
Final Thoughts:
Despite a few major gaffes that keep my score down, this is quite a ride! To get the full story though, trust me and pick up Marvel Zombies Resurrection #1 from October 30, 2019! I can’t believe I have to say that but I am because it’s really worth reading and make this weeks issue much more enjoyable! Let’s hope the mistakes are behind us for the remainder of this short mini!