Marvel Zombies #3 - Marvel Comics

MARVEL ZOMBIES No. 3, October 2015

Despite this third part of Elsa Bloodstone’s “Journey Into Misery” containing some extremely “recognisable [“Marvel Worldwide”] characters reimagined as decomposing cerebravores” and at times portraying more zed-killing action than even a “Shield Section Commander” can stomach, it is quite possible that many of this title's (declining) 34,629 strong audience failed to find Simon Spurrier’s narrative an entirely satisfactory read owing to its rather tiring wordiness. Indeed for large swathes of the twenty-page periodical little actually occurs apart from Ulysses’ daughter conversing with either a captive Deadpool, whose brain the zombies have been consuming “every day for two years, since they nabbed” the Merc with a Mouth “offa the Shield”, or the mysterious “little munchkin” who has accompanied the Monster Hunter throughout her ‘pilgrimage’.

Much of this dialogue is undeniably necessary in order for the former “BBC” art director to finally start answering some of the many questions his storyline has raised, such as the identity of the bandaged ghoul who has been fervently following her. But it is also used to explain, in some significant detail, just how Elsa’s relationship with her famous father came to an ignoble end and the Bloodgem-empowered immortal finally died. These flashback sequences, whilst morbidly interesting, are continually used by the British novelist to break-up the comic’s action and as a result often frustratingly interrupt an otherwise enthralling series of dynamically-charged panels.

Just as cumbersome is Spurrier’s rationalisation as to why Mystique, the Constrictor and Crossfire, amongst several others, are intelligent zombies. It makes some sort of logical sense that now the flesh-eaters have “extra smarts” they are able to ration themselves to “a sliver” of Deadpool’s brain every day in order help stave off “the hunger”. But just how did the ravenous Undead make such a discovery in the first place when ordinarily their gut reaction is to simply consume the entirety of their prey at one sitting?

Fortunately in many ways, Kev Walker’s tremendous artwork more than makes up for any deficiencies found within this issue’s storyline. In fact some of the wonderful zombified cameos the Leeds-based illustrator depicts are arguably worth the cover price alone; especially those of the Mole Man rising from the depths in front of a determined “Purrrincess Presumptuousness” and then later a cave-dwelling Morbius, who receives a lethal head-butt for his troubles; “Bleh!”

Writer: Simon Spurrier, Artist: Kev Walker, and Color Artists: Guru-eFX