ALIENS VS. ZOMBIES No. 5, December 2015 |
Having already seen to it that this comic’s cast are “surrounded
by dozens of zombies” whilst being trapped deep underground amidst the debris
of a derelict tube station, Joe Brusha still manages to make his protagonists’
predicament increasingly perilous throughout this concluding instalment of the “Zenescope Entertainment” mini-series. In
fact the publishing company’s co-creator makes it decidedly difficult for the
reader to ascertain with any confidence whatsoever, which of the heroes is actually going
“to survive the zombie apocalypse” until the book’s very last page; “There’s no
way through this rubble. We’re going to have to shoot our way out of this.”
This pervading sense of doubt throughout the
narrative begins almost straight away as Nova and Raxus’ ‘prickly’ future
trying to rebuild their species after it was “wiped out” by “the interstellar
virus” is emphatically resolved by the alien captain’s would-be consort rather
explosively sacrificing himself after he is bitten on the ankle. Such a
dramatic ending to so central a character really raises a question mark as to
the fate of all the other survivors, especially when the formidably huge, and
seemingly unstoppable Balgar suddenly and rather unexpectedly ‘turns’ and tears
one of Tak’s arms off. Indeed the enormous extra-terrestrial’s zombification
really can come as a complete surprise if artist Vincenzo Riccardi’s tiny panel
depicting the dome-headed behemoth’s scratched calf is missed.
“Seven miles to the Northeast” and Melissa’s destiny seems
equally as uncertain as she and her colleagues rather contrivingly take refuge
within a large crypt. With Tavon’s freshly dead henchmen on the outside and a
party of shambling corpses attacking them on the inside, it really does appear
that it is all over for Colt’s love interest. Especially when the burial
chamber’s entrance is finally breached and Cromm is seemingly overwhelmed by
sheer weight of numbers.
Sadly, having endured and enjoyed such a roller coaster of a
final ride, Brusha’s “two weeks later” epilogue provides a rather rushed and dissatisfying
conclusion to so exciting a five-issue serial. Raxus Prime’s memorial, “even
though he is not really buried here”, seems fitting enough, as does the slightly
unconvincing nature of Balgar’s “indestructible” genetic makeup. But then in
the space of a handful of panels the “spacecraft full of alien scientists” are ‘up
and away’, leaving behind a rather wistful-looking Colt who supposedly intends
to “help rebuild the planet.”
The regular cover art of "ALIENS VS. ZOMBIES" No. 5 by Jason Metcalf and Victor Bartlett |
This really does look like a series I'll thoroughly enjoy reading. I already have the TPB listed on my Amazon wishlist, thanks to your timely reminder. :-) I thank you for bringing this series to my attention.
ReplyDeletebryan, I'll be awe if you don't enjoy this as its really one of my fave mini-series of 2015, and so much better than a lot of what the big publisher's have produced over the past twelve months. You're very welcome :-)
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