DC Horror Presents: Sgt. Rock Vs. The Army Of The Dead #1 - DC Comics

DC HORROR PRESENTS: SGT. ROCK VS. THE ARMY OF THE DEAD No. 1, November 2022

Mashing together two of the Burbank-based publisher’s most popular titles from the Silver Age of Comics – “Sergeant Rock” and “Weird Tales”, as well as incorporating a hefty chunk of Sam Raimi’s “Evil Dead” horror franchise into the mix, Bruce Campbell’s script for “No Time Like The Present” probably provided its fans with an intriguing introduction into Adolf Hitler’s ‘last-ditch effort to turn the tide of the war and rewrite history itself’. In fact, rather than start this six-issue mini-series with the usual tried and tested technique of depicting the Allied forces suddenly facing an overwhelming army of zombie Nazis, the American actor-turned-author’s storyline instead, slowly focuses upon the actual ‘science’ behind Doctor Theodor Morell’s regeneration process and the large-scale resources the Third Reich still requires to manufacture its serum.

Equally as enthralling is the somewhat ‘slow-time’ introduction of Frank Rock and Easy Company, who initially are shown policing American supply lines during the supposed last year of the worldwide conflict. Swiftly recalled back to Headquarters for a Level Nine Assignment briefing, the audience is cleverly brought up to speed with the German’s diabolical plan alongside the likes of Short Round, Dozer, and McKlosky. This approach rather engagingly causes the comic’s cast to ask similar questions to those occurring within the minds of its readers, generating an almost palpable sense of both parties experiencing the adventure together.

Likewise, Campbell is very good at introducing what was state-of-the-art technology to the Master Sergeant’s team and highlighting the advantage it will give by stressing each fighting man’s amazement at “handie-talkies”, night-sighted binoculars and thermal imaging equipment – all of which are accepted without question in the modern era of warfare. Admittedly, this somewhat sedentary sequence does understandably become a little dialogue heavy. But it also provides the film star with an opportunity to inject some humour into his narrative, courtesy of Dozer and Rock standing too close to one another whilst using their new communication devices; “Boy, that’ll save a lot of hollerin’.”

Undeniably establishing a grisly, grimy atmosphere to this twenty-two-page periodical are Eduardo Risso’s layouts. Rather wisely the Argentine illustrator steers clear of attempting to imitate the late Joe Kubert’s recognisable art-style for Easy Company’s printed escapades, and instead provides the publication with a slightly clean-cut, though agreeably gratuitous, look which still allows him to show all the bodily disfigurements one might expect from Nazis who have already been dead once.

The regular cover art to "DC HORROR PRESENTS: SGT. ROCK VS. THE ARMY OF THE DEAD" #1 by Gary Frank