DC Horror Presents: Sgt. Rock Vs. The Army Of The Dead #5 - DC Comics

DC HORROR PRESENTS: SGT. ROCK VS. THE ARMY OF THE DEAD No. 5, March 2023

Opening with Easy Company receiving (yet) another mission briefing from their military superior at Command Centre, Bruce Campbell’s narrative for Issue Five of “DC Horror Presents: Sergeant Rock Verses The Army Of The Dead” initially feels like something of a reset for the mini-series considering that in the comic’s previous instalment the veteran soldiers had just sensationally discovered the Fuhrer’s secret headquarters. But such a strange feeling isn’t necessarily a bad thing as the Allies would arguably need to consolidate their intelligence and plan a co-ordinated attack upon so formidable a defensive bastion in ‘real life.’

Furthermore, the conference establishes an aura of vulnerability to the mini-series’ titular character by emphasizing that he can’t simply just wade into a Nazi stronghold packed full of super-strong zombies like John Wayne and easily win the day. Indeed, much of this twenty-two-page periodical’s plot actually demonstrates the difficulty incurred by an American strike force trying to specifically target a well-guarded German fortification, courtesy of some hair-raising parachute drops onto ruinous terrain, an unsuccessful bomb drop from the air and a desperate, last gasp bazooka blast; “We ain’t goin’ in that way! We’ll go in the service entrance. Right this way…”

Perhaps this publication’s most startling feature though is just how small the reinforced concrete bunker belonging to “an uber-graded, rejuvenation serum-addicted Adolf Hitler” is. True, the facility’s dimensions are plainly shown on a well-detailed interior map when Rock is originally told of his latest assignment. But the disconcertingly dank place’s claustrophobic central corridor debatably doesn’t hit home with the reader until Frank is staring straight down it at the solitary steel door leading to the Fuhrer’s occupied office.

Ably adding to this comic’s all-pervading atmosphere of nervous anticipation and ballyhoo bravado are Eduardo Risso’s marvellous layouts, which do a first-rate job of depicting Easy Company’s edgy excitement during their mission’s early moments, and then understandable unease as things start to go awry. In addition, the illustrator’s ability to imbue the likes of Eva Braun and Hitler with the subhuman strength of Doctor Theodor Morell’s zombie solution is impressive, with the Fuhrer’s wife proving to be a particularly savage specimen when confronted in close combat.

The regular cover art to "DC HORROR PRESENTS: SGT. ROCK VS. THE ARMY OF THE DEAD" #5 by Gary Frank