DCeased #3 – Tom Taylor, Writer; Trevor Hairsine, Penciller; Stefano Guadiano, Inker; Rain Beredo, Colorist
Ratings:
Ray – 8.5/10
Corrina: It’s Very Good But…::hides eyes:: Can’t Watch..They’re All Gonna Die
Ray: Tom Taylor’s disturbing DC apocalypse thriller gets better with every issue, as we see how the anti-life plague and the ensuing zombie hordes unravel the DCU’s reality and claim one major victim after another in DCeased #3. The skill of DCeased is in the way it can make moments both big and small equally devastating, starting with the opening pages of Alfred forcing himself to say goodbye to the bodies of his son before taking the Bat-plane and raining hell down on the zombies. Taylor’s Alfred has been one of the highlights across his work, from his recent Batman annual with Otto Schmidt to the Injustice comics. Hopefully, he gets to write him on a regular basis soon. At the same time, the segment with Mera and Tempest as they attempt to hold back a zombie Aquaman and his army – only to find out there’s no refuge in the sea – is terrifying. And Harley makes an unlikely hero against the plague as she both exorcises her own demons and takes down some former friends.
However, there’s only one real star of this issue, and that’s Superman. I’m not sure if he’s invulnerable to the plague – at least he can’t be bitten easily – so he takes the lead in clearing out the hordes and liberating key locations to form the resistance. From his conversations with Lois and Jon as he tries to keep confidence up, to the scenes where he investigates what’s left of the Daily Planet – including a scene with Perry White that’s all the more effective for how little it shows – it’s some of the best Superman work I’ve seen in a long time. It all builds to a scene in Smallville that shows how close to home the virus has struck. Like his work in the Injusticeverse, this isn’t a book for everyone – it’s endlessly bleak and brutal, with even the victories coming with a hefty side of pain. But the art by Trevor Hairsine is brilliant, and it’s a great spotlight for the characters standing against the horrors of this world.
Corrina: Taylor has a way of writing character interaction that never feels forced, always feels real, and he creates emotions like love and sadness so fully that they permeate the page.
So why does he always have to be involved in series after series where our heroes fall and die? No, no, no. Can we have a bright happy series from him sometime? Please? I really do adore his Superman.
The art, too, has some wonderful moments, such as Alfred in the cockpit of the Batwing, Harley Quinn taking out zombie Joker, and the scenes of zombie-Jonathan in the basement, with the shadings of dark as the cellar door opens.
I just wish all this creative talent wasn’t in a zombie comic.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
Disclaimer: GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
