DCeased #4 – Tom Taylor, Writer; Trevor Hairsine, Penciller; Stefano Gaudiano, Inker; Rain Beredo, Colorist
Ratings:
Ray – 8/10
Ray: Tom Taylor’s hard-edged zombie thriller, DCeased, enters its second half as one of the biggest breakout hits DC has had in a while, and it’s not hard to see why – if you like pitch-black zombie action, this book fills the gap of the recently departed The Walking Dead while also delivering on Taylor’s skill for character-driven emotion and interaction.
The opening segment of DCeased #4 shows how bad things can get in a hurry, as Ray Palmer and Captain Atom work together for the government to try to solve the crisis by sending Atom inside one of the infected to neutralize the virus. Instead, a corrupted Arom winds up inside the Captain, turning the silver-skinned man into a flying neutron bomb. The surviving heroes are reunited, with Superman bringing the grieving Martha Kent to join Lois, Jon, Damian, Ollie, and the newly Lantern-empowered Dinah Lance. They put out a call for surviving heroes, and Diana prepares to leave her haven on Themyscira to join the fight after giving Mera refuge.
The second half of DCeased #4 delivers one of the best action segments of the series, as a zombified Giganta shows up to rampage through the city like a kaiju. It’s Trevor Hairsine’s art at its best, and an unexpected savior comes to the rescue in the form of Cyborg. I assumed he was dead in the first issue, but it seems he was a plague vector that’s still alive, and he’s now ready to help turn the tide against the invasion.
The return of Alfred for a reunion with Damian was one of the best scenes of the issue, but there’s barely any time for rest before the next crisis – as Captain Atom’s corrupted form descends on Washington to detonate, setting off a nightmarish explosion that threatens to consume everyone in its path – including the few remaining heroes. The tension in this series is top-notch, and it’s great to see Trevor Hairsine return to interiors for a comic that totally suits his style.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
Disclaimer: GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
