Bleeding Hearts #4 – Deniz Camp, Writer; Stipian Morian, Artist; Matt Hollingsworth, Colorist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: There has been no shortage of zombie stories in comics over the last few decades, but there’s never been one like this one. Telling the story simultaneously from the perspective of survivors of the zombie apocalypse and from the perspective of a self-sustaining zombie society that’s developed its own culture, it’s a fascinating look into what makes someone human. The mysterious zombie Poke, who is starting to regain some faculties he shouldn’t have anymore, has bonded with the little girl named Flower and has gradually convinced her mother not to kill him, and he’s been dropping by their compiund more and more – bringing food and having tea parties with the little girl while her mother keeps a gun trained on him at all times. It’s oddly heartwarming, but you never get to forget that this is an interaction that should never have happened and endangers them both.
Poke knows this too, and he’s wracked with guilt every time he leaves, feeling like he’s betraying his own zombie society. His best friend is starting to be suspicious of him as well as a major zombie festival approaches. The zombies are funny and likable at points, but then there’ll be a random burst of horror that creeps into the dialogue, like one segment where they talk about how they “Season” their meat with the fear of their victims. There’s a creeping sense of claustrophobia as Poke continues to get deeper and deeper into this secret world that a zombie should have nothing to do with. He’s trying to convince himself to pull away from the mother and daughter, but can’t quite – and that opens the door to a cliffhanger that pulls the series hard and fast back in the direction of horror. This slow-burn thriller manages to always pull in at least one moment per issue that makes waiting for the next almost impossible.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes
