DCeased: Unkillables #3
Writer: Tom Taylor
Pencils: Karl Mostert
Inks: Trevor Scott, Neil Edwards, & Mostert
Colors: Rex Locus
Letters: Saida Temofonte
The recently created elseworld DCeased franchise has quickly become one of my favorite corners of the broad DC Multiverse. While the first DCeased mini-series dealt with the Anti-Life Equation being spread throughout the world via social media and the subsequent fall of societal order. DCeased: Unkillables is Tom Taylor’s follow up mini, which has been 3 extra sized issues of greatness. In the wake of the first series, where many of the remaining heroes have fled earth for a new home among the stars, what remains of unaffected humanity makes for some very strange bedfellows. The remnants of the Bat-Family (Red Hood, Cassie Cain Batgirl, & Jim Gordon) find themselves aligned with a cadre of Villains (Deathstroke, Deadshot, Cheetah, Solomon Grundy, Lady Shiva and Bane) and two anti-heroes (Creeper & Ravager) to protect and orphanage full of children in Bludhaven. Over the course of these three issues we have seen these uneasy allies come to trust one another and impart their specific skill sets to the young children who may need to protect themselves one day in this apocalyptic new future. DCeased: Unkillables #3 is the last stand of this hodgepodge of heroes and villains as they sacrifice everything to get the remaining children to the last remaining refuge in the world, Poison Ivy’s Garden in the heart of Gotham City. In a heart pumping car chase, reminiscent of one part the Walking Dead and another part Mad Max, the collective of heroes and villains lay it all on the line against immense odds to protect the last vestige of hope in the world. With an Amazonian obstacle and a marvelous intervention this issue was an amazing climax to this phenomenal entry into this fantastic new entry into the DC publishing line.
DCeased: Hope at World’s End
Writer: Tom Taylor
Art: Dustin Nguyen
Colors: Rex Locus
Letters: Saisa Temofonte
I awoke to a surprise earlier this week. Not only were new comics being delivered to my comic shop but DC had also decided to reward fans of their DCeased series with a new online comic from the great Tom Taylor and a collection of A list artists to expand upon their growing franchise of the zombified apocalypse of the DC Universe. Set in the early days of the Anti-Life equation spreading through the world DCeased: Hope at World’s End #1 follows Jimmy Olsen at the onset of the infection when the heroes of the DC universe make their first stand against the growing hordes of infected, both normal and meta, foe and friend alike. This online exclusive comic gets a glimpse of the first DCeased mini-series through the lenses of Jimmy as he chronicles the fall of the society and the immense loss the world feels as their vaunted heroes fall to the infection and the aftermath.
Doubling up on DCeased this week was not something I expected but it was an absolute treat in the current climate of new comics and the uncertainty of books. Tom Taylor has really established himself as a top tier writer of super hero comics and he has an incredible grasp of the DC pantheon of heroes and villains. It also doesn’t hurt that he is joined by two outstanding artists on each of these books. DCeased: Hope at World’s End #1 was by the great Dustin Ngyuen. Taking a break from his Image series Ascender it’s always enjoyable to the Nguyen return to DC where his star really rose over the past decade. DCeased: Unkillables had amazing artwork by Karl Mostert, who I was not familiar with before this series but I can’t wait to see what he does next. With a heavy Frank Quitley influence I found his artwork to be perfect fit for Unkillables.
Verdict: Buy! DCeased: Unkillables #3 & DCeased: Hope at World’s End #1 were both fantastic entries into the broader DCeased canon. Tom Taylor has woven a fantastic apocalyptic elseworld story and the artwork by Karl Mostert and Dustin Nguyen were perfectly complimentary to Taylor’s stories. Anyone looking for an incredibly horrific zombified story with super heroics should pick up the DCeased books as they will not disappoint.
