Now that I’ve had a chance to catch up with the local papers after being away in Virginia all weekend, I’ve seen that Sunday Styles piece on zombie chic a few readers wanted me (and the Gawker gang)to look at…and you know what? I’m not impressed.
See, Warren St. John is so enamored of the “films, books and video games” where “the undead are once again on the march,” animated by “the anxieties of life after Sept. 11” and a climate of “broad social collapse, when anyone—a policeman, a nurse, a friend—can turn into a force of evil,” that he’s overlooked a white-hot supernova example of the trend. Marvel Zombies, a comic book that debuted back in December, takes place in an alternate version of the Marvel world where most of the superheroes and villains have been turned into flesh-eating zombies…and, since they’ve all got superpowers, ain’t nobody gonna stop them. “One thing to keep in mind is that these aren’t Romero-style slow, stupid zombies,” says author Robert Kirkman. “They’re the same characters we love and love to hate but they hunger for the flesh of humans…and that drives them to do evil things. They’re all very conflicted, which I think will make for an interesting little story.” So far, the fans have reacted with huge enthusiasm to the story’s grimly fiendish humor, with many of the issues going back for second and even third printings. In fact, you might say we’re dying to see how it all ends next week, as the undead hordes take on Galactus, Devourer of Worlds. (The non-geeks in the audience can trust me when I say this is awesome.)