Greetings comic lovers and welcome back to casually comics the channel where we talk
about anything and everything comics from new issues to old issues to history to anecdotes
just we do it all.
I’m Sasha and I hope you like puns or you’re about to be very annoyed cause we’re about
to talk about DCeased DC comics zombie mini series event from 2019.
DCeased do you get it!!
If you’re always down for a short weird mini event hit that like button.
So Zombies they are truly undead creeping in and out of media, waxing and waning in
popularity but they tend to do well in comics so when you need sails it’s a decently safe
bet especially if you market it like they have this one, more on that later.
In DC’s case there was already a prior event that had done so well they could rest pretty
easy.
This one from over at Marvel an event called Marvel Zombies from back in 2005 written by
none other than Robert Kirkman of the walking dead comic fame to add some extra zombie legitimacy
on there.
The series would prove so successful and popular that it would spawn at the time of this recording
12 sequels/spinoffs so both, this includes another Marvel zombie slated for october of
2019 with the tagline The dead will walk again just in time for halloweeen.
The last part isn’t a part of it but we know that’s why it’s happening.
DC is launching another dark multiverse series around that time.
DC has been quieter on the zombie front but they are clearly looking to change that with
DCeased.
I’m not sure if it gets better or worse each time I say it.
Also this comic is rated teen + or 16 plus so you know the drill go find an adult or
I will be your designated adult for this outing.
So this is Dceased written by tom taylor with pencils by Trevor Hairsine and James Herren
and colours by Rain Beredo.
It opens of course with melodramatic narration over darkseid’s eyes.
Also this first chapter is called Going Viral cause the puns don’t stop and it’s going
to be a double pun get excited.
The league has just taken out darkseid in a fight so epic so cool it would have burned
out our retinas if we’d seen it so we’re coming in at the end.
Also some of the dialogue the heroes yell at darkseid is a little stilted like Batman
yelling you will not return to our world like no caps nothing just flat.
And Wonder Woman saying say it the lasso of truth compels you.
The Lasso of truth compels you preacher voice.
So Darkseid leaves but not before being like pfft fine I have what I came for.
Then Batman’s batsmartphone pings Cyborg is off world.
So the Batman in this is straight up like a Batman coming off of the Omac project where
he’d gotten super paranoid cause Zatana had wiped his mind during identity crisis
so he had all these contingencies for everything.
They retconned that out with the new 52 and then rebirth but now it’s kinda back it’s
convoluted when it doesn’t have to be you retcon something out live with it.
The point is cyborg is off planet Batman has a tracking system in his subroutines defines
cyborg as a living weapon that they need to keep tabs on and then everyone judges him
for it.
Clark in particular looks like a disappointed dad even though if there’s anyone who should
know Bruce does this it’s clark.
The art of the flash berating him is really cool.
Then they make jokes about it.
Tone what’s that.
Cyborg has been taken to Apokolips so that Darkseid can use him to perfect the anti life
equation.
Cliffnotes the anti life equation is something Darkeseid is constantly seeking he believes
a as there is a life equation there must be an anti life one and with it he could mathematically
prove that love hope and and freedom are meaningless hence creating the ultimate sheeple.
However his attempt to merge what he ahs with cyborgs metrics goes awry and creates you
guessed it technoorganic zombies.
But that’s just how it spreads they;re alas not going to be a hoarde of cyborg zombies.
A corrupted Darkseid destriys apokolips leading to clever play on darkseids tagline.
With desaad going darkseid is and the narrator going darkseid was.
Oh Snap.
Cyborg is flung back to earth and wait for it the infection gets into the phones and
spreads through the machines over the internet.
Cause our screens are turning us into zombies...do you get it.
It’s going viral.
The puns just shy of clever.
The worst part is I can’t tell if this is supposed to be the takeaway or it can just
be inferred cause if so is the moral put your phone down and go outside and read a comic
book.
Also comics are heavily promoted on social media and online so this argument if it even
is one feels super dated like it belongs back in 2002 when everyones parents suddenly clued
in to the fact that the internet wasn't going anywhere and it was not a series of tubes.
They say the user lives outside the net and doesn’t read enough comic books.
And on one final note about this I guess Tom Taylor read Stephen Kings Cell.
Superman hears the screams of the zombies and their victims and instantly worries about
his family Lois and Jon in main continuity him and lois relationship is all messed up
almost on a one more day level but we’ll deal with that another time.
Jon goes to get his phone leading to my favourite panel Superman bursting in burning the phone
with hs heat vision and blowing up their tv all while yelling don’t look at the screen.
I like to think he’s this dramatic when Jon breaks his curfew as well.
No texting after 10pm
In the batcave batman is still looking at several screens but it’s fine cause he’s
got a batfirewall but what’s not fine is he realizes that it’s being spread through
the internet and the house connection is on, so he activates the housewidew emp cause he
of course has one and heads up to find to his and my horror that Nightwing and Tim have
turned, and the narration waxes dramatically over the fight as Bruce struggles to subdue
his children.
With an epic last panel mildly undone by the unrelated narration that will definitely play
better once all the issues are relased even though it’s not true techno zombism not
the same as having inner dark leanings.
This comic is in my opinion just ok, but lots of people really love it, it gains major brownie
points if you’re a fan of zombies cause then you get to see your favourite characters
dealing with one of your favourite concepts, but some of the dialogue is awkward and meant
to advance the plot character be damned while other moments are pitch perfect, and the art
really captures the horror of what is happening.
Speaking of the art we come to a big part of what they are using to drive sales of this
mini series variant cover.
Now a variant cover is an entirely new cover in the modern era it’s often more conceptual
or a bit more wild than the main to up the collectability.
So essentially it is officially sanctioned fan art as well know the line between fan
transformative works and official work is as simple as getting hired at the company
and having that shield of legality and officialness but oft times the artists will just use the
opportunity to draw their favourite characters in their own scenario so fan art., Fan art
is not a dirty word and deserves far more respect than it gets as does all of transformative
fandom.
It is not a replacement for but nor does it take away from in fact in many cases it elevates.
As for these variants issue one has 19 that’s right 19 and I’m not even counting line
art or text and no text.
Some of them are redrawn famous moments or covers like the one I used for the cover of
a redone death of superman there’s a couple of harleys since she is now essentially dcs
deadpool so she’s everywhere.
And this really morbid horror variant that has nothing to do with zombies and is an it
redrawn with joker as pennywise luring jason to his death.
I’m really into it but why is it here.
Also these variant covers and just covers in general are mostly what people talk about
when they talk about this series read covers you have saved.
So Dceased DC zombies are you down for it?
Do you need all these variant covers?
What’s your favourite supernatural stye comic been share all your thoughts down below
and while you’re down there do all the Youtube things like share comment subscribe.
I’m Sasha and thanks so much for watching remember the internet is turning you into
a zombie, i’ll see you soon buh bye.