Thursday, January 31, 2019

Caliber Comics's Dead World: Requiem for the World


Oh my God.

Oh my God.

OH MY GAWD!!!

I'm reviewing a reboot. I can't believe I'm reviewing a reboot. This is Jimbo's and I'M REVIEWING A REBOOT!!!!

I feel like Jim Carrey right now because "Somebody stop me!"

But I'm not REALLY reviewing a reboot. I mean, I didn't even know the original existed until I was holding a copy of the reboot in my hand. So, it doesn't count.

STOP TELLING ME IT COUNTS! I SAID IT DOESN'T!!!

I mean, could we please say it doesn't count? I'll make this a really good review and toss in a link for all of you who want to get one. I mean, if I do a REALLLY good job will you please say it doesn't count as a reboot?

*cry*

I don't want it to be a reboot.

*takes long pull from Mountain Dew bottle*

I can't believe it. It's a reboot and it's on my blog. I've failed at life!!!

*SIGH*

Ok, I've come to terms with what I'm doing. It's a reboot and I'm not shying away from that. I'm a big boy. I'm going to put on my man pants and do this thing right.

So, for those of you who missed the pic at the top of the page and/or have forgotten what it looked like today's review will cover the topic of Deadworld: Requiem for the World and all foolishness aside, it is indeed a reboot. It's a good story even if I can't comment on how well it translates the original because I haven't read the original. Seriously, I met a rep for the Caliber Comics company at ConFusion and picked up two of the books there. I read the reboot first because reasons.

It was actually a really good comic. It's fast paced, has some good art and left me very well entertained. Rumors that I may have gotten chocolate stains on the pages because I couldn't stop reading it for long enough to eat a Ho-Ho are greatly exaggerated. (Ho-Hos are Hostess. It was a Little Debbie Swiss Cake Roll which is totes different.)

Requiem for the World is a zombie comic. I get the fact that zombies are really popular and not all that cool with the hipster set because those goofballs hate everything that anyone else likes, but I'm telling you that this is a good one. Why? Because it has a twist. This isn't just your average zombie comic. Then again, I'm a fan of The Walking Dead, so what do I know?

I know I've never seen a comic where the zombies have a leader. They're not real bright, because zombies, but they can follow simple instructions. I'm not sure what the zombie leader guy's name even is but he's something new that I sure haven't seen before. The thought of armies of the dead working together in a coordinated manner is some scary shit and let's face it: This is a zombie comic. It's supposed to be scary.

SPOILERS NEXT PARAGRAPH



YOU'VE BEEN WARNED

I'M NOT KIDDING!!!!
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I know that in cases where the cause of the zombie outbreak is not based on something sciency-sounding it's usually never given. Requiem for the Dead never quite gets to the point that it gives us all the answers but I get the feeling that later comics in the stream actually will. There are some fairly obvious hints that an answer is coming, but not exactly what it is and now I'm intrigued. I'm not sure if the answer was given in the original series or if they'll be giving the same one this time around anyway (the intro to the TPB states that a lot is changed early and I'll take their word for it. It's their product.) but they're definitely leading into something and it sounds cool.

I know that zombies are usually the only monsters in zombie fiction. I'm not sure but I have reason to believe that there are a couple of things in the book that are not exactly zombies and aren't the type of thing we would see in the real world ever. I like them. I like the fact that they're there even more. This is something that you just don't see. I'm starting to wonder how they tie in with the rest of it.

I know that the fact that I want to see more is the first sign of a good continuing anything. (Nobody tell any of my English teachers you saw that sentence. It's a mess and I can't figure out how to fix it.) Seriously, if they give you all the answers you have no reason to buy the next one. Whoever scripted this (The cover credits Gary Reed, Vince Locke and Dalivor Talajic, but doesn't say who did what and I don't know the company well enough to be sure) did a damn fine job of not just writing a good story for this book, but of creating a story that will cause interest in future books. I mean, this has the potential to cost me bunches of money and they're basically sucking all the cash out of my wallet but I'll get over it because I honestly believe I'm going to enjoy it.

I know that I love good art and this is good art. It's black and white, but I think it almost has to be. Zombie comics are not superhero comics. They're not meant to be bright, shiny and uplifting. Zombie comics are horror comics. They are dark and brooding because that's what they're supposed to be. They are tales of the scraps of humanity barely surviving. The black and white medium really helps drive that point across. It's a mood thing.

Listen, I'm not really a super-educated comics critic who can take apart a page and tell you exactly what technique was used to do what and lead to that other thing. I just know that it looks good and helped the story make sense. At the end of the day that's all I really care about. They delivered with what mattered and that's a good looking, entertaining story. Now I'm stuck with the question of whether or not to get the next one in Dead Tree Format or in e-format. I read a lot of e-books but with comics... I dunno. Then again, for what it's worth, I will be picking up the next one in some format.

Bottom Line: 4.5 out of 5 Rotten Corpses

Deadworld: Requiem for the Dead
Gary Reed, Vince Locke, Dalivor Talajic
Caliber Comics, 2018


Deadworld: Requiem for the Dead is available for purchase at the following link (or you can support your Local Comic Shop by ordering it there):

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