Dynamite Entertainment 2017
Written by Craig Engler & Fred Van Lente
Illustrated by Edu Menna
Coloured by Sal Aiala
Lettered by Simon Bowland
It’s a year into the zombie apocalypse, a worldwide tipping point when most of the surviving population dies and turns zombie. All remaining forms of government collapse. The last vestiges of civilization are abandoned. Everyone is starving and nobody is safe. Amidst the chaos, a small team of National Guard set out on a Hail Mary mission to find a cache of the food substitute Soylent Z, which may be the only hope to save the few people left.
As a fan of the show it’s nice to see Dynamite working with the SyFy network to make sure this prequel to the show lives up to their standards. We’re three issues in and the series still maintains those twists, turns and surprises that are masterfully blended with humour that makes the show such a success. Still waiting to see Citizen Z up in his Arctic lair though I mean as a member of the military he should’ve been around all this time as well. Hopefully we’ll see his story in a limited series all his own after this one is done, who knows.
It’s been so long since the show addressed Soylent Z and in my mind I can’t help but think that stuff isn’t good, or it’s dangerous and has the kind of side effect reaction that creates more Z’s but for the life of me I just can’t remember. So while the mission to find some is a good one or these two it’s really what we’re seeing around them that’s better. I mean the ship the Soylent Z is on seems like it’s run by capitalist pigs who are running a twisted ship but now they are being hailed by The Steve.
The Steve makes me laugh a lot. I’m not sure if we’re supposed to but it just does. I love the idea behind it and the execution is flawless. That he’s this supposed big shot who “never thinks unless absolutely necessary and yes has people who show originality in plundering other ships. The whole interaction between the cruise ship and The Steve is brilliantly done and just when you think things are going one way the boys shake it all up. This wholly epitomises what the show is about and how we see it.
The interior artwork is superbly done. Granted I want more backgrounds--i’m that guy who thinks they do more to flesh out the story and bring more mood, tone and feel to the book. They are kind of an essential part of storytelling for me. The way that page layouts are used with how angles and perspective are utilised is wonderfully done. While the clothes at times come off as costumey in this new reality it’s still fun to see individual style as bad as it is shine through.
I do like the storytelling here, from the premise to its execution this is the kind of stuff that’s entertaining with just a tinge of horror. I’m not talking the Z’s either because it’s really the horrific things man is capable of doing when society collapses in such a way.
Fun, interesting and a great compliment to the television programme.