CBW #3: iZombie Review

Comic Book Wednesday

Issue #3

This was one of those rare weeks that I didn't have anything on my pull list. I've retroactively decided that I might take the whole FLASHPOINT ride, considering the consequences it will have within the DC Universe... that is, a big ol' reboot (read about that here at Scott Tipton's Comics 101) but that'll have to wait until next week. For this week's entry, I'm taking it to the trades.

iZombie Volume One

I hadn't heard of the series, so when I first saw the trade, I was admittedly skeptical of yet another zombie comic chasing after the success of THE WALKING DEAD. But two things piqued my interested enough to convince me to give the book a shot: the kickass art from Mike Allred and the little "Vertigo" at the bottom of the spine, which usually means damn good things.

Upon reading the book, I was thrilled to discover that not only was it nothing like THE WALKING DEAD, it was also nothing like any other book on the shelves. The pacing is that of a memoir-comic (day to day, but never slow--it reminded me of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER with the way the supernatural plot is always interesting but takes a backseat to character interactions) and the dialogue is line-for-line excellent. Besides Brian K. Vaughan's various series, I can't remember liking a creator-owed book this much after just the first volume. Unfortunately for my wallet, it looks like I might have to pick this book up monthly.

Ex Machina Volumes 1 - 10

I unenthusiastically followed this series as the TPBs were released, disappointed by the tone of the book after loving Brian K. Vaughan's work on Y: THE LAST MAN. I stopped reading after the fifth volume a few years ago, but something recently made me buy the final five volumes and do a re-read of the entire series. Now I just want to go back in time and slap some sense into Past!Me for not being able to grasp the brilliance that is EX MACHINA. It's the darkest story that BKV has ever told, and that's saying a lot. We knew from the opening scene that EX MACHINA would end in tragedy, but as they say... it's all about how you get there. And man, what a ride.

NEXT WEEK: Superman #712 and Hack/Slash Omnibus