REVIEWED: SINGLE ISSUE + DIGITAL (REVIEWED) | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
It’s hard to keep a universe of super-powered, bloodthirsty zombies down and, in the case of DC’s DCeased, it’s as though they barely even tried. Not content with the prequel and mid-quel stories of The Unkillables, A Good Day to Die, and Hope at World’s End, now Tom Taylor’s DC zombies get their proper sequel.
Having taken over the mantles of their parents, Damian Wayne is now Batman, and Jonathan Kent is donning the red-and-blues as Superman. With Earth left to the infected, the survivors eke out a living in the stars, led by President Lois Lane and the other few surviving superheroes. And then comes a distress call from Cyborg (last seen beheaded at the end of DCeased), prompting this brand new Justice League’s return to Earth.
If it feels like we never even left, that’s because we barely did. Diluted by DCeased’s spin-offs, Dead Planet already feels tired. There are also unfortunate similarities to the Marvel Zombies’ various sequels, spin-offs and reboot, inviting more unfair comparison than this first issue can bear. Which is a shame since, taken in a vacuum, it’s an engaging return, with strong character work and an interesting hook – what if there was a cure? The artwork too, is as exciting, dynamic, and grotesque as ever, and this debut issue’s pivotal battle is up there with the series’ best.
Dead Planet is essentially more of the same, but when ‘the same’ refers to Tom Taylor’s excellent DCeased? Sure, we could stand to take a little more.
