COMIC BOOK REVIEW: ZOMBIES HI #1 – #10 / AUTHOR: VARIOUS / ARTISTS: VARIOUS / PUBLISHER: UPROAR COMICS / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
What happens when you cross a zombie apocalypse, the troubles in Northern Ireland, and an indie upstart comic publisher? Well, you get Zombies Hi. The first thing you find with Zombies Hi is that it’s ingrained in Northern Irish culture. Set in the walled city of Derry/Londonderry, the characters and dialogue all exude Northern Irish wit and charm. Readers who aren’t from Northern Ireland may struggle with the language, dialogue, and even the title initially (heck I’m from Belfast and I did too), but once you get used to the wording you find a rewarding experience from the creators.
The characters in Zombies Hi aren’t only concerned with the imminent dangers of the walking dead, they have to deal with internal group struggles, family issues, and the small matter of hundreds of years of sectarian division. There is always the impending sense that the survivors are more likely to tear each other apart before the zombies get to them.
Of course any new zombie comic will always be compared to The Walking Dead, and certainly Zombies Hi wears that influence on its sleeve quite proudly, but there are hints of the dry humour of Shaun of the Dead and the social critique of the first few ‘Living Dead‘ films. Zombies Hi starts off incredibly confidently as if the creators at Uproar Comics had been seasoned veterans in the world of comics, although it turns out that Zombies Hi is Uproar’s first foray into comic books.
The early issues of Zombies Hi certainly contrast with the later ones; you can see the comic becoming slightly more polished with every issue. In the early issues the art is endearing but basic, in a way very pulp. The later the issues get, you can see the art become more streamlined and detailed, and you find that Zombies Hi certainly finds its own unique style of art to go along with the storytelling as it starts to pick up steam.
While Uproar’s take on the living dead in the Maiden City may not be for everyone, you have to say they have created a unique spin on a zombie story, and in today’s over saturated market that is a pretty hard thing to accomplish.
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