Comic Review: DCeased (2019-) #3

DCeased (2019-) #3

DC Comics

Writer: Tom Taylor

Artist: Trevor Hairsine

I’m a fan of zombies, and I’m a fan of comic books. Particularly, I’m a big fan of Tom Taylor. So a DC comic book, about “zombies” written by Tom Taylor? I’m all over it. And it’s been a fun story so far. As much as a horror story can be “fun”.

DCeased #3 picks up right where #2 left off. An anti-life equation virus is spreading through the world, and it’s taking a bunch of people with it. Some of those with the infection are superheroes or supervillains themselves. Not knowing fully what to do, Superman keeps his family safe at the Daily Planet building, and races to Smallville. Elsewhere, Harley Quinn, finally confronting the Joker, only to find him infected.

I like the art in this comic, for the most part. I think in general, the background and setting fit the story. The sky is a bit dark and grayish, which works for the genre. Even though we don’t see it too much, I really like the design for Green Lantern Black Canary. There are other parts of the comic that I’m iffier on. Some pages and panels show the infected, and they’ve got blood all over. Like a 2-year-old eating spaghetti. And that’s the thing, it looks like an “oops I spilled my wine on my shirt” thing more than blood. On top of that, unless it’s a close-up, some of the faces lack detail. Just some lines on a flesh color.

Personally, I do like the story. I’m enjoying reading it, and I think it’s fun. But, looking at it objectively, there’s nothing really happening yet. We’ve been on the roof of the Daily Planet for three issues now, and this one they finally go inside. Batman, getting the infection, is seemingly gone. Seemingly in italics, because he’s Batman, if anyone comes back from this I think it’ll be him. But, that’s beside the point. We’re three issues deep in a six-issue series and the story is barely moving. At this point, if there’s a time jump, I won’t be mad about it.

Tom Taylor is a good writer. His work on the Injustice and All-New Wolverine comics are some of my favorite comics ever. But this story just seems to be dragging its feet along. There’s been a lot of dramatic “oh no, not (insert character here)! They can’t be gone!” But they don’t hold too much weight to them. The art is good in some places, not so much in others, but that’s not the biggest problem in the world. With this issue, we’re halfway through the story, and we’ve barely managed to change locations. I’m enjoying this story, I know I’ll keep reading it to the end. But the next issue really needs to pick it up, because at this rate we’ll barely get by the second day of the DC apocalypse.