cover image Zombie Tales: Good Eatin’

Zombie Tales: Good Eatin’

William Messner-Loebs, Monte Cook, Kim Krizan. Boom!, $15.99 (112pp) ISBN 978-1-934506-59-2

The third volume in Boom!’s anthology series (containing 12 short stories) capitalizes on the zombie trend, but it transcends the monster genre to make strong points about human nature and the will to survive. The comics cover belief, redemption, love, hope, and compassion in creative and eye-opening ways, punctuated by brain eating and gut rending. From the start, this is something special, with a surprising piece about the power of faith by William Messner-Loebs and Matt Cossin. It’s not all high aspiring and inspirational, though; Monty Cook and Jeremy Rock illustrate how those who preach the survival of the fittest are generally not part of the best group, while Michael Alan Nelson and Cossin (again) show how badly jealousy can play out at the end of the world. The writers are generally better known than the artists, but the work overall is highly professional and wide-ranging in style, adding to the diverse feel. Unlike many anthologies, this one has no additional information about its contributors, so there’s no way to easily find more of their work, which is worth seeking out based on this assemblage. (Feb.)