by Michael J. Foy

Alright everyone, time to check out issue two of IDW’s Dawn of the Dead comic. This time around I was really hoping that they wouldn’t skimp on moments from the film. Picking up where we left off, our heros are just entering the mall, looking to take a breather. Many familiar zombies such as the nurse and the monk can be spotted, along with plenty of new faces. So, the burning question is, does it fare better than issue one?

The artwork is once again really fun and colorful, but still seems wasted by cutting out for example, the mall clean up scene. Now it’s not like we don’t see anything, but at only three panels, I couldn’t help but feel let down. The film presents the challenges of trying to lock down such a huge space full of hungry dead people. There are great moments fumbling for keys, hot wiring cars, and of course Fran coming into her own a bit. All of this is lost on the comic. We get a moment of them spotting a truck, driving fast and shooting, and then it’s done. The action is over before it ever begins. With artwork as colorful and bloody as what’s on display here, it feels like a missed opportunity.

A running them at this point is the loss of a strong female lead. On film, Fran is a much stronger character than Barbara from Night of the Living Dead. Fran grows as the film progresses, learns from situations, and stands up for herself. Learning to shoot, fly the helicopter, and refusing to just sit back and panic, she shows that women can be just as strong as men. With that said, the comic does the opposite and makes little effort to showcase such growth. It reads as a highlight reel from the film, showing off famous moments and leaving much to be desired.

The comic has also lost the undercurrent of humor that the character of Steven brings. He is a clumsy fool, who manages to shape up for a bit before making a grave mistake late in the story. When he first heads down into the mall, Steven fumbles to load a gun in a claustrophobic maze of pipes. The minimal lighting carries a lot of tension as a lone zombie stumbles after him. It reaches a point on screen of being almost comedic, since this man just simply can’t seem to save himself. The scenes counterpart however, is shortened, and changed to a well lit room. Steven manages to save himself almost instantly, shooting the zombie in the head, and leaving an entirely different impression on the reader.

My biggest question of all is, why not make a three or four issue sequel series to the movie? I’ve always been interested in seeing where Peter and Fran might wind up. They had little fuel, but a lot of supplies and less people on board. That story is already far more appealing than simply rehashing the original and cutting it up. Why not have Romero take a crack at a follow up story? Perhaps he was too busy working on Land of the Dead at the time.

Once again I find myself disappointed. I also fear the cuts that may be coming in the third and final issue. So far, there simply isn’t anything about this comic that makes it a must read. Without working in something fresh and removing many pieces of the action, the whole affair just feels like a waste of time. It’s a shame to say that, given how good it looks, but I can not recommend it thus far.

Score: 3 Lost Limbs Out of 5