by Michael J. Foy

This is it! I’ve reached the last issue of IDW’s Dawn of the Dead comic adaptation. Thus far, I have found myself underwhelmed by this short series. With the action heavy finale looming, I honestly found myself almost dreading this issue. Will my expectations of massive cuts ring true? Or will I be proven wrong and find myself treated to one hell of a conclusion? Let’s find out!

Unlike issue two, which picks up where issue one left off, the story jumps around a bit. This is not all too surprising considering the montage and time jump in the film. Although again, I find myself looking for more. Why not take this opportunity to explore the world at large or explore the lives of our hero’s in a way the film did not? Instead, we get the highlights with a few updated panels showing life in the mall.

After Roger turns, the writers choose to ignore his burial and the awkward romantic dinner Steven and Fran share. It really is a shame to leave these moments out. The failed marriage proposal really is a fantastic moment. It does make you wonder how people would react in this apocalyptic world. On AMC’s The Walking Dead we are treated to the complete opposite. Exploring the inner workings of the mind and how it reacts to this kind of stress is honestly the most interesting part, so it seems odd to completely drop it.

Then the biker gang breaks into the mall. Most of this plays out the same, but it’s shortened and any sense of fun from the perspective of the bikers is lost. They quickly enter and leave with only one or two getting torn open. The artwork and gore are certainly fun, but there are so many iconic images that are either changed or missing, it hardly seems worth the time. As Peter and Fran head for chopper on the roof and set off for an uncertain future, we are treated to the same ending line about the low fuel. Then, there’s the odd choice to push it a little further with Fran telling Petter she felt the baby kick. What’s the point of adding this? It literally adds nothing and feels cheesy.

Overall, it isn’t so much bad, as it is uninspired. The Dawn of the Dead film certainly has a very comic book style, one that does transfer pretty well, but without a solid story to back it up, it falls flat. I said it early in my reviews for this series, but this comic had a great opportunity to explore the world and characters further. Why not give us a few more issues and show us where Peter and Fran head to next. Why not show us the challenges and fears of childbirth in this uncertain landscape?  This entire review would have turned out very different had the comic come first and then the film expand upon that, but going the other way around, why bother?

Score: 3 Undead Friends Out of 5