The Undead Zombie Anthology

I love zombies...

... So too does Travis Adkins, author of the recently released novel Twilight Of The Dead. He says just that very thing in his gloriously back-slapping introduction to Permuted Press' growing fan favourite, Undead. As a zombie-loving (hmmmm.... best rephrase that, maybe...) mover-and-shaker on the indie horror circuit, Travis' praise, so vibrantly relayed, is difficult to ignore. Certainly all the ticks are in the right boxes, familiar fan favs such as Dave Moody, Andre Duza and DL Snell all queuing up to deliver the goodies, but has Permuted Press been thrown the shredded marrow of these indie-heavyweights' produce or the juicy, fleshy, gore-happy delights we come to expect?

As something of a fan, I must admit to having sidestepped the first few stories on getting my mitts around Undead, going straight to Dave Moody's Home without passing go. I was thrilled to learn that Dave's contribution was indeed based within his very own highly acclaimed (and muther-feckin' excellent) Autumn series, a world spawning four novels thus far, with a fifth on the way. Home didn't dissappoint. Set within a traditional zombie landscape (they-die-they-rise-up-again-they-shuffle-they-smell-flies-buzz-around-them) Moody's offering could be seen as one of Undead’s more (ahem) conservative reads at first. It tells the story of one man's journey through zombie-infested countryside, heartily chopping up those pesky living dead along the way, as he strives to reach his wife's side. Like most of Undead's content, I was soon to learn Home isn't as straightforward as it at first seems, winding its way through all manner of bloodshed and hoo-haa to reach a truly chillin g twist at its bitter end. You could almost imagine Dave tipping his top hat (do you own one, Dave?) at us as we read his last few sentences... Yes, folks. It's that good...

Secondly, of course, the call of Andre Duza's twisted yarn lured me like a son of a (dead) bitch. Ridiculously titled, Like Chicken For Deadfucks, Andre serves up more than just a taste of the bizarro-lit he's (in)famous for here, with his meshed up cyber-age-zombie-with-purpose causing all sorts of merry mayhem, teasing the hell out of us Duze fans in the process. What we have here is an excerpt from Duza's forthcoming novel Jesus Freaks, no doubt yet another barrel of (sick) laughs to please fans of his previous work. However, Duza's offering is as far away from Moody's Home as Spain is to Pluto, leaving me wondering just what Undead had to offer paced slightly left of Moody's centre and right to Duza's insanity.

Enter DL Snell's Pale Moonlight, of course. Again seeming at first to be a fairly standard farmhouse showdown with the undead locals, Snell builds the tension, employing his ever-finely-polished prose to pour one hell of a metaphysical twist into proceedings....

... All this innovative-zombie-goodness was getting too much for me to stomach, of course, so I hastily retreated to the beginning of the collection, hoping for a more subtle lead-in. No such luck with David Wellington's Chuy and the Fish. Wellington, a growing genre favourite since the release of his Monster Island series, couldn't have been thinking straight when he cooked up this little gem about a huge zombie fish. A deliberately strange tale, Chuy and the Fish sets the scene for what I had already discovered to be a weird and wonderful cocktail of all things zombific. Unlike its peers, such as the exceptionally mischievous Hotline by Russell Calhoun, Meghan Jurado's what's-it-like-to-be-in-their-shoes Dead World or Eric S Brown's Sci-fi slice, Reapers At The Door, Chuy and the Fish doesn't even try to seduce us with quirky-and-effective restyling of the genre, choosing instead to gore us out with its slick-and-sick description of what it would feel like to get nibbled on by a ruddy big zombie fish. Yes... barking mad, but also damn entertaining...

... And that's what we could say about Undead in its entirety. Don't come looking for too much in the way of your typical movie fodder here. Undead has much, much more than that in store for you, fellow zombie lover (hmmmm...still doesn't sound right... ). Expect the unexpected, crave the delightfully diabolical and laugh merrily in the face of the frankly ridiculous... all in one gore-stained anthology. Undead breathes new life into our much loved zombie genre, thrilling and chilling lovers of horror and damn good writing alike. I'm just left wondering what the bleeding hell Permuted Press could have left in store for us with Undead 2.... Zombie Amoebas From Hades????

By Spiral (Wayne Simmons)

Dead Men Tell No Tales #1-4

While pirate comic books are not a complete rarity, I doubt they have ever been done as well as Dead Men Tell No Tales. The work is complex, original, and thoroughly entertaining. The exciting yet dangerous world of the pirate is oftentimes hard to depict. If it’s too serious you lose the sense of adventure. If it’s too raucous it just becomes campy. Dead Men Tell No Tales is a mix of faithful pirate history, supernatural pirate lore, and just plain good storytelling.

#1 Cover

The plot is an intricate interweaving tale involving a cursed treasure map that leads to nothing other than the lost Relics of Christ. It is a prize that anyone would do anything to possess, especially heartless cutthroat pirates. From it’s origins with the Knights Templar all the way through the hands of three of history’s most nefarious pirates the map drives all who touch it mad with the desire to possess the treasure even after death. The writer is definitely to be commended for even among this immense plot he was still able to throw in interesting details about the day-to-day life of the pirate which gives the work such an authentic feel.

#2 Cover

The pace of this spanning story moves along briskly and the brief flashbacks to the Knights Templar cement a fascinating backstory that adds all the depth and sense of scope needed. The supernatural zombie/ghost angle is underplayed and most of the evil actions are left to the whims of mortal men. Violent battle scenes abound and are a real highlight as the action jumps right off the page with their ferocious portrayal.

#3 Cover

The amazing storyline is not the star of the show however; the biggest strength in the work is the characterization. All three of the historically infamous pirates depicted where unique and full of complexity. From the uncompromising cold-hearted savagery of Captain Kidd, to the humorous sociopathic antics of Blackbeard, and finally to the aristocratic elitism of Black Bart, their motivations were suitably portrayed and quite believable. The supporting characters were equally as colorful, from treacherous first mates, to mutinous crewmen, to beleaguered cabin boys.

#4A Cover

The art is suitable to the subject matter, dark and atmospheric with thick inks and vibrant yet muted colors. There is a certain murkiness to it that draws you into the desperate shadowy world of the pirate. The pencil work is outstanding, with great detail and touches that highlight each individual’s qualities.

#4B Cover

So many good things are crammed into these four issues it’s hard to disclose them all in this simple review. Suffice to say, the work is one of dedication and great enthusiasm for the subject matter. I thoroughly enjoyed the books and give them the highest recommendation I can.

Publisher: Arcana Studio
Story: Dwight MacPherson
Pencils: Fernando Acosta, Mike Fiorentino
Inks: Tony DeVito
Colors: Michael DeVito, Jon Conkling

Review by !Vision! (Brandon Begley)