If there is one thing the comic industry does not need more of, other than superhero books, is zombie books. It is probably the second biggest genre in comic books, with every company having released at least one undead filled series at one time or another. Despite Image Comics’ success with The Walking Dead, they still decided to release another zombie comic: Jungle Jim. Does this zombie infested comic with a Vietnam twist have what it takes to survive? Find out after the jump!
’68: JUNGLE JIM #1
Story: Mark Kidwell
Art: Jeff Zornow
Colors: Jay Fotos
Lettering: Jason Arthur
Publisher: Image Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
BLOODY FUN
Jungle Jim #1 is, at its core, about a single badass fighting both Viet Cong and zombies in the Vietnam War. There is lots of action, lots of swearing, and a ton of blood. The action is very well plotted; it never felt like there were any “missing” panels, and I was able to have a clear sense of what was going on. A high volume of blood and gore is par for the course with zombie tales, but I was a little surprised by just how much there is in this, especially when Jungle Jim himself is fighting actual human beings. This, coupled with the very high level of swearing, makes the whole thing feel a bit juvenile. The book tries to have some “deeper” moments, showing the protagonist as he throws up from the fear he felt killing the Vietnamese soldiers, but it really is not given enough time to be effective, since it is interrupted by a dog attack, followed up immediately by a zombie attack. There is also the introduction of a woman who is looking after some kids, but she is given so few pages that I never really felt anything towards her as a character.
GUTS AND GORE GALORE
The art does a really great job of conveying the action and putting the bloody, resulting mess front and center for the reader. The gore in this book is exceptional, as far as gore goes. Lots of flying guts and body parts are littered throughout, and done in great detail. The living, non-dismembered people, on the other hand, sometimes look a bit rushed at times, but do you really go to this kind of book to see people with all their limbs intact? The scenery is excellent throughout, every zoomed out wide panel of the lush fauna would be a visual treat.
BOTTOM LINE: IF YOU NEED YOUR ZOMBIE FIX
If you are not a fan of the zombie genre, this will not change your mind. If you are looking for a deep examination of the zombie genre, skip this book. But if you just want some bloody, zombie smashing fun, then this is the book for you. ’68 – Jungle Jim #1 earns 3 out of 5 stars overall.
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