It’s humanity versus a zombie-like, plague-infected Justice League. Place your bets! Your Major Spoilers review of DCeased #6 awaits!
DCEASED #6
Writer: Tom Taylor
Penciler: Trevor Hairsine/Neil Edwards
Inker: Stefano Gaudiano
Colorist: Rain Beredo
Letterer: Saida Temofonte
Editor: Ben Abernathy
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: October 30, 2019
Previously in DCeased: Humanity is on the brink of extinction, and only a few remaining members of the Justice League stand between life and annihilation. As the remnants of humanity make their last gamble for survival, will there even be a planet left to call home when all is said and done?
SUPERMAN HAS FALLEN
This issue opens with what was the clear money shot from the beginning as a possessed zombie/anti-life Superman arrives in Metropolis, shattering an entire skyscraper with his sheer power, as Lois narrates the end of the world. The few remaining heroes feel that all is lost, with Cyborg recommending that they evacuate in the space arks he has prepared, but Wonder Woman has another idea. Taking a bit of Kryptonite that Damian (now officially a Batman) carries in his utility belt, she sets about forging a sword that can fight even a Man of Steel, merging magic and alien metal into one. There are some touching moments to be had here, as Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy decide to stay behind and Mera is forced to fight her zombified husband, but the real kick-butt moment comes when Black Canary, now the Green Lantern for Sector 2814, attacks the Man of Steel with her ring in concert with her powers. But, sadly, saving the day is not to be, as Wonder Woman falls, followed by the entire island of Themiscyra, a possessed Superman attacks his own son and even the arrival of a battalion of Green Lanterns led by a Guardian of the Universe is taken aback when Superman begins absorbing the power of Earth’s sun!
“WE ARE DEATH.”
Even with a few surprises (and one really mean-spirited revelation by Cyborg) the end of this series is… just incredibly depressing. It’s not the all out blood feast that similar series Marvel Zombies was, but it ends with Lois narrating what should be a hopeful new beginning but feels like a massive loss for everyone involved. Trevor Hairsine’s art is lovely, especially in the terrifying rendition of a bleeding, partially dismembered, decomposing Superman who wants to murder every single person on Earth, but his Black (Green?) Canary is amazing, and the final battle between The Amazons and the Atlanteans is suitably epic for a battle of that scale. I’m a little less impressed with his technological drawings (the space arks just look weird and bulbous), but even that isn’t a deal-breaker, making for a story that looks really great as is drains your will to live. I admit that an apocalyptic log like this is dark by design (you don’t go full Romero without breaking a few eggs, after all) and I think that there are those who will love this alternate universe as much as they love books like ‘Injustice’ or the darkness of a story like ‘Kick-Ass’, which also disturbed me this week.
BOTTOM LINE: FEELS A LITTLE POINTLESS?
in short, the huge body count combines with the Cyborg plot point (which I don’t want to spoil here, as it makes this bleak story even more gut-wrenching) for a story that seems like it’s only for hardcore fans of either zombie-type stories or the Elseworlds of days gone. DCeased #6 end the way it had to, dragging everyone in the book through hell before killing, abandoning or permanently altering them all, and does so with lovely art and a true vision of a hopeless, unwinnable fight, but it didn’t really explore the concepts enough for my tastes, heaping insult on bloody injury for a solid 3 out of 5 stars overall. The darkness on display here is going to appeal to many, though, and if you’re into horror stories in a superhero setting, this is certainly a book for you.
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DCEASED #6
The sight of zombie Superman is horrific, but what he does is even more so.
If that’s what you’re into, here’s the horror title you’ve been waiting for.
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Writing4
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Art8
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Coloring7
Once upon a time, there was a young nerd from the Midwest, who loved Matter-Eater Lad and the McKenzie Brothers... If pop culture were a maze, Matthew would be the Minotaur at its center. Were it a mall, he'd be the Food Court. Were it a parking lot, he’d be the distant Cart Corral where the weird kids gather to smoke, but that’s not important right now... Matthew enjoys body surfing (so long as the bodies are fresh), writing in the third person, and dark-eyed women. Amongst his weaponry are such diverse elements as: Fear! Surprise! Ruthless efficiency! An almost fanatical devotion to pop culture! And a nice red uniform.