Mad Max-ing the Zombie Apocalypse With Road Of The Dead: Highway To Hell #1
by Josh Davison
[*Mild Spoilers Ahead!]
Steve Hanson is an M1 Abrams tank pilot. He and his crew were out when the world fell to the zombie plague. He was using the latrine when his crew was ambushed and slaughtered by the undead. His time almost comes when he is found by Shawn, a man guiding a group of scientists that claims they have research that can lead to a cure. The scientists are lead by a Harriet Jane. Steve joins up with Shawn and Harriet, bringing his tank-towing big rig on their journey to Canada. The trip is rough, and it gets rougher when a group of locals attacks the convoy. The attacking locals want the cure–even if it doesn’t exist yet.
Road of the Dead: Highway to Hell #1 begins the prequel to Survival of the Dead by the great George Romero.
Road of the Dead was initially a full film planned out by Romero, but the project ended with the passing of Mr. Romero himself.
The comic itself is a fun romp through a world that has fallen to the zombie plague. It comes off as Mad Max meets Day of the Dead, with the trip being the main thrust of the story.
The dialogue and narration aren’t spectacular. Some characters resemble archetypes, and the narration comes off as cloyingly edgy in spots. Shawn and Steve are the two most interesting characters, and, even then, Steve’s narration isn’t great. Harriet has her moments, but she often resembles the sheltered scientist archetype.
The artwork of Drew Moss gives the comic a rough n’ ready aesthetic. Characters have simple shapes and simple faces. The zombies look like the classical zombie design: bleeding and discolored shamblers. Jay Fotos’ color work is decently balanced, and he gives the zombies a blue-gray hue. It the overall book has a decent aesthetic that fits the tone of the narrative well.
Road of the Dead: Highway to Hell #1 is a decently fun zombie tale that gives a twist on the formula with its Mad Max/Fast and the Furious focus on the road and battle between vehicles. I can recommend it to the zombie and horror fan. Feel free to check this one out.
Road of the Dead: Highway to Hell #1 comes to us from writer Jonathan Maberry, artist Drew Moss, color artist Jay Fotos, letterer Robbie Robbins, cover artist Santiperez with Jay Fotos, and variant cover artists Drew Moss with Jay Fotos and Santiperez.
