DCeased: Unkillables #1-3: Corrupted by the Best

The exciting and haunting sequel to the blockbuster event DCeased arrives with DCeased: Unkillables, a three issue miniseries that follows the events of the apocalyptic scenario from the viewpoints of the villains and even a few antiheroes of the DC Universe to expand on the story with even more action-packed zombie killing and more heart than you might expect!

Zombie stories found their footing with grounded looks at multiple perspectives of the undead rampage early on with iconic tales from storytellers like Romero and more, and it seems Taylor has a keen understanding of this approach. DCeased played out on a lot of different fronts in the main event, but the DC Universe is massive in scope so there were still plenty of questions that remained. DCeased: Unkillables answers many of these questions, but it also poses plenty of new ones that show this story is simply teeming with possibility. We find our next entry into this story through none other than Slade Wilson aka Deathstroke and his miraculous healing ability which can nullify the anti-life equation!

It’s an exciting and fast-paced three issues that hit the ground running and maintain momentum remarkably well. As with the first event, there is a lot happening in these three issues from Red Hood and Gordon’s teamup to the villains that have banded together at first under Vandal Savage. As with most valiant attempts in this story, most things spiral out of control in terribly violent ways and push this strange cast of characters together solely in the hopes of surviving the zombie onslaught, particularly the now deadly Wonder Woman.

This isn’t just villains and antiheroes putting the smackdown on a bunch of superhero zombies though. While there is plenty of that to satisfy any fan, there is also a surprising amount of heart to be found in the series. It might be full of some of the deadliest characters in the DC Universe but in this situation, we see many of them in a new light thanks to a group of kids that need rescuing. It’s a natural fit for Gordon and Slade even recognizes that as he assumes the leadership role of the group to train the kids to fight and prepare the group for what may come. There is a great Seven Samurai feel to the story where the elite soldiers are forced to train what is essentially helpless townspeople into a capable fighting force. It allows the series to breath amidst the death and destruction and even allows for some comedy if you can believe it. The result is a well rounded mix that helps to push the story to be more entertaining and fulfilling.

With most of the heroes having abandoned Earth, this story was never going to be all that consequential on the overarching narrative established in the original event. It’s primarily a look at what remains of those left on Earth and it’s truly a bleak exploration. Wonder Woman’s constant intrusions at what are arguably the absolute worst times really help to elevate the sense of impending doom that pours from every panel. As a reader, we know what comes of Earth in all of this mess, and the creative team utilizes this approach to great success. However, I am a bit disappointed that we really don’t get any more information on the potentials of the healing factors, especially because that’s how this miniseries kicked things off. That aspect of the story fades into the background a bit more than I would have liked.

Sure, DCeased: Unkillables #1-3 is a thrilling series with classic Tom Taylor shocking twists and turns, but this story really stands out with some impressive visuals. Deathstroke steals the show more often than not with both his humanistic elements as Slade and the brutally desperate fighting as Deathstroke. The zombies are bloody and the world is consumed by a grim overcast that establishes a tone that works hand-in-hand with the story. If you needed any reminders that this series brings plenty of zombie-killing spectacles just take a look at Wonder Woman literally tearing Vandal Savage in half. It’s grotesque, but that’s exactly what I want from the artwork in a series like this. It unfortunately isn’t all so well executed, though, there is one noticeable aspect that sometimes pulled me out of the story and that is the character expressions. This type of expressiveness works really well for the zombies in the stories, but it doesn’t translate quite as well to anyone else. There are quite a few instances of just really awkward expressions that don’t fit and create weird contrasts in the situation versus the reactions. It’s minor at first, and you might not even recognize it, but it starts to become more and more noticeable as the series continues.

For those who just couldn’t get enough of DCeased, this follow up is absolutely going to satisfy. There are so many badass moments like Red Hood strapping Joker’s corpse to the Batmobile and just how many people it takes to bring Wonder Woman down, you won’t be forgetting what happens in this series any time soon. It’s memorable, exciting and ends on a high note, which is quite different for stories of this nature. I won’t spoil the surprise that occurs in the final few pages of issue #3, but just know that it turns the entire miniseries on its head and shows that secrets can still be kept even in a world like this.

The entire creative team pulls off a follow up that may not be perfect, but is more than worthwhile in DCeased: Unkillables #1-3. If you haven’t read the original DCeased event, now is the time to catch up, because you don’t want to miss this one!