Empty Zone #2: Dragged From Our Eternal Slumber

Empty Zone #2 delivers the horrors with an issue that feels like a dark mystery unraveling within a technologically induced drug trip. It’s nightmarish, but remains oddly beautiful in a way that you just don’t see often in comics.

Corinne undergoes a radical chain of events in the second issue of Empty Zone. After introducing the character and fleshing out her surroundings a bit, this issue doesn’t waste much time in getting weird. We learn the world fell into chaos due to electromagnetic radiation, shedding light on the techno-influences we see. But after that reveal, it’s purely a story of Corinne escaping into pure madness. It’s the type of comic that makes you hesitate to turn every page, in the best way possible.

While Corinne is still a bit of a mystery, the ghosts that imparts their “gifts” and the cybernetic zombie that quickly ensues brings a laser focus to the issue. We know just a little about Corinne’s lifestyle and situation, but it’s what she’s falling into that drives this story forward. There is a supernatural force causing her to stumble onto horrific things, and while we might be just as lost as her right now, it’s hard not to want to keep reading to find out.

The dark mystery and gritty sci-fi elements really only work as well as they do because of Alexander’s incredible artwork. Once again, he is able to deliver visuals that bring life to the story in a way only he can. Corinne’s vivid expressions and the rundown world around her keep you analyzing each and every panel. The zombie steals the spotlight in this issue, showing that Alexander handles horrors remarkably well and knows how to blend it into a unique vision of biotech.

Though it is a bit vague, sometimes frustratingly elusive, Empty Zone #2 is the type of book that pulls you in and won’t let go. Corinne’s struggle is something that calls to being lost within oneself, and the story is primed for an introspective journey with real heart. The sense of self discovery could take the series from good to great.