Year Zero #2 Review
Writer: Benjamin Percy
Artist: Ramon Rosanas
Colours: Lee Loughbridge
Letters: Sal Cipriano
The second issue of Year Zero carries on in much the same vein as the first, we begin with a flashback to the Polar research station where the Zombie plague presumably originated, then the rest of the story follows our four very different survivors in their various locations around the globe. The four are all very different characters yet thanks to Benjamin Percy’s skillful writing all of the characters feel very real. Each moment we have with them fleshes them out further and lets the reader get a better understanding of each character. The plot also feels very character-driven rather than plot-driven, each character is being confronted with a Zombie apocalypse and dealing with it in their way. It doesn’t feel like there is an end goal in mind here at all, rather it feels organic and naturally flowing.
It’s very early on in this series to make any predictions about which way the story will go, if or how our heroes will come together, but it does a great job of showing the sheer scale of the chaos that is engulfing the world. And each of the characters is well realised enough that the would be able to carry the comic on by themselves, but by coupling them up it makes for a more interesting and engrossing tale. Considering that this series is only five issues long it will be interesting to see how the story develops. Hopefully Year Zero is only the first part of an ongoing Zombie story to replace the hole that The Walking Dead left for Zombie fans after its abrupt conclusion.
Another nice touch is having each issue end with a historical document that suggestions Zombies have been present throughout human history, the first issue cleverly included a Zombie in lost pages from a Da Vinci notebook, this second issue does something similar but this time inferring that Zombies were, in fact, the Black Death. It may not add anything major to the overall narrative but it’s a nice little detail.
Considering the vast differences between the main characters and the various locations around the globe that the reader finds themselves in Ramon Rosanas never misses a beat. The reader doesn’t need to be told where we are or which character we’re following, the skillful Rosanas makes it clear with each part of the story having its own distinctive art style in fitting with the story. This issue gives the reader a much clearer look at the Zombies in Year Zero and they’re unmistakable as Zombies. As the world descends into chaos it’s never looked so good, the action fits in seamlessly.
Lee Loughbridge has been doing a fantastic job for AWA. He’s been the colourist on a number of projects and each one looks drastically different from each other, a considerably impressive feat when you look at other colourists work between different projects. Loughbridge does a great job of differentiating between all of the different characters by assigning each character their own colour, perfectly in fitting with the scene and subtly done, yet works as an effective storytelling technique.
Year Zero is doing an excellent job of filling the Zombie shaped hole in horror fans hearts after The Walking Dead’s abrupt ending. Percy does a great job of crafting an interesting and distinctive cast who each have their own unique story to tell. Rosanas and Loughbridge use some clever storytelling techniques to differentiate between the different characters and the finished comic is an interesting and exciting new take on Zombie apocalypse.
Artist: Ramon Rosanas
Colours: Lee Loughbridge
Letters: Sal Cipriano
The second issue of Year Zero carries on in much the same vein as the first, we begin with a flashback to the Polar research station where the Zombie plague presumably originated, then the rest of the story follows our four very different survivors in their various locations around the globe. The four are all very different characters yet thanks to Benjamin Percy’s skillful writing all of the characters feel very real. Each moment we have with them fleshes them out further and lets the reader get a better understanding of each character. The plot also feels very character-driven rather than plot-driven, each character is being confronted with a Zombie apocalypse and dealing with it in their way. It doesn’t feel like there is an end goal in mind here at all, rather it feels organic and naturally flowing.
It’s very early on in this series to make any predictions about which way the story will go, if or how our heroes will come together, but it does a great job of showing the sheer scale of the chaos that is engulfing the world. And each of the characters is well realised enough that the would be able to carry the comic on by themselves, but by coupling them up it makes for a more interesting and engrossing tale. Considering that this series is only five issues long it will be interesting to see how the story develops. Hopefully Year Zero is only the first part of an ongoing Zombie story to replace the hole that The Walking Dead left for Zombie fans after its abrupt conclusion.
Another nice touch is having each issue end with a historical document that suggestions Zombies have been present throughout human history, the first issue cleverly included a Zombie in lost pages from a Da Vinci notebook, this second issue does something similar but this time inferring that Zombies were, in fact, the Black Death. It may not add anything major to the overall narrative but it’s a nice little detail.
Considering the vast differences between the main characters and the various locations around the globe that the reader finds themselves in Ramon Rosanas never misses a beat. The reader doesn’t need to be told where we are or which character we’re following, the skillful Rosanas makes it clear with each part of the story having its own distinctive art style in fitting with the story. This issue gives the reader a much clearer look at the Zombies in Year Zero and they’re unmistakable as Zombies. As the world descends into chaos it’s never looked so good, the action fits in seamlessly.
Lee Loughbridge has been doing a fantastic job for AWA. He’s been the colourist on a number of projects and each one looks drastically different from each other, a considerably impressive feat when you look at other colourists work between different projects. Loughbridge does a great job of differentiating between all of the different characters by assigning each character their own colour, perfectly in fitting with the scene and subtly done, yet works as an effective storytelling technique.
Year Zero is doing an excellent job of filling the Zombie shaped hole in horror fans hearts after The Walking Dead’s abrupt ending. Percy does a great job of crafting an interesting and distinctive cast who each have their own unique story to tell. Rosanas and Loughbridge use some clever storytelling techniques to differentiate between the different characters and the finished comic is an interesting and exciting new take on Zombie apocalypse.
A Look Inside
