This issue is a great example of the old adage “Don’t judge a book by its cover”, as Sudyam’s cover is a thousandfold better than anything that follows it.  This issue hurt to read.  Van Lente is clearly no Robert Kirkman.  At all.  Remotely.

I knew I was in trouble when it opened with The Watcher giving the Marvel Zombies recap.  The Watcher was a great silver age storytelling device.  But starting a book with him these days just seems lazy.  And he looks like The Stay-Pust watcher thanks to Nick Dragotta’s pencils.

The art takes a turn for the better when it adopts some retro-style, but then goes back to form at the end.  And, while not awful, it misses the grusomeness of previous Marvel Zombies series, which I’m guessing it aspires to, as the artist is listed as “Sick” Nick Dragotta.  I mean grusome things take place, but they’re not particularly shocking or disturbing looking.

My biggest complain is that with Great Fun should come Great Enjoyment.  But this issue can’t seem decide whether it wants to be silly or shocking.  And it fails at being both.  In particular, there’s a turning point near the end of the book that makes absolutely no fucken sense.  And not in that, “wow, thats so crazy and illogical” way.  But in the “I just read the ending to a story that must have been a dream sequence or n imagined story…except nowhere does it mention that being imaginary or a dream sequence.  How is this story still going on?  And why am I reading this crap?” kind of way.