Marvel Zombies is now 20 years previous, and to have fun the milestone, Marvel Comics will publish a brand new R-rated Marvel Zombies: Crimson Band comedian. Written by Ethan S. Parker and Griffin Sheridan with artwork by Jan Bazaldua, the brand new Marvel Zombies comedian guarantees to be a blood-and-guts “love letter” to the Marvel Universe.
Newsarama spoke with Parker and Sheridan forward of the September launch of Marvel Zombies: Crimson Band #1, digging into the ways in which the brand new comedian will proceed the basic Marvel Zombies custom whereas additionally breaking new floor due to the R-rated nature of the brand new comedian.
Alongside the way in which, we have additionally obtained some pages from Marvel Zombies: Crimson Band #1, in addition to the newly launched cowl for Marvel Zombies #3, which teases Thanos, the Mad Titan.
“The undead historical past of the Marvel Universe continues on as Thanos takes on the search for the Infinity Stones!” reads the official solicitation textual content for Marvel Zombies #3. “The Mad Titan of our universe as soon as killed half of all life. What’s going to he do in a universe the place the useless don’t die?!”
Learn on for the pages, and for every little thing you’ll want to know concerning the new Marvel Zombies comedian.
Newsarama: Marvel Zombies has been round for 20 years now, with its personal comedian legacy. How does Marvel Zombies: Crimson Band lean into the mythos that has been established whereas additionally breaking new floor?
Ethan S. Parker: That was a part of the stress of taking this e-book on, was the unbelievable lineup of expertise that has been concerned up to now. To stroll anyplace that Robert Kirkman has walked earlier than is terrifying. Whereas nonetheless making an attempt to seize the stability of enjoyable and nastiness of these earlier takes, it helped differentiate the e-book that we established that it is a entire alternate Marvel Universe that was knocked off-course simply as all of the tremendous heroes had been nonetheless in the course of their origin tales. That kind of means there are not any guidelines, so we are able to actually forge our personal path.
Griffin Sheridan: Amidst all of the anticipated blood-and-guts, we’re additionally centered on ensuring there’s a actually stable emotional throughline to the struggles of the surviving heroes, which has definitely been a component of previous Marvel Zombies tales, however we really feel it definitely takes extra precedent on this one.
Talking of the Crimson Band branding, what does that allow you to do with this story that you simply in any other case could not? How far are you pushing these boundaries?
Parker: We have been actually let off the leash. It is completely surreal to jot down right into a script that the Hulk smashes somebody right into a bloody pulp and eats their eyeballs, after which Marvel truly publishes it! They need us to make this as large and loopy and loud as we probably can, so we have crammed in each nasty thought we had. Plus, there are curse phrases! This ain’t your daddy’s Marvel U.
Sheridan: It is actually wild. Ethan and I hail from the horror area, so we really feel proper at residence on this actually grotesque title, particularly with the liberty allotted to us by the Crimson Band banner. Actually, it is a curse that Marvel editorial has positioned on us, to need to conjure up all these nightmare situations, through which a few of our most beloved heroes get ripped aside limb by limb. It is upsetting, however enjoyable, which can also be the sensation we wish you to have whereas studying the e-book, so I assume it is all figuring out!
What do you assume makes the mix of Marvel heroes and zombies work so properly?
Parker: For thus many people, these characters are the epitome of consolation meals. They’re vibrant and colourful and hopeful, and so they signify doing all your finest to succeed in a brighter tomorrow. So mashing these characters along with an idea as grim as a zombie apocalypse works like peanut butter and jelly. You get the colour, journey, and enjoyable, however you additionally get a harrowing survival story. Better of each worlds.
Sheridan: There’s something very existential about it. Our morbid fascination with dying even must be pasted onto this (comparatively) harmless realm of fantasy. What’s it like for a spot so magical to turn out to be so infested with decay and destruction? There was an inherent curiosity to the state of affairs in our minds already, then Kirkman, Phillips, and firm turned it into this much more twisted and hilariously evil factor that we simply cannot look away from now.
You are working with Jan Bazaldua on Marvel Zombies. What makes her the proper collaborator for this story?
Parker: What an absolute dream. Now we have been large followers of Jan’s since her work with Brian Michael Bendis on the Miles Morales: Spider-Man run, the place she captured so many thrilling moments alongside so many intensely private and emotional scenes. She will do all of it, and because it seems, that features rendering some actually stomach-churning gore sequences. What an honor.
Sheridan: Marvel Zombies is a really singular sort of story that requires a really singular sort of artwork to accompany it, to seize the distinctive mixing of journey and gore. Jan delivers on that stuff in spades, whereas additionally completely bringing it on all of the character work Ethan and I are sprinkling all through.
What can readers anticipate from Marvel Zombies?
Parker: You may anticipate a violent, loopy zombie romp, clearly, however you too can anticipate a Marvel Universe story written by two guys who’ve such a deep love in our hearts for each character we function in these pages. That is our first probability to jot down Spider-Man, our first probability to jot down so many of those characters, so whereas sure, we’re blowing every little thing up, we’re additionally making an attempt to honor this world that we love greater than something. We hope you will be a part of us.
Sheridan: It is humorous to say it is a love letter to the Marvel U whereas additionally having the Marvel U eat itself, however that’s the case! We wish to ship a compelling character piece, as we all the time hope to do, however drenched in viscera, seeping with blood, and filled with the off-kilter voices of the Marvel Zombies that followers have come to like.
Marvel Zombies #1 goes on sale September 17. Within the meantime, learn the finest horror comics of all time.
