Since it's Zombie Awareness Month, I thought I'd crack open some zombie reading for a change. First up is Breathers: A Zombie's Lament. As noted by the author, this novel relies on Mary Roach's amazing and hilarious book Stiff. Several passages about human decay feel like they were lifted straight from her book. While in some books the addition of facts aid in the storyline, and become part of the story (See basically any Chuck Palahniuk's books), these grisly facts, while enjoyable for those of us who like to hear what de-gloving is, seem out of place. The main character gives no reasoning behind why he knows them, and the facts themselves contradict the actions in the story (erections cannot happen unless blood is pumping. Without a working heart, there is no blood being pumped). It was a kind of lackluster story, and I feel that without the zombie craze behind it, this wouldn't have gotten the praise it has.
Next up is comics new comer (or old comer turned new comer), Xombi. The comic gives us David Kim, a man infected with a virus that allows him to regenerate using nanites. These nanites aren't above using whatever warm body is next to Kim to aid in that process, so he has to watch out when he's been hurt around friends. He's teamed up with a group of metahuman nuns so they can stop a serial killer. The writer John Rozum is on fire with the puns; always a plus in my book, and the artwork by Fraser Irving is unstoppable. It feels as if he has painted each panel, barely touching pen to page.
What I like about this comic is chock full of action, clever jokes, and creepy stuff (demon-children of Halloween, evil snow angels, etc). It's all science and supernatural without it going into straight schlock. I don't want to give too much away, since the best part of this book turning the page to find out what's the next joke or horror. Just go to your local comic book shop and pick it up now.
