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Publisher: Big City Comics
Writer: Billy Tucci
Artist: John Broglia
Cover: Billy Tucci

“Zombies with a side of sushi!!!”: I had actually ordered this book just because of the cover! Guy packin’ a katana, while holding a decapitated head with a cute girl draped over him! Add to that, you got both covered in blood!  Plus I figured if  Z Day really does go down then there must be some good survival tips in here somewhere right?! Now this book was originally released through a publisher called Narwain in black and white. This is the complete volume released by Big City Comics and in color.

The setup of the story is pretty standard with our hero/delivery boy Jim Okami having a pretty pathetic day. He can’t reach his girlfriend and got a flat on the way to a delivery causing him to lose out on a tip! He finally makes it back to the sushi shop only to see his girl making out with some guy RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE SHOP!!! Now THAT’S BOLD!! While all of this is taking place there is a narrative going on about a “Red Rain” that came through Long Island the night before and the casualties reported from various hospitals. In this we get our reason for the dead returning to life in this particular story. After walking into his job and telling his boss what has happened he is given some kind and uplifting words from the old Japanese chef right before zombies crash in and attack and kill Sanjuro-Sama’s wife and Sanjuro-Sama!  So Jim Okami picks up the katana and heeds his master’s last words to run! Let the bloody buffet begin!!!

Now John Broglia’s style is cartoony and fun to look at during some parts of  the story. Though at times it just didn’t fit with the tone of Billy Tucci’s writing of some scenes. I get that humor was a big part of this book and it hits almost every single Zombie B-Movie stereo type. I just felt that a different style would have fit better on a more consistent basis. Add to that a good percentage of the zombies looked exactly alike: Huge, bulging eye or eyes with green skin and pointed tongues. Now maybe as an effect of the rain that’s just the overall transformation but that look got boring as the story went on.                                                           

Tucci’s story at times even felt a little forced especially when Jim’s rag tag crew meets up with the Holocust survivors and the book takes on an immediate serious tone and then as abruptly as it started it’s over and we’re back to making jokes about poop!  This is another scene where I felt the art was just too humorous to go with the dialogue.  And lines like “Timberland his water logged ass, G!” just had me rolling my eyes.

For the most part I did enjoy the story like when at various points in the book someone would reference Jim’s smell since he was trapped in the sushi freezer when the power failed. Though my favorite part had to be when the group ended up at the senior citizens home and were attacked by zombies in their golden years! It was only a couple of pages long but to see a zombie trying to gum it’s way through an arm was quite entertaining!

It’s an overall decent book I just wish it flowed a little better and had a variety of zombies instead of a generic look to them. I’d still suggest someone giving this book a see through if you’re a fan of zombies and pickin’ up a survival tip or two!

Infinite Speech
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