Shaun of the Dead is a romantic zombie comedy film directed by Edgar Wright, who also wrote the script with (actor) Simon Pegg.
The movie tells the story of a man named Shaun who tries to sort his life out after his girlfriend breaks up with him. Meanwhile, a zombie apocalypse has risen that is deconstructing society. Shaun and his best friend, Ed, decide to rally up loved ones (Shaun’s ex included) to lay low at the Winchester pub.
During 2004-2005, there were comic book adaptations for Shaun of the Dead. The first few titles took place just before the movie’s events or in between scenes. The last title for Shaun of the Dead was a comic book adaptation of the script.
Title: Shaun of the Dead: There’s Something About Mary
Writer: Simon Pegg & Edgar Wright
Art: Frazer Irving
Letters: Anne Parkhouse
Cover: Frazer Irving
Issue: #0; Prog #1384
Publisher: 2000AD
Release Date: April 2004
Pages: 5
Price: £ 1.80
Side Notes: The comic was about how Mary, a cashier, became a zombie before meeting up with Shaun and Ed in the film. It was collected in Storming Heaven: The Frazer Irving Collection (2000AD) in 2007. It also appeared in the Shaun of the Dead DVD extras.
Title: Plot Holes
Art: Oscar Wright
Narrated by: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Lucy Davis
Release Date: December 2004
Published: On DVD
Side Notes: It appeared as a Shaun of the Dead DVD extra drawn by Edgar Wright’s brother, Oscar.
The 3 animated sequences were about how Shaun eluded the zombies outside the pub, Diane escaping the zombie mob after attacking them with her boyfriend’s severed leg, and how Ed ended up in Shaun’s shed at the end of the film. It was narrated by the actors who played the characters focused on in the animated sequences.
Title: Shaun of the Dead
Writer: Chris Ryall
Art: Zach Howard
Color: Thompson Knox
Letters: Robbie Robbins (Issue #4-Tom B. Long)
Cover: Jason Brashill
Inker: (Issue #3-#4) Sean Murphy & Zach Howard
Issue: #1, #2, #3, #4
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Release Date: June 2005-August 2005
Pages: 32
Price: $3.99
Side Notes: Shaun of the Dead was an adaptation of the film. The comic was a director’s cut adaptation with never-before-seen ‘footage’ from the movie. Page 2 of Issue #4, had a sequence based on the storyboards by Oscar Wright. Also in Issue #4, the inside cover was a repeat from Issue #3. Shaun of the Dead was released in a trade paperback in 2005. The comic is currently available through auction sites, or can be found through a search online.
The Shaun of the Dead comic adaptations were funny and interesting. They helped flesh out the story by explaining events in the time between or just before a scene. The artwork for each story was lovely, and my favorite drawings were from There’s Something About Mary. It had a black and white color palette that included the color red in some panels. The drawings in red drew me to certain details like a shopping bag or a zombie’s eyes. However, the comic didn’t have a variety of facial expressions for certain characters.
Since its debut in 2004, Shaun of the Dead has been listed as a must-see movie.
The terrific writing of Edgar Wright has led me to his other works, such as Spaced (1999) and Hot Fuzz (2007). The Shaun of the Dead comics were an extension of the movie, breathing life into a wonderful story.
“You’ve got red on you.”
Princess Powerful
princesspowerful@comicattack.net
Bravo!!!!!!! I loves me some Shaun of the Dead. I have the one set but now thanks to this I have to go out and find that issue of 2000 A.D.
I guess I should have known there were comic adaptations about this great movie! The only one I haven’t seen is the directors cut book since the others are on the DVD which i’ve seen wayyyyy too many times lol
I have yet to see this movie… maybe I should just check out the comics instead?
I__I Watch it now Andy! Shaun of the Dead comics can wait.
Now I have to say that Hot Fuzz needs to be watched as well.
Now I know what I am watching this weekend
@Andy-your not alone. I haven’t seen that movie either.
I still haven’t seen this either. Waiting for it to come out at the library or on Hulu.