El Muerto the Aztec Zombie: DAZE OF THE DEAD

by Javier Hernandez

The El Muerto afterlife odyssey begins here! Born on Dia de Los Muertos, Diego de La Muerte suffers a fatal car accident on his 21st birthday. Summoned to Mictlan, the Aztec underworld, he's sacrificed by the Aztec gods of Death and Destiny. They send him back to Earth on year forward in time, where he finds himself in Mexico at Mondragon's Festival of Freaks, a criminal circus enterprise. There Diego learns the bonds of new friendships while also discovery the depths of man's depravity, all while the supernatural forces that transformed him hover above in wait!

Originally begun in a series of comic books in 1998, a live action film starring Wilmer Valderrama was released in 2007. EL Muerto's comic book adventures were relaunched in 2017 in the graphic novel DAZE OF THE DEAD. This new edition commemorates El Muerto's 25th Anniversary.

Javier Hernandez is the writer and artist of El Muerto. He also teaches comic book workshops throughout the Los Angeles area. In 2011 he co-founded the Latino Comics Expo, the nation's first convention dedicated to spotlighting the contributions of Latino creators in comics, animation and related popular arts.

155 pages, Paperback

Published June 3, 2023

About the author

Javier Hernandez is an American comic book artist, writer and podcast-radio host. Best known for creating the popular series El Muerto: The Aztec Zombie, Hernandez publishes his comics through his privately-owned imprint, Los Comex.

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This first part of Diego’s journey felt both real and fantastical—I love stories integrating religion, mythology, legend, or folklore into contemporary settings. Diego, born on Dia de los Muertos, grows up in a humble home of love and care. He lives a “normal” adolescence with friends, relationships, heartbreak, and the challenges that come with college-aged transitions. All the wrong (or right?) stars align on his 21st birthday, bringing him face-to-face with Aztec gods: Mictlantecuhtli, bent on mercilessly taking back the world, & Tezcatlipoca, who has plans of his own. The violence of Diego’s transformation sweeps across the pages and you’re alongside Diego the rest of the book as he tries to understand what his new “life” entails and what these gods have in store for him. Javier breathes life into the character of Diego, giving him and his friends depth and connection. In this 20th anniversary edition, readers will find quite a few Easter eggs and as well as backstory of Javier’s own journey from to El Muerto’s conception—I enjoyed the connection and context these provided. I look forward to the next installment!