DC Horror is a special horror comic book imprint from DC Comics, designed to attract fans of horror and thrillers. Unfortunately, DC Horror turned out to be a disappointment for me. Of the two titles I read (including The Low, Low Woods, which debuted under the Hill House Comics imprint), one left me underwhelmed, and the other downright disgusted me. (Yes, I’m talking to you, The Soul Plumber.)
Still, I wanted to give another comic from this initiative a try, third time's the charm, as they say. So I picked up Sgt. Rock vs. The Army of the Dead, written by Bruce Campbell and illustrated by Eduardo Risso. With a duo like that, how could it possibly go wrong, right?
Let me clear things up quickly: this comic hasn’t changed my overall opinion of the DC Horror line. However, I have to admit, it had its moments. But what’s the story about?
The comic is a B-movie style tale about a secret Nazi weapon. Allied intelligence discovers that the Nazis have developed a serum capable of bringing the dead back to life. The reanimated soldiers are used to patch holes in their dwindling defense lines. Easy Company, led by Sergeant Rock, is sent in to shut down the twisted experiment once and for all.
Yes, the premise sounds absurd zombies, Nazis, secret super weapons, but surprisingly, it kind of works. The zombie Nazis scream in German, and their lines are left untranslated, which adds to the strange and surreal atmosphere. The final issue stands out in particular, delivering an over the top, battle that brings the comic’s absurdity to a satisfying peak. From beginning to end, the story sticks to its self-imposed tone of pulpy nonsense and never tries to masquerade as serious horror. Bruce Campbell set out to write an exaggerated, comic book style war horror, and he saw that vision through with consistency. The tone stays light and never takes itself seriously, with Easy Company coming off like a cast of classic war movie heroes laid back, sarcastic, and full of charm.
Unfortunately, the comic has one major flaw that ultimately brings it down: it’s completely forgettable. It’s the kind of story that’s entertaining while you’re reading it but vanishes from memory the moment you close the book. There are no standout scenes worth revisiting, no characters that leave a lasting impression. Even Sergeant Rock himself is little more than a generic 80s-style tough guy. We learn next to nothing about him beyond what’s stated up front. All the characters feel like placeholders, figures you could swap out with anyone from a dozen other action flicks and no one would notice.
While the story fades quickly, Eduardo Risso’s art is much harder to forget. His exaggerated facial expressions and stylized bodies perfectly match the comic’s absurd narrative. The simplified backgrounds and bold use of shadow make it feel like a deliberate homage to B-movie aesthetics, cheap, but with purpose. His panel compositions are especially strong, using cinematic techniques like close-ups, cuts, and contrasts to guide the story like a skilled film director.
That said, one visual choice didn’t sit well with me: the covers. The individual issue covers and the trade paperback cover were done by someone else entirely, and the difference is jarring. While Risso’s interiors are stylized and gritty, the covers are far more realistic and even heroic like they belong to a completely different comic. This kind of mismatch can set the wrong expectations for readers. I understand covers are meant to sell the book, but ideally, they shouldn’t misrepresent the tone of what’s inside.
Sgt. Rock vs. The Army of the Dead is light entertainment for one evening. It’s fun in the moment, but leaves little impact afterward. It’s not the kind of horror I’m looking for, it lacks depth, suspense, and any real sense of surprise. But if you’re a fan of campy, B-grade horror, you’ll probably feel right at home with this one.