Living with the Dead

by Mike Richardson, Ben Stenbeck

Two survivors of a global catastrophe disguise themselves as corpses to survive in a land of the walking dead! From the mind of Mike Richardson, creator of The Mask and The Secret, comes this hilariously frightening tale of Straw and Whip who have lived through a plague that's left the world with seven billion brain-hungry zombies. Soon the two friends save a lovely young gun-crazy woman named Betty, who becomes a source of rivalry between them. With hundreds of zombies out for a snack, the three try their best to blend in so as not become the next item on the menu.

Genres: Horror, Graphic Novels, Comics, Zombies, Graphic Novels Comics, Fiction

88 pages, Paperback

First published May 7, 2008

About the author

Mike Richardson is an American publisher, writer, and Emmy-winning producer. In 1986, he founded Dark Horse Comics, an award-winning international publishing house located in Milwaukie, Oregon. Richardson is also the founder and President of the Things From Another World retail chain and president of Dark Horse Entertainment, which has developed and produced numerous projects for film and television based on Dark Horse properties or licensed properties.
In addition, he has written numerous graphic novels and comics series, including The Secret, Living with the Dead, and Cut as well as co-authoring two non-fiction books: Comics Between the Panels and Blast Off!.

Reviews

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just a little bit sexist, and I am not talking about the ending (which I feel conflicted about). I mean, can we please, even in comedies like this, drop the out and scanty dressed girl in the zombie era bit (gives Rosita with the shaved armpits in the Walking Dead the side-eye). It actually was funny until the woman showed up and then because of how she was written (even taking the Bromance of the title into account) was off putting. in part because it does exile the female reader.

[Alex Sarll]

The first page opens on a cityscape, where as we zoom in the streets aren't full of people and cars after all, just shambling forms. "A closer look reveals that this is not life. At least not as we know it." A newspaper flaps in the breeze down filthy streets, the headline: VIRUS DOOMS MANKIND!

All it needs is more rubber gloves and sanitiser bottles amid the rubble to look just like scenes from a month or two back, so you can see why this was one of Dark Horse's plague freebies. Also, it's written by the publisher, so he gets both to push his own work, and demonstrate that he's not asking anyone else to take a financial hit he wouldn't himself. And the art, by Ben Stenbeck, does a pretty good job of living up to the Richard Corben covers, which is no small thing. The story, though...I'm not sure you can call it a 'bromance' when it details a male friendship which is already pretty one-sided, bullying and toxic even before they meet an attractive woman and start stabbing each other in the back in an attempt to win her. I almost added a 'favours' to the end of that sentence, but no, they are treating her more as a prize to be won by strategy than a person who can make her own choice in the matter. And then it belatedly remembers it said it was going to be a bromance, so she instantly turns from badass cool girl into inept shrew in order for the guys to be able to bond instead and get shot of her in a scene which is ambiguous going on WTF. I could maybe overlook the unpleasantness of it all if it were at least funny enough, but it really wasn't, just lazy. Considerably more topical than likeable or creditable.

[Alimpic Srdjan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Duhovit strip o dvojici prijatelja koji uživaju u Zombi Apokalipsi tako što se pretvaraju da su i sami zombiji. Međutim, njihovi životi će postati pravi pakao kada sretnu još jednog preživelog - tačnije preživelu. Može li jedna devojka biti gora od Zombi Apokalipse? Sudeći po ovom stripu - može!

[Shandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

You ever pick up a book, read a few pages, get interested, and then feel compelled to finish it because you touched it? Yeah, that was this one. It caught my eye, and the art is good, but as I read on, I realized that it was not really my cup of tea... but I had to see how it ended. I'm giving it two stars mainly because of the art. The story is pretty tired and sexist, though it didn't turn into "Of Mice and Men" as I half expected, and sacrifice the less intelligent, big guy, so there's that.

[Nicole Bunge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, harmless one-shot graphic novel. Reminded me very much of "Clerks" in the humor and drawing style.
Two slacker guys living in a post-zombie apocalypse city make do, amusing themselves between supply runs.
Happen to find a survivor chick in the mall.
Can you smell love triangle?

I really love the 'dress up like a zombie and say "brains" a lot to fool the zombies.' Haven't seen that work outside of "Shaun of the Dead."

[Trevor Oakley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one's just for fun 'n' laughs - a couple of buds are the lone men left after the zombie apocalypse and are adapting rather well. They eat, drink, and rock out! Amigos! Pals, that is, until these two bros meet "Betty". She just happens to be the last woman alive, and a bit more stressful to deal with than the hordes of hungry undead roaming the city.

[Robert Bussie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a Bros before Hoes story set in the zombie apocalypse. Two guys, Straw and Whip, are the lone survivors in a city over run by zombies. They get along and argue and work things out like frat boys. Life is going well until a woman, Betty, enters their world of bromance. This is a strong chick who has no problem taking care of herself.

However, as the saying goes: two is company and three is a crowd. So, the guys start arguing and sabotaging each other trying to win the affections of this lady. This is where the story could have been great, instead it is just average. This book could have been a set up of classic slap stick and situation comedies with gender jokes and zombies. Instead, the story is bare bones thin and the likability of the two guys quickly diminishes as the competition for Betty almost gets one of the guys killed by zombies. At the end of the story the bromance returns, but it is too little too late.

Betty could have been a cool character as a no nonsense woman balancing the flirting of the guys while surviving the zombies. It could have been funny to see her balance her girly side with her tough zombie killing side. Instead, she is not likable at all.

The art work and colors are simple with a touch of a cartoony art style that works well with the light-hearted premise of the story. This story is a quick read that could have been much more. If you enjoyed this book and are looking for a much better story this is a fun and odd zombie comedy I recommend reading "I Survived The Zombie Apocalypse and All I Got Was This Podcast" by Chris W. Freeman.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book gives me the feeling of listening to a 20 something dude's bad horror podcast. Just the world view and what he thinks is funny. This feels lazy. It's a fun way to pass an hour (I needed breaks in between chapters), but this one is definitely more dumb than fun. It didn't feel like a slog to get through, even though I was groaning at some of the tropes. 2 stars. One for the fun art and one for the quick pacing. This is the kind of book that makes you grateful public libraries exist. I don't feel bad about reading it, but I would've if I had to pay the whopping $5 Amazon is asking for it. There's a audio book version of this one too that I have a morbid curiosity about. Do I dare?

[Stephen Theaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two blokey blokes who survived the zombie apocalypse find their friendship tested when they encounter an attractive and boisterous woman. Quite entertaining but I wasn't sure what to make of the ending.

[Edward Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whip and Straw are two average guys living in extraordinary times: the end of days. They have so far survived the death of music, movies, and pizza but can they survive something scarier than a zombie apocalypse? When an unnamed woman comes into the picture, it may be the end for not only their close friendship but for humanity as well.

[Derrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This GA came out at the perfect time, October. Which I'm sure was planned, but it was pretty good. I didn't expect much, but the bromance was totally legit and it's nice to have some new acting blood. Funny story and decent read.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This bromance during a zombie apocalypse was a good, short, fun time! i didn't expect the ending, but enjoyed it nonetheless. Check out my full thoughts here!

[Arjun Rajkumar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good miniseries. I feel there is enough there to build up the storyline. a quick and breezy read.

[DOUGLAS J BERRY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Borrows heavily.

Good color artwork. Borrows from Omega Man and A Dog and his Boy. Two bros find a girl living in a zombie filled city.

[Vy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely fun and interesting, but also just feels pretty run of the mill. Not much bad to say about it but also not much good. Fun enough read.

[N. Niemeier · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Not a ton of character development. Ending is reminiscent of the film version of "A Boy and His Dog."

[Matti Karjalainen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mike Richardsonin ja Ben Stenbeckin "Living with the Dead" (Dark Horse, 2008) kertoo kahdesta miehestä, jotka ainoina eloonjääneinä kansoittavat zombiruton saastuttamaa suurkaupunkia. Kaverusten ystävyyssuhde alkaa kuitenkin rakoilla, kun kuvioihin astuu yllättäen kolmaskin henkiinjäänyt, nuori ja kaunis nainen.

Loppuratkaisu olisi voinut olla parempi, mutta ihan pikkukiva kauhutarina tämä on, kaikkine humoristisine elementteineen.

[Bogdan · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://www.cititorsf.ro/2008/09/18/li...

[tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ah, yes... it’s the end of the world as you know it and the most worthwhile story you have to tell is two men fighting over a girl. Epitome of literature!