Dead Eyes Open

by Matthew Shepherd

The dead are rising -- but they aren't your garden-variety zombies. Dr. John Requin becomes the center of a cultural zeitgeist, the unwilling eye of a social hurricane in a book that redefines the undead in a bizarre cocktail of black humor, political satire, and family drama.

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

160 pages, Paperback

First published February 13, 2008

Reviews

[Sheldon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this tale in it's entirety within the "The Mammoth Book of Zombie Comics" and "Dead Eyes Open" was by far the best entry.

It's a story of people coming back to life but instead of seeking human victims like in a Romero movie they instead try and go about their business albeit with some friction from the "alive" population.
It's a good mix of black humour with plenty of pop culture jokes and cult references (Will Wheaton on Oprah, an Undead MMO, and a Dr. Fulci among others) and is genuinely well written.

[Clayton VanLeeuwen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the premise here- where zombies are more-or-less normal people who simply wake up after dying. The concepts of social unrest surrounding this sudden happening are interesting. It’s a zombie story that, in the end, isn’t terribly fun, though. Dead Eyes Open is directed at zombie fans who will feel duped in the end thanks to the story that completely avoids traditional zombie tropes. They’ll say “Yeah- I guess this is original but is it even a zombie story?”

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

A graphic novel about zombies—"returners"—who lose their heartbeats but not their brains, voices, and emotions. All sorts of political, military, and cultural allegory follows, made distinctive by some sharp characterization as well as by the whole Zombies and Non-Zombie Politicians Who Talk and Connive situation and, best of all, the artwork by super-talented Cherokee artist Roy Boney, Jr.

[Beelzefuzz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Several interesting ideas and projections of possibilities in a pandemic. A little rushed and anticlimactic in the end.

[Mykyta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I give 5 stars because it is the best novel in a Mammoth Zombie Book. It’s really interesting! Great work of the writer and artist. Thank you guys

[Sagan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can we say overlooked? I don't even know what made me pause at this book when I was browsing at the library. I do know it was a random flip to an inside page, where I saw Wil Wheaton as a zombie (!) that made me pick this up.

It's a good take on the zombie genre. What if zombies still have feelings and emotions? What happens to them? How do they cope? How do their family, friends, and the rest of the world react to them? It's a bit of a convoluted story that follows a zombie dad who just wants to get back with his wife and daughter, a mad scientist intent on identifying the zombie disease, a band of zombies who are lashing out against the living, and many more. It ranges from wanting to be an absolutely serious zombie graphic novel to a bit of humor (like the aforementioned Wil Wheaton). What makes me not want to really highly recommend it is the artwork is drab, to the point of it being difficult to follow the action. It was also poorly edited - there are lots of misspellings and other issues like that. So - awesome idea, less awesome execution. Still, definitely recommended.

[Johnny Andrews · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good idea, people coming back from the dead pretty much the same as before but without a heartbeat and pulse. But they can still hold coherent thoughts and do jobs.
However the returners as they are named are not wanted, prejudice from all over so the government brings in former living shrink, John Requin to be a figure-head and then it's all government lies as one solution is camps as they try to deal with the situation and give rights to the returners.

Meanwhile some of the dead see through the facade and want action so become a terrorist cell.
But as usual with the government something is hidden, John Requin isn't told all, in the basement something is hidden.

Some very funny moments and the art is okay. It's a good read whilst it lasts.

[Liam H. Blues · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hugely underrated and overlooked graphic novel, Dead Eyes Open tells the story of when the dead start coming back to life... but this time they remember everything about their former lives, they can still speak and feel, they are basically alive... but they aren't. They are dead and rotting and what does that make them in society? A great, fast paced story, an original and clever take on themes of discrimination, if you can find a rare copy i say grab it and enjoy!

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story and writing - not a lot of boring plot filler, just great fast-paced idea development. Awesome amount of effort was put in to imagine what such a world would be like. The art isn't great but for an indie it's enough to be clean and understandable. This could make a great movie in the right hands.

[Glen]

This was a well done story - rather than your standard "BRAINS, BRAINS" zombie story it deals with the re-live of one man as he deals with his new situation.

You are also exposed to the social, political, and family issues that the newly re-living are facing.

[Joshlynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very pleasant surprise, and a super-solid foundation on which to build the hit-and-miss Mammoth Book of Zombie Comics.

[KristenR · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting idea - what would happen if zombies retained their memories, intelligence and emotions and wanted to return to their lives as if they hadn't died.

not bad, not great.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

A clever take on the zombie genre.