Marvel Zombies: Battleworld

Marvel Zombies (2015) #1-4

by Simon Spurrier, Robert Kirkman, Ken Lashley (Cover Art)

Collects Marvel Zombies (2015) #1-4, Marvel Zombies (2006) #1.

Elsa Bloodstone is stationed on the Wall, tasked with keeping Battleworld's zombie hordes contained. Elsa thinks often of her deceased father, Ulysses Bloodstone — how all his lessons gave her the skills to fight, but the love he didn't give is indirectly what landed her on the Wall to begin with. When Elsa spots a human child caught in the zombieverse, she decides to rescue the girl — and now, stranded in the Deadlands with this mysterious child and stalked by a merciless hunter, Elsa must traverse the zombie-ridden landscape and escape. But haunted by ghosts from her past — including visions of her stern father — Elsa realizes it may not be the zombies she fears. And she's about to learn that the child is not what she claims to be.

Genres: Comics, Marvel, Graphic Novels, Zombies, Horror, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics

116 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 24, 2015

Reviews

[Scott Rhee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having never heard of Battleworld before reading this, I was somewhat confused going into it. Thanks to Google, I now know that Battleworld is a planet ruled by Doctor Doom (or a multiverse variant anyway) who gathers heroes and villains from all across the multiverse to wage wars. (This was all, apparently, explained in a series called Secret Wars, which I have never read.)

Anyhoo, Elsa Bloodstone, a monster-hunter (another Marvel superheroine I have never heard of prior to reading this) is kicking zombie asses on Battleworld when she runs across a human child with no memory of how she got there or who she is. All Elsa knows is that the kid's annoying, and now she has to protect her. In between zombie battles, Elsa has flashbacks of her emotionally and physically abusive asshole of a father, Ulysses Bloodstone, who taught her everything she knows...

I gathered a lot of stuff from context, including most of Elsa's backstory. It was also fun to see numerous zombie versions of Marvel superheroes, many of which I actually recognized.

It goes without sayin: this is NOT for kids...

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tale of Elsa Bloodstone as she tries to slice and dice her way through The Marvel Zombies Battleworld. The story was OK but not really anything special. This had nothing to do with the previous Marvel Zombies books. I thought it was confusing the person she meets is dressed like Kimmy from the Avengers Arena books but it's not supposed to be her. I also didn't like that they reprinted the first issue of the very first Marvel Zombie books in it so they could charge more money.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here's an entry in the (over-)long-running series that wore out its welcome, then flashed brightly for a moment, and faded from all attention spans like a Kirkman turd should.

So kudos to Spurrier for kicking that in its face with a classic Elsa Bloodstone opener:


And keeping up the tortured sarcastic British ass-kicker throughout the tormented journey:


What feels far more uncomfortable are the flashbacks to the unrelenting abuse relayed by father Bloodstone on his young daughter/protege:


I had a hard time plowing my way past those scenes, just trying to imagine how I'd have coped with that. (Probably would've been torturing small animals, and escalating.) It's testament to Spurrier's skill that he can make you this uncomfortable, and not come off like a hack.

It especially helps that Elsa's genuinely funny in her nihilist view:


This is really a fantastic story - original plot ideas, great characterization, interesting twists, satisfying resolution. Can I have a lot more of this, please?

I just wish we didn't have Kev Walker's cartoony, almost manga-esque facial expressions to muddle this up. I'd almost dock a star from my rating, but I don't want anyone to be confused this is a great read.

Can someone get Spurrier on a Marvel exclusive right quick? I think it's time to drain this one of his will to live - in exchange for some bloody good comics.

[Richard Dominguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Marvel Zombies" by Simon Spurrier is a trade paperback that includes issues 1-4 of the Marvel Zombies series.
Elsa Bloodstone is stationed on the Shield, burdened with the Sisyphean task of keeping the zombie hordes from rampaging through Battleworld. But when she sees a human child caught in the middle of the zombieverse, she'll muster every ounce of determination she has to throw herself into the zombie horde to rescue the girl.
Elsa Bloodstone is a British butt stomping badass whose wit is as sharp as her blade. The action is heart pounding and fast enough so the reader can blow right through the book. The story is simple enough, Zombies attack, destroy Zombies, but the real story here is Elsa coming to turns with the father who made her a badass while denying her the love and compassion she needed.
The characters (zombie marvel superheroes) all retain the characteristics we know of them with a zombie bloodlust thrown in for good measure.
I enjoyed this and it was my first time reading about this alternate Marvel universe. Lots of action a good underlying story line and the artwork was gory to say the least.
The book also includes (at the end) part 1 of 5 of the Marvel Zombies featuring Magneto with a surprise appearance of the Silver Surfer.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Secret Wars crossovers continue to surprise me. I really thought the crossovers would tie into the main series a little more, but so far they seem more like stand alone stories. I think Marvel basically just used the Secret Wars series to tell some alternative reality stories based on their big events.

In this one we have Elsa Bloodstone stranded in the wasteland of the Marvel Zombies. If you are looking for something related directly to the main Secret Wars series, you probably won't find it here. However, if you really liked the Marvel Zombies series, you'll enjoy this one. It's better than some of the original Marvel Zombies stories. The art fits nicely into the series as well.

Overall, another good chapter (even if it "doesn't count") in the Marvel Zombies series.

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Se volete leggere la mia recensione, cliccate qui! http://ascwblog.blogspot.it/2017/05/m...

[Colin Oaten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice crossover for Secret Wars by the ever reliable Si Spurrier following Elsa Bloodstone in the realm of the Marvel Zombies.

[PMoslice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This entry into the Marvel Zombies universe was excellent and amazing. After the previous installments it's established that bits and pieces from various universes end up on Battleworld. Here the hordes have cornered he last strands of humanity behind the walls of the last city. When Elsa Bloodstone, commander of the army is taken off the "Wall" and thrust far out into the wilderness she is set on a course of adventure and an ultimate reunion, one she never expected.

This was one of the best stories to come out of this universe.

[Adam Stone · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was almost great. The first 3 & 3/4s of the 4 issue run were a fun Bloodstone story that took place amongst some Marvel Zombies. I've never been interested in Bloodstone as a character before. But her bad-assedness and self-assurance with a hint of humanity were fun to read. I didn't even mind the repeated flashbacks about her poor relationship with her awful father.

She gets a sidekick during the first issue, and it's a young girl Elsa refers to as ShutUp. It's a somewhat amusing Lone Wolf & Cub style deal, and I liked some of the worldbuilding around them.

Then, it was revealed who the sidekick was.

F-. For Fuck That Bullshit.

That's when I checked to see who wrote this. Ugh, Of course. Simon Spurrier, the heaviest handed writer in the 21st century Marvel bullpen. Only he would have thought this reveal was cool, interesting, or worth completely destroying the value of the rest of his story.

I tend to avoid his comic work. But I've been trying to read these Secret Wars tie-ins without actually investigating the authors until I'm done, so as not to set up any biases. I'm glad I didn't check first as it 1.) allowed me to enjoy as much of the book as I did, and 2.) confirmed that his writing is not For Me.

I recommend reading the first three issues, and closing the book. It's a completely satisfying three issue story.

[Alex Sarll]

Child from a privileged background, pushed to excel in a manner which frequently tipped over into abuse, tries to come to terms with their past and avoid repeating the same mistakes. It's a tale which clutters the broadsheet review sections most weekends and as a rule it's unspeakably dreary*. Fortunately, Spurrier and Walker have the sense to spice things up by setting it deep in zombie territory, where Elsa Bloodstone finds herself desperately short on ammo and - worse - tea, alone but for a mysterious child, and facing up to the superpowered undead and her memories of the awful father who made her the kick-ass quip machine she is, at the cost of her childhood. Needless to say, it's far more engaging done this way.

*Patrick Melrose doesn't count - he wasn't pushed to excel.

[Jordan Lahn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really enjoying this book and Elsa's grouchy attitude throughout. The dialogue was fun, the zombies were entertainingly gross, and the mystery was engaging. And then the ending kinda sucked, at least in my opinion. Overall it should have been a much higher rating, but the ending just disappointed me.

[Eye-ra · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Robert Kirkman story in the back was the best part.

[Fizzgig76 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reprints Marvel Zombies (2) #1-4 and Marvel Zombies (1) #1 (February 2006-December 2015). Elsa Bloodstone has taken her place at the Wall and spends her days defending against the endless hordes of zombies that try to overtake it. When Elsa accidentally finds herself deep in the Deadlands, she finds a child with a mysterious background…and realizes someone or something is stalking them. With zombies on every side and monsters at every turn, Elsa Bloodstone will have to find the strength her father Ulysses had to live up to her Bloodstone name.

Written by Simon Spurrier, Battleworld: Marvel Zombies is a Marvel Comics Secret Wars spin-off limited series. Featuring art by Kev Walker, the series collects the four issue limited series which ran from August 2015 to December 2015 along with Marvel Zombies #1 (February 2006) by Robert Kirkman and Sean Phillips. Issues in this collection were also included in Monsters Unleashed! Prelude.

I always like the short lived Ulysses Bloodstone storyline and Elsa Bloodstone’s strange introduction in Bloodstone…which seemed to fizzle and disappear. Elsa began popping up in recent years in books like Nextwave: Agents of H. A. T. E., but in a much different form than her original appearance. Here, we get solo Elsa who is fun.

Elsa is driven by commitment to her family name, but a rage instilled in her by her father. Of course, this rage is tempered when she meet the child in the Deadlands, but much of the book is Elsa trying to find a balance of distance and acceptance. The end (in that sense) is a bit unsatisfying because though she kind of finds a happy-medium, it doesn’t get to really explore it (and with no continuing Bloodstone title, it is just an ending).

The story itself is also hindered by the Secret Wars/Battleworld set-up. The whole idea of Secret Wars did create an interesting way to tell different stories, but it also was a strict format. The series were all going to be limited series and the ending was always certain…but that also leads to disengagement by the readers who know not to connect to the characters or the stories.

With the inclusion of the first Marvel Zombies issue, the book is fattened, but it still feels sparse as a four issue limited series. The world of Battleworld is rather rich and there are endless opportunities…but everyone knows that it is going to end. Books like this make me wish that Marvel had attempted a Tales of Battleworld series after Secret Wars which would have allowed some of these characters to continue on…be it thought prequel stories or whatever. With Elsa Bloodstone’s appearance in the MCU one-shot Werewolf by Night, hopefully Elsa will get some more love…she deserves it even if the series is a bit ho-hum.

[47Time · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elsa Bloodstone is a commander against the zombie horde in Blattleworld. A zombie teleports her a good distance away from the Shield, her base or fortress or something. Now she and a bald little guy who has lost his memories must make their way back. I just love the humor in the dialogue. Elsa in particular in an obnoxious brat of a human being. She is sarcastic, she interrupts people to speak her mind in high, confident tones, she is the definition of arrogant, but is also a solid fighter and is a bit hot, I guess. Her skills were taught to her by her father Ulysses, a hard man and tough warrior who didn't treat her like a princess, that's for sure. She remembers many of his harsh words that wounded her when she was a child, but eventually built her into the fighter she is today.

A scout takes the boy away from danger, leaving Elsa alone and being pursued by a mysterious figure. She soon finds that the scout was in fact an intelligent zombie from a group who feed themselves on Deadpool's brain. It keeps them intelligent and in control of their actions. Else saves the boy by using some adrenaline-fueled sprint and then shoots oil barrels that incinerate Deadpool.

The duo reach the ocean shore only to be greeted by the figure that has been following them - Elsa's zombie father Ulysses. Or rather a duplicate from another dimension. He has been going around, collecting more of the powerful red stones, one of which powered Elsa original father. Put together they make Ulysses near immortal. Elsa is powerless against him, but the kid shoots the bulk of the stones from Ulysses's body and Elsa swiftly bonds with them. Now, the incredible power is in the hands of someone with empathy to use it right. She spares Ulysses, restores his humanity and together they head back to Shield.

[Krzysztof Grabowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Całkiem niezła historia. Elsa Bloodstone rządzi na pewnej części muru. Harda babka, którą doświadczyło życie, co zresztą zobaczymy w kilku flashbackach, gdzie nie miała łatwo z ojcem. Teraz jednak chroni żywych przed martwymi. I traf chce, że w walce z silniejszą nieumarłą jednostką trafia daleko poza linię ognia. Sama, choć jak się okazuje nie tak do końca, bo znajdzie się tutaj też dziecko...

Wędrówka do bezpiecznego miejsca będzie sednem tego opowiadania, a przynajmniej tak będzie się to wydawało z początku. Końcówka zaskakuje, bo ma kilka wymiarów i bohaterce przyjdzie się zmierzyć nie tylko z zombiakami, ale przede wszystkim z trudnym dziedzictwem, bo ciężar pewnego kamyka jest wyjątkowo duży. To tyle, bo historia potrafi zaskoczyć, choć nie jest pozbawiona dziur w logice, jak już się pozna zakończenie.

Ale całość ma wartką akcję, fajną kreskę i dobre tempo. Za ogromny plus uważam jeszcze jeden zeszyt z Marvel Zombies z 2006 roku, gdzie za fabułę odpowiada TEN Kirkman... To mi wystarczy, aby poszukać egzemplarz Wielkiej Kolekcji Komiksów Marvela...

[Alex E · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy any book with Elsa Bloodstone. She's one of those characters that doesn't really get used enough in the Marvel books in my opinion.

This book reads a bit like [ insert "adult and child in apocalyptic situation" book here] but in the fun marvel zombies way.

I like how the backstory of Elsa is woven in with whats happening to her currently. And even though yes, the "twist" is a bit predictable, its still a good read all the way through.

A Deadpool cameo doesn't hurt either. In fact the reason that he is there is pretty clever, in zombie terms anyways.

I loved the interior art, but not so much the covers, which is weird because usually its the other way around.

If you like zombies, or Elsa Bloodstone or just general kid and adult in apocalyptic situation books, then this is for you!

[Villain E · Rating 3 out of 5]

A comic starring Elsa Bloodstone? Yes please.

Elsa is on the wall, guarding against white walkers. Zombie Azazel bamfs her into the deadlands. She encounters the girl from The Girl With All The Gifts and they trek through Zombieland.

The story starts meh but gets better. Elsa's history is thought out and relevant. The charcter choices are well thought out and only a little gratuitous. But the dialogue is awful. It's like if John Constantine were written by a twelve-year-old from Venice Beach. And the thing is; Simon Spurrier is British! How is the British guy writing crappy British dialogue?

Kev Walker has been one of my favorite artists for years. Nobody but him should be allowed to draw zombies anymore.

[Jennifer Juffer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a fantastic comic. #1-4 in the history and background of Elsa Bloodstone.

It's a tale that isn't superficial. The background history of Elsa as a little girl is brutal.

I'm enjoying BattleWorlds comics. The collapse of the whole multiverse is both interesting and complex, especially when you're not reading in any particular order.

This wasn't the best of the comics in the series, but it definitely puts a human perspective on the troubles of having duty, power and expectations that seem overwhelming even to a "superhero" type character.

For that alone, I enjoyed this, and will definitely be putting this book on my "keep forever" bookshelves.

[Hogfather · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I make my way through the Battleworld miniseries, I'm coming to realize that I feel somewhat affectionate for these rather ridiculous ultra-millennial protagonists that keep popping up. Maybe it's just nostalgia, but I like the way that they play off of the world around them, and I like that they have to keep confronting the fact that their "millennialism" is largely an emotional shield that they have to break down. Marvel Zombies: Battleworld is very effective as a self-contained character piece. It's never too heavy, but I don't think it shys too far away from dark story elements to feel impactful.

[Benja Calderon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Conocemos El Escudo, la construcción que mantiene segura a los dominios de Battleworld de los zombies y los ultrones.

Luego de detener un ataque hecho por zombies, la comandante Elsa Bloodstone es lanzada dentro del territorio de Deadlands. Al recobrar la consciencia la acompaña un niño y juntos empezaran un viaje de supervivencia, donde encontraran diversas versiones zombificadas de personas Marvel

Interesante, rápida de leer, no es una joya, pero dentro del bajo nivel de los tie-ins de Secret Wars, dentro de lo mejor

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really a bad story, I just did not care about any of the characters, and the story itself seemed really pointless.
Based on the cover I thought this was a Black Widow story, but it is actually Elsa Bloodstone who I do not think I have ever heard of before. She is rude, obnoxious, and grating, and even though she 'softens' over the story, she is very hard to like. It makes her story hard to care about.
The art is pretty good.

[Timothy Pitkin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad battleworld story as we see how Battleworld keeps the Zombies at bay. While at first I hated the main character but I think that is the point as we do get a lot of character development from her as she starts as a mean jerk but slowly she becomes a bit more likable. The twist around the kid is little cliche but still not bad story about someone trapped in the deadlands trying to get back to safety while dealing with daddy issues.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Battleworld book has simple premise but it relies too heavily on Elsa's relationship with her father and doesn't let anything else matter. I get that its supposed to be important but it was too much. I did enjoy her snark and some creative use of the zombies but the book needed more zombies. I also had issues with Kev Walker's work as I thought it was inconsistent. Overall, a decent read that does a great job at delving into Elsa's psyche but not much else.

[Wolverinefactor · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art was a little weak and the plot went some obvious routes.

However, the story is strong enough and the characters are a ton of fun.

Shame it’s just 4 issues. I didn’t read the bonus issue which is a reprint of Zombies 1, as I’ve already read the series up to this point.

[Justin Steffen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thought this was an okay issue, I was bit lost at times but felt the post apocalyptic feel. Pretty sure I saw a zombie Dr. Oc and Juggernaut, but wish saw a couple more zombies. The ending was pretty good with the looming hoards.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have no prior experience with this character, but I like Elsa Bloodstone and hope to see more of her sometime/somewhere in the future.

[Nate Meadows · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good little story, didn't know much about the Bloodstones but it didn't matter.

[Ron Turner · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like Marvel Zombies. I like Battleworld. I like Marvel monsters. You'd think all three would be fantastic but alas it didn't quite come together. Weirdly lacking in all three departments.

[Alejandro Fion · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was good

[B · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's been a few attempts to make Bloodstone a thing following the magnificent NextWAVE,but they've never been prolonged. (It's not for me to say they haven't worked; I don't know sales numbers.)

This is a perfectly fine story. There are some things that did sit right. One is that Elsa was able to kill Deadpool with a regular old fire even though he's Deadpool. Also, what's the deal with the Kid? Was the Kid real? The people who tricked the other Bloodstones? Was the main bad guy Elsa's real father or just another Ulysses Bloodstone?

NextWave, Agents of H.A.T.E.: Ultimate Collection