Marvel Zombies vs. Army of Darkness

Marvel Zombies (Collected Editions) #Tie-in

by John Layman, Fabiano Neves (Contributor), June Chung (Contributor)

Ash lands in the heart of New York just as the Zombie outbreak begins, and his actions help turn more heroes and villains into Zombies. Original.

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

120 pages, Hardcover

First published February 27, 2007

About the author

John Steele Layman is an American comic book writer and letterer. Layman is most known for writing Chew, published by Image Comics.

Reviews

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first and only comic book. I'd never read anything like it. I understand why some of my friends like comic books so much. They're not for geeks. They're entertaining. People see comic book movies but won't read them and I don't understand it. If you've never read a comic book, try one. I dare you.

[Scott Rhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Silly, unadulterated zombie fun... with familiar Marvel superheroes. Some prerequisites for enjoying this: must be familiar with the splat-stick horror-comedy "Evil Dead" series of Sam Raimi and, specifically, the hilarious over-acting talents of Bruce Campbell; must be okay with the politically-incorrect wise-cracking of a slightly (Oh hell, let's be honest: completely) misogynistic bent in the character of Ash; must love graphic scenes of zombie flesh-rending and brain-eating.

[Bookwraiths · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ash from Army of the Dead gets zapped to the Marvel Zombie world and the fun ensues. Nope, it isn’t serious, is filled with one liners, but somehow the book is fun and actually fits into the timeline for the Zombie Universe.

[Frans Kempe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ash from Army of darkness have somehow arrived in the Marvel universe and tries to save the world from the heroes that ars turning into zombies. More fun than scary.

[Ángel C · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5
Te amo Doctor Doom

[Mazzeo · Rating 3 out of 5]

This graphic novel is borderline fan fiction. While it’s reasonably well written and the art is good the story definitely feels like a bunch of people said “wouldn’t that be cool” around a dinner table one evening. The story revolves around Ash, from the Evil Dead films, as he runs through the marvel universe attempting to stop the undead yet again. While this isn’t high brow art, this book is a really fun read for those familiar with the Marvel Verse and Ash.

[Ithlilian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just watched Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness for the first time a few days ago and enjoyed them, and this is pretty much what I expected. Great illustrations of zombified Marvel heroes, plenty of one liners from Ash, and a decent amount of flesh eating and butt kicking. It was really fun, and made me chuckle a few times, but it wasn't quite Deadpool funny, and the plot...well...I've never been a fan of zombies.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

The dialog in this comic isn't what I would call "great literature" but it was good enough for a comic combining the "excellent cinematography" of army of darkness and marvel. What can I say I have a soft spot in my heart for anything revisiting the deadites. Ash was a little off but I don't think anyone cold ever do ash like Bruce Campbell. For any true Evil Dead fan it's worth the read.

[Donald Armfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Army of Darkness I have only really heard about so this character was new to me. This marvel team up started out good but then the talking books came into play.

I like how they give the marvels you don't hear to much about more play. Cloak and Dagger made a small appearance as well as Howard The Duck. Overall I enjoy reading these but they just keep only getting 3 stars from me.

[Declan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprisingly entertaining mish mash. Worth a look for fans of either.

[Wyatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a blast reading this story even if the narrative was a bit incoherent at times. Overall the artwork was great and the writing was both entertaining and funny, it had good action sequences and plenty of humorous moments as well.

Although the story fit well within the Army of Darkness universe, at times it didn’t translate as well into the Marvel universe. For example, Ash warns the Avengers of a world ending threat and discusses supernatural elements at work, but the Avengers are oddly dismissive of something that could end the world and act like magical things don’t exist in their world i.e. Mephisto, Scarlet Witch, Doctor Strange etc. For me, this was a bit unrealistic.

Later, I was surprised at how Spider-Man’s spider-sense was nonexistent when a zombie Captain America bit his shoulder mid-air. Then Spider-Man explains that he didn’t turn into a zombie because of his healing factor but other characters with similar attributes still turned. Also, I understand for the sake of the story Ash needed to be the hero, but having such powerful Marvel characters be so NERFED was insane to me. Ash could’ve worked alongside them rather than making those characters weak enough to become zombies.

Adding to the absurdity of this already absurd comic, Ash dies at the hands of Howard the Duck, the POV changes to a variant version of Ash that’s existed in the Marvel Universe this whole time. Oddly enough, this version of Ash was the one that was killed and not the OG Ash as we were lead to believe. I’m not particularly sure at what point in time they would’ve swapped without it being completely obvious narratively speaking, but nonetheless it was an unexpected twist.

Finally, after taking refuge in Latveria and teaming up with Doctor Doom, they’re still overtaken by zombies. You’d think between Doctor Doom and Scarlet Witch would be able to contain the zombies with their supreme magic, but scarlet witch is easily overtaken by a zombified Punisher. Nonetheless, Doom manages to help the remaining survivors escape before becoming zombie food. In the end, they end up in a post-apocalyptic world full of werewolves so I’m not sure that it was a happy ending, but an ending nonetheless.

In conclusion, it was a fun read that was entertaining from start to end, but could’ve been better.

[Ali · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't fully detest this comic or anything, but I just don't understand why it exists. It's not a particularly interesting "what if," and it doesn't utilize anything interesting about the IP crossover (I would have liked to see Ash spending more time with the quippiest of the Marvel heroes, like Deadpool or a Spider-Man who didn't immediately get zombified; or I would have liked a Marvel hero to interact with the Necronomicon alongside Ash beyond a couple one-off jokes.) You'd expect a lot of good one-liners, but they're pretty lackluster. The art is only okay. The alt covers are the best thing about it. It probably could have jumped to two stars if I didn't hate the ending so much. I get that it was supposed to be funny... like, of course Ash went from one stupid apocalypse to another... but it wasn't funny enough to counteract the negatives. Sure, Marvel Zombies' whole thing is being bleak and unsolvable, and Ash's whole thing is never escaping the Deadites... but the ending just made the whole run feel completely cyclical and worse, stakeless. (At least the proper Marvel Zombies storyline has the "oh-shit-they're-Galacti-now-that's-REALLY-bad" factor to it to make the ending interesting, if depressing as hell.)

[RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez · Rating 3 out of 5]

De todas las posibilidades de Marvel Zombies... Un crossover con Army of Darkness sonaba lógico pero quién podía pensar que se superaría la barrera de las licencias creativas. Pero sí, Ash Williams se deja caer (literalmente) en el Universo Marvel... Por desgracia (o suerte para el lector), es en el zombificado. Y este héroe ordinario tratará de racionalizar este apocalipsis de No Muertos con los que se ha enfrentado durante años a expensas del Necronomicon Ex Mortis... ¿Pero si quiera existe en este Universo?

John Layman aprovecha las posibilidades de tener a Ash interaccionando con el Universo Marvel más que hacer algo más con el cruce conceptual de la idiosincrasia de Evil Dead. Y lo cierto es que esto es lo mejor. Aunque es una pena que un gran giro argumental del meridiano del cómic solo quede en la sorpresa gratuita de cliffhanger y no se encarase de verdad en la trama. Pero... ey, encontronazo de Ash con el mismo Doctor Muerte (Y hasta tenemos cameo de NextWave. GRACIAS).

Sin ser una maravilla, sí que debe de ser lo mejor de Marvel Zombies a expensas de la miniserie original.

[pscheg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty solid read in anticipation of Marvel Zombies in What If? and Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell’s return to Marvel with Multiverse of Madness! Loved the Wanda and Ash team-up that carried most of this story. The one thing that really gets me to me, though, is where is Vision? He obviously isn’t a victim to the Evil Dead or the zombification, but he goes inexplicably absent after the first issue. As a fan of both franchises, it was a little predictable, but in some of the best ways; the Necronomicon being held by Doctor Doom is just one instance of what I mean by this. My greatest complaint with it, however, is the sexualization of some of the female characters, which is mostly a complaint with the art. It isn’t always there, but it did take me out of it for a few panels.

[Matthew Gilliland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never read a Marvel Zombies, but I am a huge Army of Darkness and Ash fan, that is the bias that I bring to this review.

Do you like Ash? Then this is the book for you and back when it was written before their resurgence with a TV show and movies this would have been an Oasis in the desert.

This book is a lot fun and throw Ash into a world that he doesn't understand and totally outclasses him, but don't think that will change him or make him a better person.

Nope he is still a giant womanizing, moron who believes he is more important and bad @ss than he really is.

Nothing truly surprising happens through most of the book, but it is has legit LOL moments and kind of makes me want to track down the others in the Ash series that I didn't know existed in comic form.

[Dom · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know, I must be losing my Marvel fandom. This is my third Marvel "event"/limited series in the past year. Two IPs I really enjoy are Marvel and Evil Dead; put them together, should be a good time right? Not quite. They tried to play up Ash Williams' character and personality from the movies but it didn't quite translate. Add in an old and tired story and there isn't much entertainment here. Your basic Evil Dead story - Ash must retrieve the Necronomicon and fight off zombies but this time the zombies are superheroes. Not much else to say. Was not a fan.

[Saint No Stopping Us · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seven out of ten. CBR format.

A bizarre cross-over between Ash from the Evil Dead series and Marvel Superheroes who have been turned into zombies. Ash lands in New York just as the zombie outbreak starts.

Silly and has zombies, therefore good.

[Ivan V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

El amor de Ash hace que este cómic sea bastante divertido, me encanta la historia y las situaciones bizarras que se muestran, el arte ayuda mucho a transmitir el horror y lo grotesco de estás. Aparte que nos muestra como se van dando las primeras horas de la infección. A mi parecer es el mejor de todos los cómics que le siguen.

[Luis Del Aguila · Rating 2 out of 5]

crossover innecesario y forzado con evil dead para explicar de forma simplona el origen de los marvel zombies, la saga sigue sin llegar a levantar por lo poco que he leido, espero q la siguiente entrega sea mejor.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun crossover of the Marvel Zombies comic with the Evil Dead universe as Ash Williams lands in the Marvel Zombies dimension and incompetently tries to save the day. The art is really well done too; Ash really does look like the Bruce Campbell character. The hardcover is nice to handle also.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ash of Army of Darkness gets transported to an alternate dimension where a zombie virus has infected the Marvel superheroes, leaving Ash as the lone hope of mankind. This was a surprisingly good crossover, and the ending was actually satisfying.

[JonFlash · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ash meets all the characters you’d hope, but he doesn’t use his broomstick or chainsaw on any zombies. It’s weird because they kill each other but he pretty much gets lead around running into characters until he jumps through a portal at the end. I wonder if maybe Marvel wouldn’t let him fight/beat/kill any characters. You’d think they’d let him chainsaw a zombie villain at least.
I found the hardcover for a reasonable price online. Don’t spend too much. Fun read but Ash is just there without doing anything of note.

[Genna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as ridiculous as you would want it to be.

[Alejandro Fion · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good start for the story

[Trent · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun!

[Spencer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This crossover is ridiculous, over-the-top... And a lot of fun! It's not anything particularly special but it is an enjoyable way to spend an hour or two.

[Guillermo García Rojas C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelso, magnífico.

[Tatiana Alejandra de Castro Pérez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un cambio de registro, más hacia el humor de Evil Dead, en éste cómic que en parte es precuela y en parte paralelo al primer tomo de Marvel Zombis.

Toques de humor, muchos héroes y giros curiosos.

[Nova · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting

[Rodney · Rating 3 out of 5]

vs. Army of Darkness is a fun romp, but does not really add much to the story, except some interesting uses of powers and some schlocky set pieces.