Reviewer: Kevin S. Mahoney
Volume Title: Miles Behind Us
Written by: Robert Kirkman
Penciled by: Charlie Adlard
Inked by: Charlie Adlard
Grey tones by: Cliff Rathburn
Lettered by: Robert Kirkman
Editor: N/A
Publisher: Image Comics
Creator owned projects can be a wonderful thing. There’s an implicit freedom in building an imaginary universe from scratch. Not only can anything go, how it’s put together is entirely up to the creators. It’s a lofty summit, but a difficult climb. Books outside the mainstream don’t always find their audience. The series don’t always make money. And occasionally, the author/creator runs out of things to say and begins repeating himself or “churning it out”.
For every one-note series, for every double-handful of poorly executed, badly drawn but struggling independent works, careful observant readers find something truly worthwhile. It just so happens this remarkable project heavily involves the undead walking amongst the living. It really highlights how people cope with their world once every group institution (everything from government to utilities) has failed. The stories feature survivalist drama, soap opera style shenanigans, and hard-bitten emotional upheaval. The book is a great read on all fronts.
Lots of things in this series have been observed before in other media (particularly film) and many of the same rules apply here. The hero (wounded cop Rick) wakes up in a hospital weeks after the outbreak of zombies and is very confused by the changes in the world, much like Cillian Murphy’s Jim in 28 Days Later. The zombies can only be killed with a shot through the brain, echoing many, many B-movies. Anyone bitten by a zombie will, in the course of hours or at most days, devolve into one. The zombies themselves seem rather unintelligent, awkward and slow. But they are stealthy and prone to hiding and surprising, which makes certain scenes suspenseful and thrilling.
The writing really shines in the group dynamics. The deaths among the cast (and there are many) really affect the identities of the survivors. The ability to cope with their new world varies from character to character. Freak-outs do sporadically occur, and the dialogue and resultant turmoil at such times is top notch. Combine the soap opera prone, edible yet not disposable cast, with a keen eye for natural details (nature, weather, and how to cope with them without electrical power) and the tales resonate profoundly.
The art is really something. It isn’t a cardboard cut-out of any one artist or style, but there are a few obvious influences. The black, white, and gray color scheme is reminiscent of Mike Allred’s Madman: Oddity Odyssey. The lack of color becomes second nature after a few pages, and that’s impressive. The line work is even more laudable, resembling Jim Calafiore’s textured and detailed approach. This series is nonstandard, and yet still a joy to look at.
