Comics
Review: ‘Fanboys Vs. Zombies’ #2
Whether it be comics, gaming, horror, sci-fi, or fantasy, fan boys are all of the same breed. That’s why I was incredibly jovial when I heard of the melding of realms in Fanboys vs Zombies. Comics showcasing zombie slaughter usually take a more serious tone; friends dying, tears being shed, and most importantly killing a fellow man to ensure survival. BOOM’s new zombie apocalypse book takes a different spin on the situation with a lighthearted gore-fest that everyone can enjoy.
WRITTEN BY: Sam Humphries
ART BY: Jerry Gaylord and Penelope Gaylord
PUBLISHER: BOOM!
PRICE: $3.99
RELEASE: May 9
Not surprisingly this book takes place at Comic-Con, where the worst or, possibly the best, (depending on how crazy you are) thing takes place: A ZOMBIE OUTBREAK. A group of friends, acquaintances, and celebrities band together in an attempt to A: find a way out of this epidemic of doom or B: begin slaughtering the undead. Everyone has thought about the best places to hold out in the case of a zombie attack, or what objects in the immediate vicinity could be a weapon. I can honestly say that a comic convention was never on my list, but hindsight’s 20/20 and I love the idea. There as a whole arsenal of weapons from the various booths, and of course there’s the over-priced food and beverage area to keep you from starving. Plus, as “Fanboys Vs. Zombies” quickly points out, there’s always the fantasy buffs coated in steel, shouting, “WINTERFELL”, and every group of zombie survivalists could use one of those.
Sam Humphries’ writing is a blast, the dialogue realistically hilarious, there are all types of geek culture quotes laced through this book: “Come at me bro”. I have to admit, I burst out laughing in my office to the dismay of my co-workers, but isn’t that the point!? Unlike so many other zombie books I’ve read, Jerry Gaylord’s art is very cartoony, but it’ as perfect fit for this story, not to mention the gore and blood is in copious amounts, which I do so love.
The second issue is fast pace, offers a solid backdrop on characters, while also showing some great developments as cowardly appearances are reversed in the midst of the chaos. Very fun, easy to read, action packed, and side splitting humour, make this one of the funnest blood-baths on the shelves.
Reviewed by – GreenBasterd
The supernatural world of Korean folk horror movie Exhuma grows larger with the arrival of prequel spinoff webtoon Maengjong this weekend, Variety reports today.
Naver Webtoon debuts Maengjong on May 30.
The series hails from Haemuri (Olgami) and will trace the high school origins of how shaman duo Hwarim and Bonggil, played by Kim Go-eun and Lee Do-hyun in the 2024 film, came together to face occultish threats.
The story is set to begin when “Hwarim, who has been concealing her identity following a childhood encounter with a snake spirit called Jin, crosses paths with Bonggil at their school.”
Variety notes that Exhuma director Jang Jae-hyun participated in the project’s early concept stage.
“We are presenting ‘Maengjong,’ a new series capturing the appeal of the horror-occult genre, ahead of the full summer season,” said Lee Jeong-geun, Naver Webtoon’s Korea webtoon content leader. “With the high school story of Hwarim and Bonggil, who left a strong impression in the film ‘Exhuma,’ enhanced by Haemuri’s characteristic tense direction, we expect it will be a welcome work for genre fans.”
“It is meaningful that the spin-off story of ‘Exhuma,’ loved by many audiences, expands by meeting the new grammar of webtoon,” said Lee Hyeon-jeong, managing director of the film business division at Showbox, which distributed the film. “We hope it will be a fresh experience for both film fans and webtoon readers.”
Exhuma was a breakout hit in 2024, becoming the first Korean occult film to surpass 10 million ticket buyers and the country’s highest-grossing film of the year. I wrote in my review that “the intricately woven Exhuma delivers one of the year’s biggest surprises in horror so far.”
The bond between Hwarim and Bonggil was one of the film’s highlights, making this prequel webtoon a must for fans.
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