Revival #4 is the latest entry in Tim Seeley’s fresh, intellectually intriguing take on zombies. This issue sees a number of developments in rural Wisconsin, where the series is set, as Dana Cypress begins to believe all “revivers” are inherently violent, her sister Em – a reviver – comes face to face with something that seems to have some tie to her, and a famous reporter gets a couple of, shall we say, shitty surprises. The issue can be somewhat confusing at times, as it jumps around a lot, but is mostly solid. Ultimately though, what makes this issue most appealing is the anticipation of what will happen in the next one.

WRITTEN BY: Tim Seeley
ART BY: Mike Norton
PUBLISHER: Image Comics
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE DATE: October 24th, 2012

For those unfamiliar with “Revival”, it takes place in rural Wisconsin in a small area where, on one day, 20-something people came back from the dead. All possess exceptional strength and regenerative abilities, but are not mindless flesh-eaters. However, at least two of them have shown a predilection for violence. Dana Cypress is the head of the police unit in charge of dealing with crimes committed by these revivers, and she’s got her hands full at the moment. She’s currently dealing with the aftermath of a reviver-suicide at a funeral home, and considering whether or not her revived sister Em is as capable and willing to engage in deadly behavior.

Meanwhile, intrepid reporter May Tao is working on a story about a ghost and an old lady and… well, it’s kind of uncertain at the moment. That’s one of the problems with the plot currently – there are a lot of characters, events, and motivations to keep track of, and at certain points, the storytelling becomes a bit cluttered on a monthly basis. You need to re-read portions of the text to understand who or what certain characters are referring to, and you can get lost in exactly what’s going on. That isn’t to say Tim Seeley’s story is bad, because it’s actually pretty good, but the execution varies from time to time.

Mike Norton’s art is a little more consistent, however. While nothing is exceptional here, he does a good job of telling the story, and his character work is definitely his strongpoint. His art does a great job of conveying the emotions – obvious and subtle – of the characters, and he can handle gore when it comes down to it. That said, I’m still not a huge fan of his ghost, but then again, maybe that’s just me.

All said, this is a solid entry in an interesting series. While the narrative can be somewhat obtuse at times, it’s still full of intrigue, suspense and strong characters. This series has potential, and is definitely one to keep an eye on.

3/5 Skulls

Reviewed by – GeorgeShunick