Marvel Zombies 3
Encyclopedia
Marvel Zombies 3 is a four-issue comic book
limited series
published by Marvel Comics
beginning in October 2008
. It is part of the Marvel Zombies series
. The series is written by Fred Van Lente
, penciled by Kev Walker
, with covers by Greg Land
.
, the original Marvel Universe
, by entering through the Nexus of Realities in Florida. Siege, Jennifer Kale
, Wundarr
and the Conquistador, local members of the Fifty-State Initiative
, investigate but are attacked by zombie Deadpool
and a few zombified civilians. The zombies kill the Conquistador, and infect Siege and Wundarr. A horrified Kale destroys Deadpool's body with a fan boat. Siege's robotics detect the biological corruption and he self-terminates. Wundarr goes into hibernation to purge himself. A traumatized Jennifer Kale awaits in an observation room back at headquarters.
Back at A.R.M.O.R., Machine Man
and Jocasta
travel to the Marvel Zombie universe to find DNA with Little Sky
so they can find an uninfected human for Morbius
, now an A.R.M.O.R. scientist, to make a vaccine against the zombie plague so the 616 heroes can be inoculated against the virus. While the heroes are gone, it is revealed that Morbius is the zombie version, who has kidnapped the real one.
The two heroes find that "human" readings are really coming from clones generated by the zombie Kingpin, via his resources and created by the zombie Jackal
, now used as the zombies' sole food source under Kingpin's control. As they watch, the zombified Inhumans arrive and are welcomed by Kingpin.
Machine Man and Jocasta stumble upon Vanessa Fisk
, who is uninfected. She tells them that the Kingpin is keeping her safe. She allows Jocasta to get a blood sample, but declines an offer to escape to Earth-616, preferring to stay behind with her husband. Looking at the dead and dying bodies in the pit, Machine Man is overcome with pity, realizing that the zombies are treating the clones the way humans treat robots. He leaves Jocasta, goes into battle mode and destroys the clones out of mercy and gets attacked by the zombies.
Zombie Doctor Strange
appears, who only has the powers to create manna
(inedible to the zombies) and to see other dimensions. He reveals A.R.M.O.R.'s operations on Earth-616. Machine Man sees that the impostor Morbius used Deadpool to create a distraction so that he could set his plans in motion.
On the real Marvel Universe, a female team member finds the real Morbius captive. The infected version attacks and turns her, causing a zombie outbreak that quickly overtakes the entire facility. Little Sky returns Jocasta to A.R.M.O.R. without Machine Man, who didn't meet them on time, and Jocasta requests that Machine Man be given posthumous honors. Jocasta discovers Morbius is a zombie, and one zombie uses the A.R.M.O.R. teleporters to escape this reality.
In the zombie universe, Machine Man defeats the zombies, leaving only zombie Lockjaw
, who Machine Man uses to teleport back to A.R.M.O.R., then he kills the zombies. The real Morbius escapes and kills zombie Morbius.
Jocasta and Machine Man return to S.H.I.E.L.D.
, and Morbius volunteers to follow the zombie that teleported away, along with a new team of Midnight Sons
.
: Midnight Sons
.
.
The variant cover for issue #1 is an Arthur Suydam
Zombie version of Machine Man
#1, originally by Jack Kirby
.
The second printing of #1 features a variant cover by Kev Walker
, using story art from the issue.
and was happy with the story although he knocked off half a point for the ending. The writing is "briskly paced, humorous, and loaded with references that makes me think we read the same comics growing up" according to McCoy, who said it measures up well against its predecessors, suggesting that it is "rough-hewn and hearkens back to Philips' work on the previous series, but lacks the detailed gore of those stories". Timothy Callahan at Comic Book Resources
agrees, stating that Van Lente's writing "balances the sick humor with an engaging plot, providing a few twists and turns in just a single issue" and Walker's contribution is "streamlined an effective, with a kind of blocky Steve Dillon
vibe."
:
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
published by Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
beginning in October 2008
2008 in comics
-January:*January 9: Teen Titans: The Lost Annual, delayed since 2003, is published.*January 23: Hellblazer #240, marking the 20th anniversary of the series, is released.-February:...
. It is part of the Marvel Zombies series
Marvel Zombies (series)
Marvel Zombies is a comic book metaseries published by Marvel Comics. The series features zombie versions of Marvel Universe superheroes who have been portrayed as both protagonists and antagonists through the different limited series within the metaseries....
. The series is written by Fred Van Lente
Fred Van Lente
Fred Van Lente is an American writer, primarily of comic books and graphic novels.-Career:Van Lente is the co-founder, along with artist Ryan Dunlavey, of Evil Twin Comics, which produces his and Dunlavey’s non-fiction comic books, the first and most famous of which is Action Philosophers.Recent...
, penciled by Kev Walker
Kev Walker
Kevin "Kev" Walker is a British comics artist and illustrator, based in Leeds, who worked mainly on 2000 AD and Warhammer comics and the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering...
, with covers by Greg Land
Greg Land
Greg Land is an American comic book artist, best known for his work on characters such as X-Men, Birds of Prey, and Fantastic Four.-Career:Greg Land first got a job with an independent publisher as the artist for StormQuest after advertising himself at a Mid-Ohio Con comic convention...
.
Plot
Zombies invade Earth-616Earth-616
In the fictional Marvel Comics multiverse, Earth-616 or Earth 616 is the name used to identify the primary continuity in which most Marvel Comics titles take place.-Origin of Earth-616:...
, the original Marvel Universe
Marvel Universe
The Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
, by entering through the Nexus of Realities in Florida. Siege, Jennifer Kale
Jennifer Kale
Jennifer Kale is a fictional character, a sorceress in the Marvel Comics universe.-Publication history:Jennifer Kale was created by Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik, and debuted in Adventure into Fear #11 . She is the cousin of Ghost Riders Johnny Blaze and Danny Ketch, and a founding member of the...
, Wundarr
Wundarr the Aquarian
Wundarr the Aquarian is a Marvel Comics character created by Steve Gerber and Val Mayerik in Adventure into Fear #17. His first appearance is thought of as a parody of the origin of Superman.-Publication history:...
and the Conquistador, local members of the Fifty-State Initiative
Fifty State Initiative
The Fifty State Initiative, often referred to as simply The Initiative, is a fictional governmental plan that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics, in particular those related to The Avengers...
, investigate but are attacked by zombie Deadpool
Deadpool (comics)
Deadpool is a fictional character, a mercenary and anti-hero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by artist Rob Liefeld and writer Fabian Nicieza, Deadpool first appeared in The New Mutants #98 Deadpool (Wade Winston Wilson) is a fictional character, a mercenary and...
and a few zombified civilians. The zombies kill the Conquistador, and infect Siege and Wundarr. A horrified Kale destroys Deadpool's body with a fan boat. Siege's robotics detect the biological corruption and he self-terminates. Wundarr goes into hibernation to purge himself. A traumatized Jennifer Kale awaits in an observation room back at headquarters.
Back at A.R.M.O.R., Machine Man
Machine Man
Machine Man is a fictional character, an android superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe. The character was created by Jack Kirby for 2001: A Space Odyssey #8 , a comic written and drawn by Kirby featuring concepts based on the eponymous Stanley Kubrick film and Arthur C. Clarke novel...
and Jocasta
Jocasta (comics)
Jocasta is a fictional, comic book superhero appearing books published by Marvel Comics. A member of the Avengers, the character is a robot created by the villain Ultron.-Publication history:Jocasta first appears in The Avengers Jocasta is a fictional, comic book superhero appearing books published...
travel to the Marvel Zombie universe to find DNA with Little Sky
Portal (comics)
Portal is a fictional character, a mutant superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe. He first appeared as Charles Little Sky in Avengers #304 and as Portal in Darkhawk #5 ....
so they can find an uninfected human for Morbius
Morbius, the Living Vampire
Morbius, the Living Vampire, is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Roy Thomas and penciler Gil Kane, the character, a living human suffering from vampiric abilities resulting from scientific rather than supernatural means, first appeared as...
, now an A.R.M.O.R. scientist, to make a vaccine against the zombie plague so the 616 heroes can be inoculated against the virus. While the heroes are gone, it is revealed that Morbius is the zombie version, who has kidnapped the real one.
The two heroes find that "human" readings are really coming from clones generated by the zombie Kingpin, via his resources and created by the zombie Jackal
Jackal (Marvel Comics)
The Jackal is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appears in The Amazing Spider-Man #129 , and was created by writer Gerry Conway and artist Ross Andru. In The Amazing Spider-Man #148 The Jackal is a fictional character that appears in...
, now used as the zombies' sole food source under Kingpin's control. As they watch, the zombified Inhumans arrive and are welcomed by Kingpin.
Machine Man and Jocasta stumble upon Vanessa Fisk
Vanessa Fisk
Vanessa Fisk is a Marvel Comics character. She is the wife of Wilson Fisk, the so-called Kingpin of crime, and mother of Richard Fisk.-Fictional character biography:Little is known about Vanessa Fisk's personal life and early years...
, who is uninfected. She tells them that the Kingpin is keeping her safe. She allows Jocasta to get a blood sample, but declines an offer to escape to Earth-616, preferring to stay behind with her husband. Looking at the dead and dying bodies in the pit, Machine Man is overcome with pity, realizing that the zombies are treating the clones the way humans treat robots. He leaves Jocasta, goes into battle mode and destroys the clones out of mercy and gets attacked by the zombies.
Zombie Doctor Strange
Doctor Strange
Doctor Stephen Strange is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character was co-created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist Steve Ditko, and first appeared in Strange Tales #110 ....
appears, who only has the powers to create manna
Manna
Manna or Manna wa Salwa , sometimes or archaically spelled mana, is the name of an edible substance that God provided for the Israelites during their travels in the desert according to the Bible.It was said to be sweet to the taste, like honey....
(inedible to the zombies) and to see other dimensions. He reveals A.R.M.O.R.'s operations on Earth-616. Machine Man sees that the impostor Morbius used Deadpool to create a distraction so that he could set his plans in motion.
On the real Marvel Universe, a female team member finds the real Morbius captive. The infected version attacks and turns her, causing a zombie outbreak that quickly overtakes the entire facility. Little Sky returns Jocasta to A.R.M.O.R. without Machine Man, who didn't meet them on time, and Jocasta requests that Machine Man be given posthumous honors. Jocasta discovers Morbius is a zombie, and one zombie uses the A.R.M.O.R. teleporters to escape this reality.
In the zombie universe, Machine Man defeats the zombies, leaving only zombie Lockjaw
Lockjaw (comics)
Lockjaw is a fictional character and alien bulldog-like being that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. He first appeared in Fantastic Four #45 , and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.-Fictional character biography:...
, who Machine Man uses to teleport back to A.R.M.O.R., then he kills the zombies. The real Morbius escapes and kills zombie Morbius.
Jocasta and Machine Man return to S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D.
S.H.I.E.L.D. is a fictional espionage and a secret military law-enforcement agency in the Marvel Comics Universe. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby in Strange Tales #135 , it often deals with superhuman threats....
, and Morbius volunteers to follow the zombie that teleported away, along with a new team of Midnight Sons
Midnight Sons
The Midnight Sons is fictional team of supernatural superheroes in the Marvel Comics Universe. The team first appears in Ghost Rider The Midnight Sons is fictional team of supernatural superheroes in the Marvel Comics Universe. The team first appears in Ghost Rider The Midnight Sons is fictional...
.
Sequel
The end of the final issue sets-up the next part of the Marvel Zombies saga Marvel Zombies 4Marvel Zombies 4
Marvel Zombies 4 is a four-issue comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics beginning in April 2009. It is part of the Marvel Zombies series...
: Midnight Sons
Midnight Sons
The Midnight Sons is fictional team of supernatural superheroes in the Marvel Comics Universe. The team first appears in Ghost Rider The Midnight Sons is fictional team of supernatural superheroes in the Marvel Comics Universe. The team first appears in Ghost Rider The Midnight Sons is fictional...
.
Covers
Unlike the prior Marvel Zombies series covers, which were zombie variations of past Marvel comics covers, Marvel Zombies 3 covers are variants of well known movie posters. Art by Greg LandGreg Land
Greg Land is an American comic book artist, best known for his work on characters such as X-Men, Birds of Prey, and Fantastic Four.-Career:Greg Land first got a job with an independent publisher as the artist for StormQuest after advertising himself at a Mid-Ohio Con comic convention...
.
- Issue #1 is a reference to the Army of DarknessArmy of DarknessArmy of Darkness, also known as Evil Dead III: Army of Darkness or simply Evil Dead III, is a 1992 horror comedy fantasy action film directed by Sam Raimi. It is the third and final installment in The Evil Dead trilogy. The film was written by Raimi and his brother Ivan, produced by Robert Tapert,...
movie poster. - Issue #2 is a reference to the 28 Days Later28 Days Later28 Days Later is an acclaimed 2002 British horror film directed by Danny Boyle. The screenplay was written by Alex Garland, and the film stars Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Brendan Gleeson, Megan Burns, and Christopher Eccleston...
movie poster. - Issue #3 is a reference to The Evil DeadThe Evil DeadThe Evil Dead is a 1981 horror film written and directed by Sam Raimi, starring Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, and Betsy Baker. The film is a story of five college students vacationing in an isolated cabin in a wooded area...
movie poster. - Issue #4 is a reference to the US Shaun of the DeadShaun of the DeadShaun of the Dead is a 2004 British zombie comedy directed by Edgar Wright, starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, and written by Pegg and Wright. Pegg plays Shaun, a man attempting to get some kind of focus in his life as he deals with his girlfriend, his mother and stepfather...
movie poster.
The variant cover for issue #1 is an Arthur Suydam
Arthur Suydam
Arthur Suydam is an American comic book artist and musician. He has done artwork for magazines including Heavy Metal, Epic Illustrated and National Lampoon, while his comic book work includes Batman, Conan, Tarzan, Predator, Aliens, Death Dealer, and Marvel Zombies.-Illustration:Suydam has...
Zombie version of Machine Man
Machine Man
Machine Man is a fictional character, an android superhero in the Marvel Comics Universe. The character was created by Jack Kirby for 2001: A Space Odyssey #8 , a comic written and drawn by Kirby featuring concepts based on the eponymous Stanley Kubrick film and Arthur C. Clarke novel...
#1, originally by Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby
Jack Kirby , born Jacob Kurtzberg, was an American comic book artist, writer and editor regarded by historians and fans as one of the major innovators and most influential creators in the comic book medium....
.
The second printing of #1 features a variant cover by Kev Walker
Kev Walker
Kevin "Kev" Walker is a British comics artist and illustrator, based in Leeds, who worked mainly on 2000 AD and Warhammer comics and the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering...
, using story art from the issue.
Reception
Paul Brian Gomez Parra reviewed the first issue for Comics BulletinComics Bulletin
Comics Bulletin is a website with an emphasis on the American comic book industry, updated daily with news, reviews, interviews, and editorial content. Coverage ranges from mainstream to independent/small press comic book and graphic novel publishers.-History:...
and was happy with the story although he knocked off half a point for the ending. The writing is "briskly paced, humorous, and loaded with references that makes me think we read the same comics growing up" according to McCoy, who said it measures up well against its predecessors, suggesting that it is "rough-hewn and hearkens back to Philips' work on the previous series, but lacks the detailed gore of those stories". Timothy Callahan at Comic Book Resources
Comic Book Resources
Comic Book Resources, also known as CBR is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book-related news and discussion.-History:Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1996 as a development of the Kingdom Come Message Board, a message forum that Weiland had created to discuss DC...
agrees, stating that Van Lente's writing "balances the sick humor with an engaging plot, providing a few twists and turns in just a single issue" and Walker's contribution is "streamlined an effective, with a kind of blocky Steve Dillon
Steve Dillon
Steve Dillon is a British comic book artist, from Luton, Bedfordshire, best known for his work with writer Garth Ennis on Hellblazer, Preacher and The Punisher.-Biography:...
vibe."
Collected editions
The series has been collected into an individual volumeTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
:
- Marvel Zombies 3 (104 pages, hardcover, May 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3635-5, softcover, December 2009, ISBN 0-7851-3526-X)
See also
- Marvel ZombiesMarvel ZombiesMarvel Zombies is a five-issue limited series published from December 2005 to April 2006 by Marvel Comics. The series was written by Robert Kirkman with art by Sean Phillips and covers by Arthur Suydam. It was the first series in the Marvel Zombies series of related stories...
- Marvel Zombies 2Marvel Zombies 2Marvel Zombies 2 is a five-issue limited series published from October 2007 - February 2008 by comics publisher Marvel Comics. The series was written by Robert Kirkman with art by Sean Phillips and Arthur Suydam...
- Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of DarknessMarvel Zombies vs. The Army of DarknessMarvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness is a five-issue 2007 comic book limited series published by Marvel Comics in association with Dynamite Entertainment, an intercompany crossover in which Ash Williams, hero of the popular Evil Dead film and comic book, finds himself in the Marvel Zombies...
- Marvel ApesMarvel ApesMarvel Apes is a four-issue limited series by comics publisher Marvel Comics which started publication in October 2008. The series is written by Karl Kesel with art by Ramon Bachs and covers by John Watson....