Description

Marvel Zombies                                                             Hardcover w/ Dust Jacket
Featuring the Superheroes Secret Wars Zombified cover by Arthur Suydam. Awesome!!
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Sean Phillips
Cover by: Arthur Suydam

Torn from the pages of Ultimate Fantastic Four! On an Earth shockingly similar to the Marvel Universe’s, an alien virus has mutated all of the world’s greatest superheroes into flesh-eating monsters! It took them only hours to destroy life as we know it – but what happens when they run out of humans to eat?! Follow their search for more food, and witness the arrival of the Silver Surfer and the World Devourer, Galactus! Superheroes Secret Wars Zombie cover.

Story/Spoilers
In part #1, After sending a young Reed Richards back to his home reality with the last human survivors, Magneto stays behind to destroy the inter-dimensional portal. He succeeds, assuring that the zombies remain trapped in their home reality… but also that he is trapped with them.

In the ruins of the Baxter Building, Magneto finds himself surrounded by a horde of zombified heroes including Spider-Man, Colonel America, Thor, Daredevil, Moon Knight, Giant Man, Luke Cage, Angel, and Wolverine. The zombified heroes try to talk Magneto into surrendering. Spider-Man tells him the fight is hopeless and Daredevil adds that it’s clear he’s about to pass out. Colonel America offers a painless death, but Wolverine says he’s been waiting too long to take a piece out of Magneto to let him die without a fight. Magneto assures him there’s plenty of fight left in him—especially when he’s surrounded by tons of metal from the Baxter Building. Lifting girders, bolts, and fixtures from the wreckage, Magneto unleashes a devastating volley of metal. The attack sends metal flying through most of the zombie, and seems to take out Shang Chi, Cyclops, and Nighthawk. Daredevil takes a girder through the chest, leaving a large gaping hole.

As Magneto flies from the upper stories of the building (where the laboratory had been), Colonel America and Spider-Man leap after him. Unfortunately for them, Spider-Man just then ran out of webbing, and Magneto uses the Colonel’s own shield to slice through his skull. The two crash to the ground, breaking Spider-Man’s leg in half. The Colonel is even worse for the experience, having lost his cranium and with his decaying brains exposed. The Colonel vows “if we catch him—when we catch him—I get double rations!” Meanwhile, an exhausted Magneto sets down on a not too-distant rooftop. Shield in-hand, he manages to climb down a fire escape before collapsing in an alley.

From the shadows, Magneto looks on. Angel, Thor, and probably others are watching the skies for him, meaning he will have to walk. As he plans out his next move, he is surprised by the beeping of his wrist-mounted communicator. Sure enough, twelve of the Acolytes survived the attack and Asteroid M is still intact and operational. Finally, Magneto has some hope but refuses a shuttle, saying he will find his own way up… somehow. He puts the Acolytes on radio silence until further notice, and heads for the sewers.

No sooner has he begun to lift a nearby manhole cover than he’s spotted by Hawkeye. Hawkeye manages to get off a shot, but Magneto deflects it with the Colonel’s shield. The shield keeps flying, decapitating Hawkeye, but Magneto still takes the arrow in his side. Finally catching up, the Colonel arrives and retrieves his shield. Magneto uses the shield to toss the Colonel aside, but more zombies are fast on his heels. Thor, Daredevil, Giant Man, and Spider-Man (now riding Giant Man), arrive, and again tell his to just give up. Magneto’s response is to launch the arrow in his side (with its metal head) straight through Thor’s throat. Again Magneto uses every nearby scrap of metal as a weapon: car doors, girders, and even the entire skeleton of a building. “I think it’s safe to say you idiots underestimated me! What made you think I’m an easy target?! I’m the Master of Magnetism and we’re surrounded by steel and concrete! I’ll outlive you all. Did you really think you could defeat me?!”

As the flittering Wasp returns to her normal shape just long enough to take a huge bite out of Magneto’s neck, Pym responds, “Yes, I thought it was a pretty safe bet.”

Wasp flies off with her bites, which could last her days if she shrinks down. Magnus is still fighting when Thor rushes through and grabs him by the cape. He is challenged by the Hulk, who demands Magneto for himself. Hulk manages to rip off a leg while the other zombies swarm over Magneto and tear him apart. Pym tells Hulk he can keep the whole leg, but if he does not want a fight he better leave the rest. Hulk agrees.

After devouring Magneto, the zombified heroes just sit around. The hunger lessens now, and they are more lucid. Thor remains hungry, but the Hulk has returned to the form of Bruce Banner (whose body is having trouble accommodating all the flesh the Hulk ate). Spider-Man thanks whoever tossed a piece back to him during the frenzy, but Pym promises him it was just a lucky accident that he got any. He also wonders, “I don’t suppose any of you doctors here would be able to tell me if you think my leg is going to heal, would you?” Banner and Pym are unsure; Banner is not even sure he is digesting what he has eaten (or would be had his stomach not burst). Pym notes that they certainly feel no pain, and Daredevil reminds them that he does not even have a heart anymore. Wolverine has the final word on the matter: “My healing factor ain’t doing squat… we’re dead, but we’re not dying. Simple as that—and I ain’t no doctor.” Pym speculates that as long as their brains are intact they can function, despite missing organs, limbs, and decomposing.

As Colonel America walks up—half of his brains exposed and the other half of them in his hands—he suggests they rethink the brain theory. Banner says that proves nothing and it all depends on what part of the brain the Colonel lost. Now if they found Hawkeye’s head…. Spider-Man finally snaps, sick of the morbidity of what they have become. When he remembers how he ate his wife and aunt, he declares that all he wants to do is die. Pym reminds him that they all ate someone they cared about. Besides, they remain lucid only so long after eating, and they must make the most of that time. Banner in turn interrupts him, worried that a bone is about to rip through his gut. He begs anyone to make him angry enough to become the Hulk (and Thor, without hesitating, hits him in the face with his make-shift “hammer”), but is unable to due to his inability to feel pain.

While the others are distracted by the disgusting spectacle, Cage turns away and catches a glimpse of something fly by. Alerting the others, they eventually spot it again, as it passes overhead… the Silver Surfer!

Next in part #2, No sooner have the zombified heroes spotted the strange, silvery creature than he again vanishes. Angel suggests going up to see if he can spot him again, maybe make a sweep of the city. Pym tells Angel that if he so much as flaps a wing he’ll have Thor throw his makeshift hammer through Angel’s face; there’s no way he’s going to get the stranger all to himself. Angel says it was just a suggestion, and there’s no reason they can’t be more civil. Wolverine asks the Colonel if he has any ideas. Colonel says the Surfer was moving too fast. Maybe if the Hulk saw him in time to leap at him they’d have a shot; otherwise, it’s a waste of effort. Instead he suggests finding more pockets of civilians. Pym agrees, but says they should find out the story on the stranger anyway. He tells Angel to go tell the others what happened to Magneto – that he ignited a gas line during the fight and was vaporized leaving nothing to eat – while he goes to find Janet. Angel and the other zombies walk off, with Spider-Man riding on Cage’s back.

Pym eventually shrinks back down to normal size, never noticing Janet is buzzing along behind him. Eventually he comes to his hidden laboratory, where he’s keeping the Black Panther hidden and sedated. Pym has been keeping T’Challa alive, but slowly carving off pieces of his limbs to keep the hunger at bay while he looks for a cure. So far half of the Panther’s right arm is gone. As he works, Pym talks to the sedated hero. He realizes what he’s doing is sick, but he has no choice. He even thinks T’Challa might have volunteered for this – for the good of what’s left of the world in finding a cure – but he’s not about to let the drugs wear off so he can ask. What really terrifies Pym is that he likes the taste of flesh; even if he was cured, he doesn’t think he could stop eating people. Even scarier, that’s the only thing that terrifies him, even taking into account that he just sawed off a friend’s foot to eat it.

Janet finally returns to her normal size and confronts Pym about hiding the Panther from her (and everybody else). She begins attacking him, but her stingers do nothing to anyone who can’t feel pain. Pym grows as large as the room will allow and swats her away. When she threatens to tell everyone unless he shares the Panther’s body, Pym grabs her and bites off her head. He quickly spits it back out — Banner was right (last issue), the zombies do taste horrible. Pym leaves the clean-up for later so he can have T’Challa’s leg before it gets cold. While Pym eats, the drugs begin to wear off. Panther begs for death, and Pym goes to find more sedatives.

Meanwhile, the Surfer races across the world, surveying the whole planet. Everywhere he goes, all he can see is carnage and the undead.

At the same time, the other zombified heroes reunite with the bulk of the zombie horde in Times Square. The Colonel asks if Iron Man has returned yet, and Hercules informs him that the eight of them are the last to return. When the Colonel and his group check in with Iron Man, he immediately demands to know what took him so long, and how he got so ripped up. The Colonel admits they found Magneto, and that he got in some good hits. Daredevil delivers the story that Pym suggested, but Tony doesn’t believe it. Tony asks Spider-Man how his wife and aunt are, which sends the webslinger into another fit of depressed whining. Sick of it, Cage unceremoniously dumps him on the ground.

Between the emotional Spider-Man, the presence of Banner and not a hungry Hulk, and Banner’s ruptured belly, it’s not hard for Tony to see through the ruse. Angel tries to explain, but Tony says he would have done the same. The Colonel says he didn’t get a taste either, if that helps. (It doesn’t.) Tony asks about the missing avengers, and the Colonel tells him the Wasp flew off, Hank followed, and Hawkeye is dead (really dead, though he admits they never went back to see if the decapitated head was still active).

Iron Man has more important things to discuss with the Colonel, though. It’s only a matter of time before the zombies turn on each other, despite the taste. When that happens, it would be a bad idea to be in a big group like they are now. Tony is against splitting everyone up. Instead, he wants to disappear. If they comb the country, they might be able to find some survivors. Iron man asks the Colonel if he knows of any hidden bases or bunkers from his time as President. The Colonel reminds him that he didn’t serve a full term, and he spent very little time in bunkers.

The conversation is interrupted by the return of the Silver Surfer, who sends out a beacon over Time Square. The Surfer announces the coming of Galactus, and advises the heroes to make the most of their time. “Though it will mean the end of your existence, you must realize what an honor it is that your death will provide sustenance to Galactus.” Tony’s response is direct… “Get him!”

Next in part #3, As the story continues, Iron Man leads the charge of flying zombies against the Silver Surfer. The Surfer fends off the zombies with his energy blasts, cutting Stark in half at the waist and striking Moondragon down in the throng below. Stark manages to get hold of the Surfer’s board and grapples him along with Nova and Vulture. The Surfer’s skin is quite impenetrable, however, and Stark just breaks his teeth trying to take a bite. The Surfer manages to shake the trio, and quickly dispatches Nova and Captain Marvel. Thor is more successful, and knocks the Surfer from his board when he shatters his makeshift hammer on the Surfer’s face.

The Colonel leads the rush on the ground, telling everyone to keep the silver stranger off balance. This strategy doesn’t amount to much, and the Surfer quickly dispatches the Vulture, Moon Knight, Namor, and Falcon. Wolverine slashes at him, but the force of the blow just rips the adamantium bones from the rotten flesh of his arm. Wolverine ends up right by Stark’s torso. Stark ask Logan to toss him into the fray so he can use what’s left of his power for one more repulsor blast. Wolverine complies, and tosses Tony into the melee as the Surfer takes out Speedball and Gambit.

Hank Pym watches safely from the shadows of an alley, very thankful that he took his time getting back from the lab. He decides to wait until this whole ordeal is over. Elsewhere on the sidelines, Spider-Man resolves to finally just pull off his dangling, broken leg. Banner feels the hunger setting in, and transforms back into the Hulk. Rushing in, Hulk takes the Surfer from the other zombies restraining him, and is rewarded with two energy blasts to the face. Surfer tries to make his escape on his board, with zombies close behind. An even more enraged Hulk leaps at the Surfer and bites his head off.

The zombies all scramble for the rest of the Surfer’s body. Spider-Man bounds over debris, but is held back by Stark, who needs a lift. Spider-Man complains it hard enough for just him to get around, so a giant-size Pym gives them both a lift. Pym scoops up what’s left of the Surfers partially-devoured body and gives it to Stark and Parker. While Cage, Wolverine, and Colonel America rush to catch up, it occurs to Hercules to try and pry the Surfer’s head from the downed Hulk’s throat. The Hulk comes too and flattens Hercules’ head for the trouble. Beast confronts the others over their greed, and (to everyone’s surprise) is accidentally incinerated by Colonel America. It seems that by consuming the Surfer, each of the heroes gained a portion of his powers. Pym suggests that they see how the undead taste when they’re extra-crispy.

Elsewhere in the city, the Black Panther hobbles along with a crutch bandaged to his stump and the Wasp’s head under his arm. Wasp keeps begging him for a taste… a finger, anything to alleviate her hunger. The Panther keeps a conversation going, but it’s pretty one sided. Eventually T’Challa can take no more: he yells that, even though the virus has somehow kept her alive, the hunger is all in her head. She has no body, can’t possibly digest anything, and has nowhere for that food to go. Their bickering is interrupted by Fabian Cortez, who demands that the “monsters tell him where Magneto is. He is soon shocked to see that T’Challa is still alive.

Back in Times Square, Pym tosses Thor’s burnt corpse on the pile with all the others, having definitively shown that zombies taste horrible no matter how much you cook them. The zombies have gone right back to having no food. Stark’s new found ability to fly leads him to believe they should all be able to do it now, meaning they can comb the world for survivors more efficiently. (Plus, they won’t have to share. The heroes begin to regret incinerating their comrades, however, Galactus appears before them and attack declaring that they are hungry.

Next in part #4, As the story continues, an angry Galactus stands over the zombified heroes, firing blasts of energy from each finger of his gargantuan hand. The zombies are dodging as best they can when Cage and Spider-Man suggest running while they can. Wolverine, on the other hand, refuses to give up until a chunk of the giant Galactus is in his gut. Pym agrees with Wolverine; a larger foe means more to eat. Pym coordinates the others, and the six direct the full force of their new cosmic powers at Galactus. Un-phased, Galactus tells him that he admires their resolve – it is a rare trait, even in his travels – but he has leveled worlds and armadas. They are no more than a nuisance to him. Pym is convinced it’s a bluff, but Colonel America is starting to believe it.

Cage is in the middle of one of his “I told you so’s” when a blast of cosmic energy vaporizes his left arm. Tony (who doesn’t have much left to lose at this point) has had enough and starts a hasty retreat. Spider-Man does likewise, and puts in a vote for Tony as team leader, “or anyone else who wants to lead us away from this thing!” Pym finally agrees and they pull back to regroup and come up with a plan. Galactus does not follow: he stopped showing interest as soon as the zombified heroes stopped trying to stand in his way.

Pym decides that they should return to his lab. There he hopes to find a way to to defeat Galactus. When Hulk mentions that he hasn’t seen Pym in his lab since this whole mess started, Pym admits he kept it secret until now (without mentioning keeping Black Panther for himself). “You’ll understand why when we get there.” On the way the Hulk reverts back to Banner. Banner doesn’t recall much, but assumes they all found food since he’s there. Pym says Banner is exactly who they need right now.

As they enter the lab, Cage notices Janet Van Dyne’s body. Pym goes to unlock the cabinet where he’d been keeping the Black Panther, and asks the others to let him explain before they do anything rash. Pym is visibly surprised to see T’Challa is gone, unaware of his escape. Still, when pressed about what he was keeping secret he thinks quickly and claims that the whole secret was that Janet attacked him and he had to kill her. Elsewhere in the city, the escaped T’Challa speaks with the Acolytes. Cortez is still in a state of shock that anyone could survive. Burns, on the other hand, think it’s some sort of zombie trick, since he is carrying Wasp’s head. Another Acolyte agrees, and Cargill say she’ll take off his head if Cortez just gives the word. Cortez orders everyone to stand down, but Burns is determined to incinerate the pair.

The Panther quickly sees where this is going, and hurls Janet’s head at Burns before he can act. Janet manages to chomp down on Burns’ neck. The other Acolytes quickly attack, but even in his weakened state T’Challa manages to take out the first one and easily dodge Cargill. Cortex orders everyone to stop. Burns disobeyed a direct order, and payed with his life. T’Challa can’t be blamed for defending himself. T’Challa thanks Cortez for his understanding, and Cargill starts to protest. Cortez cuts her off, saying the last remaining humans all have to work together if the species is to survive. The aggressive Acolyte moves to “put [Janet] out her misery,’ but the Panther stops him, saying she will be no threat under the proper supervision. She is his friend, and she is coming with them to Asteroid M. This time it is Cortez’s turn to balk.

Days later, in Pym’s lab, Spider-Man and Cage pass time playing cards while Banner, Pym, and Stark look for a way to beat Galactus. Colonel America returns from Wakanda with several sheets of vibranium – probably the last refined vibranium ever made, while stating Wakanda has seen better days. With the crystals from Doctor Strange’s Sanctum Sanctorum, the materials scrounged from the Baxter Building, and what they stole from Castle Doom in Latveria they should have everything they need to enact their plan.

As they work, Banner feels the hunger start to overtake him again. To Colonel America’s surprise, he reaches into his bandaged gut a pulls out a piece of the Silver Surfer. Stark explains that they’ve all been doing that (except for Cage and Spider-Man, whose bodies are messed up enough) ever since pieces started falling out of him. By re-eating the flesh they keep the hunger at bay long enough to work. Their bodies are pretty acid though, so the pieces get smaller every time. Pym, however, is ready for fresh meat….

Back in Times Square, Galactus faces off against a horde of zombified villains. “Whoa. Who called in the cavalry?” wonders Spider-Man. Pym sees it more as “who invited them to dinner.”

Up on Asteroid M, the landing party (plus T’Challa and the head of Janet Van Dyne) are greeted by Reynolds, the Asteroid’s resident “science guy.” Reynolds is lukewarm about meeting T’Challa, but is thrilled to find he’s brought “a specimen.” Janet is less than amused (and still very hungry). T’Challa warns Reynolds to treat her with respect, despite her present condition (and that she is obviously a biter). Cortez asks Lisa Hendricks to show T’Challa around, a task she is happy to see to. When T’Challa suggests that he’d rather find a better way to get around first, the Acolytes introduce him to another survivor who knows a thing or two about artificial limbs: Forge.

Back in the city, the team assembles their secret weapon. The villains even seem to actually be wearing Galactus down a bit. After putting in a few last-minute adjustments, the seven assemble around the device, and fire. The machine combines and amplifies their energies, and directs a single, mighty beam at a now much more vulnerable Galactus.

Finally in part #5, The first blast of combined cosmic power from the device visibly shakes mighty Galactus (and in the process tore through Lizard and Dr. Octopus; see last issue). The second blast brings him crashing down, sending the villains bolting before his gargantuan mass. Once he is down, the rush back to claim their grim prize, but are stopped by the heroes. “Our kill, our feast!” When Mole Man says that he’s going to have to fight for so much as a taste, Colonel America blows his head off. “With Pleasure.”

The zombies square off. Spider-Man easily dodges Venom’s clawing, and responds with a well-placed blast to the back. When Spider-Man quips that he remembers Brock being more agile than that, Brock manages to sputter out that the symbiote is already dying (he was no longer a suitable host). As the symbiote begins to dissolve, Brock collapses to the ground.

Wolverine, meanwhile, is squaring off against Juggernaut, who laughs at the notion of Wolverine’s claws piercing his armor; besides, he only has half as many now. Wolverine reminds him that he is not completely armored – and demonstrates by driving his fist through Marko’s face – and he’s also forgotten about their new cosmic powers. Juggernaut’s helm goes flying as a blast of Wolverine’s power cosmic blows Marko apart from the inside out.

The fight continues in the “heroes” favor. As Giant Man finished off Rhino, he admits – sickening as it is – that he’s really enjoying the carnage. Wolverine squares of against Sabretooth, while Colonel America goes toe-to-toe with his old foe, the Red Skull. As he pins the Skull to the ground, the Colonel ask: “You could never hope to best me in a physical fight – what makes you even try?”

“You need me to spell it out for You?” asks the Skull, never missing a beat as the Colonel severs his arm. “You’ve never has such an obvious weakness before!” With that the Skull reaches into the Colonel’s open skull and pulls out what’s left of his brains. An enraged Spider-Man lashes out, severing the Skull’s head with a blast. Before the still animate head is crushed under Pym’s giant foot, his last words are “So worth it – all of it.. Just for this.”

The carnage continues: Spider-Man blasts the Goblin; Wolverine finishes off Octavius; Giant Man tears the Super-Skrull in half with one hand and blasts Stilt-Man with the other; their bodies join those of Doom, the Mole Man, and Sabretooth on the ruined ground below. Soon the villains are all dead — permanently dead — but the fight is not over. No sooner is their competition destroyed than Galactus recovers, enraged as never before by the gall of these mortal insects. The zombies do not waver. In a moment they are on him, slashing at his body, peeling back armor, devouring his flesh….

Five years later, a strange craft returns to the forgotten, overgrown square. From it emerge the last surviving humans: the Acolytes. Hendrick’s carries with her the infant T’Channa, her son and T’Challa’s. The land appears deserted, but they are warned to be ready. Starvation does not kill a zombie, and they could still be around. T’Challa asks his wife if the child wouldn’t be safer back on Asteroid M, at least until Reynolds finishes his scans of the area. She understands his concerns, but it is evident that this world empty of life…and death. No sooner has she spoken than Reynolds emerges from the craft, confirming her suspicions… along with the cyborg-zombie, Janet Van Dyne. Janet’s head is left floating in a vat of preservative fluid, held up by a robotic body which allows her to move. Forge asks Reynolds how the area can be empty: “are you sure they’re not just in another part of the planet?”

Again, Reynolds confirms. He scans were all-encompassing; that’s why they had to come through the atmosphere before he could get a clear reading. Thermal scans show no living humans. Motion sensors show nothing alerted to their presence or approaching them. All of the zombies have either died, gone into some sort of hibernation, or left. This makes them wonder, and worry. How could they leave the planet? “Not only that… if they did leave this planet… where did they go?”

Light years away, on another world, the robed monarch of a frail, purple race puts his heir to bed. He is approached by a fearful adviser, who bears with his terrifying news. As they make their way through the palace confirms their worst fears. Their sensor readings have not been in error. The data they have collected from the dead worlds they have explored has allowed them to predict the attack to come: the coming of “the Galactus.”

“Then all is lost,” replies the monarch, sullen and defeated. “How much time have we?”

“None.”

Outside the citizens panic, clawing over one another get escape from the six mutilated figures descending from the star-lit sky: Hulk, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Power Man, Wolverine, and Giant Man. Hank Pym of the new Galactus has the last word: “It’s feeding time boys!”

Hardcover reprints/collects: Marvel Zombies (2005 – 2006 1st Series) Issues #1-5.  Marvel Comics

Hardcover w/ Dust Jacket is bagged and will be carefully / securely packaged then shipped via USPS Priority Mail to ensure that it arrives to you perfectly and quickly.

First Printing
Publisher: Marvel Worldwide, Inc.
Publication Date: 2006
Format: FC, 136 pages, HC, 11″ x 7.5″
ISBN-10: 078512277
ISBN-13: 9780785122777

Collectible Entertainment note:  Hardcover w/ Dust Jacket is in Very Fine condition.  Beautiful!  Please See Scans!!  A must have for any serious Marvel Zombies and/or Arthur Suydam collector / enthusiast.  A fun and entertaining read.  Highly Recommended.

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