10 Killer Zombie Comics To Sink Your Teeth Into

In this post, we present to you 10 killer zombie apocalypse comics to sink your teeth into.

The zombie genre is far from brainless. Zombie comics have been swarming the medium for decades. From early gore, to acclaimed long-running series like The Walking Dead, there’s so many amazing works out there. In this list, we share with you our picks of the 10 best zombie comics out there. We’re talking essential-reading for all horror fans, and works destined to become future classics. Do open; zombies inside.

[the_ad id=”3758″]

Empire of the Dead

What initially drew me to Empire of the Dead was its author, George A. Romero, one of my all-time favorite filmmakers. Romero is the visionary director behind some of the most iconic zombie movies, including Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead. Naturally, when I discovered that he had penned his own graphic novel, I couldn’t contain my excitement.

My hype certainly paid off big time. Empire of the Dead is outstanding. Written by Romero and illustrated by Alex Maleev, it’s not just a zombie comic, but also a vampire saga. The story is set in a walled-off New York City, where humans try to survive the outbreak. But aside from zombies, there’s also a cunning society of vampires that lurk in the shadows.

The seamless blend of humans, zombies and vampires makes for a fascinating comic. It’s got plenty of action, of course, but it also dives into cultural issues and political intrigue, which is indicative of Romero’s work.

Empire of the Dead is the perfect gritty, post-apocalyptic novel for those seeking to dive a little deeper into the genre. It offers something unique, while still staying true to Romero’s signature style.

You can buy Empire of the Dead here.

Year Zero

Published by AWA Studios, Year Zero comes from Ben Percy (Wolverine) and Ramon Rosanas (Star Wars: Age of Resistance). The series offer up a unique, comprehensive global look at the impact of a zombie apocalypse, told from the perspectives of different survivors: a Japanese hitman, a Mexican street urchin, an Afghan military aide, a Polar research scientist, and a midwestern American survivalist

It’s one of those zombie stories that keeps you coming back. The wide range of stories are super engaging , offering up moral and theological questions. And the art is stunning throughout. I can’t recommend it enough.

You can buy Year Zero here.

Marvel Zombies

While not exactly a grounded, realistic story, Marvel Zombies has one big thing on its side. It was written by Robert Kirkman, creator of The Walking Dead. A lot of Kirkman’s signature themes and styles carry over, too.

The story is pretty much exactly what the title suggests. In Marvel Zombies, all of the world’s greatest super heroes are turned into flesh-eating monsters by a mutated alien virus. Humanity is quickly wiped out of existence… but what happens when super-zombies no longer have any humans to eat? It’s beloved property for comic fans. And later this year, we’ll see an animated series from Marvel Studios.

You can buy Marvel Zombies here.

28 Days Later

Recently watched 28 Years Later? Already seen 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later? If you find yourself craving more stories from the franchise, there’s a wonderful comic book series to check out!

Written by Michael Alan Nelson (Hexed, Supergirl) and drawn by Declan Shalvey, Alejandro Aragon, and various other artists, the 28 Days Later comics were published between 2009 and 2011, and collected in an omnibus edition by BOOM! Studios in 2014. Told over 24 issues (collected into six volumes), the story bridges the gab between 28 Days and 28 Years Later.

It sees the return of Selena, the survivor in the original movie played by Naomie Harris. The story follows Selena as she’s recruited by a team of journalists and mercenaries, with the aim of returning to infected Britain to investigate the truth behind the Rage virus.

The 28 Years Later comics are quite hard to find in physical form. But you can find them digitally. Perhaps with the franchise undergoing a resurgence with 28 Years Later, it’s time for a reprint!

You can buy 28 Years Later here.

Zombie Tales

This is the perfect time to be talking about Zombie Tales, with publisher BOOM! Studios recently releasing a complete edition of the long-running series.

The zombie anthology series features works from some of the medium’s most esteemed authors, such as Mark Waid, Keith Giffen, Steve Niles, Joe R. Lansdale, Karl Kesel, Andy Kuhn, Tom Peyer, Ming Doyle, William Messner-Loebs, Tom Fowler, Ron Lim, and J.K. Woodward. The artistic team, too, stands out with names like Eisner-Award winning artist Fábio Moon (Casanova), among many others.

Like most anthology series, Zombie Tales is hit and miss. But I’ll gladly report that it’s almost all hits, which is just about the highest praise an anthology series can receive. The stories have a rich blend of themes, whether its dark and disturbing tales, to killer Zombieland-esque wit, to social satire. It’s the ultimate box of chocolates; you never know what you’re gonna get.

You can buy Zombie Tales here. 

Crossed

We’re cheating a little with Crossed. It’s not exactly a zombie story.  But the comic veers close enough to zombies (and it’s so, so good) that we are happy to cheat and throw in a curveball.

Crossed is a dark comic series created by Garth Ennis (the mind behind The Boys and Preacher) with illustrations by Jacen Burrows. It’s easily the darkest, most brutal, disturbing and gruesome comic on this list. It’s not for the faint-hearted; consider yourself warned.

So what’s the premise? A virus infects humanity, but instead of turning them into brainless maniacs; it brings out people’s demons. They don’t become dumb, flesh-eating zombies People become disturbingly sadistic and homicidal. The virus strips every bit of empathy out of those infected. The infected or “Crossed,” — as named because of the distinctive cross that appears on their faces — quickly take over the world.

The series has had much critical acclaim over the years, and it also merited various spinoff projects. Notably, comics legend Alan Moore wrote his own run set in the Crossed universe, titled Crossed +100, taking place a century after the outbreak.

You can buy Crossed here. 

Before We Sail

Set in a post-apocalyptic, zombie-ridden world, Before We Sail follows duo Jonathan and Kath as they flee Lima and head for the sea. Blending survival with a sprinkle of piracy, it explores themes of depression, purpose, and the search for meaning in a world ripped apart and torn of order.

Before We Sail is a triumphant debut in comics for Carlos Yacolca. He had a pretty stellar team working alongside him, too. The gorgeous, cinematic artwork is from Michelle Lino, with a variety of unique lettering by Diego Revelo and design from David Escobedo. Also involved as editors were comics legend David Lloyd (V for Vendetta) and Alberto Rayo.

The comic, coming in at just over 40 pages, tells a complete story across 7 chapters. While it achieves this, it packs a ton of content into its panels and pages, which feels convoluted at times. It could’ve benefited from being longer. Even so, it manages to tell a narrative that’s incredibly heartfelt, from the perspectives of its two main characters: Jonathan and Kath.

You can find Before We Sail on ACES Weekly here.

The Last of Us: American Dreams

Naughty Dog’s zombie games The Last of Us and The Last of Us: Part II are two of the most critically acclaimed video games of all time.

Directed by Neil Druckmann, the games are equal parts thrilling and deeply emotional, exploring the growing bond between Ellie — a girl who appears immune to the zombie virus– and Joel Miller, who’s tasked with escorting her across post-apocalyptic America to a group of doctors who plan to develop a vaccine from her blood. The U.S. they traverse is rife with dangers from the living, and zombie-like beings infected by a mutated strain of the Cordyceps fungus.

The Last of Us has also merited a brilliant TV adaptation at HBO, starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. If you’ve played the games and seen the show but you’re still craving more, Druckmann has also written a The Last of Us graphic novel, with art from Faith Erin Hicks. The 4-issue comic, subtitled American Dreams, serves as a prequel to the first game. It chronicles Ellie’s arrival in Boston quarantine zone, and further develops her friendship with Riley Abe.

The graphic novel was a critical and commercial success and has become a must-read for The Last of Us fans.

You can buy The Last of Us: American Dreams here. 

News From the Fallout

While at this point. News From the Fallout is still only just beginning, it has got all the hallmarks of being an immensely popular series. A gloomy, atmospheric series, News From the Fallout is reminiscent of George A. Romero’s The Crazies, but very much exists in a realm of its own. It’s not quite traditional zombies, but close enough to include it on this list.

The comic is created by the esteemed team of writer Chris Condon (That Texas Blood, Enfield Gang Massacre, Ultimate Wolverine) and artist Jeffrey Alan Love (The Last Battle at the End of the World, The Thousand Demon Tree).

News from the Fallout is set in 1962 Nevada after a nuclear bomb test goes awry unleashing a contaminate into the atmosphere that turns people rotten. Otis Fallows, a private in the U.S. Army who is present for the test and is the only known survivor, flees the secret army base in search of a safe haven—but does such a place exist? You can find our review of issue #1 here.

You can buy News From the Fallout issue #1 here. 

The Walking Dead

If you’re seeking a zombie comic and you haven’t already picked up The Walking Dead, what are you even doing? The series  is one of the most popular comics of all-time, not least zombie comics. Robert Kirkman’s long-running zombie series is a grounded, emotionally-driven take on the zombie apocalypse, with themes of morality, leadership, and the immense psychological impact of survival.

It’s golden standard by which all other post-apocalyptic comics are compared. We won’t even go into the plot. Just know that if you haven’t already picked it up, there’s no way you’ll be disappointed.

You can find and buy The Walking Dead here. 

What’s your favorite zombie comic? Tell us in the comments down below!

Affiliate links shared in this article may earn us commissions.

[forminator_form id=”842″]