Esteemed That Texas Blood and The Enfield Gang Massacre artist Jacob Phillips has teamed up with Eisner Award–nominated Tate Brombal for an all-new western zombie comic Everything Dead & Dying. Is it worth picking up?
Over the years, Image Comics has published all sorts of epic western comics. From East of West to That Texas Blood, there’s been a range of awesome entries in the genre. The latest genre comic, Everything Dead & Dying by Tate Brombal (Batgirl, House of Slaughter) and Jacob Phillips, is a zombie apocalypse western — but it’s so much more than that.
In Everything Dead & Dying, we follow Jack Chandler, a farmer, who unwittingly finds himself the sole survivor of the zombie apocalypse in his quiet rural town. Surrounded by droves of the undead, and appearing immune to the virus, he decides against slaughtering the undead in favour of embracing their presence. His zombified old friends and community members exist alongside him, grunting, snarling, and reenacting their old habits and dull routines. This includes his undead husband and beloved adopted daughter, Daisy. Before long, his peace is interrupted by the living — and he’s the last layer of defence between them and the undead community he rules over.
Issue #1 presents a unique twist on the overly-saturated zombie genre. It’s emotional, telling the story from the perspective of lone farmer stuck in his ways and ardently carrying out his duties in a world ruled by the undead. But he’s not just a farmer. He’s also a father and husband, which is something he can’t let go of — he keeps his husband and daughter ‘alive’ as zombies. Is this denial? Is it unjust? Should he lay them to rest?
Through its monologues, this comic does a great job of digging deep into the mindset of Chandler. He’s a man who yearns to be loved and have a family, but has it torn away. Everything Dead & Dying is not just another zombie story — it’s a commentary on loneliness and grief.
Of course, avid comic readers will be very familiar with the emotive and gritty artwork of Jacob Phillips. He’s a master of his craft, and seeing his work flourish in the bloody landscape of zombies is a joy to behold.
Despite the western setting with zombies, Everything Dead and Dying is less of the relentless, action-packed thrill of Red Dead Undead, for instance. Rather, it aligns itself more along the highly emotional path of The Last of Us, with a slight hint of Richard Matheson’s I am Legend. The combination of Brombal’s writing and Jacob Phillips’ gritty artwork is a match made in comic heaven. This 5-issue series is not to be missed, folks.
Rating: 4.5/5
Everything Dead & Dying #1 debuts in comic stores and online on September 3, 2025.
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