Zombies the Cursed Series Review

Title:	Zombies the Cursed
Contributors:	Troy Brownfield Oscar Celestini
Publisher:	Zenescope
Issue #:	1 - 3
Year:	2013
Pages:	32 Pages
Age Rating:	18+ (Language, Violence, Gore, Adult Themes)
Story Grade:	B
Art Grade:	B

This three book series is a tie in to Zenescope's Unleashed series, but it works as a standalone series all on its own. The basic premise is that every night when the sun goes down the undead rise from their graves. Only one man, Elijah, is able to end the curse, but to do so he must face the nightmare of his long and horrific past that goes all the way back to the cane fields of 1880's Louisiana and it doesn't involve time travel. Does that sound intriguing? It did to me and at $1 a copy, ($3 for the whole series) it was a bargain from my local comic shop.

In Issue #1 we get introduced to the main players of the story and get an introduction to Elijah's history which involves slavery, forbidden love, and voodoo.

Issue # 2 introduces a new character, a madame, that has an unusual relationship to Elijah, who has something of power that he requires to finish his quest. We also continue the development of Elijah's history which begins revealing more about why he's still around more than 100 years later.

Issue #3 wraps the story up making for a nice ending and leaving it open for additional stories to be told (hence the tie-in to Unleashed).

Great storytelling happens within the pages thanks to Troy Brownfield's writing. He doesn't get the reader lost with too many jumps between story time-streams and this is aided heavily by Oscar Celestini's art which is well done and in the style that most Grimm books are done (women are scantily clad, well endowed and nicely curved) heavily stylized and clean lines.

I grade this series a solid B. It was an entertaining read and well worth the full price of book, a steal at the price I paid. The story is a tried and true formula that blends zombie mythology and voodoo magic with a little southern mystery. That combined with the "Grimm stylized" artwork and you have a fine read in your hands.

Until next time... Happy never after.