Written/art by Etienne Derepentigny
Letters by Jerome Gagnon
Editor Kurt Belcher
Published by Red 5 Comics

“A mysterious plague is haunting the kingdom. With the help of a peacekeeper, a group of soldiers investigate a village that may hold the answers to what is happening. But the truth is far worse that everyone could ever imagine. Dead Kingdom is a five-part, multi layered saga that will explore a world where sorcery, brotherhood, and love collide with the rising nightmare of the living dead.”

Etienne Derepentigny’s debut comic comes out the gate swinging an axe and a sword. My last review was about a zombie comic in a different era and apparently that is my jam, because this too is a zombie comic set in a different era. This time we go to medieval times when armor and swords were a more common site for soldiers and plagues and zombie outbreaks will likely be blamed on witchcraft. I loved every second of this gore and horror-filled story about a plague killing and then reanimating the dead and the mystery that surrounds this plague. When I think of fictional stories about this time period there is always an element of magic and sorcery involved and this story is hinting that there will be a twist to the origins of the plague involving this!

Etienne is not only the writer but is pulling double and triple duty as the artist and colorist on this book! The thick lines utilized really make the characters stand out against the backgrounds, while also leaving no details out in the cities and woods. The readers’ eyes are drawn to details such as the captain’s axe, which seems to be hinting that it is something more than just a regular weapon with its intricate designs. His use of colors foreshadows both a bloody future and reveals a dark past for our main character, Kain.

Rounding out the book is one of the best letterers in indie comics and Etienne’s fellow Canadian, Jerome Gagnon. His ability to make the words not be seen, but instead to be heard and felt is impressive and continues to shine in this book as the zombies have a lot to say (mostly “Aargh!”).

Immerse yourself into a new world with a new take on zombies, and steel yourself for the gore and horror that lies within. Enter the Dead Kingdom and prepare for a journey that will definitely be getting even darker before the kingdom can even hope to recover. Two stories that I’m currently really enjoying are Cover the Dead with Lime and Kingdom Come: Deliverance. This feels like a mashup of the two genres held within these stories and is executed so beautifully that I’m excited to continue reading!

It’s October, my comic fans, so treat yourself to a tale of horror beyond your imagination that is releasing on October 12, 2022!

Rating: 9/10