EXCLUSIVE: Kill Screen #1 – Reivew

Let’s be honest: in the internet age, zombies are old technology. They’re (usually) slow, can’t communicate worth crap, and are, by their very definition, outdated hardware. Well, enter “Kill Screen,” a new series that’s just rebooted the zombie genre. And has done so in a really cool way.

Here’s the official word from the creator:

The bulk of the story is set two-years after a worldwide event called “Kill Screen” where the world breaks, with computer (and computer game) errors infecting the real world, the survivors are left to fend for themselves. “Kill Screen” itself is a reference to the point in Donkey Kong where the game stops being playable – in our world, we’ve reached that point where evolution has reached well beyond where it should have finished and now errors threaten everything that is left.

The first issue of “Kill Screen,” a new creator owned series written by Mike Garley, presents this compelling premise: what if the virus that kicks-off the next ubiquitous zombie apocalypse wasn’t biological at all, but computer based? The result would be a world where characters survive by essentially learning the rules of a new and terrible game, where they navigate a broken program that turns infected humans into red or blue monsters intent on killing anyone they catch. Well, in a nutshell, that’s what “Kill Screen” is all about. And with issue #1 Garley does a deft job of building this new universe in a way that still character-driven and emotionally compelling. This is all to say that this first issue of “Kill Screen” is a fucked-up love story that both gaming addicts and zombie lovers will adore.

Josh Sherwell provides the art, and does a beautiful job, taking Garley’s script and really running with it — yes, there’s pixelated blood. That aside, Sherwell has an eye for panel work, and pacing — even if some of this poses of the signature characters are a bit stiff at times.

Overall, “Kill Screen” is a must read — it offers a unique premise, and strong execution.