Halloween
2018 Post-A-Day: Day 1
Horror-ible
and Tie-ins
Shaun
of the Dead #2
One
of my all-time Favorite movies gets an adaptation
"Part 2”
Screenplay – Simon Pegg
and Edgar Wright
Adaptation – Chris Ryall
Artist – Zach Howard
Colorist – Thompson Knox
Letterer – Robbie Robins
Editor – Dan Taylor
July 2005
Shaun
of the Dead is one of those perfect movies. It hits all the right story beats,
combines comedy, drama, and horror in an effective manner, visually stimulates
with carefully crafted and timed shots that underpin the tale in interesting
way, and it’s British.
I
unreservedly love this movie.
Happening
across this adaption of it in the bargain bin made for moments of giddy
finger-wiggling followed by minutes of worried trepidation as I added it to my
stack of pulls. The problem with loving a property this much is that
translating it between mediums is a tricky business. Following the property in
a slavish manner can end up draining the energy and life from the work. Allowing
a writer or artist to skew too far afield from the work and you run the risk of
creating something derivative and unsatisfying.
What
I’m stating here is that adapting a movie to a comic is a tightrope walk.
Luckily
this one appears to be in the capable hands of Chris Ryall and the art stylings
of Zach Howard. Underneath that gorgeous Jason Brashill cover lurks enough of
the energy and vibe that drove the hit motion picture while containing enough of
the story beats timed in such a way that the issue neither drags nor skips
ahead. They got this one right.
Before
we jump in to our story in progress, I have to admit to a bit of sadness at missing
the first issue of this in my swim through the bins. The first part of Shawn of
the Dead contains the setup for the dynamics between the characters, a truly
masterful thing that is the heart and soul of the flick.
Anyone
can make a zombie movie. It takes the brilliance of Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright
to make a zombie movie where you care about the characters like they are your own
dysfunctional family. Heartbreak, humor, and horror seldom get to share screentime,
and when they do it rarely entertains to the level that Shaun of the Dead succeeds
at.
This
is the point in the review where if you haven’t seen the movie you stop what
you are doing and go watch it. Even if you have, go watch it again. Heck, I’m
going to do that myself right now.
Okay,
that was still GREAT! On with the review…
In
Crapbox usual fashion, we’ve arrived 25 minutes into the showing with this
issue 2 start off. I can only assume that issue one took the time to meticulously
setup each character dynamic, from Shaun’s troubled relationship to his step-father
Phillip, his co-dependent bromance with his chunky, bad-influence roommate Ed, their
mutual dislike of their stuck-up (yet entirely reasonable) roommate Pete, Shaun’s
going-no where romance with the love of his life Liz, etcetera, etcetera…
All
of this is really key to the evolution and climax of each piece of the story. The
kicker to this is that this is Pegg and Wright’s second go round with some of
the same elements, having filmed a somewhat similar script in the British
series Spaced called “Art.” The pair refined that premise with new characters
for Shaun and the result is perfection itself. But those setups and tiny asides
make the emotional and comedic beats work in the latter part of the movie, so
their inclusion is absolutely essential to creating the story’s foundation.
I’m
going to assume they were there and go forward.
Shaun
and Ed are recouping from both a night of drinking, smoking, playing video
games and listening to tunes AND from having encountered a single zombie (who
they first mistake as a drunk until she impales herself and survives) in their backyard.
Being unable to contact police for help, the pair sit down to watch the news and
consider their options.
I
have got to give a shout out before we go too far in…Zach Howard was perfect
for this project. There is a hint of Mike Mignola inspiration to his work that
I love but his facial expressions sell this translation more than anything.
Look at these two loveable morons trying to figure out their next steps in
surviving a zombie apocalypse. All the little details here are so perfectly
picked up, from the clutter on the table to the Rollins band poster to the
zombies safely locked out of the house…
…or
make that not so safely…
The
answer is to carry out an odd assortment of rando household objects and hurl
them into the faces of the oncoming undead. Love that we get a panel showing
the quick shot of the basket hitting the ground and their hands going in. Again,
this is props to Howard for intently getting the elements in the movie that provide
momentum. The book correctly translates as much as it can the fast-paced style
that make Wright movies so much fun.
And
this bit here with zooming in on Ed’s eye as a translation of the quick pan
that Wright would use…you couldn’t ask for much better framing. And of course
the record…
…staggers
the fat one,…
…leading
to one of the funniest bits in the film. And the book.
But
funny or not, that doesn’t do much to stop the undead’s advance and the pair
are forced to break into the shed to retrieve a more up close and personal
approach to dealing with the problem.
Again
the book manages to do the impossible, which is to capture some of Wright’s
energy and action with still art. It even does it in such a way that the “You’ve
got red on you.” joke that follows has a bit of that wry humor.
And
then we get treated to the pair trying to decide what to do about Pete, who
from last issue was bitten and went upstairs to lie down. Ed wants to just go
up and check on him. Shaun doesn’t because he might be 1.) dead and 2.) possibly
still annoyed with them for playing loud music all night.
The
pair leave without checking on him, deciding he’s not in. Ed offers Shaun a cig,
which Shaun declines because of…
Liz!
who Shaun tries to call and it setups Ed for that bit above which shouldn’t
work for American audiences yet totally does anyway.
As
I’m whipping along here you have to understand that it is with a very favorable
opinion of both the source material and this adaptation. Had I been collecting
these during a monthly pull, it is highly likely the nostalgia factor would
have me sitting down each month after reading one to re-watch the movie again.
I can’t think of better praise to both mediums than that. They are both so
well done that you want to waste more time here enjoying both of them.
Oh,
and while Shaun tries to get in touch with Liz, his mum calls through. Love how
the panels give each joke a chance to shine…
…and
Ed quoting “Night of the Living Dead” can NEVER be topped in my opinion.
And
the plan is…pretty much an amazing page all by itself.
First
things first, the boys have to get to the car…
…after
Shaun does a little WC visit…
…which
ends a bit prematurely as Shaun finds a naked zombie Pete in the shower…
…yet
in the rush out the door, the book still finds a way to fit in the absurd
horror of the situation by giving us one long stare from Shaun. Good stuff,
this.
The
arrival at Barbara and Philips (along with the accidents that happen before and
after) are all faithfully captured…
…but
first a bit that shines with the interpersonal relationships and conflicts
between Shaun and his mum…
And
Shaun and his stepdad…
Look
at that stance Howard gives Shaun as he strides into the living room, cricket
bat at the ready. And the facial expressions are so well done in this. As are
the ones in this next bit where Shaun fails to kill Phillip.
And
then tries to explain his issues with Phillip over the years to his mum,
including a not very well thought out lie to convince her to leave Phillip
behind, something she won’t have any part of.
Which
of course leads us to everyone ending up outside where Edward has “pranged” the
car…
…and
Phillip gets a second, more quickly fatal bite…
…that
is just as bloody and gory as the film version.
Next
stop, is Liz’s where, after dispatching a lone walker…
Shaun
climbs to her apartment to find she has guests.
But
he quickly convinces them that he has a plan for keeping them all safe…
And
that plan means…
Of
course it does. Thus ends issue 2.
And
possibly all of you haven’t made it this far because this is so well done that
it will make you yank out your blu ray copies and pop them in. I agree, but
check out the rest of this series as they’ve apparently done a top-notch job of
adapting it.
Oh,
and you’ve got red on you.
