Darkness and Death Invade the DC Universe

Cover Art for Issue #1

If you’re a fan of DC Comics “Elseworlds” stories, which feature alternate versions of DC’s most famous characters in storylines that couldn’t take place in the main DC Universe, you’ll likely enjoy DCeased, which is DC’s version of a zombie apocalypse tale. The storyline consists of several limited series and one shots, but the original (self-contained) miniseries was first published in 2019. In DCeased, the super-villain Darkseid manages to transform the fabled Anti-Life Equation into an organic techno-virus, which spreads across the Earth via our digital devices and technology, turning everyone infected into living dead, zombie-like carriers. The only purpose of the virus is to spread death across the entire world.

DC’s greatest heroes try to stop the virus, but several of our stalwart champions become infected, and must be stopped by the members of the Justice League, several other familiar DC heroes and even a couple of villains. What sets DCeased apart from similar “superheroes become zombies” tales is its focus on character. Writer Tom Taylor clearly understands the core concepts of these iconic heroes, especially the trinity of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. He uses this apocalyptic story to test their strength and their mettle as their world crumbles around them. The result of the chaos caused by the virus is that our heroes are forced to make difficult choices, and in some cases even sacrifice themselves for the greater good.

Amid the darker moments of the story, DCeased features a bit of welcome humor based around the long-established personalities and interactions of these classic characters, which should make long-time fans smile. There are also some cool new twists on long-running characters. Wait until you see who becomes a Green Lantern during the course of the story. The artwork by Trevor Hairsine and Stefano Gaudiano complements Taylor's story, combining horror and superhero action, allowing the series to have the look and feel of a big-screen DC film.

DCeased is much more than DC’s answer to other terror tales like the long-running Marvel Zombies franchise. It's a truly compelling, character-driven tale steeped in tragedy which forces some of our favorite heroes to make some very difficult choices. In addition to the horror and superhero action elements of the story, there’s also a bit of sci-fi vibe as well. DCeased is essentially a self-contained story, though there have been some sequels and follow-up series. The saga has been published in various formats by DC. If you’re looking for something a little different than the usual superhero fare, check out DCeased.