Following THE OTHER DEAD #4 - - The Prez is The Man!

By pghhead -


THE OTHER DEAD #4 of 6 (IDW Publishing, release date December, 2013) Writer / Co-Creator: Joshua Ortega. Co-Creator: Digger T Mesch. Art: Quing Ping Mui. Colors: Blond. Letters: Tom B. Long. Edits: Tom Waltz. Creative Consultant: Kevin Eastman. Based on a film treatment by Digger T Mesch. www.theotherdead.com www.idwpublishing.com




Real heroes step it up to help others in times of crisis.

In the real world, good people often get their good works stepped on. Or worse, they either don’t get credit for their accomplishments or have their efforts halted, interrupted, or corrupted enough so the effect is minimized. In the world of imagination good people are easier to identify. They get our attention and earn our respect. They lead by example and often make a major difference in saving others. It’s not hard to see how helpful they are and no one can try to discredit them and fool anyone who was an eyewitness to their acts of kindness and heroism.

I wonder if President Obama is aware of his being used as a character in THE OTHER DEAD and if he would approve, or at least be tolerant and accepting? For a guy who probably could really use a lighter moment or two in his day, he should be reading THE OTHER DEAD. I think he’d crack a smile and maybe be flattered at his portrayal - - - because in THE OTHER DEAD #4 the President steps it up big time.

When we last saw poor frail young Tommy and our unlikely group of survivors (rockers, hookers, and politicians), they were banded together inside rocker Az’s home. What is their game plan? = To weather the storm here and fortify the homestead against any more zombie animal intrusions. However, the hurricane comes directly to them and begins to flood the first floor, forcing them to higher and higher ground until they exit via the roof. President Obama is decisive when it counts and calmly persuasive as the others follow his lead without question.

Artist Qing Ping Mui’s depiction of the storm is visually stunning. He captures every detail outlining both the fury of the natural disaster and the fear it instills. There is water in every panel from huge raindrops to churning waters, enough that the reader may feel wet and cold after turning the pages. Fortunately, writer Joshua Ortega knows which moments to insert some wry humor into, helping to ease the tension. There are some very funny comments and one-liners that should not be missed (and I won’t ruin it by spilling them here).




Everyone winds up under the protection (or is that detainment?) of Chet the redneck hunter, who does a double-take when he learns the identity of one of the persons he’s rescued. Due to his interrogatory and abrupt way of questioning his lodge guests we learn what we suspected of Tommy’s pale demeanor - - he’s suffering from cancer and undergoing chemotherapy (which takes his frequent displays of bravery up another notch in our admiration). My favorite moment (among many) this issue is when Chet gets questioned about his hunting lodge decorations. Among the Confederate flags and portraits of Ronald Reagan and Rush Limbaugh is a picture of Stephen Colbert. When it’s pointed out to Chet that Colbert really doesn’t belong in that group because he’s being ironic on purpose - - Chet’s response is a classic. He’s a far cry from your cookie-cutter redneck.

Among the crazed and blood-driven animals encountered this issue are rats, birds, more gators, a sea lion, and a herd of pissed off deer. Yet the bigger threat may be inside the lodge. Can diplomacy win the day? Will the President take up arms? Read it and find out.




This issue should sell out quickly, due to another cover featuring President Obama. But this time it’s the standard cover, wonderfully illustrated by Mike Shoykhet, and not the variant cover. The variant cover by Tim Vigil should appeal to gore fans, and Kevin Eastman and David Millgate offer another animal kingdom cover that interlocks with previous subscription variant covers to make up a mural.




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