Warren Ellis’ BlackGas is a short run zombie comic, now collected into 2 packaged Graphic Novels, published by Avatar Press. First off: I like zombie flicks. I owe a slew of zombie flicks and hope to obtain even more, from the mainstream (Night of the Living Dead (remake) ((AWESOME!!!!))) to the obscure (Death Valley. Two words: Racist Zombies) So I thought I’d weigh in on BlackGas. All-in-all the concept seemed sound, like something you’d see in a living dead knockoff: An engaged couple returns to the guy’s old island-bound hometown. Just so happens it has a mysterious dark past that the natives used to talk about. Surely that’s the last time we’ll hear anything of it! Its okay to let our guard down, even for a second! (poor Rusty)
Anyhow a horrendous earthquake rends open the earth and a strange BlackGas seeps out and turns the residents into zombies, sorta. As Ellis himself said, “All that black stuff in the back of our brains that we never act on… That all comes out. They’re out of control, but technically they’re not mindless. They’re just beyond reasoning with.” (thank you Wikipedia) And sure enough the local dirtbag is infected, people are killed savagely, eaten, etc. All the stuff you’d expect out of a zombie flick, but they’re cussing all the while! Really, is there anything so far that doesn’t sound like a horror film knockoff? Look, there’s almost no explaination in Night of the Living Dead either, but it still stands as it tries to show people attempting to make sense of it, you feel like there is something there other than personal terror or guilt. In BlackGas, its nothing but personal terror and guilt, and there is rarely even a hint at there being an outside when its clear the threat is not global. Its just about these people, who we were barely introduced to, trying to survive the zombie attack on an island which is safely cut off from the rest of the world. The global threat is a staple among most zombie flicks, bt seems lacking here. In the end, the Pres calls out a nuke, which opens up a crack in the earth and lets out enough of the BlackGas to cover the world. So, I guess there’s your global threat. I guess it counts if ya throw it in. Anyhow, the only other thing the books have to carry them is shock; and they try damn hard. But there’s so little new, the only thing they have is sex. So periodically a zombie or two will stop to screw something, a person, animal, dead body. (headless body once) But they’re aware of it all, so they tend to by crying ot apologizing between growls, curses, or bites. That’s really it; BlackGas tries to shock or gross us out, but what with South Park and all we’re remarkably well-equipped to deal with it, so it just looks sad or sick, or both. The shock quickly gives way to disgust and really what else is left to keep your interest in this book? Not much. Do yourself a favor and watch Night of the Living Dead again, its better, trust me.
Luby’s Review: 3 out of 10
P.S.: Don’t get me wrong, I like Warren Ellis’ work, just not this time.
