REVIEW: Dead Duck and Zombie Chick: Rising From The Grave

After almost a decade hiatus, Dead Duck and his beaked sidekick Zombie Chick return for a one shot by Source Point Press containing several unpublished stories from the past few years, as well as a brand new two-pager.

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Now, if you’re like me, you must be thinking “Dead Duck? Zombie Chick? Never heard of em.” Well, that’s because the last time this cartoonish yet mature comic last hit shelves in 2009- a limited engagement at that. Still, I picked this up out of curiosity and to sample Jay Fosgitt’s work outside of My Little Pony. (Yes, I religiously buy and read all MLP titles by IDW. Judgment free zone here.)

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Well, let me say, this definitely is NOT all ages appropriate. The comic follows the adventures of a blue duck who collects souls a la the grim reaper, complete with black robe, and his companion, a quirky reanimated amalgamation of chicken parts and well-endowed beauty pageant contestants. She’s more “bride of Frankenstein” than zombie, but the name is catchier this way. The stories include an exorcism or a potato demon, the childhood origin hijinx of Dead Duck and his mother figure, the attempted body retrieval of King Arthur and his Knights from Avalon, and the death of practical effects to CGI personified as a werewolf and Jar Jar Binks ripoff.

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So, as you can probably tell, it’s kinda out there. The humor can be morbid, sexual, and just plain weird. The characters are silly and whimsical. The stories are kept short and sweet. Overall, it’s just a fun little world to escape to when the you’re feeling too serious.

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My only real gripe is that it feels like it follows a trail that has already been thoroughly blazed, even though it preceded many of the properties I am going to reference. Zombie Chick is very similar to Danger Zone’s character Zombie Tramp, only less zombified and more… fowl. There are several “duck” characters in comics and pop culture, with Howard the Duck coming immediately to mind. The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy has a solid place in the “death cartoon” category and Skottie Young’s I Hate Fairyland has emerged as the popular faux-kids comic on racks today. I think there is a market for this comic, given proper development and care, but having these comparisons in place will make Dead Duck and Zombie Chick’s battle an uphill one.

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Jay Fosgitt handles everything on this comic and it is a very well executed issue. His style is unique and his writing is funny. I enjoy it quite a bit. Fosgitt even includes some of his commissions at the end of the issue, including some very risque content. I recommend picking up Dead Duck and Zombie Chick: Rising From the Grave for a fun read with no real strings attached, but don’t be surprised if you get vibes from other stories, comics, and cartoons along the way.

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(W) Jay P. Fosgitt (A) Jay P. Fosgitt
Publisher: Source Point Press