REVIEW: Z Nation #1

Z Nation is based on the hit Syfy channel television show, which was recently renewed for a 4th season (as of this writing). Z Nation’s story begins a year into the zombie apocalypse with the collapse of the government and all the problems that would come with that. In this issue, a small national guard team goes on a stealth mission to acquire Soylent Z on the biggest cruise ship in the world, which may be the only hope to save the remaining population. However, the cruise ship crew members have been defending their ship. Soylent Z is a synthetic food substitute that could be used to help feed the remaining population. It is mentioned that it was stockpiled in FEMA locations throughout the world and a single pack could feed a family of six for a day, so you can understand why it’s so valuable and worth the danger to get it.

The art was fantastic in this issue and was the real standout to me. The action scenes simulate movement well and the various strikes to the zombies are clear and shown in brutal detail. The artist doesn’t skimp on the detail and the backgrounds are rendered well. The issue also has a great in-your-face cover.

The writing in this issue is used to introduce the characters and it gets the job done, but it isn’t particularly notable. The dialogue does have some humorous moments, our protagonists argue over who gets a candy bar that was in the pocket of a zombie in one scene, for example.

This title gets a 3.5 out of 5 rating from me. Being the first issue, it contains the usual setup and exposition, but also a fair amount of quality zombie action. It is a fun book to read with outstanding art. Fans of the television show and zombie themed entertainment should get enjoyment from this.

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Written by Craig Engler & Fred Van Lente
Art by Edu Menna
Published by Dynamite