Blood Between the Panels: 28 Days Later #1
28 Days Later # 1
BOOM! Studios
Writer: Michael Alan Nelson
Artist: Declan Shalvey
Reviewer: Bryce Holland
If you’ve been reading my column with any kind of regularity, then you already know what a freak I am for zombie stories, or anything resembling them. I suppose that’s kind of cliche to say now, because it seems like everybody loves zombies, even people who aren’t particularly interested in horror. For me though, my love of zombies runs a bit deeper. The first horror film I ever remember seeing was George A. Romero’s Day of the Dead. I was only about 7 years old at the time, but that little piece of nihilistic cinema changed my life forever. After that fateful viewing, I became a die-hard horror fanatic, and made it my mission to devour everything I could that fit itself into the genre, especially stories about zombies. Drama, apocalyptic scenarios, social commentary, gore; I mean, what is there not to love about zombie stories? Well, I think the answer to that is that tales about the walking dead are usually either profoundly good, or astonishingly dumb. Rarely is there any kind of middle ground. It was with this in mind that I cautiously picked up BOOM! Studios 28 Days Later #1.
I was very skeptical about this book. I hadn’t seen much press about it beforehand, so I immediately assumed it was going to be graphic retelling of Danny Boyle’s 2002 film of the same name (If you haven’t seen it yet, shame on you for continuing to call yourself a horror fan. GO SEE IT NOW!). Luckily, I was very far off in my assumption. Rather than adapt already existing material, this new ongoing story picks up after the events of 28 Days Later, and bridges the gap between it and its sequel, 28 Weeks Later. The story sees Selena, one of the survivors from the first film, living in a refugee camp in Norway. In the time after her ordeal she has become an introverted recluse, spending her days sequestered in her tent thinking about the past. Soon, she is approached by an American reporter who wants to hire her to lead him back into the still ravaged and infected London so he can investigate the reality behind the “Rage” virus. Selena initially refuses, but after some soul-searching decides to accompany the reporter and his crew in order to ensure some kind of safety. The group heads off for a part of the British mainland that is still un-infected, but are quickly shot down by American military forces for unknown reasons. They quickly collect themselves and get their bearings, but are promptly confronted with the horrifying realization that the infection has spread farther than they had imagined.
In my experience, I’ve found that sequels or anything resembling them are very tricky territory. With a few notable exceptions, more often than not they are simply retreads of earlier films (which I don’t necessarily think is a bad thing). Very rarely does a sequel do anything to advance the narrative of a given saga. Fortunately, Michael Alan Nelson does just that here. Nelson has a good ear for dialogue, and clearly a great amount of reverence for the source material. The whole issue actually read like a natural continuation of Alex Garland’s brilliant script. This is exactly how a movie tie-in should be done. Nelson also has a very good handle on how to lure people in with intriguing questions. Where are Jim and Hannah, Selena’s compatriots who survived with her at the end of the first film? How did Selena end up in Norway? What is the rest of the world’s reaction to the outbreak in England? I’m sure these and many other questions will be raised and answered in the end, and I am definitely intrigued enough to stick around.
One of the most memorable things about the original film was that the entire thing was shot on digital video tape, rather than film. Not high-definition video, mind you, but regular, old digital video like you’d shoot on an average home camcorder. This gave the entire film a very unique, gritty, and realistic aesthetic that you just don’t see much in major studio films. Much like Nelson has been able to capture the voice of the first film, artist Declan Shalvey has managed to very ably capture the look of it. His pencils, and more specifically his ink work, give the entire issue a certain bite that really sets the tone for the story. His style is very raw and gritty, but everything he renders looks and feels exactly as you’d hope. Again, this is someone who has a clear reverence for the source material.
After my huge disappointment with the travesty that was Ghostbusters: The Other Side (check out my review here), I was all but ready to never pick up another movie-based comic again, especially one based off a franchise that I love. 28 Days Later #1, though, has renewed my faith that it is possible to create a good graphic continuation of a series. All it takes is a little appreciation for the source material, and the good sense to understand what made the film so memorable to begin with.
