DCeased: Unkillables #1 Synopsis and review

Tom Taylor returns the world of DC comics hit mini-series DCEASED with DCEASED

UNKILLABLES number one. Taking place during and after the events of DCEASED, UNKILLABLES number one follows Jason Todd, the Red Hood, and Deathstroke, on their separate paths through the apocalypse. Turned viral in the original series, the antilife equation turns anyone exposed to it into crazed killers. Infection can happen by seeing the equation through electronics or being bitten by one of the infected. 

            Deathstroke opens the book on a mission to kill some white supremacists and instead finds them infected. After killing a bunch of them Deathstroke, himself, becomes infected after using his phone. His time as one of the infected is short lived as his bodies’ healing factor allows him to overcome the Anti-life virus. After rescuing his daughter Rose (the Ravager), Deathstroke and Rose are recruited by Mirror Master into a group of “Survivors” that is made up of villains and the Creeper who, like Deathstroke, has a healing factor that makes him immune to the Anti-life virus. Gathered by Vandal Savage this group are hiding on an island accessible only through Mirror Masters power to travel through mirrors. 

   Arriving in the Bat cave two days into the Anti-life virus Red Hood finds the bodies of Batman, Night Wing and Robin (Tim Drake) who were killed in the previous series. After burying his family, the Hood makes his way to Gotham city in search of the last two Bat-Family members with heartbeats. This turns out to be Jim Gordon and Bat-Girl (Cassandra Cain), with whom he then teams up. There is a darkly comic moment where, after finding the bodies of Barbara Gordon, Huntress, Cat-woman and the Joker, Red Hood straps the joker’s body to the hood of the Bat-mobile and drives away.  Arriving by Bat-Mobile (more like a tank) in neighboring Blüdhaven, Red Hood, Bat-Girl, Jim Gordon and Ace the bat-hound discover a building surrounded by the infected. Blasting their way through the infected group discovers survivors in the building. The survivors turn out to be busloads of children. The heroes decide to stay and defend the children. 

Fans of the previous mini-series and of zombie horror will love this alternate universe of DC superheroes. Tom Taylor writes great characters and the stakes are life and death. Readers of the previous series will know that anyone can die in the world of DCEASED and having the focus be on anti-heroes gives it a fresh perspective of the zombie siege trope. Karl Mostert’s pencils are detailed and gritty. His work reminded me of Frank Quietly and that’s a compliment. All in all, a great set up for a continuation of DC’s “zombie” apocalypse.