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Reviewed by Michael Aronson “Somewhere in the desert lies the world’s greatest treasure: the 12 Rings of the Dead, the only source of the mysterious substance ‘Zombie Powder,’ which can raise the dead and give the living eternal life. Now, a small group of super-skilled hunters has gone in search of the rings, against an army of crooks, killers and madmen . . .” Though I’m not entirely well-versed in Kubo’s more popular series, Bleach, it seems to me that Zombie Powder has a bit more going for it. The cast of characters all have a zany streak going through each of them, from Smith’s misguided obsession with explosives to Wolfina’s choice of weapon, a camera tripod. The stakes are also pretty interesting, with the group on a hunt for parasitic rings that suck the life out of their wearers – Gamma even demonstrates their potency on himself to horrific effect. Though the enemy Balmunk is so far somewhat ineffective, his preoccupation with illusions and circus antics make for dazzling visuals. This would all earn volume two a higher mark if not for the inclusion of Ultra Unholy Hearted Machine, Kubo’s first-ever produced comic strip from when he was 18, which takes up nearly 40 of the book’s 182 pages. It’s a throwaway story with clutter and unpolished art that only devoted Kubo fans need peruse. It’s a poor example of padding out a volume with unnecessary extra material, and while it doesn’t detract from the quality of Zombie Powder, it certainly feels like a bit of a raw deal. Unlike Bleach, it seems Zombie Powder will wrap up within a couple or so more volumes. The story has enough potential to endure a longer publication, but I’m mostly encouraged that Kubo has a definite ending in mind. Think you could have written a better review of Zombie Powder v2? Write us and we'll probably let you give it a shot! --EiC PC |
12 March 2010 10 March 2010
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