Marvel Zombies 2 #4

Background

A number of years ago on a universe that parallels the Ultimate universe, the Sentry crash-landed on Earth bringing with him the zombie infection. All of Marvel's superheroes stood up against him but one by one they all fell. With beings, already with incredible powers, turned into zombies the general human population didn't stand a chance.

Just when it appeared that there weren't any more beings left on Earth to feast upon, who should show up but Galactus, led by his herald, the Silver Surfer. Thinking that the might of the two cosmic beings would be enough to thwart the zombies would have been a huge mistake. With the zombies finally bringing the two space travelers down and feeding on them, they were then granted with the power cosmic.

Because of this newfound power the zombies were given the ability to travel throughout the known universe and beyond in search of more living flesh and after 40 years of eating everything in their path, the zombies decided that their next course of action was to return home in hopes of finding Reed Richards' dimensional gateway - the very gateway that Reed used to travel to the Ultimate universe.

Back on Earth, a small group of survivors lead by T'Challa (the Black Panther) returned to Earth from Asteroid M after the zombies left. The only zombies still on Earth are the Wasp and Hawkeye but of whom only have their heads left of their original bodies, but with a little help from Dr. Reynolds, they both get fitted with robotic bodies so that they can move about with the humans. Since the Wasp has gone so long without eating she has found that her insatiable hunger for humans has faded meaning she is no longer a threat, but after an assassination attempt on T'Challa, the Wasp bites him in the neck in order to keep him from completely dying.

Once the Marvel zombies return Spider-Man and Luke Cage deflect from the rest of the zombies to help protect the remaining humans. During their time together, trying to stay away from the other zombies, Forge reveals that the gateway the other zombies are looking for is actually on Asteroid M with them. Getting ready for the attack that they know is on there way, Dr. Reynolds unveils his secret weapon, the reanimated body of T'Challa's son with the zombie brain of Colonial America surgically implanted in it's head.

Story Details

T'Challa is more than a little justified in his anger at Dr. Reynolds for putting the zombie brain of Colonial America into the body of his dead son, T'Channa. Lashing out at Dr. Reynolds, T'Channa comes to his rescue knocking T'Challa down with his shield. T'Challa looks up at his son asking him why he's attaching his father, but it seems that T'Challa is the only one that doesn't realize that there's nothing of T'Channa left, just the confused mind of Colonial America.

With Spider-Man and Luke Cage's help Dr. Reynolds gets Colonial America to calm down making him realize that T'Challa isn't the enemy. With Colonial America subdued, T'Challa asks who else was a part of this horrible "experiment" that turned his son's corpse into a monster. Forge reveals that he helped Dr. Reynolds because having T'Channa's strength along with Colonial America's strategic mind was too valuable an opportunity to pass up.

Punching him in the face, Forge falls to his knees spitting up blood. Apologizing for hitting him, T'Challa tells he isn't forgiven for what he's done. Getting up Forge says that as long as they don't fight, they need to focus their attention on getting ready for the Marvel Zombies who, if they haven't figured out that the Dimensional portal if there with them, they soon will. They'll need to come up with a plan if they intend to survive the day.

Approaching the force field that surrounds Asteroid M the Marvel Zombies, led by Giant Man, tells them that what they're after is there, but they just have to figure out a way to get around the Asteroid M's defenses. Only it appears that they don't have to. T'Challa greets the zombies at the force field, along with Spider-Man, Luke Cage, the Wasp and Hawkeye, and offers them a deal. If they promise to leave the survivors alone, they'll hand over the dimensional gateway that'll open up another universe filled with plenty of people for them to eat. What else could Giant Man do but agree? With the force field dropping, the Marvel Zombies walk up to T'Challa.

All of a sudden T'Challa gives a command to Dr. Reynolds to bring up the force field again, this time trapping everyone inside it. Now taking the offensive, T'Challa leads the attack. Giant Man doesn't understand how this plan could possibly work - why trap them together, what could it possibly accomplish? T'Challa just tells him it's all a part of his plan, but Giant Man asks him if leaving Iron Man outside of the force field was a part of his plan too. As Iron Man laughs and heads inside on his own, T'Challa tells his team to forget about him and to focus on their attack.

Walking through the empty corridors, Iron Man comes to a large group of Survivors lead my Colonial America and Forge in Iron Man's original armor. Smiling at Iron man, Forge mentions that he's upset that only one of the zombies managed to get through. It doesn't look too good for Tony Stark.

Back outside T'Challa isn't doing too well, getting smashed flat by Giant Man's huge hand, sending pieces of gore everywhere. This sends the Wasp into a rage but with a thunder clap, Giant Man smashes the Wasp's body between his two hands, pretty much taking her out a second after T'Challa. Hawkeye sends a barrage or arrows into Giant Man's face but to no affect. It appears that Hawkeye will be the next to be destroyed.

Inside Asteroid M in Dr. Reynolds' lab, while the doctor monitors the fight outside, he doesn't realize that Bruce Banner has woken up. Approaching Dr. Reynolds, Bruce tells him that he doesn't want to eat him, but that he has to because if he doesn't the hunger will get the better of him and it'll bring out the Hulk. Grabbing the doctor by the throat and pushing him into the computer console, the force field becomes deactivated.

With the force field down, all Bruce can now do is watch as the Marvel Zombies breach Asteroid M. Giant Man tells everyone to eat everyone and everything in there way and that once everyone is dead they can then find the dimensional gateway at their leisure. Making it easy on them, the surviving humans all gather in one room, and as the zombies break in, Giant Man grabs T'Challa's wife but as he lifts her up to his mouth, saying how he's going to enjoy this, he stops. Zombie Wolverine asks him what's wrong as Giant man lowers T'Challa's wife and says that his hunger is gone.

General Comments

T'Challa freaks out over what Dr Reynolds and Forge has done to the body of his dead son, T'Channa, and as he attacks them, T'Channa, with the zombie brain of Colonial America in his head fights off T'Challa, trying to protect Forge and Dr. Reynolds. After punching Forge, a heavy, elderly man now, in the face, T'Challa apologizes and seems to forget his emotions to focus on how they're going to fight off the Marvel Zombies who are obviously on their way to them now.

Once the zombies arrive a battle ensues during which it appears that T'Challa and the Wasp are both destroyed. Because of Bruce Banner waking up and attacking Dr. Reynolds in his lab causing the force field to fall, the zombies now have free access to the survivors inside.

Pushing past zombie Spider-Man and Luke Cage, Wolverine and Giant Man breach Asteroid M and have found the humans inside, but just before Giant Man is about to chomp down on the head of T'Challa's wife, his hunger fades in the nick of time and he lowers her down.

Overall Rating

This issue had 5 full page splash pages, two of which were double page spreads, along with another 5 pages that had one panel take up almost the entire page. That's half the comic book right there. I managed to read this comic between commercial breaks. I know I've been complaining about the sophomoric storytelling of the previous books in this series, but now, there's hardly any story to complain about. This issue just felt like a pin-up book with a weak storyline thrown in between the splash pages.

With the way my ratings have gone during this mini-series, I can only surmise that the last issue is barely going to be worth getting if only to have some closure on this storyline.