Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency #1 (of 3)

[MichaelRoberts]

Title: Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency #1 (of 3)
Rating:
Publisher Website: Radical Publishing

Writer: David Hine
Pencils: Roy Allan Martinez
Inks:
Colors: Kinsun Loh and Jerry Choo
Number of pages: 64
Price: $4.99
Color: Color
Safety Content Label: MAX: EXPLICIT CONTENT - 18 years old.

Publishers Blurb:
In a world where a deadly disease transforms innocent victims into Zombies, a long dormant government task force is called into action: The Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency. Throughout history, from the Civil War to World War II, the FVZA protected humanity from the blood-sucking, flesh-eating hordes - until a cure was discovered that sent the undead to their graves. When a new incurable strain of the virus ravages a small town in America, Agent Landra Pecos must call upon her lethal skills to eradicate the threat. But as Landra delves deeper into her investigation of the undead menace, she uncovers shocking secrets that will change her life forever. Based on the popular website FVZA.org and written by comics superstar David Hine (Civil War: X-Men, Spider-Man Noir, Arkham Asylum).

Reviewer Comments:
FVZA is a visually stunning book that spans over one hundred and fifty years of the history of vampires and zombies in the United States. Starting from the vampire attack of western settlements in the 1850’s to zombie outbreaks in present day Tennessee and vampires in L.A., we get the chance to see the rise and decline of the Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency. After having so effectively done their job by the 1970’s, the service was disbanded only to have the creatures re-emerge forty years later.

The art of this book is absolutely fantastic. This is an example of how visceral and energetic painted art can be. I’ve reviewed a number of other books lately that simply have not matched this level of fluidity, and those artists need to take their cues from this art team. Issue one includes everything from western shootouts to zombies eating flesh and vampires catching on fire, and the team didn’t back down from depicting all that gory goodness. One of the real strengths of this book is the way that the art team so effectively handles the variety of settings and time eras.

While issue one was instantly captivating, the story itself stayed in setup mode for the entire 48 pages. While there were a lot of great scenes, the audience still doesn’t know much about the present day storyline. If one were to pull together the parts of this book that were absolutely essential to tell the story, this could probably be a fifteen-page issue. On the other hand, the historical segment and extra setup were quite engaging (including a section of WWII prisoners who had been turned to vampires and zombies as a last ditch effort to demoralize Allied troops). So, it really comes down to what you as a reader like. It’s not the most streamlined storytelling ever, but it’s a rollicking story just as concerned with the “cool” moments as with advancing the story.

This book is by Radical Studios, and it cost $4.99 for 48 pages of story, extra back matter, and a 12-page preview of Rick Remender’s “Last Days of American Crime.” If you’re even remotely interested in this book, it’s a great price for all of this content. Go check it out.