Book Review: Fanboys vs. Zombies Vols. 1 and 2 by Sam Humphries et al.

Fanboys vs. Zombies Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 written by Sam Humphries and illustrated by Jerry Gaylord

At the library, I happened across the first two trade paperbacks of Fanboys vs. Zombies, a recent series of comics put out by BOOM! Studios. Being a zombie fan they seemed like they'd be a natural fit.

The story follows a group of six friends who have been going to San Diego's ComicCon for years and years. They've dubbed themselves the "Wrecking Crew" and they have the typical dramas of twenty-something nerds. There's a love triangle; an overprotective older brother; geek obsession over certain guests at this year's con. Only this time the con is crazier than usual--a zombie virus breaks out with ensuing mayhem.

The premise is fairly interesting but the execution doesn't do it justice. On one hand, the gang spout plenty of lines from pop culture, which is fun to see. On the other hand, visual references are few and far between, something readers should get in a comic. The characters are a little too generic. I found myself not really caring about them as individuals in the first volume.

I decided to read the second volume to see if things picked up. The second starts a month later after the crew has set up a base of operations and have been hunting for two of their own who were lost along the way out of the convention center. New twists are added and new characters but still they aren't compelling to me. I feel like there should be more escapist fun than there is in the book. Or more horror. Or more interesting characters.

So I won't be reading volume three, even if I do run across it in the library.

If you want zombies at a sci fi convention, read Night of the Living Trekkies.