REVIEW: DCeased: Hope At World’s End #1

Well, what a pleasant surprise DCeased: Hope At World’s End #1 was! Having read the previous DCeased series, I welcome any spin off to it with open arms, and I really hope that we get to see more of this vicious and brutal world.

First of all, let’s take a look at the cover. I absolutely love this artwork by Ben Oliver. I love the realism that is used in his artwork, whether for this series or another. It really adds to the impact of it. From very detailed facial expressions, you can just see how high the stakes are for this story-arc, and it gives a little glimpse towards the horror that follows. The use of the characters’ iconic colours really just pop right off the page. Although for now this is a digital comic, I really do hope it gets a physical release, because I’d love to own this piece.

DCeased: Hope At World’s End #1 acts as an interlude to the original series released last year. Usually, I have to say sometimes it can seem a little much when we get so many spin offs of a particular story-arc, but in this case, I am not mad at all. I thoroughly enjoyed the first introduction to the series, I am also enjoying the ongoing DCeased: Unkillables series, and I look forward to any other upcoming spin offs. Quite frankly I cannot get enough of this story-arc, Tom Taylor has started something monumental here, it’s exciting, incredibly violent and just completely different to what we are used to reading when it comes to the heroes that are involved.

Well, this story certainly lives up to any expectations I had. It delves back to moments before The Daily Planet was overrun with the infected. Although the issue essentially recaps the same story, this time we get a completely different perspective of the whole situation – a human perspective. This just goes to show that Tom Taylor really thought about the many different aspects of this situation and how it can affect and has affected a range of different characters.

Personally, I love the choice of the human that this issue follows – Jimmy Olsen. Usually we are used to seeing Jimmy act as comic relief in many issues, it’s rare that we get to see his serious side. Jimmy isn’t just a funny and clumsy guy, he is a talented photo journalist in his own right and that is something that is so often overlooked. His narration throughout the issue is so heartfelt and touching, it just shows how much he cares for and appreciates these heroes that put everything on the line to save the city and in turn the world.

The impact of the issue is doubled, simply because we already know the outcome of our beloved characters that are featured in this issue, and that makes it all the more touching. It recaps the many losses that the series faced, and shines a beaming light on our hero and the huge sacrifice that he had to make in order to save his family and the remainder of the world from himself.

The artwork of the series is by Dustin Nguyen and is spectacular and incredibly gritty. I have to say his style isn’t too distant from that of Trevor Hairsine, who worked on the original DCeased series. That for me, really adds to the cohesiveness of this story-arc. Nguyen’s artwork, combined with colours by Rex Lokus work so well together. It adds a realistic aspect to it with just a touch of surrealism, this is down to the jagged edges in the art which adds to the cut-throat writing and temperament of the issue. Each and every page really feels like a scene from a zombie film or series, and I’m not going to lie, I would totally watch this series if it were to be adapted.

With this surprise issue, and a second chapter announced, it is clear we are due to see a lot more from the DCeased story-arc, and I cannot wait to see where it leads next.

Haven’t read DCeased: Hope At World’s End #1 yet? You can read it digitally on the Read DC website.