Marvel Zombies: The Hunger, by Marsheila Rockwell

A few years ago, Marvel produced a mini-series of comics that played with the idea of its heroes and villains becoming zombies. Sounds silly, right?

It was terrifying. It quickly gained a reputation for certain scenes, and rightly so. This will NOT be making its way to a movie theatre anytime soon!

I was therefore very keen to see how this world would appear in novel form. It's less graphic, for a start, and has to carry a more involved plot.

This books succeeds at both, very well indeed.

The premise is pretty terrifying from the start. The heroes and villains of the Marvel Universe become zombies (from a Romero-nodding meteorite), with the stronger quickly overcoming the weaker. We focus specifically on Dr Strange at first: soon powerful enough to keep the hunger urges at bay, but not before succumbing. A particular favourite character of mine dies early on, and that emphasized the inevitably tragedy of Strange holding on to his humanity with everything he has. This isn't about saving the world - it's about holding on to himself long enough to do so.

We then skip to lesser-known characters, from Strange's apprentice/librarian Zelma and her friend Nico. They quickly pick up Elsa Bloodstone and Deadpool, with the latter kept from zombification due to his powers, the former... well, she takes advantage of that too. Ick.

How does this little group save a world full of super-powered zombies, then? While staying safe as the Sanctum Sanctorum crumbles around them? If even powerful magic-users such as The Scarlet Witch (gross gross GROSS!) and moral juggernauts like Captain Avengers are busy eating brains, what chance do these not-quite heroes have?

This book zips along, engaging from the start and compelling in that it presents utterly insurmountable odds regularly - and the protagonists just about overcome them in order to survive. Characters face one tension-packed impossible situation after another, and yet manage to fight (or puzzle) through. Resourcefulness is key here as much as superpowers.

It's surprisingly easy to suspend disbelief. We're in a comic-book universe after all, and if you picked up the book knowing that (which I imagine you did, given the cover), you'll be along for the ride with no problem.

A small aside: I opened this at random while waiting in a hospital (all is well, don't worry). It made me forget about the beeping around me, the boredom, the white walls, the time passing oh so slowly. The excellent writing and well-drawn characters transported me to the Marvel world, and for that I am very grateful indeed.

If you like superheroes done dark, seek this out. Apocalyptic fun.