By: Michael Alan Nelson (writer), Alejandro Aragon (art), Nolan Woodard (colors), Johnny Lowe (letters) & Ian Brill (editor)
The Story: Selina sets off on a personal mission and leaves the US military safe zone as this series begins to wrap up.
What’s Good: One of the very good things about this issue for long-time readers is that it framed where this story fits in the whole saga of the films 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later. After last issue, we had seen our heroes, Selina and Clint, reach a US military safe-zone in London. I had questions about whether this was the safe-zone from the 28 Weeks film and how much the comic was going to acknowledge that second movie and how the comic would continue if it was acknowledging that second film.
Well, things are a lot clearer a month later. For one thing, the final issue of this series has now been solicited, meaning that this series is wrapping up rapidly. For another, this military safe-zone that Clint and Selina have found is the one from the 28 Weeks movie. This is pretty neat: Michael Alan Nelson is telling a story that happens in the dead space between the two films and it will have a definite ending. Neither Clint or Selina were in the second film, so they could die in the next couple issues… or they could be fine. We really don’t know! But, by tying this story to events we’re familiar with from the 28 Weeks film, we can build a sense of foreboding because we (the reader) know that the shit is about to hit the fan again…and our heroes are completely unprepared for it. They think they’re safe. It is a rare circumstance in fiction where the reader positively knows what will happen next and has to watch beloved characters wander into danger.
From an actual story standpoint, this issue is mostly quiet. Clint is mostly poking around in the safe zone and asking questions that confirm this story’s existence in the 28 Weeks movie world whereas Selina goes off on a touching journey to find her old house and dead husband’s body (pre-infection). One of the awful things about zombie-fiction is that since zombies strike you in your house (your place of safety), all of the survivors have seen horrid things happen to loved ones, yet rarely have time for a real goodbye. Seeing Selina’s past really makes this hit home.
What’s Not So Good: Well, the issue is a little slow… That’ll bug some people. And, while this issue really is new reader friendly, I doubt they’ll get many new readers when the series is ending in a few issues.
Actually, that’s probably the worst thing: The series is ending. Put this up as example #532 of great comics that didn’t get the sales support in the direct market that they deserved. It could very well be that this series was contracted for a certain number of issues based on whatever license Boom! signed with the people owning the rights to 28 Days/Weeks, but they would have written more story if this had sold better and there are ways that you could continue Selina and Clint’s story through and after the second film. I would have loved to see the story continue for another 30-40 issues!
Conclusion: A really great series is wrapping up in a way that is still new-reader friendly. Just buy issue #21 and this one and consider it like a 4-5 issue miniseries. The writing and storytelling have both been top notch throughout!
Grade: B
-Dean Stell
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