Reduce Reuse Reanimate

by Carter Reid

Is there anything more terrifying than a relentless horde of the undead lurching towards you hungry for your blood...

Yes, not being able to read about it. "Reduce, Reuse, Reanimate" is the second part of our 1364 part quest to document all the silly things our living impaired brethren do. This epic graphic novel zombie saga is your first step to unlocking the vast mysteries of the undead.

126 pages, Paperback

First published April 29, 2014

Reviews

[Michelle Morrell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nominated for a 2015 Hugo, this graphic novel follows the exploits of some "living challenged" fellows as they try to navigate the world and pick up chicks.

It was okay, obviously a labor of love, and I do like seeing nominees that are off the beaten path, to bring more attention to the guy slaving away in his home trying to get an audience. That said, this just doesn't seem up to par with the rest of the nominees. There is promise and potential, but it doesn't play out well. The art is okay, but the stories are lacking in punch and depth, mostly just a lot of wandering around and "let's see what we stumble over next!"

[H. P. · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Zombie Nation is, I take it, a webcomic collected here. It suffers from the change in format both because it grates when taken in quantity and because you had to pay for it. Zombie Nation has a relatively set format, regularly cycling through features that include: the main comic, with ongoing storylines; one-off one-panel art, including most commonly Left 4 Dead concept art and Futurama undead; zombie haikus; semi-useless zombie facts; and true tales of a cartoonist. The main comic includes two main storylines, both of which appear to be incomplete, the first missing its beginning and the second its ending. The main characters are zombies, rotting away but otherwise apparently retaining full faculties, including speech. The first storyline involves the recovery of the main character’s Necronomicon, which could be used to destroy all of the zombies, from a military remnant group. The second storyline line involves fleeing from the main character’s murderous, clingy ex (we’ve all been there). The humor is mostly lowbrow and prurient, which is ok, and boring and unfunny, which isn’t. Not only does the first main storyline involve a Necronomicon, the main character’s name is Lovecraft, the first storyline ends with the summoning of Cthulhu, and in the second main storyline the main characters travel to a town called Innsmouth full of fish people. It’s obvious who Reid’s favorite H.P. is. He also ladles the pop culture references on thick (Zombie Nation is at its best when throwing shade at George Lucas or Twilight). I won’t scare you away, but I would stick to the free stuff.

[Will · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cartoons about three undead slackers in the zombie apocalypse. Those who like zombie humor will find it is just the sort of thing they lie.

I read it because it was nominated for the Hugo. I looked at it. Then I looked at the other Best Graphic nominees. If this is the best we can do, no wonder the puppies are sad.