Review: ’68 - Jungle Jim #2

I thought I was completely over the zombie genre; it definitely has been oversaturated the last few years. But then I read the first issue, and I actually didn't mind it. It felt different to the other zombie material I had been exposed to. This next issue definitely delivers all the right notes; it even improves on the previous issue.

The issue pretty much starts where the last left. The previous ended with a zombie approaching the children's shelter; this one starts with them warding it off. The French lady who teaches the children and the other helper are starting to feel that the war may be a little closer to them than they realised.

Cutting to “Jungle Jim” (that isn't his real name, which was shown in the last issue but revealed a little more in this one. He is watching some Vietnamese people only to see American jets dropping napalm, he runs in and rescues a child. He just really walks through the jungle talking to her, only to end up surrounded by zombies.

Writing was taken care of by Mark Kidwell yet again. The action kicks it up a notch just a little. The sense of danger experienced by the inhabitants of the shelter is really played upon here, the part at the end of the issue really nails this home. Two issues in and I care for these characters. Showing the human side to “Jim” was a good move and I find myself connecting to him as well.

Jeff Zornow continues his art. He has an animated look with thick shades, especially for depth perception if something is meant to be close or reaching out. For the most part I really like his art, he depicts gore and violence well and things are in proportion. Although I find he falls a little with faces most of the time, they at times just look empty and it seems that sometimes the eyes are a little off. Jay Fotos continues on colors, a flat colors approach that looks good.

This issue really has sold this series to me, in fact I'm interested in going back and reading the previous volumes set in this world. Any fan of horror and zombies will enjoy this book and even if you feel tired of zombies, I recommend to at least check it out. Things really look like they are about to escalate, which is something I enjoy seeing develop. Get on it. Oh and I'm glad that my fears of “Jim” being an experiment of sorts looks to be completely wrong.

Score: 4/5

Writer: Mark Kidwell

Artist: Jeff Zornow

Publisher: Image Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: 5/1/13