Escape of the Living Dead
Encyclopedia
Escape of the Living Dead is a five-issue zombie
comic book
limited series
published by Avatar Press
, published in 2005. It is written by John A. Russo
with artwork by Dheeraj Verma.
Although the story is a sequel to Night of the Living Dead
, it is not set in the continuity of George Romero’s series of films or Russo’s The Return of the Living Dead series.
It was followed in 2006 by Escape of the Living Dead Fearbook and Escape of the Living Dead: Airborne, a three-issue mini-series, and Escape of the Living Dead Annual, published in 2007.
Meanwhile one of the main characters, Sally Brinkman, is talking to her father Henry. It is revealed Sally is staying with her parents whilst going through a divorce and is working for her father at the local saloon.
Also, two robbers for the gang Sons of Satan attempt to rob a truck by pouring sugar in the gas tank, and then robbing its contents. When they look in the truck, they find it is full of zombies that proceed to attack and eat them. With the zombies released they start walking towards the town.
The zombies eventually reach the Brinkman farm and kill Sally’s mother. The zombies then try to attack Sally, but she manages to avoid them and ride a horse to the saloon where her Dad works. However, zombies have also attacked the saloon as well; Henry attempts to fight the zombies off but hides in the saloon just as Sally appears. They both hide in the saloon and lock the doors.
Meanwhile the rest of the Sons of Satan gang attempt to meet up with the robbers from before, only to encounter them now as zombies. The three gang members, Bearcat, Slam, and Honeybear, kill the zombies before driving off. They eventually reach the saloon, where they are surrounded by zombies. Sally and Henry notice this and let them in.
Eventually, the zombies start to break in, and the bikers attempt to escape, kidnapping Sally and stealing a truck in the process, leaving Henry to be eaten. During this, one of the bikers, Honeybear, is killed, while Henry manages to avoid the zombies and get a truck to chase after the bikers.
Meanwhile, the two bikers and Sally have taken refuge in the nearby woods. Sally is now tied up when zombies attack the trio. Although they fight off the zombies, Slam is bitten and, in panic, kills Bearcat. He then forces Sally to take him to her house to help him.
At this time, Sheriff Harkness discovers the truck that the zombies were originally transported in; he concludes this was the operation that Dr Melrose mentioned. At this point Henry shows up, and helps Sheriff Harkness decide to get a posse together to kill the zombies.
Back at Sally’s farm, Sally is forced to help Slam clean his wounds; she unsuccessfully tries to kill him with his knife and flees, but Slam chases after her as she runs into the basement. Slam then tries to kill her, but is killed by a hidden zombie. Sally runs outside to find her father and a posse killing the zombies.
The posse then fight a horde of zombies, which attack them. Although outnumbered, the military show up and kill all the zombies. After the fight Sheriff Harkness gets a call on the radio, saying that the Dr. Melrose that they killed at the beginning did not match the dental records, and thus was an impostor.
The last pages shows a lone zombie being captured by the real Dr Melrose and his son, implying the zombie epidemic is far from over.
Escape of the Living Dead #2 was published with 9 different cover art versions. Dheeraj Verma created six - "Regular", "Ghostly", "Gold Foil", "Gore", "Topless" and "Wraparound"; Mike Wolfer created three - "Defrocked", "Die Cut" and "Terror".
Escape of the Living Dead #3 was published with 7 different cover art versions. Dheeraj Verma created five - "Regular", "Captive", "Gore", "Trapped", "Wraparound"; Mike Wolfer created two - "Die Cut" and "Terror".
Escape of the Living Dead #4 was published with 7 different cover art versions. Dheeraj Verma created five - "Regular", "Gore", "Terror" and "Wraparound"; Mike Wolfer and Jeremy Rock both created one - "Die Cut" and "Feast" respectively.
Escape of the Living Dead #5 was published with 8 different cover art versions. Dheeraj Verma created five - "Regular", "Gore", "Terror", "Wraparound"; Mike Wolfer, Jason Burrows and Jeremy Rock all created one - "Die Cut", "Burrows" and "Hungry for Flesh" respectively.
:
, Kane Hodder
, Amber Stevens
, Kristina Klebe
and Gunnar Hansen
.
Zombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
published by Avatar Press
Avatar Press
Avatar Press is an independent American publisher of comic books, founded in 1996 by William A. Christensen, and based in Rantoul, Illinois.Avatar initially published only mini-series; however, they have since begun to branch out...
, published in 2005. It is written by John A. Russo
John A. Russo
John A. Russo , sometimes credited as Jack Russo or John Russo, is an American screenwriter and film director most commonly associated with the 1968 horror classic Night of the Living Dead. As a screenwriter, his credits include Night of the Living Dead, The Majorettes, Midnight, and Santa Claws....
with artwork by Dheeraj Verma.
Although the story is a sequel to Night of the Living Dead
Night of the Living Dead
Night of the Living Dead is a 1968 American independent black-and-white zombie film and cult film directed by George A. Romero, starring Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea and Karl Hardman. It premiered on October 1, 1968, and was completed on a USD$114,000 budget. After decades of cinematic re-releases, it...
, it is not set in the continuity of George Romero’s series of films or Russo’s The Return of the Living Dead series.
It was followed in 2006 by Escape of the Living Dead Fearbook and Escape of the Living Dead: Airborne, a three-issue mini-series, and Escape of the Living Dead Annual, published in 2007.
Plot
Set in 1971, 3 years after the events seen in Night of the Living Dead, the comic starts out with a raid by police officers led by Sheriff Harkness on a medical lab run by Dr Melrose. During the raid the officers manage to shoot Dr Melrose. Before he dies he reveals he had been experimenting on the zombies for a government funded project and tells the officers about his son who is taking over the project.Meanwhile one of the main characters, Sally Brinkman, is talking to her father Henry. It is revealed Sally is staying with her parents whilst going through a divorce and is working for her father at the local saloon.
Also, two robbers for the gang Sons of Satan attempt to rob a truck by pouring sugar in the gas tank, and then robbing its contents. When they look in the truck, they find it is full of zombies that proceed to attack and eat them. With the zombies released they start walking towards the town.
The zombies eventually reach the Brinkman farm and kill Sally’s mother. The zombies then try to attack Sally, but she manages to avoid them and ride a horse to the saloon where her Dad works. However, zombies have also attacked the saloon as well; Henry attempts to fight the zombies off but hides in the saloon just as Sally appears. They both hide in the saloon and lock the doors.
Meanwhile the rest of the Sons of Satan gang attempt to meet up with the robbers from before, only to encounter them now as zombies. The three gang members, Bearcat, Slam, and Honeybear, kill the zombies before driving off. They eventually reach the saloon, where they are surrounded by zombies. Sally and Henry notice this and let them in.
Eventually, the zombies start to break in, and the bikers attempt to escape, kidnapping Sally and stealing a truck in the process, leaving Henry to be eaten. During this, one of the bikers, Honeybear, is killed, while Henry manages to avoid the zombies and get a truck to chase after the bikers.
Meanwhile, the two bikers and Sally have taken refuge in the nearby woods. Sally is now tied up when zombies attack the trio. Although they fight off the zombies, Slam is bitten and, in panic, kills Bearcat. He then forces Sally to take him to her house to help him.
At this time, Sheriff Harkness discovers the truck that the zombies were originally transported in; he concludes this was the operation that Dr Melrose mentioned. At this point Henry shows up, and helps Sheriff Harkness decide to get a posse together to kill the zombies.
Back at Sally’s farm, Sally is forced to help Slam clean his wounds; she unsuccessfully tries to kill him with his knife and flees, but Slam chases after her as she runs into the basement. Slam then tries to kill her, but is killed by a hidden zombie. Sally runs outside to find her father and a posse killing the zombies.
The posse then fight a horde of zombies, which attack them. Although outnumbered, the military show up and kill all the zombies. After the fight Sheriff Harkness gets a call on the radio, saying that the Dr. Melrose that they killed at the beginning did not match the dental records, and thus was an impostor.
The last pages shows a lone zombie being captured by the real Dr Melrose and his son, implying the zombie epidemic is far from over.
Cover art
Escape of the Living Dead #1 was published with 13 different cover art versions. Dheeraj Verma created seven - "Regular", American Badass, "Blood Red Con Foil", "Gold Foil", "Gore", "Red Foil Russo Signed" and "Wraparound" versions; Mike Wolfer created four - "Die Cut", "Leather", "Nightmare" and "Terror"; Jason Burrows and Jeremy Rock both created one - "Burrows" and "They Live" respectively.Escape of the Living Dead #2 was published with 9 different cover art versions. Dheeraj Verma created six - "Regular", "Ghostly", "Gold Foil", "Gore", "Topless" and "Wraparound"; Mike Wolfer created three - "Defrocked", "Die Cut" and "Terror".
Escape of the Living Dead #3 was published with 7 different cover art versions. Dheeraj Verma created five - "Regular", "Captive", "Gore", "Trapped", "Wraparound"; Mike Wolfer created two - "Die Cut" and "Terror".
Escape of the Living Dead #4 was published with 7 different cover art versions. Dheeraj Verma created five - "Regular", "Gore", "Terror" and "Wraparound"; Mike Wolfer and Jeremy Rock both created one - "Die Cut" and "Feast" respectively.
Escape of the Living Dead #5 was published with 8 different cover art versions. Dheeraj Verma created five - "Regular", "Gore", "Terror", "Wraparound"; Mike Wolfer, Jason Burrows and Jeremy Rock all created one - "Die Cut", "Burrows" and "Hungry for Flesh" respectively.
Collected editions
The series has been collected into two trade paperbacksTrade paperback (comics)
In comics, a trade paperback is a collection of stories originally published in comic books, reprinted in book format, usually capturing one story arc from a single title or a series of stories with a connected story arc or common theme from one or more titles...
:
- Escape of the Living Dead (120 pages, August 2006, ISBN 1592910343)
- Escape of the Living Dead: Resurrected (240 pages, January 2006, ISBN 1592910475)
Film adaptation
A film adaptation is in the works, to be directed by John Russo and starring Tony ToddTony Todd
Anthony T. "Tony" Todd is an American actor and movie producer, known for his height of 6'5", and deep voice. He is well known for playing the Candyman in the horror movie franchise of the same name, William Bludworth in Final Destination and for guest starring roles on numerous television...
, Kane Hodder
Kane Hodder
Kane Warren Hodder is an American actor and stuntman. Standing , he is best known for his portrayal of Jason Voorhees in four films from the Friday the 13th film series . He is also known for his role as Victor Crowley in Hatchet. -Career:Hodder is the only actor to portray Jason Voorhees more...
, Amber Stevens
Amber Stevens
Amber Dawn Stevens is an American actress and model.-Personal life:Stevens was born in Los Angeles, California. She is the daughter of American actor and radio announcer Shadoe Stevens and former model Beverly Cunningham. She has a younger sister named Chyna Rose Stevens...
, Kristina Klebe
Kristina Klebe
Kristina Klebe is an American and German actress.-Biography:Born in New York City, Kristina Klebe spent much time overseas with her family in Germany, France and Italy. With an ability to speak all of the above languages due to her European heritage, she jokes she sometimes can't decide whether...
and Gunnar Hansen
Gunnar Hansen
Gunnar Milton Hansen is an Icelandic-born actor and author best known for playing Leatherface in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre .- Early life:Hansen was born in Reykjavík, Iceland, and moved to the United States when he was five...
.
External links
- Escape of the Living Dead at Avatar Press