In Rotten #1, a stranger wanders into a mining town and discovers that the undead roam the streets. However, a small band of survivors cling to what little they have left. Much like George Romero’s 1968 film, the original Night of the Living Dead, writers Mark Rahner and Robert Horton throw the reader right into the story instead of starting with the cause of the zombie outbreak.

The interesting thing is that, unlike other zombie stories, the survivors in this town don’t know what zombies are. No one says, “Oh no, zombies!”

You’d think that the characters in most zombie movies should know what a zombie is when they see one. However, the setting is the 1800s in this book, and they can’t fathom something like this.

Like any zombie property, Rotten keeps you looking for more. Who will die next? Where will the next zombie pop up? The conspiracy plot is interesting, and once the book takes off it never stops for a breather.

The sad part about this book is that aside the awesome factor of a Wild West zombie thriller, Rotten is full of clichés. We see elements from Day of the Dead and other such zombie movies, and the setting very much mirrors 30 Days of Night.

We also have the typical cast: The seasoned leader, the tough guy who hates the newcomer just because, the beautiful woman who falls for the newcomer, et cetera. All the classic zombie rules apply, I’m sure we all know them.

Also, the characterization of the character C.O. Jones seems off as he goes from the wary newcomer who just doesn’t understand to a seasoned zombie killer within the flip of a page. You might say it’s the evolution of the character or just an act, but it seems too sudden and the facts just don’t add up.

As I read the issue, I kind of got into the groove of how this series would be structured. However, after a certain revelation and the death of some people, I became a little confused as to what will happen in issue #2. There seems to be a clear ending to this issue, so I’m not entirely sure what happens next.

Several plotlines are left dangling--like what happened to the rich guy on the hill, where did the zombies come from, and who exactly is this mysterious Aubrey character who just seemed to materialize into existence on page 41.

On the art side, Dan Dougherty provides a nice clear-cut style, shading that generates the mood of each scene and bright colors that stand out from page to page--almost in the same vein as Chester Gould’s Dick Tracy. The only set back is the lack of individuality from character to character. Many of them look the same, and some scenes became confusing. Still, the art is the best part of the issue.

This series has the potential to be “Jonah Hex with zombies” (and less attitude), but not enough is given to really be able to get your bearings on the future of this series. Hardcore fans of the zombie genre should pick it up--yet anyone can check out this issue and enjoy it, I did. The book is six dollars for 52 pages, so it comes down to how much you think this story is worth. It’s a fun and interesting read, but nothing revolutionary.

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