Publisher: TokyoPop
Writing: Keith R.A. DeCandido
Art:
Inks: Carmelo Zagaria
Colors: Valentina Cuomo & Elisa Bartolucci
Lettering: Vibrraant Publishing Studio
When a bomb goes off taking the life of a guard at the Carnegie Art Museum, Leon Kennedy is tasked to investigate the case. Things take a turn as undead corpses rise and stalk the living, unfolding a mystery that only Leon is qualified to solve.
If you’re a fan of the Resident Evil games but not up to date with all the other media installments of the series, but looking for stuff to jump in on that quells the void of a new Resident Evil game, this book might do the trick! Admittedly I’ve only been familiar with the games and a few Resident Evil animated movies here and there, so I had no familiarity with the 2021 Infinite Darkness animated series. That said, De Candido kicks off the book with a good mystery that fits the DNA of Resident Evil, though it’s more so an action/suspense thriller than zombie horror, though that isn’t a bad thing given that the franchise fluctuates between those genre styles.
The story is serviceable for what it’s worth, delivering a Leon Kennedy-focused story, as he races to prevent an outbreak in Pittsburgh. The antagonists of this book, while not as engaging themselves, their collective motivations as to depopulate society to a specific number was decent enough that it maintained tension that kept me engaged throughout.
Art/verdict: While the art may not be as flashy, it manages to drive the story forward visually. Carmelo Zagaria’s inks, coupled with Valentina Cuomo and Elisa Bartolucci’s colors give the book some zest when rendering infected hosts and zombies. There are some good moments where the colors and inks really shine, whereas in other areas, they would’ve flourished with more vibrancy when necessary. Vibrraant Publishing handled the lettering duties on this and while I feel it would have benefited from having a more manga-esque lettering style, they did alright. Though that didn’t impede my general enjoyment of the book. It’s no easy task to make a tie-in book to something that’s established, I think DeCandido and the rest of the art team deliver a serviceable installment that compliments the franchise.
Newsdesk