I’m a self proclaimed comic geek. I hold no moral or social reservations in admitting that I love comics. While I’m mainly a Marvel guy when it comes to zombies I have to step outside of the box (unless we’re talking about Marvel Zombies of course..) So while Image might be best known for ‘The Walking Dead’ they also recently put out a pretty great title called ’68’. When the series ended everyone who enjoyed it was rightfully sad.
Until now.
This November we’re going to get a return to the world that was created in ’68: Hallowed Ground’ which will be written by Mark Kidwell with art by: Mark Kidwell, with art from Medors, Kyle Charles, and Jay Fotos. We’ll be following the story as it now unfolds in Mississippi.
’68: Hallowed Ground’ Release Information
In ‘68, the Vietnam War coincided with the rise of flesh-eating zombies. American G.I.s were forced to contend with not just the Viet Cong, but the fact that every fallen ally and enemy soon turned into an entirely new, mindless, and nearly unstoppable threat.
The setting changes from Vietnam to Streiner, Mississippi in February, 1968 in ‘68: HALLOWED GROUND. A passenger train derails as a result of a zombie attack, causing the death of hundreds. Survivors of the wreck find sanctuary in a small rural church, hoping to hold out against the coming swarms of living dead. Their only hope rests on the shoulders of two soldiers, both recently returned from Vietnam. One sits in the belfry, taking out zombies from afar, while the other defends the barricaded sanctuary against the onslaught. But will their efforts be enough?
Comics artist Josh Medors passed away late last year after a years-long battle with cancer. ‘68: HALLOWED GROUND is a very special one-shot comic dedicated to his memory and family. Written by Mark Kidwell and drawn by Medors, Kyle Charles, and Jay Fotos, the issue features a wraparound cover by Medors, Nat Jones and Fotos, and a special guest cover by horror comics legend Bernie Wrightson.
Wrightson is a legend in the comics industry and beyond for his work co-creating Swamp Thing and drawing a wide variety of classic horror comics. Artist Jay Fotos explains the one-shot, and Wrightson’s contribution:
“A unique storyline, told from two separate POVs, the ‘68 series’ return to the grim American Heartland, covers by artists Josh Medors, Nat Jones, myself and very special guest cover artist, master of the macabre BERNIE WRIGHTSON make ‘68: HALLOWED GROUND a milestone in horror comics history!â€
‘68: HALLOWED GROUND is not only dedicated to the memory of Medors—it was the last book he worked on. Fotos is excited about the influence that Medors had on the one-shot:
“When comics artist and longtime friend Josh Med passed away last year, the book he was working on was ‘68: HALLOWED GROUND. Josh was a true fan of horror, loved zombies and was very excited to be working on a ‘68 title. You can see the passion and care Josh gave his work on the book in the startling imagery of his cover. In tribute and thanks to our friend, the entire ’68 crew has worked diligently to ensure that every thumbnail and layout Josh produced went into the final look and feel of the book.â€
’68: HALLOWED GROUND will be in stores on November 6, is currently available to pre-order from the September issue of Previews, and features two separate covers. Cover A (Diamond Code SEP130505) is by Josh Medors, while Cover B (Diamond Code SEP130506) is by Bernie Wrightson. Visit the official ’68 website.
The official ’68’ Synopsis
A five man US fire team out of firebase Aries, Vietnam, deploys deep into the jungles near the Cambodian border to investigate the sudden silence of a deep listening post.
A Chinese American infantry grunt follows his squad and the questionable leadership of a battle-worn Sergeant who sees him as one of the enemy into a dark, seeping tunnel system crawling with Viet Cong guerillas and the interred bodies of their dead.
A deep cover CIA agent, posing as a newsman, accompanies a jaded starlet on her propaganda junket to Cambodia, only to turn his attentions to his true mission as assassin in Vietnam.
An untried Captain assumes leadership of a beleaguered firebase on the edge of “Indian Country†during one of the most explosive periods of the entire Vietnam conflict. Side by side with the camp’s alcoholic surgeon, he will hold the line and defend his tiny island of resistance against threats anticipated and unbelievable.
All these disparate stories and the people who lived them will converge on February 13, 1968…the day when hell gave up its hungry dead and a whole new war began.
’68…history stops here.
Zombies in Vietnam…what a concept! No –brainer, right? Wrong.
In 1968, George Romero, John Russo and Co. created their seminal horror masterpiece, “Night of the Living Deadâ€. The film, shot on grainy documentary stock on a shoestring budget and boasting not only a central female lead but also a black male lead, pushed every boundary of the times. Armed with its thinly veiled social commentary, horrific concept and an army of flesh eating ghouls, the little film tore its way onto theatre and drive-in screens across America, giving birth to a new (and seemingly) eternal sub-genre. Almost overnight, the shambling, mindless Haitian stooges of previous zombie films and legends were gone. The drooling, clawing, insatiable cannibalistic dead were here to stay.
Fast forward to 2004…
Comic writer and artist Mark Kidwell, fresh off of a three-issue mini-series based on the classic zombie film and already steeped in horror fanaticism, kept asking himself a question. The same question, over and over and over. “If the hungry dead first rose in Pennsylvania in 1968, what was happening in the rest of the world?â€
Lots of things. But the one thing…the biggest thing…the thing the world was reeling from and still dissects in minute detail to this very day…was Vietnam.
Small-press publisher Chazz DeMoss, who had published the mini-series Mark had just completed helped pull together and introduce Mark to the creative team of Nat Jones and Jay Fotos, and ’68 was born.
Fast forward to 2006… where ’68 finally found its way into the hands of horror and comic fans everywhere. Published by Image Comics, ‘68 received rave reviews and quickly became a cult favorite by fans and critics alike.
Fast forward to 2010…
Since the one-shot’s initial release, ’68 has been a top seller. Fans nation and worldwide have come to every member of the team to have copies signed, zombie sketches drawn and questions answered. The number one question from ’68 fans? “When are you going to do more?†For four long years, as each of the creators handled dozens of other non-related projects and books, the answer was a mere shrug of the shoulders.
The shrugging is over…
Holy snikies that was a long description.
Source: Bloody-Disgusting.
