Review : Lonely Monsters by Matt Dunn

ZOMBIES in Brunswick! What more do you need to know about this comic to buy it? That’s a pretty good hook right there. Over 100 pages of zombie action with a bonus section of art, a peek at book2 and a bonus short story. I bought the whole package that included a signed print and a CD soundtrack. More on that in another post. Or you could do worse than getting the book alone.

Lonely Monsters is set in a world 12 months after a Zombie outbreak has occurred in Australia and threatens to spread to the rest of the world. A zombie has swum across the Tasman to New Zealand, there are rumours of outbreaks in Indonesia and a global conference on the outbreak is debating whether the best solution to the problem is to nuke Australia whether or not there are survivors. That’s the big picture.

Within this premise we focus on the personal stories of survivors who have managed through grief, horror and terror to last twelve months totally oblivious to their possible fate. Some have barely been able survive on their own. Most have formed small gangs to survive, some organised along paramilitary lines. One has donned a gasmask and spends his days on the streets of Brunswick slaying the walking dead with a hammer, including people he used to go to school with. (And who hasn’t dreamed of that!)

Matt Dunn fills his book with grainy black and white art strongly influenced by stencil street art. The grittiness of the art, the angular framing of events and faces sits perfectly with the tone of the story. I do wonder if the original art may have been created for colour as some of the more subtle tones within the art seem a little overwhelmed in the black and white printing. That being said the art is gritty, focussed, professional and finds it strength in telling the story Matt has chosen to tell.

This is a very strong book with story, art, production values and value for money all coming together in a strong package. Published under the auspices 696 Publishing which I assume is based out of 696 Gallery at 696 Sydney Rd Brunswick in Melbourne. I’m very much looking forward to part two, due in 2009. Well done Mr Dunn.

Get it here.


And a reminder that the latest Tango Anthology published by TheComicSpot co-host Bernard Caleo's Cardigan Comics is on sale now in all good books stores in Melbourne or available online here. The preview copy i've seen looks great and i can't wait to get my hands on it.

Cheers