Zombie stories aren’t new. Whether you’re a Romero enthusiast or The Walking Dead is more your speed, the dead rising and eating the living has become a pretty common plotline in the horror genre, and some may feel it has all been done. So how did creator Gaby A. Faris find a fresh approach to zombies? The answer can be found in The Dead and the Others.
The story begins before the problems start. Rachel and Lucy are two teens going about their normal day—daydreaming in school, chatting with friends, and dealing with family. In a matter of hours their lives are turned upside down when a mysterious virus starts making the residents of their small town incredibly sick. Rachel’s mother works at the hospital and is seeing firsthand more and more people coming in ill. Meanwhile, those who have died are rising and starting to walk around the neighborhood looking for a bite.
With only a shaky phone connection between them, the two friends must figure out how to stay alive. Rachel is home alone and can’t get in contact with her mother at the hospital. Lucy’s dad seems to be infected and fading fast. Relying on their knowledge from zombie survival stories, the two prepare for war with the undead.
The comic, unlike many zombie stories, takes place right at the beginning when everything starts to go downhill. While we may see people changing in other tales, we rarely get to see the chaos and confusion right when the virus first takes hold and no one knows what to do. The other fun element is that this universe has heard zombie apocalypse stories (Lucy wears a TWD shirt), and the girls use their knowledge from movies and stories to make a plan.
The most current episode ends on a cliffhanger, leaving the reader curious where the girls will go from there. Faris updates the series every Friday so fans don’t have to wait too long to read the next installment.
Head over to Tapas to begin reading The Dead and the Others and make sure to add it to your library to keep up with every new episode.
