First Look: George A. Romero’s ‘Empire of the Dead #1’

George A. Romero is the godfather of zombies, to the point where he's lamented in the past that people won't let him do anything that doesn't involve zombies in some fashion, although he's learned to tell the stories he wants to tell within the confines of the genre. He's back in the undead groove with his new Marvel series with Alex Maleev, and this time he's adding vampires to the mix. An undead plague has turned Manhattan into a quarantined zone, and vampires feed on both the living and the undead, so all bets are off.

“Like a surgeon, George Romero is once again using the horror genre as a scalpel, cutting through the surface of everyday life to expose society’s undercurrents,” said editor Bill Rosemann. “One could say that the vampires are the Haves and the zombies are the Have-Nots. And us poor humans? We’re the ones getting caught in the crossfire of their escalating war. It’s a violent clash indeed, and Alex Maleev is bringing this undead battle to horrifying – but beautiful – life!”

Check out this first look at George A. Romero's Empire of the Dead #1, due out on January 8.