About Crossed
Published by Avatar Press, Crossed is an ultra violent post-apocalyptic comic book series written by Garth Ennis and illustrated by Jacen Burrows. The story focuses on an infection which turns people into homicidal killers. Unlike zombies, however, those who contract this infection retain a twisted form of intelligence which is sadistic in nature. The infected are visually marked by a cross-shaped rash which forms on their heads.
Eventually, as the infection spreads, society begins to collapse and the “Crossed” take over, spreading their depravity and using their twisted intelligence to inflict maximum carnage.
After a recent re-read I thought to myself of other comics like Crossed which are just as dreadful and grimdark. Here’s my 10 recommendations!
10. Post Americana
Publisher: Image Comics | Writer: Steve Skroce | Artist: Steve Skroce
Colorist: Dave Stewart | Letterer: Fonografiks
Post Americana is a post-apocalyptic comic book series which blends grim dystopia with satire, Post Americana takes place in a future that has torn apart by war, corruption and the collapse of civilisation.
The series focuses on main character, Janey, who is on a mission to avenge her family who were killed in a raiders attack. Her quest, however, is chaotic. Often running into warlords, dangerous mercenaries and treacherous humans who have their own agendas – which usually include killing her. Despite this, Post Americana is a road-trip of sorts littered with dark humour and danger at every turn as Janey gets closer to avenging her family.
It’s grotesquely enjoyable thanks to Steve Skroce’s distinctive artwork which displays his razor sharp wit, satirical leanings and gratuitous amounts of gore. While Skroce worked on storyboards for The Matrix, this comic book series is anything but. In fact, you’re probably more to enjoy Post Americana if you’re a fan of Judge Dredd or Mad Max – because this is one messy post-apocalyptic comic book tale.
9. Hinterkind
Publisher: Vertigo (DC Comics) | Writer: Ian Edginton | Artist: Francesco Trifogli
Colorist: Cris Peter | Letterer: Dezi Sienty
Hinterkind is a post-apocalyptic fantasy series based in a world where humanity has been almost entirely wiped out by a mysterious plague, civilization has crumbled, and nature has reclaimed the cities. In this new wilderness, mythical creatures – referred that become known as “Hinterkind” have resurfaced. With the majority of humanity almost extinct, these creatures of myth, legend and fairytales now dominate the Earth.
Hinterkind begins in a human settlement where its small population are struggling to survive. Prosper and Angus embark on a journey to find Prosper’s missing grandfather, venturing into the wild, Hinterkind-dominated world. As they travel, they uncover the truth about the plague that wiped out human civilisation, Angus’s heritage as a fae, and the power struggles that exist within the Hinterkind government.
Although a fantasy element is at play, Hinterkind is a dystopian story at heart that tackles issues of mythology, environmentalism and the science versus nature debate.
8. BRZRKR
Publisher: Boom Studios | Writer: Keanu Reeves, Matt Kindt | Artist: Ron Garney
Colorist: Bill Crabtree | Letterer: Clem Robins
BRZRKR is an incredibly violent comic book series. Spread out over 12 issues, there’s an epic combo of mythology, science fiction, fantasy, immortality and hyper-violence at play.
It follows B, an ageless immortal warrior who has lived for over 80,000 years, cursed with an uncontrollable thirst for violence. However, in the present day he works as a government operative on the most dangerous missions in exchange for help on how he can one day end his life. It’s incredibly complex, filled with panel-to-panel fun and gore. Lots of gore.
7. God Is Dead
Publisher: Avatar Press | Writers: Jonathan Hickman & Mike Costa | Artist: Di Amorim
Colorist: Juanmar | Letterer: Kurt Hathaway
God Is Dead is a violent, philosophical and religious driven comic book series which follows an earth where the gods of mythologies have returned which sparks a worldwide apocalyptic war of epic proportions.
God Is Dead follows the gods that return to earth and declare their dominance over humanity. As well as the people who choose to worship or rebel against them. With the various factions of Gods fighting amongst themselves, the battles create such devastation that many areas of earth are reduced to a wasteland. By the end, this comic book series will cause you to question your belief system.
And if you don’t? Well, you haven’t been paying attention.
6. Y: The Last Man
Publisher: Vertigo | Writer: Brian K. Vaughan | Artist: Pia Guerra
Colorists: Zylonol Studios & Paul Hornschemeier | Letterer: Clem Robins
Y: The Last Man is a post-apocalyptic comic book series with an unexplained phenomenon. It follows a mysterious plague which instantaneously wipes out every living mammal with a Y chromosome, except for one man, Yorick Brown, and his pet monkey, Ampersand.
Y: The Last Man focuses on Yorick, Ampersand, Agent 355 and Dr. Allison Mann, who embark on a quest to find a cure to the plague (and Yorick’s lost fiancée, Beth) which has killed every man on the planet. Along the way, Yorick and his friends encounter many obstacles and factions look to stop them including a militant feminist group calling themselves The Amazons who believe the plague is a blessing, and The Israeli Army, who want to use Yorick for their own plans. Along the way there are clues to the origins of the plague leading to the end of this series – which will shock you!
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5. A Walk Through Hell
Publisher: Aftershock | Writer: Garth Ennis | Artist: Goran Sudžuka
Colorist: Ive Svorcina | Letterer: Rob Steen
A Walk Through Hell is a psychological horror comic book series. It follows two FBI agents who are investigating the disappearance of two of their fellow agents which leads them to a warehouse and a living nightmare.
A Walk Through Hell has been praised for its well thought out and psychologically horrific scenes. It’s a tale of despair with a labyrinth of horrors that causes the two detectives to face their innermost fears.
4. The Fellspyre Chronicles
Publisher: DC Comics | Writers: Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Dan Watters | Artists: Riccardo Federici, Kai Carpenter, Jared Blando
Colorists: Dean White, Sunny Gho, Arif Prianto, Mat Lopes, Allen Passalaqua, Dave Stewart | Letterers: Steve Wands
The Fellspyre Chronicles is a dark fantasy comic book series. The story takes place in the fictional realm of Cain Anuun, where two separate groups of heroes face the same threat, except thirty years apart from one another.
Each group is made of living champions who desire to track the last living god and destroy him once and for all. However, they have to fight through hordes of the undead so they can get to the last living god, kill him and bring about a new era of peace and prosperity.
3. Geiger
Publisher: Ghost Machine (Image Comics) | Writer: Geoff Johns | Artists: Gary Frank, Eamon Winkle, Norm Rapmund
Colorists: Brad Anderson, Rob Nugent | Letterer: Rob Leigh
Geiger is a post-apocalyptic comic book series set against a backdrop of a dystopian future left ravaged by a devastating nuclear, referred to in the comic as The Great Poisoning.
The story focuses on its mysterious main character, Tariq Geiger, who many refer to him as the “Glowing Man” due to his intense radiactive glow he emits due to both his exposure to radiation and to when he uses his strength to dispense justice on those hurting the innocent. Due to this dynamic, there’s an obvious blending of the post-apocalyptic and superhero themes. A dynamic which has been well received amongst comic book fans and collectors alike.
Tariq’s world is marked by tragedy, just like all good superheroes. He survives the Nuclear fallout but his wife and child don’t and this consumes his every waking thought when he’s not trying to help people. There’s even a grim scene where you see their skeletons which is absolutely brutal and will tug at your heart-strings!
2. Red Room: The Antisocial Network
Publisher: Fantagraphics | Writer: Ed Piskor | Artist: Ed Piskor
Colorist: Ed Piskor | Letterer: Ed Piskor
Red Room: The Antisocial Network is a dark horror comic book which is equal parts vile and satirical. It’s made up of short stories which deliberately poke fun at the reader the users of the dark web and those that will pay to consume extremely heinous material such as murder and torture porn.
The “Red Room” is a number of illegally live- streamed torture chambers which cater to the rich clientele who subscribe. It’s a narrative on the perverse nature of cryptocurrency, online voyeur culture and internet anonymity.
1. Wolverine: Old Man Logan
Publisher: Marvel | Writer: Mark Millar | Artist: Steve McNiven
Colorists: Morry Hollowell, Nathan Fairbairn, Jason Keith, Paul Mounts, Justin Ponsor, Christina Strain | Letterer: VC’s Cory Petit
Wolverine: Old Man Logan is grim dystopian alternate future to the Marvel Comics 616 Universe. The story follows a timeline where all the villains have won and the heroes are either dead, dying or broken.
As the series progresses we learn the heroes died after the villains launched a coordinated attack and wiped out almost all of the heroes with the exception of Wolverine, Hawkeye and a few others. Trauma and post traumatic stress play big parts when we learn Wolverine was unable to save his friends and has vowed never to use his claws again.
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