DIE!NAMITE #5, available from Dynamite Comics on February 17th, 2021, concludes the current arc with remaining heroes from across the Dynamite multiverse converging on the Himalayan monastery to confront Evil Ernie and his role in the zombie apocalypse. When Ernie refuses to go quietly, his boss shows up and things get gory.
The Details
- Written By: Fred Van Lente
- Art By: Vincenzo Carratù
- Colors By: Kike J. Diaz
- Letters By: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
- Cover Art By: Lucio Parrillo
- Cover Price: $3.99
- Release Date: February 17, 2021
Was It Good?
It was satisfying. A comic is always best when there’s some change to the status quo, even if it’s temporary. With the announcement of the follow-up arc DIE!namite Lives!, there’s sure to be some reversals, but this arc ends on a high note (which means it ended very badly for the characters).
The art is very good and sufficiently bloody. That’s how any self-respecting zombie comic should be.
What’s It About?
[SPOILERS AHEAD]
We pick up with the big reveal that Evil Ernie has been hiding out in the same monastery where [SHOCK] Peter Cannon and Tabu were raised, and [DOUBLE SHOCK] the monks are actually a colony of peaceful, alien vampires from Drakulon. (read our DIE!namite #4 review here to get the full scoop from the last issue). Ernie’s been hiding out in this mountaintop sanctuary for years to avoid going back to fulfill his duty as an assassin for the Underworld.
Red Sonja and Pete Cannon head back inside from zombie-busting duties outside the monastery walls when Sonja notices Pete’s been bit. Smiley uses the observation to push Sonja to kill Pete. It’s clear throughout the issue that Smiley wants Sonja to unleash her rage in every direction and go berserk. Sonja takes a sword swipe at Pete but he dodges easily. However, the attempt was enough to tip off Pete and the other heroes that he’s infected.
Sonja offers to kill him as an act of mercy, but he tries to meditate to resist the change, hoping it will buy them time and maybe information.
Ernie explains that he gave up killing for the Underworld because exposure to so many evil people was wearing him down. He ditched Smiley and made his way to the monastery where he knew his undead vibrations would be hidden.
Vampirella scolds the monks for harboring him since the zombies were unleashed specifically to find Ernie. But it’s too late. Bringing Smiley to the monastery blew Ernie’s cover, and here comes his old boss to collect on a little back time.
Hel arrives in a gloriously powerful entrance to reclaim her wayward killer. Ernie refuses, so Hel brings in more super-powered zombies from The Project to kill everyone. As the battle rages, Smiley closes his grip on Sonja’s mind, pushing her to become a wild killer.
Zombie Samson charges at Sonja and rips Smiley off of her. Unfortunately for Sonja, Smiley doesn’t come off without taking a few organs with it. The separation, however, doesn’t kill Sonja but instead turns her into [TRIPLE SHOCK] Evil Ernie’s replacement.
Hel is satisfied with Ernie’s replacement, and she orders Sonja to lead her zombie army to wipe out all life. Without spoiling the ending, Evil Sonja demonstrates she’s no Evil Ernie.
Plenty of action. Gory, zombie violence. And an interesting new status quo. It’s not a perfect issue, but it’s a very satisfying one.
Final Thoughts
DIE!NAMITE #5, available from Dynamite Comics on February 17th, 2021, wraps up the zombie apocalypse from Hel with an all-new status quo. The art is excellent, the action is fast-paced, the little bits of comedic relief jokes all land, and the potential going into the next series is wide open.
Score: 8.5/10
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