We’ve seen many stories and comics set in the world of zombies. It was a popular thing for quite a while and we reached the oversaturation point. So, can a story do something new in that genre to stand out? Kidz #1 might have pulled that off with a zombie meets Lord of the Flies vibe.

Written by Aurélien Ducoudray the comic is an interesting one. Taking place months after a zombie plague, the story revolves around a group of boys who have survived and banded together. We get to know them as so many stories of the sort do as they hunt down a zombie to dispatch. But, Ducoudray delivers on us understanding who these kids are. They needle each other, in ways that are cringe-worthy at times, but that’s what kids their age do.

The characters fall into defined types and that’s where the comic lacks a bit. The overweight kid is picked on, the alpha kid has insecurities and issues with his past. These things we’ve seen before and maybe slight tweaks to personalities would make the comic go from good to amazing. But, it’s early and I’m sure there’s more to come in that department. Ducoudray also focuses on enough details to answer questions in how the kids are living. While there’s many more questions out there, there’s enough details to allow you to enjoy the story.

The art by Jocelyn Joret delivers. There’s a Gorillaz vibe to it all. The art mixed with the story creates a story that’s more playful than the story really is. Along with lettering by Carlos M. Mangual, the visuals take the comic from horror to something else. Much like The Goon, the art both works for the genre but also twists it in some ways making it a bit more comedic.

Kidz #1 takes a genre which was winding down and delivers a new aspect that breathes life into it. There’s many ways this series can go and if the team can avoid too many cliches, the series will really stand out. There’s something that’s really interesting here making it a series to watch out for.

Story: Aurélien Ducoudray Art: Jocelyn Joret
Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual
Story: 7.85 Art: 8.0 Overall: 7.9 Recommendation: Buy

Ablaze provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review