Marvel Zombies Return #1

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Graded population

CGC records 39 graded copies for Marvel Zombies Return #1 (2009). Population is the number recorded by this grading source, not the total print run or all surviving copies.

With Great Hunger, There Must Also Come Great Hunger!

Following their defeat and dimensional displacement at the end of Marvel Zombies 2, the cosmic-powered Zombie Spider-Man) is one of the scattered few to arrive in a new, uninfected universe (later designated Earth-Z).

A False Hope

Zombie Spider-Man retains a vestige of his conscience and is horrified by the apocalyptic destruction he caused on his original Earth. He discovers that this new reality is a throwback to the Silver Age, where his counterpart, Peter Parker), is still a college student, and his loved ones are alive. He decides to act as a hero, seeing an opportunity to redeem himself by preventing the zombie plague from spreading here. He quickly learns that the Kingpin) is attempting to acquire the powerful Lifeline Tablet, and Zombie Spider-Man resolves to beat him to it, believing the Tablet could hold the key to a cure for his condition.

The Inevitable Tragedy

Zombie Spider-Man confronts the Kingpin and his Sinister Six) (including Doctor Octopus), Mysterio), and Kraven the Hunter)). Despite his resolve, the powerful, ever-present Hunger) overcomes him. In a gruesome display of violence, he tears through the villains, infecting the Kingpin and all of the Sinister Six except for Sandman) (whose sand form is immune to the virus). The newly zombified Sinister Six immediately attack the uninfected Peter Parker of Earth-Z. Witnessing the horrific carnage, the traumatized Sandman turns homicidal and savagely kills his reality's Spider-Man. The six new zombies then turn their attention to Peter's friends, including Gwen Stacy) and Mary Jane Watson), infecting them. Forced to contain the outbreak, Zombie Spider-Man brutally kills the infected Sinister Six and Peter's friends, thus beginning the initial outbreak on Earth-Z.

Concurrent Crisis

The story is framed by the arrival of another Earth-2149 zombie, Giant-Man), who lands in the Earth-Z orbit and is immediately discovered by Uatu the Watcher). Giant-Man devours the Watcher, gaining knowledge of the multiverse before landing on the planet to begin his own separate infection, setting the stage for the rest of the series.

| Solicit = They’re back! What happened to Spider-Man, Colonel America, Power Man, Giant-Man and Wolverine at the end of MARVEL ZOMBIES 2? Where were they transported to...and, more importantly, when? A frightening five-part weekly event shambles to life here, penned by resident (evil) MARVEL ZOMBIES 3 and 4 scribe Fred Van Lente and three of today’s hottest novelists of zombie fiction! In this first chapter, your friendly neighborhood undead arachnid arrives in the swingin’ college days of his distant past, and when the Sinister Six threaten his loved ones, he seizes the opportunity to undo all the horror he's caused as a flesh-eating freak. But can a monster truly become a hero, no matter how guilt-ridden he is? Or will he learn the hard way that with great hunger also comes…great hunger?

| Notes = *When arriving in the Earth-91126 universe, Zombie Spider-Man loses the powers obtained from devouring Galactus, such as flying. Although his neural links gives him the power of shooting stick veins and arteries, even when executing it renders him great pain, he uses it for locomotion. *The events in this issue are intended to take place during the time of *Crisis on Campus*, yet there are notable divergences from the events of Earth-616: **Earth-91126's Peter is shown with Gwen, Mary Jane, and Harry Osborn during the day Kingpin plans to seize the Lifeline Tablet, yet in the events of "Crisis on Campus", he arrives at the protest (and goes to the exhibit) alone. **Earth-91126's Harry Osborn already has a mustache, yet his Earth-616 counterpart wouldn't have it until Amazing Spider-Man Vol 1 74, six issues later. **No Earth-91126 counterparts to Josh Kittling) or Randy Robertson) are shown or referenced during the protest despite their roles in "Crisis on Campus". *The fashions date this period as the late 60's, yet the second issue takes place two years after this story with the Chinese preparing to buy out Tony Stark's) company and patents, which wouldn't have been possible during the 60's or 70's. This could just be another case of the Sliding Timescale. *Zombie Spider-Man removes his skin (and leaves it behind in a trash can in homage to the famous panel from *Spider-Man No More!*) yet in subsequent issues it appears as though he still has his skin on, without any indication he removed it. It is unknown when he got his skin back but presumably it happened before the events of *issue #3*. *Previously, Spider-Man had a prosthetic legMarvel Zombies 2 Vol 1 1 to replace the one he lost in the first Marvel Zombies miniseriesMarvel Zombies Vol 1 3, and also had to be stitched up due to injuries from Gladiator in Marvel Zombies 2 Vol 1 3. Yet upon his arrival on Earth-91126, he is "healed" (while still remaining a zombie) as though he had never received any of the injuries he received over the course of the Marvel Zombies miniseries. Similarly, the top of Giant-Man's head was blasted off by Spider-Man in Marvel Zombies 2Marvel Zombies 2 Vol 1 2 yet he appears "healed" upon his arrival in the Watcher's base. It is unknown how they healed but it's possible that it could be connected with their loss of Cosmic Power.

| Trivia = | Recommended = | Links = *[http://marvel.com/catalog/?id=12749 Marvel Zombies Return #1 at marvel.com]

Creative credits

Writers: Fred Van Lente

Interior art: Nick Dragotta

Color: Lee Loughridge

Source records & attribution

Panel Profits keeps each source identity attached to its edition record.

COMICBASE: comicbase:722467

GCD: 675562

PANEL PROFITS: 3366540