Marvel Zombies: Red Band #2 Review

 

Writers: Ethan S Parker & Griffin Sheridan

Artist: Jan Bazaldua

Colorist: Erick Arciniega

Letterer: Travis Lanham

Cover Artists: Greg Land & Rachelle Rosenberg; Scott Koblish & Val Staples; Scott Hepburn & Yen Nítro; Adam Warren & Lee Duhíg

Design: Sarah Spadaccini

Editors: Emerald Bensadoun, Jordan D White & EB Cebulski

Publisher: Marvel Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: October 22, 2025

 

Peter Parker anticipated making his spectacular debut on the Ed Sullivan show. Instead, he suffered a panic attack when zombies invaded a hospital. The Frightful Four created the zombies when they returned from space in their stolen NASA rocket. Iron Man, snooping on the Teen Brigade's radio frequency, heard Rick Jones hail Hulk. While Donald Blake will never tap his cane again, Daredevil wonders if zombies can reclaim their Humanity.

 

The only one who can deter the zombies is Hulk. He alone has confronted the walking dead before. Can Hulk, Spider-Man, and the newly christened Defenders defeat the zombie horde? Or will TVA agents erase everyone from existence to preserve the sacred timeline? Let's thwip into Marvel Zombies: Red Band #2 and see.

 

Story

Jean Grey never belonged anywhere until she joined Professor Xavier's school for mutants. Despite his assurances, Jean worried about destroying his school and killing her fellow students while she dreamed. Like any anxious soul spending their first night in a new place, Jean's fears conjured a nightmare. But when Scott attacked her, and she had to kill him in self-defense, Jean realized that his attack was no dream.

 

As Marvel Zombies: Red Band #2 introduces Jean Grey and Jessica Jones, it also looks in on Peter Parker. Jean and Jessica fight a losing battle to save people from the undead. Yet, the dwindling survivors hail Spider-Man for delivering them from the zombies. Even though society has fallen, and he no longer has a family to protect, Peter shies away from revealing his identity. Still, he becomes a leader to Jean Grey and Jessica Jones.

 

 

 

Most Humans who become zombies swiftly lose their self-awareness. Reed Richards clings to his sanity in Ethan S Parker and Griffin Sheridan’s story. Mr Frightful knows he has changed. Still, he yearns to share what he learned in space with the brightest minds on Earth. Instead, Reed Richards must fight to prevent the ever-growing horde of the undead from turning on each other.

 

Like many of New York’s heroes and villains, Reed Richards falls into another being's trap in Marvel Zombies: Red Band #2. Now, on a patchwork planet, the man who loves science leads his undead warriors against Earth's mightiest heroes. Reed knows he doesn't have much time left. He may not survive Battleworld. But if he wins, the Beyonder has promised to reward the victors with anything they desire. Perhaps, the Beyonder can even help the Frightful Four regain their Humanity and turn their cursed voyage into a blessing for Earth.

 

 

 

Art

Lights glow in Professor Xavier's mansion as he clasps Jean’s arm and assures his new student that she is safe in his care. But when Jean awakens, her bed has moved to a mutant Deadite cemetery. After the pristine architecture of Xavier’s mansion, Jean wavers between mercy and vengeance among the backstreets and alleys of New York City. Yet she walks through blood and body parts, just as she did when she left Xavier’s school for mutants.

 

While Erick Arciniega lavishes a loaded palette on Marvel Zombies: Red Band #2, Jean’s red hair binds her to Spider-Man’s suit. As she accepts Jessica Jones’ friendship, Jessica’s purple hair links her with the zombies. Yet when they trade the red sky above the glowing yellow and orange buildings for another’s domain, Jessica’s purple hair links her with the planet-filled sky above Battleworld. Jan Bazaldua portrays the fighting on a two-page arcing layout, with the final panel evoking Michelangelo's The Creation of Adam. 

 

 

 

Travis Lanham fills white dialogue balloons with black uppercase letters that grow bold for intonation, swell for intonation, and shrink for lowered voices. Zombies argue with larger dialogue in cloudy balloons. The narrator speaks into torn yellow boxes. Iron Man’s words fill yellow hexagons with red borders. Sound effects help readers hear the zombies tear through the ground, shriek, and feed. Yet whatever happens, Jean Grey seems destined to hear undead jaws snapping for her throat every time she closes her eyes. Thanks to Marvel Comics for providing a review copy.

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

As Humanity’s numbers dwindle, a portal appears in Central Park. Those who enter find themselves on Planet Undead Hulk. Avengers battle Frightful Enforcers for the ultimate prize. But while most of the “heroes” fight to reclaim the past, one pursues a lifelong goal in Marvel Zombies: Red Band #2.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.