Every Marvel Zombies Comic Series, Ranked

by

Marvel Zombies is gaining attention again with the upcoming 2025 Disney+ series and its connection to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Although the new show explores a zombie universe within the MCU, there have been a surprising number of comic book series featuring these characters since the original debuted in 2005. This initial series was created by Walking Dead co-creator Robert Kirkland and Sean Phillips. Following that first run, and the tie-in series Ultimate Fantastic Four by Mark Millar and Greg Land, there have been 14 different Marvel Zombies series-not counting individual issues. These stories span the main timeline, alternate versions across the multiverse, and even zombie outbreaks on completely different Earths.

Leaving out standalone issues and related comics, here’s a ranking of every Marvel Zombies comic book series, from least favorite to best. This list also excludes Marvel Zombies: Red Band, which is planned to be released in late 2025.

14) Age of Ultron Vs. The Marvel Zombies

Age of Ultron vs The Marvel Zombies is an okay story, but it might not fully satisfy readers who were hoping for a lot of zombie action. The story spends too much time on background details and not enough time showing the zombies battling Ultron’s forces. This takes place within the world of Secret Wars, and it’s one of two series connected to that event. However, it’s generally considered the less compelling of the two. The robots and zombies have merged into a single, collective intelligence, and Hank Pym knows how to defeat them. He’ll need help from Wonder Man, Vision, and Jim Hammond to pull it off. While not a terrible read, the story feels mostly slow-paced, even leading up to the final showdown.

13) Marvel Zombies 5

Out of all the core Marvel Zombies series, Marvel Zombies 5, released in 2010, is generally considered the weakest. The main issue is that it didn’t offer much new material, as many of the ideas had already been explored (though this was later addressed with Secret Wars a few years later). Morbius played a key role, sending heroes across the multiverse to collect samples, hoping to find a cure for the zombie outbreak. While it was enjoyable to see Howard the Duck as a prominent hero, and the various dimensions were filled with Easter eggs, overall it was just a middling entry compared to the others.

12) Marvel Zombies Destroy!

Howard the Duck played a key role in Marvel Zombies Destroy, a story that really pushed the concept to its limits. The premise was certainly unique: Dum Dum Dugan partnered with Howard the Duck to fight an army of Nazi zombies aiming to conquer other universes. The best part of the story was probably the dynamic between Howard and Dugan – they had a lot of fun together.

11) Marvel Zombies Supreme

Compared to most of the main Marvel Zombies comic series, the story in Marvel Zombies Supreme was largely independent and didn’t require prior knowledge. This was a double-edged sword – it made the story easy for new readers to pick up, but it also meant it didn’t have a major impact on the overall Marvel Zombies universe, aside from being somewhat enjoyable. The plot centers around Jill Harper’s attempt to prevent zombie versions of famous heroes from escaping Project: Pegasus, where they were being experimented on. A key strength of this series is that it was significantly more frightening and graphic than other installments in the franchise.

10) Marvel Zombies 4

I really enjoyed that Marvel Zombies 4 focused on blending the zombie universe with other monsters we know and love, like Morbius and Man-Thing. It was cool seeing Morbius lead the Midnight Suns against the zombies after a small outbreak started. There was a surprising plot twist too – the Hood actually wanted to *use* the virus to eliminate all superheroes! And you won’t believe this, but Deadpool’s severed head became such a hit in this series that it ended up being included in Deadpool & Wolverine later on.

9) Marvel Zombies (Secret Wars)

Another Marvel Zombies series appeared during the 2015 Secret Wars event, sharing the same name as the first one. This story unfolded on Battleworld and focused on Elsa Bloodstone, a Marvel magic-user, whose job was to keep the zombie threat away from the main cities. When a young girl is caught amongst the zombies, Elsa makes it her mission to rescue her. This version offered a fresh perspective by showing events through the eyes of a human, which was a welcome change after some weaker installments in the franchise.

8) Marvel Zombies: Dawn of Decay

Launched in 2024, Marvel Zombies: Dawn of Decay took a new approach within the universe of zombie heroes. This series featured a unique zombie virus. Unlike the standard stories where the virus came from another dimension, this one originated from a strange sickness that Groot contracted. He unintentionally spread it to Captain America and others, which triggered the zombie outbreak. Groot and Hulk then had to work together to find a solution. While enjoyable, the story was more frightening for younger audiences and didn’t quite reach the same level of quality as the more mature, regular zombie comics.

7) Marvel Zombies 3

Marvel Zombies 3 marked the point when monstrous creatures became central to the story. Morbius played a key role throughout the last three main installments, and his involvement began here. The zombified heroes, desperate for sustenance, aimed to travel to other realities via the Nexus of All Realities. It was here that Morbius guided his team into a zombie-filled world, hoping to develop a vaccine. This ultimately led the zombies to Earth-616, a significant event that laid the groundwork for future narratives.

6) Marvel Zombies: Resurrection

Marvel Zombies: Resurrection arrived in 2019 as a bit of a surprise, presenting another universe with a unique take on zombies, distinct from those in the primary Marvel timeline. This world was designated Earth-19121, and a major twist was that Spider-Man remained human, acting as a traumatized member of the resistance, responsible for safeguarding Franklin and Valeria Richards. However, Franklin was constantly threatened by his own family – zombified heroes who craved his return and had gained power by consuming Galactus. The series did a good job of showcasing the human element, with characters like Spider-Man, Forge, Blade, and others struggling to survive and evade the overwhelming zombie horde controlled by a single mind.

5) Marvel Zombies: Black, White & Blood

Premiering in 2024, this installment presents a fresh zombie outbreak, this time set on Earth-45425. Marvel Zombies: Black, White & Blood is a series of standalone stories, each issue offering a different take on the zombie apocalypse with mature themes and extreme violence. Boasting creative talent like Garth Ennis, the stories don’t hold back on the gore. The individual tales were largely fantastic, showcasing moments like the Punisher aiding a zombified Daredevil in seeking redemption, Spider-Man succumbing to a tragic fate involving Aunt May, and much more. The introduction of the gods elevated the series to new heights. These short, impactful stories rank among the best within the entire Marvel Zombies franchise.

4) Marvel Zombies Vs. The Army of Darkness

As a horror and comic book fan, I have to say that Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness was a delightfully strange crossover. Released in 2007, it threw Evil Dead’s Ash Williams right into the middle of the Marvel Zombie outbreak – completely by accident, of course! What really set this one apart was that it took place within the original Marvel Zombies universe. The story follows Ash as he desperately searches for Doctor Doom, convinced the Necronomicon is to blame for everything. It’s a blast seeing Ash’s signature deadpan humor in this setting, and even though he discovers these zombies are tougher than the Deadites he’s used to, it was a real treat for fans of both franchises. While he doesn’t *stop* the outbreak, watching him try is pure entertainment.

3) Marvel Zombies 2

Marvel Zombies 2 continued the story of the original, raising the stakes by showing zombies who kept their minds and abilities while still desperately craving human flesh. The first series showed these zombies destroying everything in their own world. This new series shows them trying to build a gateway to other dimensions so they can devour life across the entire multiverse. Black Panther took on the role of leader for the remaining humans, and he was a great fit to lead the fight against these powerful zombie heroes.

2) Marvel Zombies Return

The 2009 series Marvel Zombies Return represented a major change for the Marvel Zombies story, moving it away from the direction of the original series’ sequels. This installment was structured similarly to an anthology, with each issue focusing on a different character from Earth-Z, letting fans discover the fates of Spider-Man, the Hulk, and numerous other heroes. While each story is self-contained, they ultimately connect and then rejoin the main Marvel Zombies timeline.

1) Marvel Zombies

The standout series within the entire franchise is Marvel Zombies, which began after the first appearance in Ultimate Fantastic Four. Written by Robert Kirkman, the creator of The Walking Dead, this story unveiled a world where heroes became zombies. While retaining their minds and memories, they were unable to control their overwhelming hunger, leading them to kill anyone they encountered. It was a truly frightening tale filled with the gore that zombie fans crave. What set it apart was the fact that these heroes were aware of their actions, which contributed to its popularity and success.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/comics/news/marvels-10-weirdest-super-villains-ranked-by-ridiculousness/embed/#

Read More

2025-09-30 07:42