451 Media: Ex Mortis: Issue 7 Review (Final Issue)

     Ex Mortis, Hitler's secret undead army, has been unleashed and only the chance of stopping them is in the hands of a group of Allied monsters called the Dreadnaughts.

     Comprised of all the essential classic horror creatures.  There's a wolfman, a vampire, Frankenstein's original Promethean man, and even a fishman among others.  The team had been betrayed and was in the hands of Axis forces and being subjected to all manner of torture and experimentation in issue 5.
     Then in issue 6 backup arrived, the Dreadnaughts escaped, and set out to prove that despite all the intolerance and persecution, they can rise above mere humanity and thwart the unstoppable Nazi onslaught.

     And rise above they do.  This finale shows that no matter what the cost they will do whatever they can to stop the evil rising out of Hitler's esoteric fanaticism.  They knew they signed up for a suicide mission, and it's come to test their mettle.
     The Dreadnaughts do not disappoint.  Few other stories can give you a blaze of glory quite like this.  This group of outcasts demonstrates that sacrificing all you are to save others is an honor that is held for people that are more than mere soldiers.  It is an act reserved for true heroes.

     Ex Mortis was created and written by the Williams brothers, and has been adapted by Andi Ewington (also known for SIX and the criminally under-appreciated Overrun).  The idea behind Ex Mortis alone could've been reduced to simple and boring fanfare, attempting to rest on familiarity of their namesakes, but the book is handled with great care.  It isn't brought down by cliched writing that befalls many stories using the stereotypical horror character line-up.  This books has given each one of them lives worth knowing.  Lives worth reading about.  And that makes all the difference.

     All these characters are brought to life on the page by the black and white art of Raymund Bermudez and Ty Dazo.  It holds up well as a modern incarnation of the horror pulp comics of yesteryear.  Each black and white page wreaks of the blood implied by the spatters of ink between each panel.  This is what has grown out of things like the Vault of Horror or Tales from the Crypt and it is wonderful and well worth the time for any fans of horror comics or of World War 2 stories.

     Ex Mortis issue 7 is available today.

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*Review copy provided by 451 Media, Thank you!