Zorro: Man of the Dead #1

By / / Comics

Zorro: Man of the Dead #1

Doing double duty as both writer and artist, Sean Gordon Murphy reimagines a modern Zorro with a Don Quiote influence. Zorro rides again! We open with a local celebration of Zorro shut down by the drug cartel who control the village. Jumping forward 20 years we reconnect with the children of Antonio de la Vega each scarred differently by the brutal slaying of their father (who was wearing the Zorro costume at the festival).

Rosa now works as a driver for the cartel, carefully hiding her true parentage. Meanwhile, after spending two decades in mute exile outside the city raised by a family friend who taught him sword fighting, the fragile peace of Diego is shattered by the cartel’s brutal death of his mentor who leaves him one final gift, the legendary sword of Zorro which cements Diego’s delusion and brings the legendary warrior back to life as he quickly takes action against the cartel starting a war he and Rosa will need to work together to win.

Zorro: Man of the Dead #1 offers the chance to see the classic character in a new light and play with the idea what Zorro might look like today. The tragic origin for young Diego, and the addition of Rosa as his sister, are intriguing elements for a comic that succeeds in selling me on its premise in a single issue. Sean Gordon Murphy ticks the boxes for both great story and art. The comic is available in a number of different variant covers by some terrific artists as well, my favorite being the movie poster design.

[Massive Publishing, $4.99]

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