Shaun Of The Dead

Graphic novel adaptation of 'rom-zom-com'

By Ryan Owen

LAST YEAR Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright took over the US box-office with their little British rom-zom-com, Shaun of the Dead. A year later, we see the much-anticipated official comic’s director’s cut adaptation of the movie, complete with deleted scenes, unshot scenes and bonus material.

Shaun of the Dead centres on Shaun, a 29-year-old clearly in the midst of a quarter-life crisis and his mundane exixtence in London. His life revolves around Ed (his roommate and best bud) and their frequenting of their local, the Winchester, for many an ale. His girlfriend, Liz, feels his priorities lie in the wrong places, leading to their non-mutual breakup. While he has to patch up his relationship with Liz, zombie armageddon breaks loose.

This graphic novel (adapted from the ‘first rom-zom-com’ by Chris Ryall), succeeds in capturing the humour, energy and tone of the film, accomplishing a faithful version of the story. It makes use of the same script using apt pacing for this medium with very similar shots, and the depictions of the actors are well-realised. Its only problem lies in it supposedly being a ‘director’s cut’ and lacking anything detectably new.