Toe Tag Riot #1
Written by Matt Miner
Art by Sean Von Gorman
Colors by John Rauch
Black Mask Studios
Release Date: November 26, 2014
Cover Price: $3.50

About six months ago, I did a little article about the Kickstarter for this series, Toe Tag Riot. The premise was fresh and it really looked like a new spin on an old idea. Zombies, in all media forms, have been run into the ground. So why not give this little miniseries a chance, right? Today, I give you a little feedback on the premiere issue.

In case you aren’t aware, this comic is about a punk rock band whose members turn into zombies whenever they play. Which has got to make rehearsing a pain in the rear. Punk rockers are a bit more accepting of differences than many other people, so the fact that there is an interracial lesbian couple in the band doesn’t faze anyone. The fans love the band and that’s all that matters to them. Of course, these fans all think the band is in makeup on stage. I wonder what would happen if they found out otherwise?

This comic is fun and mostly lighthearted. Matt Miner does a good job of setting the scene and creating entertaining dialogue. Some scenes are slightly gory but it’s hard to get grossed out by it since there’s minimal blood involved. The art is pretty basic, though it has it’s moments of clarity. I don’t know if it was Sean Von Gorman‘s intention is to give it a Saturday Morning Cartoon/Nickelodeon look or not, but that’s what it reminds me of, style-wise.

But with all that said, there’s no sense of purpose in this first issue. The Kickstarter spoke to sending a supportive message regarding alternative lifestyles and being LGBTQ positive but it’s not very apparent here, other than the couple in the band. Also, they mention that it’s taking longer and longer to switch back to human form but that’s the only clue that something might be amiss. Not to mention that we have no idea how this all came to pass! Now, maybe we’ll be brought up to speed in the coming issues but for someone walking into this blindly, it might be a turnoff.

Personally, I really like it and hope it does well with the masses. I just wonder if they didn’t skip a step in the buildup. It’s definitely a different kind of zombie book, which could potentially appeal to a wide variety of people. My suggestion is that if you like the genre, then give it a shake and see what you think. If you are hedging on it based solely on my review, then you might want to wait for the second issue to make up your mind. It’s got some great potential and I hold out hope that it pulls together before it’s all over. Here’s hoping they knock’em dead!

Get it? Knock’em dead? Because they’re zombies? *sigh* I’m so misunderstood…