There are a lot of great indie books out there, but Dead Future King, written and illustrated by the talented David R. Flores, has been at the top of my “recommendation list” since its very first issue. While a “King Arthur vs. zombies”  mash-up could easily become nothing more than a gimmicky, B-movie-type shlock-fest, Flores has crafted a nuanced and dignified tone for his tale that succeeds in elevating the story in similar ways to how The Walking Dead comic series is so much more then your typical zombie flick. Dead Future King #3 continues this trajectory, mining more of Arthurian legend and twisting it to fit in a crazy, violent world where the corpses of the deceased walk among us.

MINOR SPOILERS BELOW

Dead Future King #3 picks up where the last issue left off, with our heroes at the mercy of a band of masked commandos know simply as ‘the marauders.’ While we’ve seen the inhumanity of man against manemerging from the rubble of civilized society in many works based in the zombie genre (The Walking Dead, 28 Days Later, the classic Romero films, etc.), Flores gives his villain a past that is intertwined intimately with Arthur’s and adds both a personal edge to the conflict and a feeling of destiny moving its chess pieces towards an inevitable confrontation.

If it’s not clear by now, Dead Future King #3 doesn’t disappoint. Flores continues to use this third issue to up the stakes and put his characters through the ringer. For example, while zombie killing has almost become “old-hat” in pop culture these days, I still felt a tinge in my gut when Arthur is left without his trusty long blade and is forced to decimate a horde of ravenous undead with nothing more than a bowie knife. I won’t spoil too much for readers, but there are also several characters who are left in questionable conditions/situations by the end of the issue, so while you may have grown attached to Arthur’s growing entourage, it seems like Flores might share a bit of George R.R. Martin’s devotion to the pain and suffering of his characters, and it may be best to not grow too attached to them just yet. Heck, in my last review, I compared Flores’ version of Merlin to Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, and we all know how things turned out for that beloved mentor! I haven’t yet mentioned Flores’ beautiful artwork, but it maintains the quality of previous issues with a style that continues to be perfect for the series in the way that it both enhances and grounds the fantastical plot. All-in-all, Dead Future King #3 is a satisfying chapter in Flores’ saga and advances the story while leaving us with a cliffhanger that speaks of more conflict, pain, and epic storytelling to come.

As I said in my previous review, if you are even a mild fan of either the tales of King Arthur or the zombie genre, you do not want to miss out on Dead Future King! You can find out more about the comic book series at the official website, the Dead Future Kingpage over at Alterna Comics (Congrats on the publisher, DFK!), or the Dead Future King Facebook page. Dead Future King is also currently available on ComiXology, as well, so you really have no excuse to not devour this series.

Also, be sure to check out my reviews for the first two issues by clicking on the links below:

‘Dead Future King #2’ Review (The Walking Dead Future King)

‘Dead Future King #1’ Review: Arthur, and Others, Return from the Grave!

That’s all for now, comic book sniffers! In the meantime, heed the advice of Lt. Broons and “prepare for the battle of your reborn life!”

You have been reborn, right?

‘Till the end of the world,
-Bryant the Comic Book Slayer