Jesus Hates Zombies    by Stephen Lindsay Order:  USA  Can Alterna Comics, 2008 (2008) Paperback     Reviewed by Lance Victor Eaton Hate might be too strong a word when in conjuction with the Almighty. But according to this graphic novel, He is definitely not a fan of zombies, which is ironic since there are commonalities. He has risen from the dead and has an evangelical mission to convert everyone (though in the case of zombies, it is a byproduct of their attempts to eat victims' brains; a difference, I'll grant you). So what's one to think of an easily offensive and sacrilegious graphic novel like Jesus Hates Zombies: Those Slack-Jaw Blues? It is by no standards a great addition to the canon (literary, religious or comic). But it is amusing and extra-gory, even for those who didn't find enough blood and guts in The Passion of the Christ. In the end, it's part satire, part parody, and total fluff. This collection offers up a dozen or more short comics featuring Jesus doing a whole lot of clobbering of zombies, in between arguments with His father, convincing other people He's not a zombie, and hanging out with His zombie friend Laz (Lazarus). There's a good portion of humor throughout, including lines such as 'Man ... you should read your Bible ... This Crucifixion Schtick ... It's old hat ... I've been there, done that ... Bought the T-shirt!!' (uttered by Jesus after being staked up on a wall). The stories cover typical scenarios for zombie narratives in ironic settings, including abandoned houses, farms, bowling alleys, churches, and even a Buddhist Temple. The collection offers both black and white and grayscale colored comics, with the strict black and white ones standing out both in content and display. The nastiness of the blood and guts speaks better with the heavy-lined black and white. However, the art overall is pretty impressive. Jesus isn't displayed in simple cookie-cutter form throughout but rather has a distinguished form in each story. Sure, He has the requisite beard and flowing hair, but in some stories, He resembles Steven Seghal whereas in others looks like a young George Carlin or even an 80s punk rocker. Most amusing of all is the cover of the graphic novel which shows Jesus floating about the city with a zombie in one hand and a bat in the other. It's funny on its own but also invokes a famous Spiderman cover. Low expectations will make this graphic novel highly enjoyable. It's junk food for the mind, to be ingested if one's ready for those empty calories. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Fantasy books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews