Marvel Zombies' Greatest Hits

For decades, zombies have risen from graves across the Marvel Multiverse. While MARVEL ZOMBIES (2015) remains one of the biggest Marvel horror stories of all time, spawning an entire wave of sequels and spinoffs, zombies enjoy quite an extensive history in the main Marvel Universe as well. The undead are here to stay!

Here are some of the most notable appearances by zombies in the Marvel Universe, from the earliest appearances of the shambling undead to the epic stories that placed the entire Multiverse at risk.

THE SAD FATE OF SIMON GARTH

The very first Marvel zombie predates most of the Marvel Universe's most iconic super heroes, including the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man. Years before they debuted Daredevil, Stan Lee and Bill Everett created Zombie as a sympathetic monster in MENACE (1953) #5. 

After enduring a human sacrifice and subsequent ritual, Simon Garth rose from the grave as a zombie. Although he retained a shred of his soul and consciousness, he could be controlled by anyone who possessed the Amulet of Damballah.

While primarily sticking to the supernatural fringes of the Marvel Universe, Simon has sporadically resurfaced to use his undead abilities for the forces of good. In fact, Simon played a vital role in preventing an alternate universe zombie virus from overwhelming the world in MARVEL ZOMBIES 4 (2009) by containing the virus within himself. Then, when Dormammu threatened to invade the world with his Mindless Ones, Phil Coulson recruited Simon onto the Howling Commandos in S.H.I.E.L.D. (2014) #6, where he helped save the day.

THE LAST STAND OF SKURGE

As the Queen of Hel, Hela commands entire armies of undead creatures, including zombies. When Thor and Balder led a rescue mission into Hel, joined by their recurring frenemy Skurge the Executioner, they found themselves on a collision course with Hela and her undead forces. Hela planned to trigger Ragnarok, the mythical fall of Asgard and its gods, by charging across the Gjallerbru Bridge and into the land of the living to overwhelm the other realms.

Determined to atone for a life of failure and villainy, Skurge singlehandedly held off the attacking undead on the bridge, buying his companions and the mortals they rescued a chance to escape. Unfolding in THOR (1966) #362, Skurge heroically sacrificed his life while fighting Hela's army with a pair of assault rifles. He ultimately redeemed himself, with his name echoing across the halls of Valhalla for his triumphant last stand. The moment was revisited and expanded upon in THOR GOD-SIZE SPECIAL (2008) #1.

ULTIMATE X-MEN'S SAVAGE LAND AMBUSH

The Ultimate Universe has its fair share of zombies too. While investigating an underground lair in the Savage Land, Cyclops, Wolverine, and Shadowcat confronted a small army of zombie soldiers in ULTIMATE X-MEN (2001) #24. Controlled by a sentient supercomputer deep in the subterranean caverns, the zombies nearly overran the young heroes when they approached the malevolent machine.

When he realized what they were up against, Wolverine tapped into his berserker rage to turn the tide of battle. As Cyclops took cover, Wolverine made quick work of the first wave of zombies, leaving his teammate in awe of his lethal abilities. Just as armed zombie reinforcements arrived, Kitty Pryde saved the day by using her electronic disruptive abilities to destroy the supercomputer for good.

MEET THE MARVEL ZOMBIES

The modern Marvel Zombies debuted in a surprise crossover with ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR (2003). While searching the Multiverse for a way to restore his best friend Ben Grimm's humanity, Ultimate Reed Richards began communicating with his counterpart from an alternate world that appeared to resemble the main Marvel Universe's Reed. 

This alternate Reed invited Ultimate Reed to visit his universe, only for Ultimate Reed to discover a civilization completely collapsed in ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR (2003) #21. In this world, undead versions of Marvel's greatest heroes and villains—including the Fantastic Four—had succumbed to the virus.

Reed barely escaped back to the Ultimate Universe with the help of the zombie universe's Magneto, the planet's sole survivor. However, the zombie Fantastic Four managed to follow Reed back to the Ultimate Universe. They remained trapped in the Baxter Building for a time, before escaping in ULTIMATE FANTASTIC FOUR (2003) #30. They finally faced destruction at the hands of the Ultimate Universe's Doctor Doom. 

As for Magneto, his fate and that of his universe were explored further in MARVEL ZOMBIES (2005), which presented the undead heroes and villains with a cosmic challenge.

FRANK CASTLE, LAST MAN ON EARTH

MARVEL UNIVERSE VS. THE PUNISHER (2010) depicts a vision of the world where the vast majority of its characters were transformed into ravenous zombies. Set five years after the outset of the zombie apocalypse, Frank Castle fends off the zombie masses, including those that once served as the world's mightiest heroes.

Initially believing himself to be the last uninfected human on the planet, the Punisher eventually stumbled across another small group of survivors. Now with someone to fight for, Castle became something of an unlikely hero in a world doomed by its former saviors. With a vast arsenal and a virtually inexhaustible supply of ammunition, the Punisher became the ultimate post-apocalyptic hero by taking on seemingly endless hordes of zombies.

THE ZOMBIOTES OF VENOM WAR

While symbiotes have been a staple in the Marvel Universe for decades, the crossover event VENOM WAR (2024) offers its own zombie-fueled twist on these extraterrestrial beings. To claim the power of the King in Black from this timeline's Eddie Brock and create a kingdom of symbiotes to rule, Meridius—an alternate future version of Eddie—unleashed a swarm of Zombiotes on New York City. The Zombiotes quickly infected the population through bites that transformed them into mindless, ravenous hosts.

This development allowed the symbiotes to spread rapidly—and more violently. With Zombiotes overtaking New York, the Marvel Universe's greatest heroes banded together to contain Meridius' forces, only to discover that they may have bitten off more than they can chew in VENOM WAR: ZOMBIOTES (2024) #1.

MARVEL ZOMBIES: GROOT EDITION

MARVEL ZOMBIES: DAWN OF DECAY (2024) features a different kind of zombie virus. Instead of an infection from an alternate universe, this zombie virus stems from a mysterious illness suffered by Groot. When Groot accidentally spread this illness to Captain America, the Avengers became the first heroes in the world infected, leading chaos to break loose.

Offering a new spin on the classic zombie story, MARVEL ZOMBIES: DAWN OF DECAY (2024) shows how quickly Earth's Mightiest Heroes can turn into the planet's greatest nightmare. In a fun twist, the story gives Groot and the Hulk an unexpected team-up as they scramble to contain the infection from expanding further.

Zombie mayhem continues in VENOM WAR: ZOMBIOTES #2, on sale now, and MARVEL ZOMBIES: DAWN OF DECAY #2, on sale October 9!

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