A couple years ago, Marvel Comics managed to transform its core group of heroes and villains into a group of zombies.

About time.

All of the publisher’s characters—Captain America, Hulk, Spider-Man, Iron Man and the rest—were turned into flesh-eating zombies. The best part about it is that they prefer the taste of human flesh, which means the series revolves around the world’s greatest heroes traveling the planet hunting and eating the people they swore to protect. And the villains do it too, because that’s what villains do.

The great thing about the series is that the zombified Marvel-ites aren’t the slow-paced, “Brain” moaning undead. They’re actually victims of a space plague that leaves them with all of their powers along with a hunger for human flesh.

Aside from being pretty graphic for a mainstream Marvel comic line, the images are pretty gory. Magneto and Silver Surfer are completely torn to shreds and devoured by lipless, snaggle-toothed costumed heroes.

And the fact that they do not like the taste of other zombies adds a very interesting story twist. During much of the story line, the group searches for humans to feast on, often times working together and devising pretty intricate plans. But as soon as they smell flesh, it’s a free for all that often times leads to gruesome injuries.

“Marvel Zombies” gets extra cool points because it spawned a crossover series: “Marvel Zombies vs. Army of Darkness.”

Aside from involving THE greatest chainsaw-handed, shotgun toting inter-dimensional traveler, it explains some of the story behind the zombies. The story revolves around Dr. Doom protecting his castle and a population of Latverians from being eaten.

The “Zombies” series is a great read because of the highly unusual, but still entertaining story.

It’s also nice to see a torn-in-half Iron Man talk to a one-armed Wolverine and a top-of-the-head-lobbed-off Captain America.