The question is Doctor Who, the answer is 42

Here is a special preview of the upcoming episode of Doctor Who ’42.’ (delayed due to the Eurovision Song Contest).

Rumor has it that the story mostly features newcomer Martha Jones (played by Freema Agyeman and quickly on her way to becoming a top fave companion) separated from the Doctor.

From the trailer it looks very similar to last season’s thriller ‘The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit,’ taking place on a very expensive looking setting with Doom-like qualities.

Marvel Zombie Madness

Marvel Zombies has been an incredible hit for Marvel Comics, launching a veritable sub-franchise of Zombie-themed books with a Marvel Super Heroes twist.

The story is simple, the Marvel Super Heroes are Zombies and there’s not enough ‘food’ to go around. Meaningless violence and sick humor abound (including Hank Pym keeping Black Panther alive yet sedated while he works on a cure for their affliction… as he eats the Panther bit by bit).

It’s a very sick joke on the Marvel Comics characters constantly riddled with guilt and tangled emotions as they try to vainy justify their actions while looking for non-zombies to eat.

I laughed out loud at an overwought Spider-Man who had apparently eaten both Mary Jane and Aunt May (I always thought she WAS a zombie!) to stay alive. And the scene where the Hulk turns back into Bruce Banner only to spill his shrinking stomach’s contents on the street was another dark joke.

The series has no mercy.

But it’s not just the simple story that is drawing collectors and non-traditional readers back to the stands with this series. The covers gloriously painted by Arthur Suydam are in-jokes on famous covers from Marvel Comics History, including Spider-Man‘s first appearance in Amazing Fantasy #15 (seen above), Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars, Frank Miller’s Daredevil, and even Spider-Man’s Wedding.

It’s not uncommon to see collectors hunting down reprints of the series just for the covers… and I hate to agree with their behavior but the covers are damned cool.

The series was such a hit that a cross-over was commisioned, ‘Army of Darkness Vs. Marvel Zombies.’ The introduction of Bruce Campbell’s alter ego Evil Dead‘s Ash, is an inspired decision and pays attention to the franchise’s following.

As always, the wacky covers continue.

And the beat goes on…

Marvel Zombies Dead Days is a prequel released this week (remember Marvelites, Wednesday is new comic day… in the US anyway) which explores the origin of the Zombie Marvel Universe. Don’t think that this is some navel-gazing prequel, though.

Many acts of carnivorous violence including the horrific death of the Avengers‘ butler Jarvis are promised.

Another stunning Arthur Suydam cover adorns this issue, paying homage to the 90′s era Jim Lee X-Men.