With Halloween on the horizon, it's not hard to fathom that Marvel Comics' popular horror comics Marvel Zombies are on the brain of comic fans everywhere. While it may not be a mainline story, Marvel Zombies has been held in such reverence by hardcore comic fans for its frightening and fierce depiction of the Marvel Universe. It's hard to imagine a world without a Marvel Zombies book within the catalog... which was actually very nearly the case during the early days of the book's inception.
Though a live-action feature film may be a ways off, Marvel Zombies is receiving a new resurgence amidst their participation in the Marvel Studios and Disney + animated What If? television series. The Marvel Zombies finally joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in What If'?'s fifth episode, What If Zombies? Similar to its comic inspiration, an alternate rendition of the MCU finds itself under siege from a mysterious virus that turns helpless citizens and their most powerful protectors into bloodthirsty flesh eaters. The episode is loosely inspired by the original Marvel Zombies concept conceived by prolific comics writer Mark Millar, who had envisioned the original concept of zombified Marvel superheroes. However, Millar's road to bring his Marvel Zombies verse to the comic page was not the straightforward success story imagined.
In his Millarworld newsletter, Millar revealed that his initial attempts to have the Marvel Zombies concept pitched through his fellow writers at Marvel were quickly met with disdain and unhumorous amusement. Fortunately, former Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada was the saving grace that allowed Millar leeway to integrate the concept of zombified Marvel superheroes into his Ultimate Fantastic Four title, where Millar was called upon to replace former writer Warren Ellis. A modern take on Marvel's heroes within contemporary society, Ultimate Fantastic Four followed in the footsteps of predecessors Spider-Man and the X-Men, which focused on the team of superhero explorers as college students as opposed to middle-aged adults. It was Ultimate Reed Richards who inadvertently accessed a portal that led to the Marvel Zombies verse of Earth 2149.
Millar's Ultimate Fantastic Four Crossover storyline gave Marvel the confidence to move forward with a full-fledged Marvel Zombies book, but without Mark's involvement. Though the title underwent new management, Millar's creative influence heavily steered the ongoing Marvel Zombies title, which was helmed by Sean Phillips and zombie guru Robert Kirkman of Image Comics The Walking Dead series.
Marvel's What If? not only pays a certain degree of homage to Millar's original story but the origin of the zombies. Seeing as Reed Richards and the Fantastic Four are not established heroes within the MCU at this point in time, What If? opts for a comfortable simplification via the microscopic dimension known as the Quantum Realm. Original Ant-Man Hank Pym journeys to the Quantum Realm in an attempt to rescue his wife Janet Van Dyne (Wasp), who unknowingly carries a virus, which originated within the realm. Hank's exposure to Janet and return trip serves as the catalyst that allows the Marvel Zombies into the parallel universe of the MCU timeline.
Since the original Marvel Zombies, there has been a stream of television adaptations, sequels/spinoffs, action figures, and even discussions of a live-action film in the making. In any business, partially entertainment, it's never completely determined what will work and what will fade into abject obscurity. This is no different with Marvel Comics, which has greenlit a series of choices before that have helped form the company it has become today. Holding the status of a premier comic title, it's safe to say that the Marvel Zombies gambit has paid off quite nicely for the burgeoning comic company.
Source: Mark Millar