Unraveling the Origins of Marvel Zombies: Tracing the Undead Infection in the Comics

The infection in Marvel Zombies is a horrifying event, with its origins shrouded in mystery involving a founding Avenger and a paradox. While it may seem new now, Marvel Zombies was a groundbreaking milestone at its inception. The debut story, Crossover, had all the makings of a major event in the making.

The surprise element of Zombies plays a significant role in the story. Initially, it is not presented as a horror event but as the first crossover of the Ultimate and 616 universes. Ultimate Fantastic Four’s Reed Richards receives a message that he believes is from 616 Reed, but it turns out to be a scheme by the Zombies to lure fresh humans into their world for consumption. The zombie infection is already in full swing at the start of Crossover, prompting the question of how it originated in the universe.

Marvel Zombies starts with The Sentry or Giant-Man, depending on your perspective

The origin of the Zombie virus remains a mystery, although the Marvel Zombies infection linked to the original Ultimate Fantastic Four story begins with The Sentry. The method by which The Sentry became infected is somewhat of a bootstrap paradox.

In Ultimate Fantastic Four #22, we find out that Sentry crashed to Earth already infected and turned into a zombie. He infects the heroes around him, and within 24 hours, the entire world is overrun.

Marvel ComicsThe Sentry introduces the zombie virus to his world, but it is connected to a paradox.

Many heroes struggle with the zombie transformation, but some like Hank Pym, also known as Giant-Man, embrace it. The Marvel Zombies consume Galactus and gain some of his Power Cosmic, allowing Pym to travel to another world. Pym infects the Inhumans on this new world, and they then infect The Hulk when he returns from Sakaar. The infected Hulk causes chaos on Earth, ultimately leading to a confrontation with the Sentry, who is also infected.

With no way to defeat The Sentry, even in his zombie state, the choice is made to transport him through time. He is sent back to his earlier years on Earth, where he inadvertently initiates the original zombie outbreak, ultimately completing the cycle and preventing the virus from spreading beyond itself.

Marvel ComicsGiant-Man might actually be the original source of the Marvel Zombies virus.

This suggests that Giant-Man may have been the one to start the Marvel Zombies outbreak, as he would be the first infected in the timeline. However, this could only happen after The Sentry had turned him into a zombie later in the timeline, creating a bootstrap paradox.

The origin of the Marvel Zombies infection has never been disclosed. There have been various alternate versions depicting how the zombies were created, including an alternate Earth's Squadron Supreme becoming zombies after a failed experiment.

With Disney+’s Marvel Zombies dropping in 2024, it seems likely that we’ll get yet another explanation soon enough. 

For more Marvel Comics and Marvel Zombies news, keep it locked to Dexerto. 

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z fan, I find the Marvel Zombies storyline to be a fascinating and thrilling concept. The idea of a zombie outbreak within the Marvel universe adds a unique and terrifying twist to the familiar superhero genre. The mystery surrounding the origins of the infection only adds to the intrigue, creating a sense of suspense and anticipation as readers try to piece together the events that led to this apocalyptic scenario.

The exploration of the paradox involving The Sentry and Giant-Man further deepens the complexity of the storyline. The concept of a bootstrap paradox, where an event is both the cause and effect of itself, adds a philosophical and mind-bending element to the narrative. It challenges our understanding of causality and raises questions about the nature of time and reality within the Marvel universe.