Zombie Recovery Dream Team

*Originally published on 1/24/11



I've heard it said that once the dead rise from the grave and zombies start to roam the Earth, that that will be the end of it. There's no turning back, game over man, game over. Personally, I find it hard to believe that we'd be bested that quickly, but for the sake of argument, let's say it is the case. I got to wondering recently, what would it take to take back the world after the zombie uprising? I started to wonder what characters would be best suited to turning the tables, and I thought it would be fun to share my list with you. If you think there are characters who are better suited, do feel free to chime in with suggestions of your own. This list is in no particular order, even though I did number it.


1. Superman

He's freaking Superman, of course he'd be one of my picks. The zombies won't be able to penetrate his skin with their teeth so there's no risk of him turning. He can fly and has super-speed, allowing him to move all over the world and help where it is needed. His heat vision can also take out entire swarms of walking corpses with little trouble. For added help, we can add Supergirl and Superboy to the list.

2. The Green Lantern Squad

With power rings that are only limited by the user's will power and imagination, it's no surprise that Green Lantern would make the cut. Like Superman, GL can protect himself from infection as well as operate on a global scale. They can tear through zombies with laser beams or create giant constructs to do the work for them. Heck, they could even scoop up zombies by the thousands, carry them out to space, and shoot them into the sun. Considering how many there are, being able to dispose of the zombies en masse is a major asset.

They can also generate walls so that civilians can escape, should they be discovered by the shambling undead. Fans may be wondering which Lantern I want; Hal Jordan, Kyle Rayner, Guy Gardner, or John Stewart. Yeah, you know what? I'll go ahead and take all four as it only improves our chances of taking back the planet. In fact, I'll do you one better and add Alan Scott to the list.

3. The Punisher

When fighting zombies, you need guns; lots and lots of guns. What is The Punisher known for using? Guns, lots and lots of guns. Being a war vet, Frank Castle would be a great addition as this would very much be a global war. You could argue that he doesn't really play well with others, but even if he went off on his own to wage his own war; he could have a significant impact on how things turned out. It may seem like there is a never ending swarm of zombies, but The Punisher has the arsenal to tear through them.

4. Green Arrow+"Arrow Family"

Bullets are very effective against zombies, and are the go to weapon. However, bows and arrows are equally effective. In fact, they have some benefits in that they are quieter than guns, and arrows can be re-used where as bullets can only be fired once. As such, it makes sense to recruit DC's resident archer.

Like Batman, Green Arrow has built up something of a supporting cast of heroes. Like the Green Lanterns before, I'll go ahead and take all of them. That means I'll get Oliver Queen, Connor Hawke, Roy Harper, and Mia Dearden. Should I throw Black Canary in there as well? I guess her canary cry can prove useful in a dire situation. Sure, why not? Let's throw her in for good measure.

5. Hawkeye

He's Marvel's resident archer, so he gets added for pretty much the same reasons as I added the "Arrow family"

6. Iron Man/War Machine

Both characters come equipped with suits of metal armor, allowing for protection from potential bites or scratches. They can also fly, allowing for the aerial advantage. While Iron Man's suit comes equipped with laser blasters, War Machine has a variety of built in firearms. Both are equally effective against zombies.

7. Aang post season 3

Having mastered all four elements, Aang would prove a great asset in fighting back against the undead. Being able to manipulate earth is a huge bonus in terms of slowing down the horde, fire makes for great offensive capabilities, air manipulation allows him to glide as well as push oncoming zombies back, water manipulation could prove useful both offensively and defensively. If he has access to enough, he can freeze them in their track, carry them off in a tsunami, or once again freeze the water and use the ice shards as projectiles. While Aang was granted the ability to "energy bend" in the series finale, I doubt that would prove useful here. It's fine though, mastery of the four elements is plenty.

8. Goku

Is he a bit overpowered? Yes, but that's a good thing. He too can tear through hordes of zombies with little trouble. The only downside is that he could be vulnerable to infection, and a zombie saiyan would be a huge problem. Still, his instant transmission grants him the ability to move all over the world in no time, and his super strength would help in terms of creating sufficient fortification.


I know, it's not a massive army, and it was mostly comic book characters, but I think this would stand a good chance against the zombie apocalypse. The numbers are deceptively small, but each individual character (or group of characters) is capable of taking out a lot of zombies with minimal hindrance. Again, if you think that more power is needed, or that another character could prove valuable in the war against the undead, do feel free to comment. I have a feeling this could be a fun discussion.