Don't expect Ash to be slicing up monsters in this issue, he only shows up in a brief flashback
A comic book set in an alternate (modern) version of the Evil Dead universe, published by Space Goat Publishing from 2015 to 2017. During the three years of publication, three different "lines" were released under the Evil Dead 2 name:- The Main Series: Following the life of a simulacrum copy of Ash Williams and the resurrected Annie Knowby. This line consisted of Beyond Dead By Dawn, Cradle of The Damned, and Dark Ones Rising, all being three issue miniseries.
- "Revenge of" Series: A series of one-shots (and a two issue miniseries) where the simulacrum Ash faces off against non-Deadite monsters such as Dracula and Krampus.
- Tales of The Ex-Mortis: A three issue anthology series focusing on the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis prior to ending up in the cabin. Ash himself is never a featured character in any of the stories.
While most of the books were met with critical acclaim and high praises, the series was cancelled after Space Goat went bankrupt following the failure to deliver on three successful Kickstarter campaigns (two of which were Evil Dead 2 related) and mismanagement within the company itself.
This comic provides examples of:
- All Just a Dream: The ending of Dark Ones Rising #3 reveals that the Dark One's assault on New Orleans was a simulation implanted in Annie and Ash's mind to see if humanity's souls were worth collecting and feeding on. When it was over with, The Dark Ones decided that humanity has become weak and not worth harvesting yet.
- Alternate Continuity: The Evil Dead 2 comic follow the adventures of the Ash Williams clone living in the early 21st century, oppose to his 50 year-old film/TV counterpart played onscreen by Bruce Campbell.
- Another Dimension: The Mirror Dimension, which was explored in the Cradle of The Damned story-arc. It could also be considered an Acid-Trip Dimension and Eldritch Location. Despite it's name, has nothing to do with a Mirror Universe.
- Back from the Dead: Annie Knowby, who died at the end of the Evil Dead 2 film, comes back to life to be the main character of the series.
- Cosmic Horror Story: Cradle of The Damned and it's sequel story-arc, Dark Ones Rising deal with The Dark Ones (better known as H.P. Lovecraft's Old Ones) unleashed upon the world after being banished to the Mirror Dimension.
- Eldritch Abomination: The Dark One featured in Dark Ones Rising.
- Escaped from Hell: The entire plot of the first story-arc, Evil Dead 2: Beyond Dead By Dawn, involves Annie Knowby and the Ash clone trying to escape Hell.
- Fight Dracula: The plot to the one-shot:Evil Dead 2: Revenge of Dracula.
- Half-Human Hybrid: Since the clone of Ash Williams was created from his evil hand that was lopped off in the Evil Dead 2 film, he is technically half Deadite, a power that the some of the monsters he confronts can use against him. This could also make him a Hunter of His Own Kind.
- Historical Domain Character: Hitler (twice), Rasputin, Jack The Ripper, and Osama Bin Laden have all been bad guys in the series.
- Hunter of Monsters: The clone of Ash Williams doesn't limit himself to Deadites in this series, he takes on Vampires, The Krampus, aliens, and various demons.
- Public Domain Character: Dracula, as featured in the Revenge of Dracula one-shot and the Revenge of Evil Ed mini-series.
- Series Continuity Error: There's some debate about where the Ash clone spent his first Christmas eve after his creation. The Revenge of Krampus one-shot states that he was living in a trailer park, spending Christmas by himself (which implies that this story takes place after the Revenge of Hitler one-shot that also featured the Ash clone living alone in the same trailer park), but then the A Merry Deadite X-Mas one-shot released just a few weeks later states that he spends Christmas eve with Annie Knowby, hunting monsters in a evil-infested Christmas theme park.
- To Hell and Back: The first one-shot released after Beyond Dead By Dawn, Revenge of Hitler, involves the Ash clone going back into Hell to fight Hitler.
- Your Mind Makes It Real: The ending of Dark Ones Rising reveals that despite the Dark One's assault on New Orleans being a "simulation", Ash has really lost his right hand...again.
