Vertigo today announced a new series called I, Zombie by author Chris Roberson and Mike Allred.

Although a link between the two isn't mentioned, I'm guessing the title is a subtle homage to the J.M. DeMatteis-written I ... Vampire series that ran in House of Mystery back in the 1980s.

So what better place to kick it off than in the current House of Mystery -- or, rather in a Halloween annual that will include a House of Mystery framing sequence and new Hellblazer, Madame Xanadu, Merv Pumpkinhead and I, Zombie stories.

Vertigo announced the annual on their Graphic Content blog today:

This October we’re publishing our first ever Halloween Annual. This special 48-page book will contain a framing story by the regular HOM creative team, writer Matthew Sturges and artists Luca Rossi and Jose Marzan Jr. However, it will also included short stories from HELLBLAZER by Peter Milligan, Giuseppe Camuncoli and Stefano Landini and MADAME XANADU by Matt Wagner, Amy Reeder Hadley and Richard Friend as well as a special MERV PUMPKINHEAD tale (the first in over 8 years!) by Bill Willingham, Mark Buckingham and Kevin Nowlan.

What? That’s not enough?

You’ll also be treated to a yarn spotlighting a new monthly series!

Then came back and announced the new series:

In 2010 Vertigo will release I, ZOMBIE, a new ongoing series by co-creators, writer Chris Roberson (author of this Fall’s CINDERELLA and occasional contributor to HOM and JACK OF FABLES) and New York Times bestselling artist Mike Allred.

I, ZOMBIE is the story of Gwendolyn “Gwen” Dylan, zombie girl detective. Think graveyards, ghosts, vampires and werewolves with a twist.