New Contest For September!

Due to the late start, August's contest is going to run until this Friday, September 4th. So don't forget to enter to win some sweet, sweet zombie swag courtesy of FearWerx! They generously donated a ton of awesome prizes for everyone so don't miss on the opportunity.

Well... just because one contest hasn't ended doesn't mean we can't start another one! Keen readers will remember my mentioning an upcoming book from David P. Murphy titled Zombies For Zombies - Advice and Etiquette for the Living Dead. The book is not released until October 1st but Mr. Murphy and publisher, Source Books, have been kind enough to offer readers a chance to take this book home! I am currently reading this myself and you can expect a review shortly.

The fun doesn't end there! Facebook followers already know that I announced there will be two contests this month! So expect the second contest to announced shortly. I will give you a small hint, though... here at Zombies & Toys, September will be Zombie Art Month. So, aside from a book, expect another artistic interpretation of our favorite subject as the second prize. Not to mention some interviews and pics from some of my favorite artists!


So, Zombies For Zombies. The zombie apocalypse is inevitable. And let's face it, most of us are going to get bitten. Sorry, the odds are just against us. So what will we do? How will we cope? What if a loved one becomes a zombie and we're left to deal? Well, that's where Zombies For Zombies comes in:


Zombies For Zombies is a motivational guide designed specifically to make a profound difference in your accidental, strange new life. You say you don't want to become another one of those ghastly creatures you see on the news out in the Tempe Containment Zone? You don't have to—if you follow some of the book's great advice, including:

* How to dress for your new lifestyle
* Handy recipes for brains
* Fitness ideas for keeping you somewhat energetic
* New skin-care techniques to help ward off "rotting flesh syndrome"
* How to overcome that darned zombie social stigma
* Dance steps for the motor-impaired

Those of you familiar with Z&T know the drill; Send an email to zombiesandtoys@gmail.com with "book" as the subject for your chance to win. Include your name and address as well as the answer to this simple question: "What do you think would be most difficult to cope with during or after your transition to becoming a zombie?"

This contest will conclude Friday, October 9th. Winner will be chosen at random and incomplete entries will be excluded. More information as well as pre-order information for Zombies For Zombies can be found here.


By entering September's contest, you agree not to hold myself or Zombies & Toys liable to any and all damages you may or may not incur due to stress, loss of sleep, nightmares, ulcers, bloody noses, thinning hair, changes in temperature, cravings for flesh, bounced checks, or anything else you can dream up.

Ebay Saturday

I was going to go with a Marvel Zombies theme this week but there was one item in particular I had to add as well. Do yourself a favor and check out the life size zombie bust pics on the auction page. Enjoy!

Lifesize Zombie Bust

Spider-man & Mary Jane Statue

Venom Vs Spider-Man

Wolverine Statue

Spider-Man Bust

Valve Announces Third Left 4 Dead 2 Campaign

"Dark Carnival" is the official name of the latest campaign we will be playing on Left 4 Dead 2. Even better, if attending the Penny Arcade Expo next week in Seattle, you'll be able to play the demo! For now, enjoy this pic from IGN.com!

FearWerx Contest Reminder

There's only about one week left to enter this month's contest sponsored by FearWerx. Complete details can be found here. There will be 8 winners selected with the grand prize consisting of Mego-style figures from Night of the Living Dead and a Zombie Outbreak Survival Kit.

Three runners-up will each receive a Zombie Outbreak Survival Kit. Four other winners will each receive a set of Zombie Kit Warning Signs and Zombie Kit Warning Poster. Of course, all winners will receive some Zombies & Toys swag.

You have until Friday, Sept 4th to enter. Check the contest page for full details.

One of our readers met up with the gang at FearWerx at Monstermania and sent in this pic!

Make sure to check back next week for the launch of September's give-away. I also have a few other surprises lined up. Throughout the month, I will post information and interviews with several different artists whose work is inspired by zombies! It was a good time preparing it all so I hope everyone enjoys what's in store.

$10 Zombie Shirt - Today Only!

Just a quick heads-up that shirt.woot has a zombie shirt today. If you're not familiar with how the woot sites work, there's a new deal every day and once they're done, they're done. Today's shirt is available for $10 shipped.

Wear this shirt: while you can…
Don’t wear this shirt: to the shooting range. No good can come of it.
This shirt tells the world: “You can have my gun when you eat my warm, dead brain.”
We call this color: White of the Living Dead.
Design Placement: Centered

Ebay Saturday

You know the day, you know the drill...

Zombie Brain Jell-O Mold

Tarman Toy

The Zen of Zombie

Zombie Boy Keychain

Personalized Zombie Painting

Tiny Favor From My Readers

We interrupt our normal broadcast of zombie news to ask a teency, weency favor from you, our beloved readers....

I've admitted to being a geek several times and for those of you that ever had a doubt I'm about to prove it with this post. You see, when I'm not scouring the internets for news about our favorite subject, I'm posting on a collector's forum. I'm a junkie for Star Wars in addition to zombies and even more so for a particular company's line of Star Wars collectibles. I'm referring to Gentle Giant.

Anyway, the favor I ask is for all of you to please click this link, scroll about halfway down, and submit a vote for Gentle Giant Collectors. It'll take you about twenty seconds. For those who doubt my addiction to these fine collectibles, I've added a few pics of my collection below. You can also click here to go check out Gentle Giant Collectors and join in on the fun!

Pocket Zombies - A Zombies & Toys Exclusive

I mentioned in a previous post that I would be providing more information about Atomfreak Studios and their flagship product, Pocket Zombies. Not only was president of Atomfreak, Alex Rodrigue, kind enough to answer some of my questions and offer some insight, but he also provided Zombies & Toys with some exclusive images!

“The adventure started two years ago,” states Alex. “I was looking to start my own project but finding the right idea was not easy.” The “right idea” was the result of introducing Alex’s seven-year-old son to one of his favorite movies, George Romero’s Day of the Dead.

“My son told me the monster [on the cover] looks funny and scary at the same time.” Of course, the “monster” Alex’s son was referring to was everyone’s favorite zombie, Bub! Alex was asked by his son if he could draw a funny zombie that would not scare him. “And that was it, BANG!”

The next morning, Alex, began to draw some concept images. Disappointed with what he had come up with, he contacted his good friend Eric Belisle. Eric had done some illustrations for Wizards of the Coast and D&D as well as several concepts for games. “The timing was good with [Eric] and he started the process,” Alex explains. “Eric catches the essence of what I had in mind!”

We can expect to see a back-story developed and the Pocket Zombie world will resemble in many ways Charlie Brown’s world. “I really like the Charlie Brown Concept.” Alex continues, “You know, no parents, a kids’ community.” And what about man’s best friend? “The theme for the first series is ‘THE FAMILY’. So the dog was an obvious choice during our brainstorm. Dogs are a zombie’s best friend!”

These PVC characters stand around six inches tall including the base and this initial series will consist of 1,000 pieces each. They will be available directly from the Pocket Zombies site this October.

What does the future hold? “Expect some t-shirts, posters, stickers, etc. An art book is in the making but we are going to wait at least a year before we develop those other products.” We can also expect to see more pets introduced to the series. Oh, did I forget to mention that we may have more? “We already have six catalogues with a total of around 30 characters. Whether or not we inject more money into future development will depend on the success of the first series,” explains Alex. Personally, I NEED all the Pocket Zombies they can throw at me. So make sure to buy!!

Stay tuned as I will anxiously post more information as I come upon it. A big "thanks" to Alex Rodrigue for his time. Now, for the first time anywhere, have a look at a new Pocket Zombies poster as well as some concept art!

Zombie Girl: The Movie - Free Download!

Just a heads-up... Snag Films is offering a free viewing of Zombie Girl: The Movie through 8/20. It's a documentary chronicling the two years it took Emily Hagins to film her movie, Zombie Girl. So what's the big deal? Emily is eleven.

I haven't watched yet as I didn't want to wast another moment to inform everyone of this opportunity. Click here to go to the official site and here to view the movie. Below is the synopsis:

Emily Hagins is making a zombie movie. It’s feature-length, it’s bloody, and the zombies don’t run—just like it should be. But there’s just one difference between her film and every other zombie movie you’ve ever seen: Emily is twelve. ZOMBIE GIRL: THE MOVIE is the documentary that chronicles the making of her film.

Most twelve-year-olds are busy with friends, homework, and online chatting. So is Emily, but she’s also part of a new generation of teenagers raised on technology and expressing themselves through video. Only—she’s doing it on a feature-length scale!

With the help of her mother as agent, crew, and biggest fan, Emily launches an epic adventure in genre filmmaking, battling everything from budget shortfalls to self-doubt, all while coming of age as a teenager. Emily has the vision and her mom has the driver’s license. Together, their journey is a fascinating look at a growing world of young moviemakers and the bloodiest mother/daughter story you’ve ever seen.

Ebay Saturday

Ebaaaaaay Saturdaaaaaaay! In light of the recent news of Robert Kirkman's intense zombie comic drama, The Walking Dead, arriving to televisions soon, today's feature is about The Walking Dead!

The Walking Dead T-Shirt

Complete Trade Set

Pin Set

Statue and Bust Set

Omnibus Book

Mathmeticians Create Model To Fight Zombies

I love it when practical news arises regarding zombies. Canada.com just published an article about a team of mathematicians who created a model on surviving the zombie outbreak. Aptly titled, When Zombies Attack! Mathematical Modelling of an Outbreak of Zombie Infection, they used mathematical equations to map several types of outbreaks.

Joe Imad, Philip Munz, Ioan Hudea and Robert J. Smith, an assistant University of Ottawa math professor, researched zombies for several months. Their conclusion? "An outbreak of zombies infecting humans is likely to be disastrous, unless extremely aggressive tactics are employed against the undead."

The purpose of the paper is not as absurd as you may think. "If you look at it in a more realistic way, zombies are about the same as any other major infectious disease -- they get out and we try to eliminate them," said Joe Imad. "Modelling zombies would be the same as modelling swine flu, with some differences for sure, but it is much more interesting to read."

If, like me, you enjoy reading about the real-life scenarios involving the inevitable zombie outbreak, check out some other posts here on Zombies & Toys:

The Science Behind Real Zombies
5 Scientific Reasons the Zombie Apocalypse Could Happen
How Zombies Work
The Zombie Research Society
Zombie Attack Simulator

Kirkman's Thoughts On The Walking Dead TV Series

The following information comes from ComicBook.com and while brief, is informative.

“I’m a huge fan of Frank Darabont’s body of work and AMC has impressed me to no end with Breaking Bad and Mad Men,” stated Robert Kirkman. “I couldn’t be happier with The Walking Dead ending up here.”

Also worth mentioning is the reassurance that this new series will stay truthful to the comic we all love. Also from ComicBook.com:

According to Image Comics, the plan is to keep the show extremely faithful to Kirkman and Adlard’s comic book series.

Pocket Zombies

Fact: I like zombies. Fact: I like toys. So what happens when we combine the two? Short of my head nearly exploding, I run over hear to share the great news!

Pocket Zombies is something new we can expect to see this October from Atomfreak Studios. What are they? Short answer; some type of zombie figure. I will have specifics very, very soon as I've been granted the opportunity to speak with the president of Atomfreak Studios, Alex Rodrigue, about this exciting upcoming project.

All I know for sure is that they definitely won't fit in your pockets! Go to the official Pocket Zombies website by clicking here and follow them on Twitter or FaceBook for news from the horse's mouth. In the meantime, check out these awesome pics!

"Survival of the Dead" Sneak Peak

From George Romero's MySpace page comes a sneak peak of his latest installment, Survival of the Dead. As those following the tweets of Zombies & Toys already know, Mr. Romero has now joined the masses on the Twitterverse. Follow George by clicking here. Follow Zombies & Toys by clicking here. Enjoy the sneak peak by lowering your eyes about half an inch.

BTS George Romero Sneak Peek

Kirkman's The Walking Dead - Possibly the Greatest Fanboy News Ever!!!

This news has been everywhere and I apologize for not posting sooner but my job working for The Man sometimes gets in the way. This may be the most exciting news I've heard since the announcement that World War Z is going to become a movie. It has been announced that everyone's favorite zombie-themed comic, The Walking Dead, is being adapted into a television series.

Frank Darabont, who has directed The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and The Mist, is working with AMC to write and direct the series. VP at AMC, Joel Stillerman, said the series will keep the same tone as the comics and stay true to the original material.

"This is not about zombies popping out of closets... This is a story about survival, and the dynamics of what happens when a group is forced to survive under these circumstances. The world is portrayed in a smart, sophisticated way."

If you're reading this blog and have not read Robert Kirkman's profound zombie epic, The Walking Dead, you need get yourself to the nearest book store and start. The trade books are readily available. The series follows former police officer, Rick Grimes, as he and his family try to survive in a world infested with zombies. The books concentrate more on the survivors and their new way of life among the dead. In fact, the zombies are more of a back-drop to the stories that take place. There is no way to predict who lives, who dies, and what happens. Events happen throughout the series that you would not have imagined.

Oh, and if you're already a fan, check out my review of Bowen Design's The Walking Dead statues and busts.

Stay tuned...

Who Wants Free Zombie SWAG?

Look at these pictures:

I just wanted to remind everyone that you can win one of eight prizes with the grand prize being EVERYTHING shown above! All thanks to these guys:

What's better? You don't have to do much to win. Just send an email to zombiesandtoys@gmail.com with "FearWerx" in the subject. Don't forget to include your name and address in your email. For full details of the prizes being offered as well as tips on how you can earn multiple entries, click here.

FearWerx will be at Monstermania in Cherry Hill; Aug 21-23
and at Rue Morgue in Toronto; Aug 28-30.

Win A Free Zombie Book!

Is it possible to have too many zombie books? I didn't think so. And who doesn't want an additional zombie book to add to their library at the wonderful cost of free?

Our friends over at the The Zed Word are giving you a chance to win a free copy of Amanda Ashby's novel, ZOMBIE QUEEN OF NEWBURY HIGH. Entering is easy; All you need to do is... wait a minute! Click here and go find out for yourself!

Don't forget that this week is also Junior Zombie Week at The Zed Word. So make sure to hang around after entering the contest!

Quiet, unpopular, non-cheerleading Mia is blissfully happy. She is dating super hot football god Rob, and he actually likes her and asked her to prom! Enter Samantha—cheerleading goddess and miss popularity— who starts making a move for Rob. With prom in a few days, Mia needs to act fast. So she turns to her best friend, Candice, and decides to do a love spell on Rob. Unfortunately, she ends up inflicting a zombie virus onto her whole class, making herself their leader! At first she is flattered that everyone is treating her like a queen. But then zombie hunter hottie Chase explains they are actually fattening her up, because in a few days, Mia will be the first course in their new diet. She's sure she and Chase can figure something out, but she suggests that no one wear white to prom, because things could get very messy.

Deadgirl Movie Review

First, I would like to thank Caitlin at Falco Inc Film Publicity for the opportunity to review this film. The homepage for Deadgirl can be found here. The DVD release will be on Sept 15 and you can pre-order your copy here. I apologize if the review is somewhat vague. I'm a huge fan of being surprised when I see a film and don't like to mention details that could ruin your viewing experience.

Deadgirl. A movie about a zombie without saying "zombie". It would even be wrong to actually say it's a zombie film. At least it's not the type of movie you imagine when one mentions "zombie". Deadgirl is more of a movie about two young men and what they do when they find a ...well, dead girl. Is it worth watching? Yes. Read on as I explain with a bit more depth. Like my other reviews, there will be no spoilers but you can expect some revealing of key moments.

Rickie (Shiloh Fernandez) and J.T. (Noah Segan) are two of your run-of-the-mill troubled youths. While outside during a fire drill, J.T. coaxes Rickie to skip the remainder of the day to drink some warm beer. Of course, what better place to drink beer than an abandoned hospital?

All is going well until a stray dog wandering around inside chase our duo into a particularly desolate area of the hospital's basement. Searching for a way out, they break their way into a room where they discover a female body under a sheet of clear plastic. Even though her arms and legs are tied down, they notice some movement. Rickie wants to notify the authorities while J.T. forcefully expresses an alternate idea. J.T. wants to keep the girl as their own personal plaything. Soon after, it is discovered that even though she is moving, she is not alive.

Even though they swore they would keep this discovery a secret between them, J.T. lets another friend in on the fun. The trio are somewhat outcasts in their school, a typical scenario in teen-angst movies. So, of course, when backed into a corner by the "jocks" of the school the news gets out about their sex slave. This alters some plans for better and for worse that J.T. had for his possession.

I'll stop here as I don't want to ruin any specifics. Again, this is a movie about the actions and reactions of a group of teenage boys in a very bizarre situation. The fact that there is a zombie isn't the meat of the film; it's a situation. There are some things I did not like but discussing those would give away too much. I will say that it is a good film. View the trailers below; They don't give away much and will add a nice visual to parts of the review. Be warned that both show some nudity and the second is the red band trailer.



Acting is rough at points and some of the stereotypes get a bit played but that's usually par for the course with movies of this type. Towards the end, new discoveries unfold leading to new destinations. For the most part characters handle the situations they are in well and there are enough developments to keep you interested. Watch the movie, just don't expect hordes of shambling zombies; Just a dead girl.

Ebay Saturday

Sorry, I was out of town last week in case you were wondering why there was no Ebay Saturday. I didn't receive any hate mail so either nobody cares or nobody noticed. Either way we're good to go today with our game-themed post!

Little Red Riding Hood's Zombie BBQ

Zombie Revenge

Last Night On Earth

Dawn of the Dead playing cards