All I can say is "wow". This is visually one of the best things I've seen. I could seriously watch an entire movie done like this. Daniel Kanemoto created a credit sequence for the upcoming series, The Walking Dead, and it is spectacular.
EW has an interview with Kanemoto about his creation and reaction to the video. The video can be viewed below or on the Zombies & Toys YouTube page. But I encourage everyone to support Kanemoto by viewing it on his site.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Horror Signs Contest for October
Our good friends over at Horror Signs continue to reward readers of Zombies & Toys! This month, they are giving you the chance to win an "I <3 Gore" sticker. Just a reminder, we stock some of Horror Signs', well... signs ... in the Zombie Toy Store. While the ones we carry are primarily zombie focused, there is a full line of great, well... horror signs ...over at Horror Signs! And just in time for Halloween!
To enter, email your name and address to horrorsigns@zombiesandtoys.com.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Win Fearwerx NOTLD Mego Figures and Zombie Messenger Bag
Long-time friends, FearWerx, are back with another contest to help you celebrate Halloween! Actually, they're bringing us two contests!
First, they are offering one lucky winner a Zombie Hunter Messenger Bag! This is one of the most popular items FearWerx has to offer. Made of tough camouflage canvas by the same manufacturers who supply our soldiers, this bag features:
• 2" wide adjustable shoulder strap
• velcro-sealed upper flap
• wide main pocket, capable of holding books, laptops
• zip-close inner pocket for pens, pencils, etc. (waterproof)
• two outer front pockets
• two snap-close side pockets
• brass hardware • dimensions: 15'' X 11'' X 6''
To enter, email your name and address to fearwerxbag@zombiesandtoys.com.
The second contest FearWerx is presenting is for a pair of their Night of the Living Dead Mego figures! One lucky winner will receive a Graveyard Zombie and a Ben action figure. In addition, one runner-up will receive a Ben figure.
To enter, email your name and address to fearwerxmego@zombiesandtoys.com.
Winners will be selected on October 29th. By entering, you agree to be added to the FearWerx mailing list. Don't worry, I'm on it and do not get bombarded with emails. Just exclusive deals and product updates.
First, they are offering one lucky winner a Zombie Hunter Messenger Bag! This is one of the most popular items FearWerx has to offer. Made of tough camouflage canvas by the same manufacturers who supply our soldiers, this bag features:
• 2" wide adjustable shoulder strap
• velcro-sealed upper flap
• wide main pocket, capable of holding books, laptops
• zip-close inner pocket for pens, pencils, etc. (waterproof)
• two outer front pockets
• two snap-close side pockets
• brass hardware • dimensions: 15'' X 11'' X 6''
To enter, email your name and address to fearwerxbag@zombiesandtoys.com.
To enter, email your name and address to fearwerxmego@zombiesandtoys.com.
Winners will be selected on October 29th. By entering, you agree to be added to the FearWerx mailing list. Don't worry, I'm on it and do not get bombarded with emails. Just exclusive deals and product updates.
Sourpuss Zombie Belt Buckle Contest
Sourpuss Clothing continues their Zombies & Toys support by offering you the chance to win a zombie belt buckle! Well, a flaming-heart-zombie-belt-buckle to be exact. Enter by emailing your name and address to sourpuss@zombiesandtoys.com. Contest ends October 29th.
Words With Alden Bell
With our contest for a copy of Alden Bell's The Reapers are the Angels concluding next week, we thought it would be a great time to introduce you to the author. If you have yet to read the review, make sure to follow this link. In addition to supplying several copies of the book to give lucky ZT readers, Bell also took the time to answer a few questions that we had. Watch for the mild spoiler alert...
What were your literary inspirations for the novel? It has been compared to Flannery O’Connor in other comments, and I noticed a resemblance to Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. Were either of those sources for you?
REAPERS owes a big debt to the Southern Gothic genre in general. Key inspirations were Faulkner, Zora Neale Hurston, William Gay, Tom Franklin, Daniel Woodrell and Cormac McCarthy. There are references (some playfully intentional, others unintentional I'm sure) throughout. A lot of people have mentioned the similarity to THE ROAD. Actually, I'm a huge fan of Cormac McCarthy--but I was less inspired by THE ROAD than I was by BLOOD MERIDIAN, which I think is one of the finest books of the late twentieth century. There are overt homages to BLOOD MERIDIAN in REAPERS.
Are you originally from the South? There are many descriptions that make it seen as though you are quite familiar with the area.
I adore the South--and I try to get to Oxford, Mississippi, as often as I can, because I love the people down there and the fact that the place is steeped in deeply literary culture. But, no, I'm not from
the South. I grew up in California, and have lived the last sixteen years in New York. So I really have no business writing a book about the South--and readers have been very patient and gracious with what must be some bumbling attempts to render it. I was particularly concerned with the dialogue--but, then again, I think it's permissible in fiction to create a language that echoes realistic dialect and yet still attempts its own (perhaps unrealistic) tone. You watch a few episodes of DEADWOOD, which contains completely unrealistic Shakespearean soliloquies, and suddenly you feel no obligation toward realistic rendering of dialogue. I admire a story that is willing to subvert realism for the sake of loveliness.
** slight spoiler in the next question **
What made you decide to incorporate the mutants later on in the novel? It is interesting to have a reversal of zombies preying on humans, when the giant “human”-like people are seen preying on the zombies.
I think the mutants represent one version of a family structure. Family is certainly one of the underlying themes in REAPERS, and everywhere Temple goes, she is presented with various forms of family life--each of which reminds her that she is mostly alone. Over the course of the book, it's possible that Temple accrues a kind of makeshift family, though certainly it's not the family we would expect or want--and there's something nice about that. Fundamentally, I'm moved by the idea of people bonding together in the face of adversity, creating structures and communities and families in order to cope with the tragedies of the world. The mutants are a particularly tight family, and the zombie apocalypse has actually strengthened theirpower.
Why is Temple’s weapon of choice the gurkha knife? It means she has to get much closer to the zombies than if she were using a gun or other bladed weapon to kill them.
It's partially a practical choice--after all, it would make sense in a world where ammunition may be scarce to become efficient with a weapon that doesn't require it. But also, a gurkha knife--well, it's just awesome. Have you seen one of those things? It just looks like a brutal, nasty tool. The other thing I like about it is the fact that the way the blade is shaped means that you can only really use it for chopping rather than stabbing. Stabbing blades imply elegance and sophistication. The gurkha knife, on the other hand, implies savage animalism. It only hacks; that's all it does. I think that's very symbolic of Temple herself, whose charm, in part, lies in the fact that she is just as ferocious as the things she's killing.
Why is religion so important to Temple? It seems like her whole life would have been in a world devoid of formal religious institutions, so why does she have such a strong sense of good and evil?
It's true that REAPERS is a deeply religious book--which is odd considering that I'm a lifelong, die-hard atheist. But I'm not one of those angry atheists. I actually really admire religion and religious
faith. There's something beautiful about believing so strongly in something--and I think Temple's religious zeal is one of the most touching things about her. It's all the more meaningful because, as you say, she has grown up in a world without formalized religion and would have had to create it from scratch. Her faith is deeply personal, because it's built and fostered entirely in her own mind. Because she has no one telling her where to look for God, she manages to see God everywhere. Her nemesis Moses also has an extremely strong sense of good and evil, right and wrong. I admire both of these characters for their desire to impose order (however difficult and counterintuitive) on a world that has gone to complete disorder and chaos. They're both heroic in their own ways.
Is there a defining moment in your life of zombie importance?
That would have to be seeing DAWN OF THE DEAD with my father when I was nine years old. We went to see it at the drive-in, and he fell asleep halfway through, so I was left to confront the movie on my own. It was revolutionary to me. Sure, I was completely nauseated by the scenes of zombies eating viscera, but, more significantly, I was fascinated by how much of that movie seems to have very little to do with zombies at all. I remember how much time is spent on the logistics of blockading the mall, cleaning it up, recreating a normalized life. Even as a kid I remember admiring how human a story it was--how much about plain old life a monster movie could be. I think that made me fall in love with zombies. Curiously enough, the fact that they faded into the background made them all the more charming to me.
If we were going to make a toy of you, would you be a zombie or a survivor? What accessories would you come with?
I would never survive the zombie apocalypse, so I guess I would have to be a zombie. I would probably be one of those non-threatening, sad-looking zombies who, rather than attacking you, just sits there instinctively trying to recreate the actions of his past life. I would be carrying around a book of some sort, unable to read it, but pawing through the pages with my ineffectual fingers in the ghost motions of reading--tearing the pages to shreds as I went, destroying the very thing that I loved so much when alive. Tragic, right?
I would like to thank Josh Gaylord/Alden Bell for his time and also to our own Sara Ross for hers.
REAPERS owes a big debt to the Southern Gothic genre in general. Key inspirations were Faulkner, Zora Neale Hurston, William Gay, Tom Franklin, Daniel Woodrell and Cormac McCarthy. There are references (some playfully intentional, others unintentional I'm sure) throughout. A lot of people have mentioned the similarity to THE ROAD. Actually, I'm a huge fan of Cormac McCarthy--but I was less inspired by THE ROAD than I was by BLOOD MERIDIAN, which I think is one of the finest books of the late twentieth century. There are overt homages to BLOOD MERIDIAN in REAPERS.
Are you originally from the South? There are many descriptions that make it seen as though you are quite familiar with the area.
I adore the South--and I try to get to Oxford, Mississippi, as often as I can, because I love the people down there and the fact that the place is steeped in deeply literary culture. But, no, I'm not from
the South. I grew up in California, and have lived the last sixteen years in New York. So I really have no business writing a book about the South--and readers have been very patient and gracious with what must be some bumbling attempts to render it. I was particularly concerned with the dialogue--but, then again, I think it's permissible in fiction to create a language that echoes realistic dialect and yet still attempts its own (perhaps unrealistic) tone. You watch a few episodes of DEADWOOD, which contains completely unrealistic Shakespearean soliloquies, and suddenly you feel no obligation toward realistic rendering of dialogue. I admire a story that is willing to subvert realism for the sake of loveliness.
** slight spoiler in the next question **
What made you decide to incorporate the mutants later on in the novel? It is interesting to have a reversal of zombies preying on humans, when the giant “human”-like people are seen preying on the zombies.
I think the mutants represent one version of a family structure. Family is certainly one of the underlying themes in REAPERS, and everywhere Temple goes, she is presented with various forms of family life--each of which reminds her that she is mostly alone. Over the course of the book, it's possible that Temple accrues a kind of makeshift family, though certainly it's not the family we would expect or want--and there's something nice about that. Fundamentally, I'm moved by the idea of people bonding together in the face of adversity, creating structures and communities and families in order to cope with the tragedies of the world. The mutants are a particularly tight family, and the zombie apocalypse has actually strengthened theirpower.
Why is Temple’s weapon of choice the gurkha knife? It means she has to get much closer to the zombies than if she were using a gun or other bladed weapon to kill them.
It's partially a practical choice--after all, it would make sense in a world where ammunition may be scarce to become efficient with a weapon that doesn't require it. But also, a gurkha knife--well, it's just awesome. Have you seen one of those things? It just looks like a brutal, nasty tool. The other thing I like about it is the fact that the way the blade is shaped means that you can only really use it for chopping rather than stabbing. Stabbing blades imply elegance and sophistication. The gurkha knife, on the other hand, implies savage animalism. It only hacks; that's all it does. I think that's very symbolic of Temple herself, whose charm, in part, lies in the fact that she is just as ferocious as the things she's killing.
Why is religion so important to Temple? It seems like her whole life would have been in a world devoid of formal religious institutions, so why does she have such a strong sense of good and evil?
It's true that REAPERS is a deeply religious book--which is odd considering that I'm a lifelong, die-hard atheist. But I'm not one of those angry atheists. I actually really admire religion and religious
faith. There's something beautiful about believing so strongly in something--and I think Temple's religious zeal is one of the most touching things about her. It's all the more meaningful because, as you say, she has grown up in a world without formalized religion and would have had to create it from scratch. Her faith is deeply personal, because it's built and fostered entirely in her own mind. Because she has no one telling her where to look for God, she manages to see God everywhere. Her nemesis Moses also has an extremely strong sense of good and evil, right and wrong. I admire both of these characters for their desire to impose order (however difficult and counterintuitive) on a world that has gone to complete disorder and chaos. They're both heroic in their own ways.
Is there a defining moment in your life of zombie importance?
That would have to be seeing DAWN OF THE DEAD with my father when I was nine years old. We went to see it at the drive-in, and he fell asleep halfway through, so I was left to confront the movie on my own. It was revolutionary to me. Sure, I was completely nauseated by the scenes of zombies eating viscera, but, more significantly, I was fascinated by how much of that movie seems to have very little to do with zombies at all. I remember how much time is spent on the logistics of blockading the mall, cleaning it up, recreating a normalized life. Even as a kid I remember admiring how human a story it was--how much about plain old life a monster movie could be. I think that made me fall in love with zombies. Curiously enough, the fact that they faded into the background made them all the more charming to me.
If we were going to make a toy of you, would you be a zombie or a survivor? What accessories would you come with?
I would never survive the zombie apocalypse, so I guess I would have to be a zombie. I would probably be one of those non-threatening, sad-looking zombies who, rather than attacking you, just sits there instinctively trying to recreate the actions of his past life. I would be carrying around a book of some sort, unable to read it, but pawing through the pages with my ineffectual fingers in the ghost motions of reading--tearing the pages to shreds as I went, destroying the very thing that I loved so much when alive. Tragic, right?
I would like to thank Josh Gaylord/Alden Bell for his time and also to our own Sara Ross for hers.
Insidious - movie preview
David Brown
What do you get when you combine the minds behind Saw and Paranormal Activity? You get a movie directed by James Wan and written by Leigh Whannell, co-creators of Saw, and produced by Jason Blum, Steven Schneider, and Oren Peli, famous for Paranormal Activity. Alongside them, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones joins on to executive produce.
Insidious looks to be a return to the style of films like Poltergeist where evil sprits confront a family moving into a new house. According to a blurb on the website of the Toronto International Film Festival, where the film premiered earlier this month, Insidious “transcends the real-estate spookiness of previous concepts like Amityville Horror, forging a genre-bending experiment that has more in common with Carnival of Lost Souls.
The movie involves Josh and Renai, played respectively by Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne, and their three young children. Tragedy strikes their youngest son, and Josh and Renai start to experience things that science cannot explain. One thing is for sure, this movie looks to scare audiences. From the clip that has been released by the studio, you see that there is a lot going on in a small confined space with the sense of drama and agony all being portrayed at once. This is simply a movie about a family trying to save a comatose boy from an unseen evil. This is truly shaping up to be a movie that returns to the basic premise of good versus evil that so many movies have since forgotten. This will be one to watch when it gets released and one that I will certainly not hesitate to go see.
What do you get when you combine the minds behind Saw and Paranormal Activity? You get a movie directed by James Wan and written by Leigh Whannell, co-creators of Saw, and produced by Jason Blum, Steven Schneider, and Oren Peli, famous for Paranormal Activity. Alongside them, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones joins on to executive produce.
Insidious looks to be a return to the style of films like Poltergeist where evil sprits confront a family moving into a new house. According to a blurb on the website of the Toronto International Film Festival, where the film premiered earlier this month, Insidious “transcends the real-estate spookiness of previous concepts like Amityville Horror, forging a genre-bending experiment that has more in common with Carnival of Lost Souls.
The movie involves Josh and Renai, played respectively by Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne, and their three young children. Tragedy strikes their youngest son, and Josh and Renai start to experience things that science cannot explain. One thing is for sure, this movie looks to scare audiences. From the clip that has been released by the studio, you see that there is a lot going on in a small confined space with the sense of drama and agony all being portrayed at once. This is simply a movie about a family trying to save a comatose boy from an unseen evil. This is truly shaping up to be a movie that returns to the basic premise of good versus evil that so many movies have since forgotten. This will be one to watch when it gets released and one that I will certainly not hesitate to go see.
Monday, September 27, 2010
A Midwest Zombie Invasion
Kala Hewitt
My zombie love started several years back when an ex-boyfriend had me sit down and watch all of Romero’s movies in one weekend. I remember watching in complete awe; the stories, the characters, the special effects and make up work left me craving for more. Hence - the start of my obsession. So, I Googled anything dealing with zombies. Were there events? Gatherings of other zombie-obsessed fans? And there were. Enter: Zombie Walks.
What are zombie walks? I went to Wiki for this part, just because I have my own definition. The basic Wiki definition is: an organized social gathering of people dressed as zombies, usually walking around a public center to a large space (in some cases to a pub or bar; I.E. Zombie pub crawl). So how did it start? The earliest zombie walk on record was held on August 19 2001 in Sacramento, California - then called “The Zombie Parade”. From there, zombie walks started happening in Canada. The event would bring several hundred fans and spectators every year. Minneapolis, Minnesota is believed to have had the first zombie pub crawl starting off with 100-150 participants moving from bar to bar. From there, more cities caught on to the idea and started putting on their own. In Philadelphia, they hold several a year (Easter weekend in honor of the “most famous zombie”, a zombie prom in September and a zombie beach party in June). And which is probably one of my favorites? The one held at the Monroeville Mall in Pittsburgh, PA. It started on October 29, 2006 with 894 participants. What’s so special about that particular one? The Monroeville Mall is setting for Romero’s Dawn of the Dead. Not only did the event set a world record, it was also a charity event for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Since then, the event has grown to an actual convention, know as the Zombie Fest (now Horror Realm). The event is also home to the World Zombie Day event, a fundraiser for world hunger charities.
So, how do you think I felt when my hometown decides to host an event like this? AMAZED. I’ll admit, I was a bit concerned at first, unsure of how it would go. Would it survive the Midwest’s “core family values and belief” anvils? I had to meet the mastermind behind this. I contacted the “Zombie Head Mistress” herself via Facebook and got some answers. Well, of course after setting up a little meeting of course. Her name was Marie, and I was too damn excited to meet her.
First things first: Where did it all begin for her?
A.) Dawn of the Dead. She saw it in the theaters and the thoughts began rolling in. Would she fight against the undead horde? Would she survive long enough to enjoy what would be left of human civilization? Instantly she went into zombie-apocalypse-survival mode and never looked back.
She credits her partner, Liz in all the zombie walk madness with the true love of the horror genre. “She even has a zombie pin-up for a tattoo.” Liz, you officially rock my socks.
Now, where did the idea of putting a zombie walk here come from?
A.) The Sioux Falls Zombie walk last year. Marie thought to herself, “why not?” Sure at first, it was a simple flash mob idea. Then it grew to be much more. The unexpected hard work of Marie and Liz started late July of this year. Permits and insurance were needed in order to get the ball rolling on the event. With those in hand it became more official.
The First Annual Siouxland Zombie Walk Facebook group gained 100+ “likes” within the first 48 hours. Today, it’s at 574. That’s pretty good for a “word of mouth” event. I asked Marie how she felt about the group and it’s growing members. “It’s amazing. It’s quite a surprise for us considering we had no idea how the event would be taken considering our hometown and it’s usual events.” Sure there’s a haunted house that has some cred for being what it is, but a zombie walk…? Marie admits she has some fears about the event. What if too many show? What if not many show at all? It’s something that’s completely up in the air and the unexpected can happen at any moment. But the event certainly has the “cool factor” and many zombie fans alike or unalike are talking about it.
So how are they really getting the word out besides the Facebook page? The growing support the event is getting certainly helps. ZombiesAndToys.com can take the honor of being the first to interview Marie and get the scoop of the zombie-awesome-ness. The team distributed fliers around town and kept talking - telling everyone they could about the upcoming event. The event has no sponsors and is non-profit, proving to be a pretty well put together event (charities are a favorite here). Marie simply stated, “The local nonprofit agencies need help. And Siouxland Paw Prints Rescue is the one we’ve chosen to donate to. Just $100 dollars would help enough to spay four cats.” (SPPR is a no-kill shelter)
So what are they details? What’s the grand plan? October 9th, 2010 Sioux City will have its first zombie walk EVER. At 5 pm the horde can start to assemble at a local bar known as The Chesterfield to register and get their make up put together (if needed - Marie would like to point out they would like participants to at least attempt to do their own). Shortly after, rules and route will be discussed with the horde before releasing them at 6:30PM. Around 7:45PM, the Riviera Movie Theater will show the original Night of the Living Dead for $1. After the movie, party like a zombie rock star back at The Chesterfield with Small Change, Absolute Pestilence, and IRON MEDLEY. Iron Medley is doing a one time show after a 6 year absence from the music scene.
Of course, for any event, please be safe! Marie would like to say she’s very grateful for all the support and help from everyone - including one group in particular; Back Alley Booking. “They have been completely amazing. They have helped with setting up the music, arranging the fliers and promotion… With out them, it would have been really difficult.” She of course thanks us for covering the event on our side and invites everyone to come down. (Be responsible! No nudity!)
Oh - want to be a ‘victim’? Register and get a giant ‘X’ on your back and you’ll get mobbed for sure by the horde. Have some fun and get your zombie on!
My zombie love started several years back when an ex-boyfriend had me sit down and watch all of Romero’s movies in one weekend. I remember watching in complete awe; the stories, the characters, the special effects and make up work left me craving for more. Hence - the start of my obsession. So, I Googled anything dealing with zombies. Were there events? Gatherings of other zombie-obsessed fans? And there were. Enter: Zombie Walks.
So, how do you think I felt when my hometown decides to host an event like this? AMAZED. I’ll admit, I was a bit concerned at first, unsure of how it would go. Would it survive the Midwest’s “core family values and belief” anvils? I had to meet the mastermind behind this. I contacted the “Zombie Head Mistress” herself via Facebook and got some answers. Well, of course after setting up a little meeting of course. Her name was Marie, and I was too damn excited to meet her.
First things first: Where did it all begin for her?
A.) Dawn of the Dead. She saw it in the theaters and the thoughts began rolling in. Would she fight against the undead horde? Would she survive long enough to enjoy what would be left of human civilization? Instantly she went into zombie-apocalypse-survival mode and never looked back.
She credits her partner, Liz in all the zombie walk madness with the true love of the horror genre. “She even has a zombie pin-up for a tattoo.” Liz, you officially rock my socks.
Now, where did the idea of putting a zombie walk here come from?
A.) The Sioux Falls Zombie walk last year. Marie thought to herself, “why not?” Sure at first, it was a simple flash mob idea. Then it grew to be much more. The unexpected hard work of Marie and Liz started late July of this year. Permits and insurance were needed in order to get the ball rolling on the event. With those in hand it became more official.
The First Annual Siouxland Zombie Walk Facebook group gained 100+ “likes” within the first 48 hours. Today, it’s at 574. That’s pretty good for a “word of mouth” event. I asked Marie how she felt about the group and it’s growing members. “It’s amazing. It’s quite a surprise for us considering we had no idea how the event would be taken considering our hometown and it’s usual events.” Sure there’s a haunted house that has some cred for being what it is, but a zombie walk…? Marie admits she has some fears about the event. What if too many show? What if not many show at all? It’s something that’s completely up in the air and the unexpected can happen at any moment. But the event certainly has the “cool factor” and many zombie fans alike or unalike are talking about it.
So what are they details? What’s the grand plan? October 9th, 2010 Sioux City will have its first zombie walk EVER. At 5 pm the horde can start to assemble at a local bar known as The Chesterfield to register and get their make up put together (if needed - Marie would like to point out they would like participants to at least attempt to do their own). Shortly after, rules and route will be discussed with the horde before releasing them at 6:30PM. Around 7:45PM, the Riviera Movie Theater will show the original Night of the Living Dead for $1. After the movie, party like a zombie rock star back at The Chesterfield with Small Change, Absolute Pestilence, and IRON MEDLEY. Iron Medley is doing a one time show after a 6 year absence from the music scene.
Of course, for any event, please be safe! Marie would like to say she’s very grateful for all the support and help from everyone - including one group in particular; Back Alley Booking. “They have been completely amazing. They have helped with setting up the music, arranging the fliers and promotion… With out them, it would have been really difficult.” She of course thanks us for covering the event on our side and invites everyone to come down. (Be responsible! No nudity!)
Oh - want to be a ‘victim’? Register and get a giant ‘X’ on your back and you’ll get mobbed for sure by the horde. Have some fun and get your zombie on!
CSN Stores Review
Zombies & Toys was recently offered a very unique review opportunity. I mean, it's not every day we're approached by a company that sells everything from nesting tables to life-size Star Wars stand ups. At first overwhelmed by the sheer volume of products CSN Stores has to offer (with over 200 different stores to choose from), we found something readers would want. No, it isn't the zombie high-healed shoes. Seriously.
Be ready for our surprise review in the weeks to come! In the meantime, go get some Christmas shopping done.
Be ready for our surprise review in the weeks to come! In the meantime, go get some Christmas shopping done.
Man Shoots At Police, States He Thought Officer Was Zombie
The truth is, indeed, stranger than fiction. In Longmont, CO, 22 year old Brandon Duke is facing charges of first-degree attempted murder, first degree assault, felony menacing, and possession of a weapon by a previous offender. These are all felonies. Oh, yeah, and he also faces misdemeanor charges for carrying a concealed weapon, resisting arrest, obstructing a police officer, and reckless endangerment.
Longmont police officer David Blake was trying to arrest Duke on an outstanding warrant which led to a chase. Duke told investigators he thought the officer was a zombie and shot at him as a warning because he was trying to protect himself. Blake returned fire striking Duke in the torso and arm.
Duke is pleading "not guilty" by reason of insanity, will undergo psychiatric evaluation, and appear in court on Dec. 3.
Longmont police officer David Blake was trying to arrest Duke on an outstanding warrant which led to a chase. Duke told investigators he thought the officer was a zombie and shot at him as a warning because he was trying to protect himself. Blake returned fire striking Duke in the torso and arm.
Duke is pleading "not guilty" by reason of insanity, will undergo psychiatric evaluation, and appear in court on Dec. 3.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Win A Jet Black Berries CD
If the name "Jet Black Berries" does not sound familiar, what about the name "Return of the Living Dead"? So, Jet Black Berries who was featured on the original soundtrack of Return of the Living Dead are celebrating the release of their latest CD by giving two copies away to ZT readers! To enter, email your name and address to jetblack@zombiesandtoys.com. Two winners will be selected on October 22nd.
To purchase your copy of the CD now, head over to CD Baby. The digital album is available as well through Amazon, Itunes, and other download retailers. Check out the official Jet Black Berries Facebook and MySpace pages. A huge "Thank You" to Jet Black Berries for providing this opportunity.
The Jet Black Berries gained ominous notoriety as one of the bands that contributed to the “Return of the Living Dead” soundtrack along with the Cramps, the Damned and the legendary Roky Erickson. The Jet Black Berries released 3 albums in the mid to late 80’s on Restless and Enigma Records. The band broke up in 1989.....but zombies are hard to kill.........
20 years later three of the band's original members, bass player/writer Gary Trainer, lead guitarist Chris Yockel and drummer/writer Roy Stein find themselves through an unusual set of circumstances together in an upstate recording studio one afternoon. Roy is engineering another session and his two old chums dropped in to check things out and give him a hard time. They talk about recording in the old days vs. the new digital era and how fantastic it is that now you can get your music recorded and out to people to hear in just hours. The studio is chocked full of gear, the session is over....so.....the band phones up a young local guitarist and singer they really admire named Johnny Cummings (yes Ramones' fans that's his real name) and 3 hours later the band has recorded Gardens of Delight. Back from the grave and ready to party the band digs up their original keyboardist/organist Mark Schwartz and head into the studio to have a blast and record some more tunes.
A few months later Bug Music, one of the world's largest publishing companies hears the new tunes. Bug loves the sound and the band signs a deal with Bug Digital. The fabulous folks at Bug will be releasing the resurrected band's first full length CD in October of 2010.
So here we go again for another round....four zombies and a punk kid. Hopefully you will enjoy the new songs and it serves the legacy of the band well.
To purchase your copy of the CD now, head over to CD Baby. The digital album is available as well through Amazon, Itunes, and other download retailers. Check out the official Jet Black Berries Facebook and MySpace pages. A huge "Thank You" to Jet Black Berries for providing this opportunity.
The Jet Black Berries gained ominous notoriety as one of the bands that contributed to the “Return of the Living Dead” soundtrack along with the Cramps, the Damned and the legendary Roky Erickson. The Jet Black Berries released 3 albums in the mid to late 80’s on Restless and Enigma Records. The band broke up in 1989.....but zombies are hard to kill.........
20 years later three of the band's original members, bass player/writer Gary Trainer, lead guitarist Chris Yockel and drummer/writer Roy Stein find themselves through an unusual set of circumstances together in an upstate recording studio one afternoon. Roy is engineering another session and his two old chums dropped in to check things out and give him a hard time. They talk about recording in the old days vs. the new digital era and how fantastic it is that now you can get your music recorded and out to people to hear in just hours. The studio is chocked full of gear, the session is over....so.....the band phones up a young local guitarist and singer they really admire named Johnny Cummings (yes Ramones' fans that's his real name) and 3 hours later the band has recorded Gardens of Delight. Back from the grave and ready to party the band digs up their original keyboardist/organist Mark Schwartz and head into the studio to have a blast and record some more tunes.
A few months later Bug Music, one of the world's largest publishing companies hears the new tunes. Bug loves the sound and the band signs a deal with Bug Digital. The fabulous folks at Bug will be releasing the resurrected band's first full length CD in October of 2010.
So here we go again for another round....four zombies and a punk kid. Hopefully you will enjoy the new songs and it serves the legacy of the band well.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Plants vs Zombies in WoW
PopCap Games co-founder and creative director Jason Kapalka had this to say: “We are delighted to have Plants Vs Zombies in Warcraft, and are looking forward to playing the final version of Cataclysm when it releases."
Freakin' Zombie Heads
Who wants a free iPhone game with zombies? That's what I thought! Up for grabs is Freakin' Zombie Heads.
“In Freakin’ Zombie Heads, you need to match up zombie heads as they are tossed into a garbage can. When two heads are matched, they explode, making room for more. The zombie heads fall at an increasing rate of speed, threatening to overflow the trash can.”
A New Poster For The Walking Dead
This post really doesn't need an explanation does it? We're almost there...
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
The Reapers Are The Angels - book review and contest
Review by Sara Ross
Written by Joshua Gaylord under the pseudonym Alden Bell, The Reapers are the Angels is a 240-page novel that was published last month by Holt. It is a smooth, easy read, broken into 16 chapters (and three unequal parts). It takes place in an America that has not been “normal” as today’s reader knows it for over twenty years. The story focuses on Temple, who has grown up entirely in the “meatskin” world and knows no other life than that of loneliness, wandering, and fighting to survive.
Bell’s narrative calls to mind Cormac McCarthy’s The Road and combines it with elements of several recent zombie novels or movies: cars with full tanks of gas that start right up, impossible electricity, deserted amusement parks, vacant shopping malls, and small oases of life trying to remain oblivious to the zombies all around. However, once the setting and background are established and the action really gets going, Bell incorporates some nice plot twists and employs character development that keeps the reader wanting to turn pages to reach the end of Reapers to see what becomes of the heroine.
Temple, the heroine of The Reapers are the Angels is a character whose steely exterior is well-presented. Bell hints at her youth and vulnerability more and more as the novel progresses, but also never lets the reader forget that Temple is a character you don’t want to mess with—she has strength and worldliness well beyond her 15 years. The other characters are all portrayed with a good sense of how Temple sees them, through the eyes of a girl who has never known a world without a zombie infestation. Stories told by older characters in the book of “normal” life are often juxtaposed with Temple’s experiences (all in the “meatskin” world) to highlight what Temple’s growing up has really been like. Bell is able to use such comparisons to make the reader sympathize with Temple. As Temple’s journey progresses, traveling lonely in a sparse world, she faces many dilemmas and is forced to put aside politeness and sentiment for the lone task of survival. Run in after run in, Temple is victorious in making sure her current task or mission is accomplished. She is too stubborn and resilient to give up, even in a world where all odds are against her. As she crosses the South from Florida to Texas, in cars, on foot, or by train, Temple is a heroine who touches the hearts of many of the characters she passes, more than she realizes. She is also able to get into the heart of the reader, so that he or she is hoping Temple will make it to see through her goals and plans.
In addition to the well-developed character of Temple, there are many other features of the writing that make it a pleasure to read. While Temple’s grammar is somewhat imperfect (as she has had no formal education), it fits the character well. Otherwise, Bell uses a style of writing that is very clean and easy to follow. He also has a mastery of language and creates such vivid pictures with his descriptions that the reader can easily conjure the image that is being painted. The Reapers are the Angels has vivid portrayals that make the reader employ all five senses, which is a task not consistently accomplished in many novels.
Pick up Alden Bell’s The Reapers are the Angels for a quick read that incorporates some expected or predictable zombie-genre elements as background for the development of a heroine who easily earns the reader’s compassion. It will keep you reading to the end, wanting to see how Temple maneuvers her difficult environment to accomplish her goals.
Zombies & Toys has several copies of The Reapers are the Angels that we are giving away! To enter, email your name and address to reapers@zombiesandtoys.com. Winners will be selected on October 8th.
Written by Joshua Gaylord under the pseudonym Alden Bell, The Reapers are the Angels is a 240-page novel that was published last month by Holt. It is a smooth, easy read, broken into 16 chapters (and three unequal parts). It takes place in an America that has not been “normal” as today’s reader knows it for over twenty years. The story focuses on Temple, who has grown up entirely in the “meatskin” world and knows no other life than that of loneliness, wandering, and fighting to survive.
Bell’s narrative calls to mind Cormac McCarthy’s The Road and combines it with elements of several recent zombie novels or movies: cars with full tanks of gas that start right up, impossible electricity, deserted amusement parks, vacant shopping malls, and small oases of life trying to remain oblivious to the zombies all around. However, once the setting and background are established and the action really gets going, Bell incorporates some nice plot twists and employs character development that keeps the reader wanting to turn pages to reach the end of Reapers to see what becomes of the heroine.
Temple, the heroine of The Reapers are the Angels is a character whose steely exterior is well-presented. Bell hints at her youth and vulnerability more and more as the novel progresses, but also never lets the reader forget that Temple is a character you don’t want to mess with—she has strength and worldliness well beyond her 15 years. The other characters are all portrayed with a good sense of how Temple sees them, through the eyes of a girl who has never known a world without a zombie infestation. Stories told by older characters in the book of “normal” life are often juxtaposed with Temple’s experiences (all in the “meatskin” world) to highlight what Temple’s growing up has really been like. Bell is able to use such comparisons to make the reader sympathize with Temple. As Temple’s journey progresses, traveling lonely in a sparse world, she faces many dilemmas and is forced to put aside politeness and sentiment for the lone task of survival. Run in after run in, Temple is victorious in making sure her current task or mission is accomplished. She is too stubborn and resilient to give up, even in a world where all odds are against her. As she crosses the South from Florida to Texas, in cars, on foot, or by train, Temple is a heroine who touches the hearts of many of the characters she passes, more than she realizes. She is also able to get into the heart of the reader, so that he or she is hoping Temple will make it to see through her goals and plans.
In addition to the well-developed character of Temple, there are many other features of the writing that make it a pleasure to read. While Temple’s grammar is somewhat imperfect (as she has had no formal education), it fits the character well. Otherwise, Bell uses a style of writing that is very clean and easy to follow. He also has a mastery of language and creates such vivid pictures with his descriptions that the reader can easily conjure the image that is being painted. The Reapers are the Angels has vivid portrayals that make the reader employ all five senses, which is a task not consistently accomplished in many novels.
Pick up Alden Bell’s The Reapers are the Angels for a quick read that incorporates some expected or predictable zombie-genre elements as background for the development of a heroine who easily earns the reader’s compassion. It will keep you reading to the end, wanting to see how Temple maneuvers her difficult environment to accomplish her goals.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Bambi's Zombie Mom
Bambi + Zombie = Zombi: Fawn of the Dead.
Thanks to the new MAD TV series, we are all witness to a new animated short featuring Disney's Bambi. In Zombi: Fawn of the Dead, Bambi's dead mother rises from the grave to attack the living. Again it is proven, zombies make everything better.
Thanks to the new MAD TV series, we are all witness to a new animated short featuring Disney's Bambi. In Zombi: Fawn of the Dead, Bambi's dead mother rises from the grave to attack the living. Again it is proven, zombies make everything better.
Win A Copy of Dead Rising 2
Also, don't forget that Zombies & Toys is featured weekly at YBMW with our very own column, This Week In Zombie News. We do more than just sum up the week's happenings, we also feature exclusive content and contests. So don't miss out!
Left 4 Dead Online Comic
A few months back, Valve released "The Passing" for Left 4 Dead 2. This new downloadable content was the first time we were treated to the crossing of paths of survivors from both Left 4 Dead games. The follow-up to this DLC will be released on October 5th. "The Sacrifice" will be will tell the tale from the point of view of our first group of survivors. This new content is somewhat of a prequel and shows us the events that lead up to The Passing.
In preparation of this new story, Valve is releasing a digital comic book. There will be a 40 page release each Tuesday leading up the launch of The Sacrifice. Already released, The Sacrifice Part One can be seen... HERE.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Horror Realm This Weekend
Horror Realm is this weekend at the Crowne Plaza in Pittsburgh, PA. Of course, there will be plenty of familiar faces from both Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead including Ken Foree, Russell Streiner, Kyra Schon, Bill Hinzman, and more! There will literally be dozens of horror movie stars and authors in attendance.
There will also be a horror-themed tattoo contest, film and book panels, movie showings, a zombie dance, and other great events. I encourage everyone to head over to the Horror Realm site and view the events schedule. Last year, we had the opportunity to meet with Breathers author, SG Browne, Billy Tackett, Frank Serraro, and had a great time!
Night of the Living Trekkies
Review by Kayla -The zombie-lovin'-chick-from-Iowa -
Right away the prologue snatches you in. Witty banter between characters and then - BOOM! Action happens. In my opinion, that's a great way to hook you in. There's so much mystery about what's going on immediately. And that's what kept me going. As you read on, you lose track of time (or is it just me?) - I loved the interesting mix of the story. A Star Trek convention in Houston unknowingly being under attack by a mysterious virus that takes the whole city and turns them into zombies. A bit of comedy. Action. Gore-filled scenes. The writers definitely knew what they were doing.
I loved the variety of the characters. There were all kinds of people with all kinds of personalities... the zombie variety was GREAT! When there's variety, it keeps things moving a long and leaves it open for any unsuspecting thing to happen. The lead character, Jim, I love. And of course his "side-kick", Leia is just amazing. The two have this interesting Star Trek/Star Wars cross over romance thing going on (and no, it's not that cheesy or bad). I do have to admit - it's tough coming up with different ways to kill off zombies when you're writing. It can be the same mundane thing - "Be-head. Set on fire. Blow up. Dismember." But instead, they introduce new ways for killing zombies by using Star Trek weapons. Hell yes!
I was only mildly disappointed with one part of the story (I'll be nice and won't spoil!) - The cause. The cause of everything going on. It honestly pissed me off a bit, but as a loyal zombie fan and fellow nerd, I kept pushing on. I do have to say the end did catch me by surprise and when I set the book down after spending a week and a half devoted to it, I was overall very satisfied. Thanks fellas for writing a story that struck home and made my nerdy zombie lovin' heart skip a beat or two during several scenes. You rocked my socks!
I have to admit, I was WAY too excited for this book. I squealed when I read the e-mail that said I was the winner of the contest and going to receive the book in the mail soon (editor's note: Kayla won this book from Zombies & Toys). When it finally arrived, I was actually afraid to read it. I was scared of the disappointment if I read it and didn't like it. What if the zombies were retarded? What if the characters were too cliche? What if they completely destroyed the zombie genre reputation and smeared shit in its rotting, flesh-eating face? Well, I faced that fear and opened the book, just to read the first page and be slapped in the face. I.Was.Wrong.
I loved the variety of the characters. There were all kinds of people with all kinds of personalities... the zombie variety was GREAT! When there's variety, it keeps things moving a long and leaves it open for any unsuspecting thing to happen. The lead character, Jim, I love. And of course his "side-kick", Leia is just amazing. The two have this interesting Star Trek/Star Wars cross over romance thing going on (and no, it's not that cheesy or bad). I do have to admit - it's tough coming up with different ways to kill off zombies when you're writing. It can be the same mundane thing - "Be-head. Set on fire. Blow up. Dismember." But instead, they introduce new ways for killing zombies by using Star Trek weapons. Hell yes!
I was only mildly disappointed with one part of the story (I'll be nice and won't spoil!) - The cause. The cause of everything going on. It honestly pissed me off a bit, but as a loyal zombie fan and fellow nerd, I kept pushing on. I do have to say the end did catch me by surprise and when I set the book down after spending a week and a half devoted to it, I was overall very satisfied. Thanks fellas for writing a story that struck home and made my nerdy zombie lovin' heart skip a beat or two during several scenes. You rocked my socks!
Saturday, September 11, 2010
The Zombie Game That Should Have Been
From Co-Optimus:
But this game wasn't just a straight up shooter, that's all fast action like Left 4 Dead. Instead the game offered base building mechanics as well as strategy with ammo, rescues and weapons for survival. The game would even offer branching options throughout play. An example is one mission might have you rescuing a doctor, if you fail or choose not to do it, you wouldn't get the bonuses that come with that - namely the healing he can provide.
Plants vs Zombies Unknown Facts
So now that PvZ is back in the news, I thought I'd share an article posted at OC Weekly that tells us about some little-known PvZ facts.
* The game was originally planned to be called "Lawn of the Dead". This was obviously a pun of the 1978 George Romero zombie film Dawn of the Dead. Due to legal reasons, the title had to be changed to the current Plants vs. Zombies.
* Senior game designer, George Fan, had three game influences when desigining Plants vs Zombies: Warcraft III, Insaniquarium, and Tapper.
* Another inspiration for the gameplay mechanics of Plants vs Zombies comes from the movie Swiss Family Robinson.
* The song "Loonboon" is inspired by composer Laura Shigihara's cat named Metroid. The stages that use the song are chaotic, so she drew inspiration for the writing the song by watching her cat running around the house, jumping off walls, and playing with his toy mouse.
* The development team wanted to use aliens as enemies of the game. This was later changed to zombies because players are able to react more easily to the slow movement of zombies.
* One of the enemies that had to be cut from the final version of the game is the zombie dog.
* The zombies' movement is based off of the The Finnish Disco:
La Horde - movie review
Review by David Brown
La Horde is a French Zombie movie clocking in at 92 minutes. The first thing I can think of when I recall this movie is its many similarities to some great George A Romero zombie movies of the past. This movie started slowly, almost to the point that I wanted to turn it off, but with patience, I found a great movie lying before me.
La Horde follows a tale of revenge. The opening begins with a shot of a man bound and gagged dead in a ditch as another man with a cross on his arm looks on. This in my mind is a great opening shot as it truly shows us the great setup to the story. What follows is a big funeral for the fallen man during which we hear of the plot for revenge. This group of police officers is planning on going to the office building occupied by the Nigerian crime lords that killed one of their own.
This setup generally feels reused, but the setup is great. We see that once they arrive and catch up to the crime lords that the brains and flesh literally hit the fan as the zombie arrive shortly after our crew is together. This is where the similarities to many George A Romero zombie movies start to show up. In this film the main focus, at least from what I saw, was on the characters and their interactions with one another, rather than the zombies themselves. We see great interactions where alliances are forged and broken, and brothers are sometimes even divided by the stress of the situation.
The great thing about this movie is that the box art that I saw advertised lots of blood and gore, and the film certainly does not disappoint in that aspect. From the initial zombie attack to the final scenes, there is enough blood and gore to satisfy zombie fans and gore hounds alike. The zombies in the world of La Horde are unrelentingly driven by their hunger for the brains and flesh of the living. We do not get an explanation for why or how they became zombies or where the epidemic began, rather, we are simply thrown in for the ride with the characters.
I think that this is where the movie shines. We are given no more hindsight or information than the characters that we are watching. As they have trouble, we are right there for the ride with them. We see authentic zombies, save for the fact that they run with a ferocity not seen since the dawn of the dead remake. There is an older man revealed halfway through the movie that brings a quirkiness and charm to the movie that the other characters just do not show.
Some downfalls prevent this movie from being perfect. I am unsure whether it was my copy of the film or the company itself, but I found instances where major grammatical errors showed up in the subtitles along with changes to character names and many misspellings or misplaced words. This is minor; it is just an issue that is hopefully fixed in future pressings. While I did not have a problem with it, some fans will have a problem with the running zombies, as they are very unauthentic, at least in the eyes of Max Brooks or George A Romero. I also seem to get a bit annoyed when I watch a movie where the characters do not realize they are dealing with zombies, resulting in much wasted energy and ammunition.
Downfalls aside this is still a great movie, and a must watch for anybody who is a fan of classic zombie movies that put characterization and plot right alongside the gore. The movie moves quickly after a rather dull beginning and finishes on the energy of the second and third acts of the film. There is a part in the film where one of the characters is surrounded on a car by over 50 zombies. During this time, he utters the line “Eat me, you bastards” signifying his final stand against the hordes and the defensive position, he is taking in his final stand to protect the others. I would like to say that if the film could speak it would say, “Watch me, you bastards” and would be well within its right to say that. This is a finely crafted film and a must watch. Do not hesitate to pick this up, even with the small defects.
La Horde is a French Zombie movie clocking in at 92 minutes. The first thing I can think of when I recall this movie is its many similarities to some great George A Romero zombie movies of the past. This movie started slowly, almost to the point that I wanted to turn it off, but with patience, I found a great movie lying before me.
This setup generally feels reused, but the setup is great. We see that once they arrive and catch up to the crime lords that the brains and flesh literally hit the fan as the zombie arrive shortly after our crew is together. This is where the similarities to many George A Romero zombie movies start to show up. In this film the main focus, at least from what I saw, was on the characters and their interactions with one another, rather than the zombies themselves. We see great interactions where alliances are forged and broken, and brothers are sometimes even divided by the stress of the situation.
The great thing about this movie is that the box art that I saw advertised lots of blood and gore, and the film certainly does not disappoint in that aspect. From the initial zombie attack to the final scenes, there is enough blood and gore to satisfy zombie fans and gore hounds alike. The zombies in the world of La Horde are unrelentingly driven by their hunger for the brains and flesh of the living. We do not get an explanation for why or how they became zombies or where the epidemic began, rather, we are simply thrown in for the ride with the characters.
I think that this is where the movie shines. We are given no more hindsight or information than the characters that we are watching. As they have trouble, we are right there for the ride with them. We see authentic zombies, save for the fact that they run with a ferocity not seen since the dawn of the dead remake. There is an older man revealed halfway through the movie that brings a quirkiness and charm to the movie that the other characters just do not show.
Some downfalls prevent this movie from being perfect. I am unsure whether it was my copy of the film or the company itself, but I found instances where major grammatical errors showed up in the subtitles along with changes to character names and many misspellings or misplaced words. This is minor; it is just an issue that is hopefully fixed in future pressings. While I did not have a problem with it, some fans will have a problem with the running zombies, as they are very unauthentic, at least in the eyes of Max Brooks or George A Romero. I also seem to get a bit annoyed when I watch a movie where the characters do not realize they are dealing with zombies, resulting in much wasted energy and ammunition.
Downfalls aside this is still a great movie, and a must watch for anybody who is a fan of classic zombie movies that put characterization and plot right alongside the gore. The movie moves quickly after a rather dull beginning and finishes on the energy of the second and third acts of the film. There is a part in the film where one of the characters is surrounded on a car by over 50 zombies. During this time, he utters the line “Eat me, you bastards” signifying his final stand against the hordes and the defensive position, he is taking in his final stand to protect the others. I would like to say that if the film could speak it would say, “Watch me, you bastards” and would be well within its right to say that. This is a finely crafted film and a must watch. Do not hesitate to pick this up, even with the small defects.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Zombie Studies Offered At University of Baltimore
"Right now we're in a massive surge of zombie entertainment," said Blumberg. "On the most basic level, zombies are probably one of the most potent horror icons, one of the closest to us in terms of identification factor, in terms of reflecting ourselves," he said. "The zombie is, simply, us."
Jonathan Shorr, chairman of the University's School of communications design, told the Sun that, "It's a back door into a lot of subjects.They think they're taking this wacko zombie course, and they are. But on the way, they learn how literature and mass media work, and how they come to reflect our times."
Man, this fires me up! I'm in debt up to my eyeballs paying for a degree I don't even use and had to take classes like Physics and Business Finance! Baltimore isn't the first, though. Columbia College in Chicago has apparently been offering a zombie course for awhile. So why is the course called "English 333"? Because that number is half of 666. I'm not making that up.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Zombieland 2 Has A Script
ShockTillYouDrop scored an interview with Reuben Fleisher and they get him to spill the beans on the sequal of Zombieland! "Yeah, I read it," Fleisher told a group of journalists. "I mean, it's an early draft and we have plenty more to do to work on it, but I think it's going to be amazing, I'm really excited about it."
While nobody is officially signed... yet... Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin all admit to being interested in returning in a sequal.
Zombies vs Unicorns... seriously
Zombies are lovers and fierce warriors, hunters of the living and just plain cool. Unicorns are sparkly, pastel, and fart rainbows. But they're also arbiters of justice, healers and vicious man-killers.
Ultimately, the decision rests with you—which side are you on?
So reads the description of an upcoming book, Zombies vs Unicorns, a new book by Holly Black. Headsu up, the book will hit shelves September 21st.
Zombie Roadkill
It looks like The Walking Dead won't be the only new zombie series to premier in October. Zombie Roadkill is being brought to us by FEARnet and stars Thomas Haden Church. The series has Church playing a park ranger who must escape a cursed highway that turns roadkill into zombie animals. Huh?
I like Thomas Haden Church. I like animals. I like zombies. So this may just work. There will be six episodes airing on Video On Demand beginning October 4th.
Synopsis:
Academy-Award nominated actor Thomas Haden Church co-stars as a tough as nails Park Ranger who teams with an unsuspecting teenager, played by David Dorfman, to escape a cursed stretch of highway that resurrects roadkill in the form flesh-eating zombie animals. This new breed of terror is not just playing dead.
Zombie Roadkill also stars Toni Wynne, Jeff D’Agostino, Cherilyn Wilson, and Michael Blaiklock and centers around a group of college kids as they are driving on an unfamiliar road. Everything seems fit for a road trip to the lake, but when the group accidentally runs over an unsuspecting squirrel, they quickly realize there will be a price to pay. The cursed road brings the zombie squirrel back to life to haunt the kids. After the kids crash and everyone is injured except the younger brother, he is forced to set out on a journey to defeat the ancient curse and save his brother and friends before it is too late.
Monday, September 6, 2010
Three New Trialers For The Walking Dead
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Dead Rising 2 Weapons Previewed
IGN recently posted article featuring their favorite weapons in the upcoming Dead Rising 2. Each new piece of news about this game seems funner than the last. I mean, a bucket with drills in it that you put on the zombie's head? I'm not saying the gloves with knives attached or the spiked bat won't be fun. This one's going to be a blast!
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Horror Signs Is Back!
Horror Signs continues to reward ZT readers by sponsoring another contest! This month, we are giving away a zombie license plate frame. We all love zombies, now you can let everyone else know! To enter, email your name and address to horrorsigns@zombiesandtoys.com.
Attack of the Vegan Zombies Personalized DVD Offer
"Anyone who goes to www.attackoftheveganzombies.com , buys a copy ($9.99 on that site) & mentions "woot" in the order notes, will receive an autographed copy (please specify how you want me to sign it in the order notes) AND a crumpled, wrinkly, old, one-dollar bill inside the DVD box. How does that sound?"
I have no clue how long this deal is good for so don't wait too long.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Sourpuss Clothing's September Contest
The great folks at Sourpuss Clothing are back again with more zombie goodness to give away this month!
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There's a huge selection of various items available. Dresses, shirts, socks, accessories, hoodies, etc. All with a tattoo-culture-meets-rockabilly vibe. Again, this stuff is just my personal preference. Now is also the perfect time to head over as they have a ton of new zombie-ish items now available for the fall.
Anyhoo... this month we're following up with the zombie onsie contest by presenting one lucky reader a zombie bib! And for the parents we will also send you some Sourpuss swag including a great bottle opener. To enter, email your name and address to sourpuss@zombiesandtoys.com. If you didn't win last month's contest, check out the Zombie Rocker onsie for sale in the Zombie Toy Store.
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