Plants vs Zombies To Kill Zombie

Those of you smart enough to play Plants vs Zombies or lucky enough to win one of the many copies we have given away right here know all about a certain dancing zombie. The zombie in question just so happens to be wearing a glittery glove, red with black trim leather suit, and dances around in his black shoes with white socks. Sure, there's a certain similarity but it's all in good fun.

Well, the estate of one Michael Jackson seems to think that PopCap Games has gone too far. They have asked PopCap to remove the dancing zombie from future installments of the game including the upcoming Xbox Live version. PopCap has confirmed the actions of Jackson's estate by releasing the following statement:

"After receiving this objection, PopCap made a business decision to retire the original 'dancing zombie' and replace it with a different 'dancing zombie' character for future builds of Plants vs. Zombies on all platforms."

Bummer... maybe the new version will feature a dancing zombie blogger. Perhaps one who also likes toys? I'm a busy guy, PopCap, but I can make myself available if needed.

The Last of The Undead Bazaar Contest Winners

Well, I'm running behind as usual but have finally got around to drawing the final winners of The Undead Bazaar contests. Before I list all of the winners, I would like to thank all of the artists who participated. I would also like to thank everyone who entered the contests, emailed feedback, read the features, and posted links on their own sites and blogs.

The entire process was a learning experience for me, too. So, with some minor improvements in mind, The Undead Bazaar will be back again next spring! If you are interested in taking part, email me at bazaar@zombiesandtoys.com. Now, on to the winners!

Winner of the shirt courtesy of Black and White Tees: Heather D. of Toledo, OH

Winner of the zombie bracelet from More Everything: Gloria S. of Sacramento, CA

Winner of Daphne's zombie doll: Rachel V. of Clovis, CA

Winner of Ryan's Shades of Decay coloring book: Natalie L. of Auburndale, FL

Winner of the Zombie Robot is also Natalie L.

Finally, the two readers who can look forward to having their images zombified by Tim are:

Jenny B. of Fresno, CA

Keya M. of Redmond, OR

The Reapers Are The Angels

For twenty-five years, civilization has survived in meager enclaves, guarded
against a plague of the dead. Temple wanders this blighted landscape, keeping to
herself and keeping her demons inside her heart. She can't remember a time
before the zombies, but she does remember an old man who took her in and the
younger brother she cared for until the tragedy that set her on a personal
journey toward redemption. Moving back and forth between the insulated remnants of society and the brutal frontier beyond, Temple must decide where ultimately to make a home and find the salvation she seeks.

August 2nd will see the release of a new book by author, Alden Bell. The Reapers Are The Angels gives me visions of The Road with zombies. I could be wrong, and I'll let you know for sure after I read it. Or, you can be your own judge by pre-ordering the book from publisher, Henry Holt and Company. Who, by the way, has been kind enough to offer several readers a chance to win the book!

For your chance to win a copy, email your name and address to reapers@zombiesandtoys.com. We will select winners some time at the end of August.

Chemical 12-D Now Available

Some may recall a review I posted back in November for a short film called Chemical 12-D. This 8 minute film is brought to us by Watercooler Productions. Written and directed by Mac Elridge, Chemical 12-D is going to make its international premier at Fantasia Film Fest.

To celebrate, this short film is now available to be enjoyed by all on YouTube. Follow the link or view the film below. You can also check out Zombies & Toys on YouTube for all of the videos we post on this blog.

The Walking Dead Animated Comic

I really need to spend more time over at AMC's site. I'm not sure how long this video has been up, but it's definitely worth your time. And shame on you if you knew about this and didn't tell ME!

The Walking Dead at SDCC

I loves me some San Diego Comic Con! That place is a geek's wet dream and if Zombies & Toys is around once my kiddies are old enough to make the journey I'll be reporting about it first-hand. So help us out by buying some zombie toys! But I digress...

We posted earlier how SDCC has brought us the news of Brad Pitt to star in the World War Z movie. Well, now AMC is bringing us a glimpse of what they have in store for attendees. Their booth is a scene from the comic and television series and there is a way to digitally turn yourself into a zombie. They will also have 10 extras wandering the con dressed as zombies!

Head over to AMC for the full scoop! And if you want more SDCC news, check out YouBentMyWookie for their full coverage! Our friend, Eric, is hard at work taking pictures and reporting about the con throughout the day.

Meet the Zombies

Here's a shout out for Poppa Zee...

If you are interested in backing an independant venture to create a zombie book aimed at children you only have 10 days left to do so. So if you have a few bucks you can spare and would like to play a role in having this book made, head over to KickStarter. Not only will you receive a mention in the book, but you will have the opportunity to educate the youngins about zombies.

World War Z To Star Brad Pitt

The rumours have been abound for several months speculating that Brad Pitt would be involved with the World War Z movie. They started when Pitt's production company grabbed the rights for the movie back in 2007. Now, Paramount has optioned those rights and are aiming for a summer 2012 release! Let's hope the San Diego Comic Con slips loose more info over the coming days.

Plants vs Zombie Attacks Xbox Live

PopCap Game has made it official; We can expect Plants vs Zombies on the Xbox Live Arcade this September. The game will set you back 1200 Microsoft Points. Is it worth it? I know I'll be buying it even though I have it on my computer. Read the news and you be the judge yourself.

Head of worldwide studios at PopCap Games, Ed Allard explains, "with a ton of new features and content exclusive to the XBLA version, we've pulled out all the stops to both expand and optimize this adaptation for a hard core gaming audience."

"The two new multiplayer modes allow gamers to work cooperatively to defeat hordes of invading zombies, or go head-to-head in a true 'plants vs. zombies' challenge. We're also featuring a customized 'house' for tracking and sharing progress as well as a total of 21 mini-games and 12 achievements, all designed to enthrall Plants vs. Zombies players once again."

Plants vs. Zombies for XBLA features:
* A total of seven game modes, including two new multiplayer modes: Co-Op and Vs. Mode
* 12 achievements and 21 mini-games -- more than any other adaptation

* A goofy new way to track and share progress online, where players create their own custom house and cruise down the street to see their friends' cribs!
* The highest resolution of any Plants vs. Zombies adaptation to date at 1920 x 1080
* All 50 levels of the original Adventure mode along with Puzzle, Survival, and Zen Garden

The most exciting part? It the announcement for the XBLA version was today, what is the announcment on Aug 2nd? Plants vs Zombies 2, anyone?

For a list of the achievements, follow this link.

Undying Carcass - review

Some call it a virus, others a genetic experiment gone awry. Whatever it is, the hospitals and triage clinics were overtaken weeks ago. Infected have escaped the makeshift quarantine barricades in droves, and survivor strongholds are beginning to falter as desperation sets in. The end is near...Be Ready.

I'm not sure what's more ominous, the impending attack of the undead or Sideshow's continuous assault of their in-house zombie line, The Dead. Those familiar with Zombies & Toys already know of my love of this particular line of toys... er... adult collectibles. I will post some previous Sideshow Collectibles links at the bottom of the review. To no surprise, Sideshow's trademark quality and attention to detail shines through yet again. Read on for the details!

Sideshow Collectibles' "Premium Format" line of collectibles are 1/4 scale and feature real cloth and stitched clothing. I am constantly amazed at how accurately the scale of their clothing is. Stitches, ties, buttons, patterns are all reproduced to scale on a micro level. Clothing looks and fits naturally which is not an easy task.

Of course, all of the fleshy details are accurate as well. The sculpt is top-notch and every deliberate application of color is clean and natural. It is easy to look at this statue and declare that it is amazing looking. However, where it really shines is the attention to details that you may miss without truly studying it. In fact, these details are so seamless and subtle while still being vital that you really don't pay attention to them. It is this fact that makes it so remarkable. The exposed muscle fibers and protruding bones make you cringe. Blood stains on the figure, base, and clothing are meticulous while still appearing very natural. The corrugated cardboard sign even makes you doubt that it is not actually a piece of real cardboard. Veins are visible and flesh hangs from the body. Even the wounds show realistic and natural changes in the shades on the skin. It is fun to study these areas of decay and wonder how this zombie came to be and what happened prior to its transformation.

The pictures shown are of the Sideshow Exclusive edition. The difference between this and the regular version is the inclusion of an additional head. The regular, non-rotting head is also included allowing you the option of displaying it either way. Surprisingly, at the time of this post the exclusive edition was still available. Exclusive is limited to 400 pieces while the regular edition is set at 750.

My only complaint could actually be seen as a positive thing to most collectors. It is right on the cusp of being too grotesque. Mind you, it IS a zombie. While it is possible that my thoughts 0n the matter are due to my 5 and 2 year old children. Some items simply cannot be displayed in my home. This one is currently on display but has not been spotted by the young eyes and is on a shelf high enough and at an angle that it may not be overly scaring. As of yet, Sideshow has not crossed that line of making something gross just for the sake of doing so and previous releases have always been tasteful as far as physical damage is concerned. Then again, this release is probably the most rotted zombie we have seen from them.

For the sake of total and honest disclosure, this item was purchased at full retail directly from Sideshow Collectibles. While, at times, I am sent items to review this, unfortunately, was not one of those times. I would like to mention that the links in the margin taking you to Sideshow Collectibles are affiliate links. So, if you decide to purchase this or any item from Sideshow, you will be helping Zombies & Toys by following the links.

For more Sideshow reviews on Zombies & Toys, follow the links to see their first The Dead Premium Format figure, Patient Zero (pictured). You can also read about their first set of Specimens. For the full set of pics, check out the Zombies & Toys Flickr page.

Some Contest Winners

As I was drawing the winner of Annie Vicar's Egyptian Zombie, it occurred to me that I never actually chose a winner of the T-Shirt Bordello contest. So, the winner of the "Zombie: Eat Flesh" shirt courtesy of T-Shirt Bordello is:

Kai C. from Canoga Park, CA

Bringing home the awesome zombie doll courtesy of Annie Vicar is:

Grace H. from the United Kingdom

Congrats to both winners and look for more announcements soon as several of The Undead Bazaar contests are coming to a close. We'll also see another contest next month from T-Shirt Bordello!

Zombies & Toys Update

Time for another Zombies & Toys update. Just a quick post to let you know what's going on and coming up.

Here's a reminder of the ways to connect with us. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions make sure to email us at zombiesandtoys@gmail.com. We're always happy to share your zombie news and events as well. Updates are always posted on our Twitter page. And we welcome everyone to join the fun on our Facebook page. Remember, often times there are exclusive contests or entries to those who follow through Twitter and Facebook!

As some of you may already know, we are now being featured weekly at YouBentMyWookie.com. You can check out "This Week In Zombie News" every Friday where you can read about some news bits that did not get a mention here. There will also be exclusive YBMW contests! This is particularly exciting as YBMW has been a personal favorite website of mine for a while. Make sure to cast a vote and "Like" our featured column to let the owners know you care.

Speaking of voting to show you care... make sure to take 20 seconds to vote for Zombies & Toys on the Zombie Top Sites.

Don't forget that Zombies & Toys also has the Zombie Toy Store. We work hard to provide zombie and zombie related toys and merchandise old and new. Or help support Zombies & Toys by buying some stickers, pins, or magnets. Rather than a simple donation, get some great swag back!

Custom Zombie Magnets Available

Some of you may remember the contest for a custom magnet of your likeness as a zombie. Well, Zombies & Toys along with Philip Hynes are excited to offer this service in the Zombie Toy Store!

Here's how the process works:

* Add the custom magnet to your shopping cart.
* Check out and pay and make sure to include your email address in the notes. If you forget, just drop us a line at magnet@zombiesandtoys.com.
* You will receive an email within 48 hours requesting front and profile pictures of yourself.
* In addition to the pictures, please include details of the zombification you would like (skin color, marks, bites, damage, etc).
* You custom magnet will arrive in 4-6 weeks!
* Your magnet will ship from the UK to the Zombie Toy Store. Once it arrives, the magnet along with any other items purchased will ship together.

Progress emails will be sent to you as it is being made. This will allow you the opportunity to request any adjustments prior to the final product being shipped. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email us at magnet@zombiesandtoys.com.

Dead Rising 2 - Zombrex Pack

We learned last week about the European edition of Dead Rising 2 and the zombie toy it comes with. Well, for $80, those of us stateside now know what we can expect. A two-disc steelbook case, a Zombrex syringe pen, prescription notepad, prospectus sales brochure, safety card and a 48-page hardback Dead Rising 2 art book.

The PlayStation 3 version comes with a Blu-Ray disc featuring a high definition making-of movie and a voucher for a downloadable XMB theme. Xbox 360 owners will receive the same making-of movie on DVD plus an 83-minute Zombrex Dead Rising Sun movie which is directed by Mega-Man creator Keiji Inafune.

I'd much rather have the toy.

Zombie Wallpapers For Your Blackberry

A good friend of Zombies & Toys, Brian, was kind enough to share some custom wallpapers he created for Blackberry phones. The themes' features include:

* Zombie/Resident Evil theme for Blackberry most Blackberry devices
* Custom graphics,focus icons,etc
* Custom wallpaper on application screen
* Blackberry o.s. 4.5 and up.
* The themes are absolutely FREE
* Currently available for download is Curve, Curve2,Tour,Bold(8900) and Storm.

See more of Brian's work and grab yourself more free themes by vi sting Themes & Stuff or by checking them out on Facebook.

Many thanks to Brain... er, Brian for sharing with us these awesome themes!

The Walking Dead Cast Photo

Is it October yet? I mean, seriously. I'm not a fan of summer as it is. I hate being hot, don't like cutting the grass, I sweat easily, I love the fall.... and the months just seem endless with each new update about this series. With each new tidbit, I also become more convinced that this series will be a defining moment for zombie fans. Oh, and for the record, Jeff likes the books!

So, AMC has brought us the first official cast image of The Walking Dead. Pictured, from left, are Emma Bell ("Frozen") as Amy, Jon Bernthal ("The Pacific," "The Ghost Writer") as Shane, Steven Yeun as Glenn, Sarah Wayne Callies ("Prison Break") as Rick's wife Lori, Chandler Riggs ("Get Low") as Carl, Andrew Lincoln ("Love, Actually," "Teachers") as police officer Rick Grimes, Jeffrey DeMunn ("The Green Mile") as Dale and Laurie Holden ("Shield") as his girlfriend Andrea.

Zombie Chow

A friend of Zombies & Toys, Zook, was kind enough to share a picture of his most recent zombie tattoo. Funny thing is, the image is from another friend of Zombies & Toys, Martin Whitmore.

"Zombie Chow" is an image from Marty's online comic, Tasty Flesh. To see more of Zook, head over to DoodleZook.

If you have any zombie images, stories, or news you would like to share, email us at zombiesandtoys@gmail.com.

Fright Rags - contest and update

I know I've mentioned Fright Rags here before and I hope you have taken the time to visit their store via the link in the margin. For the record, I do not get paid for any clicks or purchases. Aside from having a nice selection of horror-themed shirts (more on that in a minute), they go out of their way to make you feel like part of the team. They offer exclusive discounts, merchandise, and updates to those who subscribe to their newsletter and even give you the opportunity to vote on new designs.

The primary reason for mentioning Fright Rags is to share with you that they have brought two shirt prints back from the dead! Oh, yeah, Fright Rags generally only produces shirts in limited quantities and once they're gone, they're gone.

Anyway, two classic scenes are now available once again: Zombie vs Shark and Zombi 2 Eye Gauge. Follow the links to check them out!

This announcement also reminded me that I have a few Fright Rags shirts to give away thanks to their generosity! While not zombie related, you can take home this size XL vampire shirt by emailing your name and address to frightrags@zombiesandtoys.com. One winner will be selected August 6th.

World War Z - book contest

This is a first... a previous contest winner is paying it forward by donating a copy of World War Z! So, everyone join me in thanking Todd for sending me this hard-cover first edition of the Max Brooks novel.

For your chance to win, email your name and address to wwz@zombiesandtoys.com. One winner will be selected at month's end to receive the book and a bunch-o-swag from Zombies & Toys!

Zombies Survive Car Crash

Friday, July 9th in Portland, a car driven by five zombies ran off of the road flipping and landing upside down. Onlookers and rescue teams were shocked and concerned for the apparently seriously wounded occupants. The zombies were taken to a local hospital where they suffered only minor injuries.

As it turns out, they were not really zombies at all despite driving like one. The five victims were simply heading to a costume party. Their attire did make it difficult for rescue teams to initially determine the severity of the injuries.

"We're glad that everyone is alive, despite being 'undead,'" Sgt. Greg Stewart told local news.

Plants vs Zombies 2

Keep your fingers crossed! An undead invitation was sent out to the press from PopCap Games hinting at some Plants vs Zombie news. The announcement will take place in San Francisco on August 2nd. I must clarify that Plants vs Zombies 2 has not been confirmed. Some are also speculating that it could be an announcement regarding Plants vs Zombies' availability on Xbox Live. What do you think?

Horror Signs Are Back!

Our friends over at Horror Signs have been kind enough to sponsor some more contests! There signs are fantastic! They are made of sturdy aluminum and are lettered with computer cut 6 year automotive grade outdoor vinyl. I have the "Zombie Shelter" one on the entrance door to my media room and would pollute others throughout my home if I were allowed.

We have a few signs and magnets that we will be giving away throughout the rest of the year. We also have some of the designs for sale in The Zombie Toy Store. To view all of Horror Signs offerings, make sure to visit their site.

The first item we will be giving away is the Zombie Survival Program sign. To enter, email your name and address to horrorsigns@zombiesandtoys.com. We will choose one winner at the end of the month who can also expect some Zombies & Toys swag!

Skate 3 Zombie Mode

Finally. Game developers seem to have figured out that zombies make every game better. I haven't played a skating game since Skate or Die, but I may have to try to skate and not die with Skate 3:

Dead Rising 2: The Outbreak Pack

Ohhh... sounds good, doesn't it? "The Outbreak Pack". As if the excitement of Dead Rising 2 wasn't enough, we get some extra goodies. Even more painful than waiting until September or October for the game's release is the news about this uber geek edition.

"The Outbreak Pack" includes a 12" zombie figure complete with game-related accessories. Also included is a download code for bonus themed content. We can also expect content exclusive to the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game. The only sickening thing about "The Outbreak Pack" is it will only be available in Europe.

Just throwing this out there... if you live in Europe, plan on getting the game, and could care less about the figure, contact me. I'm happy to pay the difference for this figure or trade for some of the wonderful items in The Zombie Toy Store. zombiesandtoys@gmail.com

Meet the Zombies

So the Zees are your normal, average, undead, family. While they are zombies, they are a family and are doing their best to educate kids of all ages about zombies. They are here to tell us that zombies are not scary and are in fact normal folks like you and me. To do this the Zees wrote a book called Meet the Zombies, a kid's book for all ages. With the help of their friend, Stem the Brain, the Zees used photographs of themselves as illustrations and spiced it up with little irony and a whole lot of humor.

The only problem? The Zees need some help getting their book published. Being one to always help friends of Zombies & Toys, I thought I'd bring this to your attention. You can make a contribution by heading over to Kickstarter. For as little as $10, you can help bring this book to life and receive a credit within its pages.

For more info on Meet the Zombies, please visit their home page.