Zombie Luau Pineapple

Phillip Hynes

Fed up carving up the same old pumpkin designs? Fancy a new challenge to impress your family and friends? Then take a look at the Zombie Luau Pineapple. Who’d have thought a pineapple would make such a perfect zombie head. The green and yellow tones, with the prickly skin are spot on. We’d love to see what you come up with if you decide to give a pineapple a bit of zombie love, might even look pretty cool bobbing in a bowl of punch?

Have a look at this and other great finds over on Laughing Squid dot com.

The Walking Dead Episode 3 Out Now

David Brown


While we all await the third season of The Walking Dead, there is a new release that will tide our hunger..  Telltale Games has recently released the third episode of their game based on The Walking Dead. It is currently available on Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, and Steam. Stayed tuned this weekend for our review of episode three and a mostly spoiler free look back at the other two games.

Død snø...A Nazi Zombie Extravaganza...

Dead Snow, a movie that must have been made by zombies!!!

Somewhere in Norway, eight medical students go to a cabin in the mountains for the weekend...

A freaky living dude tells a creepy story of terror & hate....

Greed & alcohol make the living act badly....

The smartest & most agile zombies i have ever seen feast...

Funny at times & worth watching
There are some seriously disturbing scenes in this film...

.........................

HangingTree Review

Dead Snow or Død snø as they called it originally is a intriguing zombie movie including all our favorite ingredients in a zombie movie.
A good plot with disturbing twists, Lots of gore, Hot girls, and Nazis.

The plot line followed a group of med students on Easter break going into a cabin in the woods for a quick vacation with very "R Rated" plans.
Once reaching their cabin they are confronted by a scary old man who tells them a captivating story about the surrounding areas history.

Being hooligan college students as they are, they blatantly ignore his warning.
The movie itself is filled with great battle scenes and good plot with many twists that in a disturbed way make sense.
One of the main differences in this movie from other zombie films is the zombies.

The Nazis are extremely skilled and have the ability to fight and wield weapons as if they were living.
The makeup is not too shabby and the way the zombies feast is certainly "Blood-filled and satisfying".

All in all a good film and definitely worth watching.
The death scenes in this movie were incredible!

.................
Our previous posts about this film are located at the following links:
Here - Here & Here

The Walking Dead....Food Truck ?

Matt Boiselle

    Everybody celebrates different things in different ways...hell, that's what makes this world so interesting. I can't speak for everyone, but when a horror movie that I've been anxiously waiting for comes out on DVD, my usual preferred method of madness is to snag it early as soon as my local Best Buy pops open, race on home, throw it in the DVD player and revel in it's glory as I throw down some grub.....but what if the grub came to you....in a truck......and you had to wait in line with the festering, diseased, flesh-starved denizens of the dead ?

    In a truly brilliant stroke of marketing genius, London's Gory Gourmet Food Truck, spearheaded by Street Kitchen Master Chef Mark Jankel, decided to surprise many hungry lunchtime workers in celebration of the release of The Walking Dead Season 2 on DVD. The main staple on the menu that seemed to be the biggest hit amongst starved proletarians was The Big Brain Burger which consisted of....you guessed it, English calf brains (oof.)

    The rest of the menu is as follows, and I hope you have a strong enough stomach to read.....because I'm fairly sure that I would pass on EVERY item on the list.

  Crispy Brain Dippers:
    Crispy chunks of brain with barbecue sauce

  Brain Salad Wrap:
    Crispy chunks of brain with wild rocket and tarragon mayo

  Feet and Thyroid Nuggets:
    Nuggets of pig’s feet and cow thyroid with herb mayo

   Skewered Hearts:
     Grilled beef heart skewers with horseradish mayo

   In closing, my fellow zombie-lovers..the next time you are saddling up to one of these food trucks to throw down some deep-fried gold in your pieholes, look very closely at what you're gonna chew on.....is it a burger......or not ? - HAPPY DINING !!

More Walt Disney Princess Zombies

Todd Jepperson

Prince Charming had better have a solid contingency plan in place, because his princesses have all come down with something terrible. His good looks and sweet words are wasted on these lovelies, who now only want him for his braaiiins. For your viewing pleasure, we present these undead beauties as only Deviantart’s “Clocktowerman” could create.

(click for bigger zombies)

Although this isn’t a completely new idea, (see here and here) it is an amazing reimagining of the Walt Disney Princesses like we’ve never seen before.   Head on over to DA, to check out his other work, and then make sure you follow him on Tumblr.

Zombies to Invade Sin City

Matt Boiselle

      The bright lights, the never-ending rows upon rows of slots and table games, the late-night shows, buffets.........dread.....gloom......red skies......and the hungry dead.....now if THAT shouldn't be on a travel brochure for Las Vegas, I don't know what should be !!!

     Opening this September 29, Fright Dome - Las Vegas, Nevada's TOP haunted house attraction will be celebrating it's 10th year in existence, and what a way to celebrate ! The Godfather of zombie cinema, George A. Romero, is teaming up with the creative minds at Fright Dome to present to you - "Ward of the Dead". Since it's inception in 2002, Fright Dome's creators have described this as "the most intense haunted house they have ever put out there". Guests will find themselves dropped smack-dab in the middle of a full-blown zombie outbreak in which they will HAVE to run for their lives.

    Keep in mind that this is ONLY 1 of 5 different themed houses for this upcoming season - "The Infected" - labeled as a zombie-quarantine area - "Camp Massacre" - tents, chainsaws, brutal killers....you know - "Fright Dome's Urban Legends" - playing on the legendary tales, and finally "The Anniversary" in which Fright Dome takes some of their most popular icons over the last 10 years and lets them wreak havoc on unsuspecting guests.

    The haunted houses will run through midnight on October 31st at the Circus Circus Adventurdome, which is now currently being transported into a 5-acre scareground complete with dozens of actors, 25 different attractions, and MANY more little things to make your blood run cold.
So, if your in the Vegas area this October......and really want some true entertainment to make you scream your butt off, check this out........then again, if you want a scare, you could always get show tickets to watch Celine Dion.....I just had a chill go up my spine....ENJOY !!!

AMC Continues Zombie Attack on Dish With Undead Presidential Candidate

Nicholas Teeters

If you are into it, and I know you are, we should be picking an undead presidential candidate this year. He already has my vote. A. Zombie believes in freedom of eating, and the right to eat arms everywhere. His campaign platform is to have Dish Network start carrying AMC again. He just launched his tour in San Diego, and is slated to make stops all over these great United States. His next stops are: Dallas, Atlanta and New York. I am sure there will be a few pit stops along the way. He has to eat right? Keep your eyes open, He will be around Charlotte and Tampa as well. Lock your doors. 

Read more over on The Clicker

Browning Zombie Apocalypse Knife

Matt Boiselle

   Paint yourself this ever-so-descriptive picture....there you are, in the midst of the apocalypse....you see one left....the one that has just taken out your friend. His teeth are full of flesh, freshly ripped away from the throat of your last survival party member.....so you raise your rifle, and take a bead on his grayish-blue skull.....pull the trigger.....and you hear "click".

    You have officially run out of ammo..all of that happy arcade-style slaughtering of the zombie masses have left your shooting supply drier than the Sahara Desert. You know you need to kill that diseased, plague-ridden reanimated monster and send it straight to hell. Do you have a backup weapon ? Thanks to the Browning research labs, you now can have a reliable piece of cutting equipment that would make any butcher extremely happy to own.

   The Browning Apocalypse Survival Fixed Blade Zombie Knife features a full 7 inch, razor-sharp blade that was specifically created for severing the brain stems of any walker that may happen to shamble across your path of safety. Complete with a nuclear-green handle and snap-enclosed sheath, this knife will be your ultimate safety-net when the ammo runs out. At a price of $49.95, this is a very valuable tool for your bug-out bag at a reasonable price. Click on the pic to be taken to Optics Planet's website and grab this sexy beast RIGHT NOW !! This ain't your Momma's Ginsu !!!

Fan art Friday

Todd Jepperson

Seriously, we have the best fans in the whole wide web. Check out the amazing dead guy pumpkin sculpt sent in by our friend Jennifer from over on Concocted Curiodities.

When asked how something so horribly perfect came to be, this was her response:

"Well it's easy really! Randy had told me of the first time he met J and he totally dug the SWAG and the zombie stuff, and was totally stoked that he met him at Zombies & Toys first SCC! And myself being a ZOMBIE Lover, I dig the cute creepy cartoon logo! Plus the colors are like my signature FAVORITES! SO it was a NO BRAINER! ( Ha get it no brainer... lol sorry couldn't help it )

Yeah I loved your page from the minute I saw it and I love the idea I have been making Zombie Bears and Creepy Creations for a while and since you guys said ZOMBIE PUMPKINS I thought " HECK why not do an Ode' to Z&T for the idea!"

Thanks, Jennifer!  You. Freaking. Rock!

Check her out on Etsy and Facebook and tell her that Zombies&Toys sent ya!

Funko Makes The Walking Dead...........Adorable ?

Matt Boiselle

   
     Let it be known that at times AMC's The Walking Dead can portray images that can be viewed as violent, disturbing, and in some certain situations, even stomach-churning....but hey, we as zombie fans look forward to that kind of stuff ! Now FUNKO has decided that it's time to make our favorite apocalyptic survivors and their pursuers a little more.......how should I say it ?......cuddle-friendly ?

   
    Coming September 27th, prepare to crack open your wallets and snag all 4 of FUNKO's The Walking Dead Pop ! Television Series 1 vinyl figures. Adding to the merchandising assault which will coincide with the Season 3 premiere of the wildly popular cable TV series, each figure in this series stands 3.75" high with 1 point of articulation, and can either be displayed alone or in their own little window box.

   The series of four consists of Sheriff Rick Grimes, complete with his iconic hat and Colt Python,
the baddest hunter/trapper/ mad hillbilly on the planet - Daryl Dixon (rocking his killer crossbow),
The RV Zombie that met an untimely demise thanks to a well-placed screwdriver in the eye socket from Andrea, and rounding out the list is one of the MOST popular zombies to be seen in the show's short history, Bicycle Girl.

 
   The figures can either be ordered as a set of 4, or you can pick up each one separately for $9.99 apiece at numerous online retailers. Click on the pic of Sheriff Grimes to be taken to FUNKO's site where you can see more images of each figure, but if you order, order them all together.....come on...these little guys are too cute to be all by their lonesome !

Lightfield Ammunition : Zombie Blaster Ammo

Matt Boiselle

     Self-preservation in the upcoming zombie apocalypse is paramount, and in order to successfully survive ( and thrive) in the midst of the impending outbreaks, the right kind of ammo is needed.

    Lightfield Ammunition Corporation, one of the largest big-game hunting munitions suppliers, has jumped into the fray and provided zombie-slayers with a new type of slug that will pack a HUGE punch and clear your path through a single, or multiple zombie attack. The non-projectile mega blank round, called The Zombie Blaster, is designed to offer a large flashbang with enough concussion power to knock ANY number of the dead on their keesters in close-combat.

    The round has become so popular that the local law-enforcement officers have tested out the rounds and found that they are also extremely effective in door-breaching and shattering the crap out of automobile windows. Of course with ANY ammunition comes the warning that this is to be used for defense purposes only - PLEASE don't use this around anyone or anything living as it can cause severe damage or death ( keep the killing limited to the zombies, please !) Click on the picture to be taken to Lightfield's website, where these beauties can be ordered in 12 & 20 gauge, or 410 - sold in blister packs of 5, this is your best bet for when the stuff hits the fan, and ya gotta clear out a crowded space in a short amount of time. Happy Hunting !!

Entertainment Weekly - The Walking Dead covers: which will you choose ?

Matt Boiselle

I guess being the highest rated cable series to grace the tube certainly has its privileges, and when it comes time to market (and reap the rewards of that marketing), AMC's The Walking Dead is most assuredly entitled to all benefits that may follow.

    The popular magazine Entertainment Weekly is the latest to honor the record-breaking phenomenon of a show by giving readers 4 killer covers to pick from this week. You can choose the obviously pained expression of the group's leader, Sheriff Rick Grimes, the latest heroine bad-ass Michonne (coming complete with her two chained "pets") - every one's favorite "politician", The Governor ( with a VERY hungry zombie in his knife's reflection), and the two brothers that will most likely not be exchanging Christmas cards with each other, Daryl & Merle Dixon.

   It's not known which cover subscribers will receive, but if you are a newsstand shopper, grab em all while you can, and read up for a preview of the upcoming Season 3, which premieres on the AMC channel on October 14th - HAPPY READING !!

Plants Vs Zombies Sequel Flowering Soon

David Brown



If you were like me, you enjoyed Plants vs Zombies on not just one, but many of the systems it was released on. In the time it has been out, it has become more than a game. It has become a phenomenon, showing what is possible with a simple premise and some great characters.  Today PopCap made a major announcement concerning the future of the franchise.

In a press release today, they said "The sequel to Plants vs. Zombies is expected to launch by late spring 2013, and will include a bevy of new features, settings, and situations, designed to delight the franchise’s tens of millions of fans around the world." Aside from this, they didn't reveal any more details about the new game.

 

Initial reactions from some of the denizens of the Plants vs Zombies universe included:

“Spring is crullest curlie ungood time, and plantz grow dull roots,” noted an unidentified spokesperson. “So, we are meating you for brainz at yore house. No worry to skedule schedlue plan… we're freee anytime. We'll find you.”

“There was a time we relished a bracing, hearty blend of zombies, in the morning,” said Sonny F. Lower, a representative of the Flora Forever Foundation. “But first, a brisk shower and some strategic pruning are required. Tomorrow is near!”

Look for the madness that is Plants Vs Zombies next Spring and until then keep it tuned here for all the latest coverage. If you would like, you can also check out our previous Plants Vs Zombies coverage below:

Plants Vs Zombies Board Game
Plants Vs Zombies Products
Plants Vs Zombies Unknow Facts

Return of the Living Dead a Retrospective

Dave Brown

Back in 1985, Dan O'Bannon had the vision to produce a sequel to Night of the Living Dead with George Romero.  The problem was that the script was seen as too violent and too much for audiences at the time.  With that in mind he put his helm behind a rewritten somewhat less controversial script.  This is a basic retelling of the background behind Return of the Living Dead.  

This has become a movie that stands as one of the pillars of zombie movie fandom right beside Night of the Living Dead or in some cases recent movies like Shaun of the Dead. There is just the right balance of violence, gore and slapstick humor.  This was the movie that gave zombies the reasoning to know what they wanted and the means with which to get it.  Compared to the Romero zombies the ROTLD zombies were more stylized and more cunning. They were more memorable and had more personality.  

Now more than 20 years later, we are starting to see a comeback.  The newest DVD release of this classic came earlier this year when it was released by Second Sight in the U.K. This release encompasses a two disc format, with the first having the feature and a small plethora of special features. Many of these include interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.  The second disc is where the real action comes in with a two hour documentary called "More Brains: A Return to the Living Dead". If you have ever wanted to know about much of the background behind the story and everything from location scouting to the zombie makeup, this is the documentary for you. Here is a little sampling of what this edition has to offer:


• MORE BRAINS! TWO HOURS OF KILLER BONUS FEATURES
A conversation with Dan O’Bannon: The Final Interview
They Won’t Stay Dead: A Look at Return of the Living Dead Part 2
A Love Beyond The Grave: A Look at Return of the Living Dead 3
Stacey Q Live: Exclusive ‘Tonight’ music video
Even More Brains: Deleted documentary interview
Return of the Living Dead in three minutes
Resurrected Settings: The Filming Locations Today
• THE ORIGINS OF RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD – with John A. Russo
• THE FX OF THE LIVING DEAD – with production designer William Stout and FX make-up artists William Munns and Tony Gardner
• PARTY TIME – with music consultant Steve Pross and 45 Grave singer Dinah Cancer

The sound and picture quality on this DVD are just amazing and as always, the story is one that is fast paced and timeless. While some of the soundtrack may be outdated, I would argue that it does nothing more than to put you in the mood for this fast paced movie. Besides who can resist a movie where one of the main zombies is "Tar-Man".  The movie is great and the special features make this a must own for any fan of great zombie movies.  If you would like to pick this up just make not that it is Region B so if you don't live in the UK then you will want to make sure you have a region free player.  This is one movie release that you will want to get your hands on today!

Be Not Proud? Does Darksiders 2 Rise or Rot? Darksiders 2 - REVIEW

Developer:       Vigil Games

Publisher:         THQ

Platform:          PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows

Release date:    August 14, 2012

We’ve written about him.  We’ve sang about him.  Ultimately, we feared him.  He is the Reaper, the Pale Rider – Death.  Where its predecessor focused on the exploits of the Rider War, Darksiders 2 (DS2) is all about Death.  The world has ended and War is being held responsible.  Blood proves thicker than water and Death comes to the rescue.  But can even he reverse the final days to save his innocent sibling?  More importantly, can Death and DS2 be worth playing?

Story

Darksiders 2 kicks off at the beginning of Darksiders 1 – where War is being held responsible for Armageddon.  As Death, you are extremely agile, quick and gifted in physical combat.  Your scythes are legendary and you travel through fallen worlds and heavenly cities for the truth.  The story of DS2 is simple and entrenched at the same time – prove your sibling’s innocence and try to keep track of all the characters and relationships you meet and develop. 

Graphics

Visually, Darksiders2 is a good looking game.  The worlds of the damned and the divine as well as the large landscapes are all worth pausing to look at.  Death is pale and gaunt and the various skeletons, ghouls and undead are all fierce and drooling for your divine flesh.

Sounds

The voice acting is top notch.  Among the cast is Michael Wincott, known to sci-fi and horror fans as Top Dollar, the evil crime boss from The Crow.  As Death, Wincott is gravely, cocky and at times, impatient on his quest.  Ironically, one of Death’s trusted allies is Dust, a massive crow.

Controls

Controls for Darksiders2 are okay.  They attempt to accomplish much with Death’s parkour like moves.  The layout of moving and fighting as Death is never more fun than when you begin to summon your own undead.  These minions scour in front of you and attack anything moving.  Raising your soulless army is one way to develop your powers as you level up and progress. 

Darksiders 2 falls in two areas – one, all this beautiful landscape and so much of it is just that – landscape.  It appears empty far too much.  There should be more creatures and beasts after you rather than a cavern for apocalyptic free-running.  The second failing is that after awhile, the game feels like hours of errands.  Death meets this person.  They need something.  Death goes to get it.  Death meets another person, they need something, and he goes to get it.  It gets old at times.

Zombie Factor / Conclusion

There are undead all around you in Darksiders 2.  Some of them work with you (e.g. Despair – your rotted horse, your ghoulish minions) but most are out to end your life (ice skeletons, corpses to name a few.)  Plus, gamers will get to play the Reaper himself and there’s a life-defying presence to that.  Could there have been more of a disturbing horror feel to playing as the Rider?  Definitely.  However, Darksiders 2 is still worth a try that could lead into a buy.  In a summer and fall of gaming blockbusters, he may not jump off shelves but, of his game, Death can surely be proud.

Swirlies!

Todd Jepperson

For those of you who attended SDCC this year, you may have already heard that 2012 is the twenty year anniversary of Roman Dirge’s Lenore: the Cute Little Dead Girl. For those of you who haven’t, today is that day.

Lenore is the dark and hilarious comic book series from the twisted mind of Roman Dirge. Taking the name from the popular poem by Edgar Allen Poe, Dirge created a one of a kind universe called Nevermore where Lenore and her “friends” “play.” The comic is a series of original stories, re-vamped children’s songs and nursery rhymes, and deep pop-culture subversions only possible in the ghoulish world of Lenore: the Cute Little Dead Girl.

(click for bigger zombies)

If you haven’t had the unique privilege of experiencing Lenore, you’re definitely missing out. The misguided antics of this adorable little monster typically end up in the death and/or dismemberment of any of the cast who is unlucky enough to share a panel with her. It’s not like she tries to hurt them (except Gosh; but that dude is just creepy), she’s only ten years old. She just gets mixed up in all the same kinds of trouble your average ten year old would get into—if they were risen from the dead, accompanied by the Eternal Vampire Scourge in a rag-doll body, and hunted by scores of bounty hunters from “the stinky bowels of heck.” We’ve all been there, right?

This month, Dirge and Titan Books will continue the celebration with the release of the fourth hardback in their series of graphic novel collections of Lenore comics entitled: Swirlies. This all-new 120 page collection features the apparently very rare number thirteen comic as well as issues one through three of the new Volume II comics, including instant classics like “the Birfday Party” where Lenore stumbles upon a party invite and when she arrives, all of the birthday guests somehow end up dead. Also included: the tragedy that is the “Valentine’s Day Nard” and old favorites like the socially awkward, semi-autobiographical “Things Involving Me” comics about Dirge’s Life.

Pre-order your copy of Swirlies today from Amazon; or any of your favorite retailers, and then sit back and let Roman Dirge’s madness work on you. You absolutely cannot be disappointed. 

facebook.com/lenore

Darksiders II Preview - The Pale Horse

Chad Hunter

Death is coming – The Pale Rider is set to launch onto game consoles in Darksiders 2!  Here at Zombies & Toys, we’ll be feature coverage of the dead and undead-filled game so stay tuned!  This post is an introduction to Death's trusted stallion - Despair.  Do not let the rot fool you, this four legged beast can charge like no other.

"Despair - Death's Steed"

Despair is Death’s loyal steed. Unlike Ruin in the original Darksiders, players will have access to their mount near the game’s beginning. This allows them to use Despair’s combat abilities in any open spaces, and to travel faster between points in the overworld areas.

Darksiders II Preview: Death Comes for Us All

Chad Hunter

Death is coming – The Pale Rider is set to launch onto game consoles in Darksiders 2!  Here at Zombies & Toys, we’ll be feature coverage of the dead and undead-filled game so stay tuned!  This post is an introduction to the main man himself, Death.  Meet him and above all, don’t fear the reaper.

 “Death - The Reaper of Souls"

Like his fellow Horsemen, Death is of a race known as Nephilim – among the most powerful beings in the Universe.  When Mankind was given the prize of Eden, Absalom – leader of the Nephilim – led his armies against Heaven and Hell in an attempt to steal it back. For this crime, the Charred Council condemned the Nephilim to destruction. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse were granted a reprieve from this fate on the condition they aid the Council’s victory over their kin. The Horsemen accepted, but it was Death who bore the greatest burden of guilt for the near extinction of his race.  Donning his iconic mask to represent his role as executioner on the day he slaughtered his brethren, he has not removed it since.

Omega Zombie Review

David Brown

Omega Zombie follows Penny Goodfellow through a series of tragic events. She has found her parents murdered by a vampire and has been killed herself. Brought back to life, she has a chance to enact revenge on the one that took everything from her.

Omega Zombie is one of those books that can be read in one sitting, but that doesn't mean that it is bad. I would say that it takes its short 60 pages and fills them with enough blood, drama, gore and action to keep you interested the whole way through. This is a book that you will not want to put down once you have begun it. 

The writing is very good and we get a good dose of character development along the way. We feel for Penny and what she is going through and care what happens to her. The narrative is accentuated by stunning visuals reminiscent of great graphic novels. The black and white visuals go far in making this a dark and gritty story.

When it is all said and done, you will be left satisfied and will feel closure. Omega Zombie is published by Zilyon Publishing and is available now. Shamble on over to Amazon, Smashwords or your nearest bookstore and pick this up today.

Dead&Gone

Todd Jepperson

How did Riot escape from the Night Church? How did she survive the Rot & Ruin--and the horrors of her own past? There's only one way to find out...

Grab your very own eBook copy of the all-new 80 page prequel to the next in Jonathan Maberry's  Benny Imura series, Flesh&Bone (which drops on Sept. 11th, 2012), at your favorite online retailer today.  Inside, you'll get to know a girl called Riot who's on the run from zombies and an extinction cult through the great Rot & Ruin.  

Darksiders 2 is Coming

Chad Hunter

The end is coming – Death is here…well almost.  Following up with the critically-acclaimed Darksiders, THQ and Vigil games are releasing the highly-anticipated sequel (Darksiders 2) in just a few weeks.

Where gamers were able to play as the biblical horseman War in Darksiders, they’ll get a chance to wrap their cold dead fingers around the sickle of his brother Death in DS2.  Journey to the Realm of the Dead to fight forces diabolical and dark all while controlling the Pale Rider himself.  Stay turned to Zombies and Toys for more!