The Walking Dead Episode 3 Review and Contest

David Brown

A lot of people have stuck with THE WALKING DEAD franchise for a while now. Between the novels, the side stories, and the TV show, there is a lot to keep us fans busy.  Recently, we received a season pass for the video game on STEAM. So far there have been three episodes and the latest doesn't show any signs of downfall.

Taking place one week after the second game we continue to see our story play out as a result of the choices that we have made throughout our journey. Your group still inhabits the motor inn for shelter until you are forced to flee when it is attacked by bandits.  This is where things get quite messy and change a lot depending on the choices you made and who lived or died.

Needless to say you will have a good amount of action in this game and the story will further be flushed out.  With two more Episodes in the works, Telltale continues to do a good job setting up the story to transition easily into the next episode. The game still controls just as good as it always has and the voice acting is top notch.  I have always found myself wanting to play through most of the game in a sitting or two as the story is so engrossing.

I would say that if you want to get into the game, now is a great time to do so.  Walking Dead Episode 3: Long Road Ahead is available now on STEAM, XBOX LIVE, and Playstation Network.  I definitely recommend it for fans of the series or adventure games in general.

Also if you would like to try your luck, we were lucky enough to get our hands on a code for episode 3 on XBOX LIVE as well as a code for the Season Pass on STEAM that will net you all five episodes as they are released.  If you would like to win a code send an email with your name and the subject Season Pass to seasonpass@zombiesandtoys.com.  One lucky winner will receive their choice of one code and another will get the remaining code. Stay tuned for our coverage of Episode 4 when it is released next month!

Wizard World's Ohio Comic Con

Todd Jepperson

If you've got plans for this weekend, cancel them. Wizard World is throwing their Ohio Comic con, and it's gonna be one hell of a party. It all kicks off today with a Wizard World Drink and Draw with Tommy Castillo from 9:00 - 11:00. If you don't know who Tommy is, I'd click the link up there and go check him out. In brief, he's a total badass. His twisted work has been circulating the industry for as long as I've been alive. He'll be personally interacting with anyone who shows up to draw and at the end of the night, he'll be picking someone to win a free table at a Wizard World Con down the road. So yeah, Drink and Draw today with Tommy Castillo.

Tomorrow, we've got Michael Golden; Eliza Dushku; CM Punk; Humberto Ramos & Jorge Molina; Patrick Stewart & John DeLancie; Alan Davis; Val Kilmer; Norman Reedus, Sean Patrick Flannery, and David Della. There will be an adult costume contest. Then, there will be a Masquerade party. All of this, and you'll have the chance to shake hands with the man, Jason, king of Zombies&Toys, as he makes his way through the crowd throwing Zombies&Toys SWAG to anyone sporting a zombie shirt. You know what? If you're sporting a Zombies&Toys shirt, and you get a picture with Jason, you can be entered to win a  free Drew Falchetta "Zombies" print from our zombie toy store. Email the photo to me, Todd, at todd@zombiesandtoys.com with your name and address, and I'll pick a winner on Sunday night. Yeah, that's right. I said it, and I won't be taking it back. If you don't recognize this sexy bastard by now, it's been your loss. He'll be attending the con damn near all day Saturday, so make sure you find him.

(Sorry ladies, there's only one of him, and he's taken.)

Sunday kicks off with Vampire Lore and Other Urban Myths and Legends with Rebecca Housel, A Q&A with Neal Adams, another with Dean Cain, a Kids' Costume Contest, and wraps up with Crazy Coasters W/COSI. Bring the kids, because Sunday is their day.

Get out to Wizard World's Ohio Convention, hit them up on Facebook, do your thing on Twitter, and make sure you shake Jason's hand while you're there if you're into free stuff.

Halloween Z.O.M.B.I.E.S. invade this October !!

Matt Boiselle

   
         Coming this October, the Z.O.M.B.I.E. invasion just got a LITTLE more colorful !! Fresh out of the boxes at our store here at Zombies & Toys and right to your front door, the latest series from the deranged minds at October Toys will be available to purchase starting October 1st.

    The wildly popular series of figures has been given a Halloween- styled translucent pumpkin and black speckled color infusion, and you can order your set right here !! But beware, oh faithful minons of the undead, these little killers will ONLY be available for the month of October....after that, they will disappear forever !! So click on the link in the pic above (or the direct link below) to be carted off to our store and ORDER, ORDER. ORDER !!!  http://zombiesandtoys.1freecart.com/i/270167/z-o-m-b-i-e-halloween-edition.htm

    

        

The Last of Us Gameplay Trailer

Todd Jepperson

The Last of Us is the PS3 Exclusive upcoming title from Sony and Naughty Dog which pits a “ruthless” survivor, Joel, and a crafty fourteen year old girl, Ellie, against the world in a post-apocalyptic U.S.A. Cordyceps unilateralis, a strange, mind controlling fungus, has adapted itself to infecting humans and as a result, the government has initiated complete containment.

As it seems wont to do, after about twenty years, nature has almost completely reclaimed the mostly abandoned cities that Joel and Ellie now have to fight their way through as they make their emotional journey to what they hope is the outside of the quarantine zone.



"We are excited to finally unveil The Last of Us, a project the team has been working hard on for some time," said Evan Wells, Co-President of Naughty Dog. "Naughty Dog's mission is to change the way people experience videogames. We are confident The Last of Us will take a leap forward in cinematic gaming and storytelling, providing gamers with an experience unlike anything else in the industry."

Well, it looks like they're doing a hell of a job, so far. Their main focus for this game is to really make a connection with their audience and deliver a fully dynamic, interactive gaming experience in which the player will forge emotional attachments to these characters. If this game doesn't tug on your heartstrings, make you angry, and then have you pumping your fist in the air in triumph, you may want to check yourself for a pulse.

Presented at E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, here’s a seven minute preview of what you can expect while playing your way through The Last of Us.

(you're gonna want to expand this baby)

HELL YEAH! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit Out Now

David Brown






As a zombie fan, I become happy when titles have dead, undead or Zombie in the title. One such title that is being released today is HELL YEAH! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit. Here is a synopsis from its developer Arkedo.

You're an angry rabbit with a thirst for vengeance, a super sawing jetpack driller and some seriously badass weapons. Explore, jump, shoot, loot, upgrade, drill and destroy Hell's monsters. ALL OF THEM. Unleash the wrath of the dead rabbit in 10 huge levels packed with hidden areas, side quests and cursed souls to harvest.Charging through Hell on your jetpack driller, you're on a quest to find out who had the balls to post your intimate photos all over the Hell-ternet. It's payback time! While you’re at it, why not use this incredible journey to kill everybody else? There's only one way to do this - FULL FRONTAL VIOLENCE sponsored by over-powered missiles, rockets and grenades! Inflict ultimate humiliation on the monsters of Hell using deadly “Finish him!” mini-games (includes the signature Dinosaur beheading). Grab as much loot as you can and spend it in big shops where you can buy bigger guns and awesome upgrades for your ride.

HELL YEAH! Wrath of the Dead Rabbit is rated T and is available on XBox Live and Playstation Network today.

Stay tuned for out review later this week to see what we think of this interesting looking game!

The Return Man Review

Andy Ross

(Click to visit the book's website)

In the near future, the United States has been divided by a plague. The Western half of the country has been abandoned and left for the walking dead. However, not everyone left the “evacuated states.” This is the story of Dr. Henry Marco, the titular “Return Man.” Marco remained in the zombie infested wasteland to find a loved one he lost during the evacuation. Through contact with the safe states, he accepts contracts from people to hunt down their loved ones and provide closure by “returning” them to the afterlife they had stolen from them by the plague. Marco’s real journey begins when Homeland Security tasks him with returning a high-profile target in California, where the plague began. Marco and his assigned military “team” must avoid roadblocks, zombies and even militia soldiers as they travel across the undead West.

The Return Man is Zito’s first novel, but you would never know that by the way he writes. The pacing of the story leaves no room for slow moments. The characters are easy to relate to and evoke the appropriate emotional response from the reader (sympathy, contempt, etc.), but they also evolve as the story progresses. Once the action gets rolling the story is a non-stop thrill ride. There is plenty of tension on the journey filled with zombies, crazy militia men, blocked routes and even other guns for hire. I think the story would definitely lend itself to the big screen with lots of action, personal conflict and of course zombies.

The last quarter of the book really takes off and I had to finish it before going to bed because I would be wondering what was going to happen next instead of sleeping. If you do decide to pick up this book you will not be disappointed at all. I would highly recommend V.M. Zito’s The Return Man!

Pick it up today from Amazon or your favorite local retailer. If they don't have it, put in a request!

Ed. Note:
     V.M. Zito has been gracious enough to provide us with one copy of The Return Man to give away to a lucky reader. Entering is as easy as ever; just mail your name and address to returnman@zombiesandtoys.com. Tell your friends, because we'll pick a winner sometime around Halloween!

Night of the Pumpkin Dead ?

Matt Boiselle

     Pumpkin-carving wizard Ray Villafane has been blessed with the ability to take ANY sized gourd and turn it into a work of art that simply must be seen to be believed, and one of his latest creations is certainly no exception.

     Mr. Villafane took 2 of the world's heaviest pumpkins (1,693 & 1818.5 lbs, respectively) and started hacking and slashing and for the lack of me spinning on and on about ALL the detail, I'm just gonna zip my lip and let you all check out the AMAZING pictures, so enjoy !

Zombie Disaster Training - With real experts !

Matt Boiselle

   You can read all you want about it, you can even draw up every conceivable plan covering every conceivable angle, but it takes hands-on training to have any hope of surviving a zombie outbreak and its subsequent apocalyptic fallout.

   The security firm HALO Corporation (no joke) which hosts an annual Counter-Terrorism Summit, will this year incorporate training on a management level regarding a full-on zombie disaster. Brad Barker, the company's president, has created a disaster-type scenario that will unfold at San Diego's 44-acre Paradise Point in the city's Mission Bay from October 30th until November 2nd. Demonstrations. lectures and classes will be offered to over 1,000 military and law-enforcement personnel, medical experts, and state and federal government workers.

   This all-out Hollywood production promises to showcase to all involved one of the most immersing experiences they could ever dream about. There will be incidents involving active shooters inside a hospital and downed pilots behind enemy lines, and zombies will be harassing the troops, first-aid teams, and medical responders as they attempt to carry out their duties in an attempt to add complete chaos into an already dire series of situations. In addition, the HALO event will integrate lessons learned from real disasters and terror events, including Iraq and Afghanistan.

    This summit and the extent in which the amount of care and preparation offered will be monumental, without a doubt - so stay tuned to Zombies & Toys for coverage of this event.

Resident Evil 6 Demo Coming Septermber 18th

David Brown



We reported earlier this week that the new movie, Resident Evil: Retribution is slated to come out this week.  While fans of the series are no doubt satisfied with that fact alone, an announcement from Capcom just gave us all a bit more to be excited about.  According to Capcom, a demo for Resident Evil 6 will be releasing on Playstation Network and for Xbox Live Gold Members on September 18th.  

This is a first chance for many to get their chance to experience Resident Evil 6 before its release date on October 2, 2012.  If you haven't had the chance to find out much about the game or the story that it is following here is a little preview from the official Resident Evil 6 website:

It has been over ten years since the Raccoon City incident and the President of the United States has decided to reveal the truth behind what took place in the belief that it will curb the current resurgence in bioterrorist activity. Due to be by the President's side is his personal friend and Raccoon City survivor, Leon S. Kennedy, but when the venue suffers a bioterrorist attack, Leon is forced to face a President transformed beyond recognition and make his hardest ever decision. At the same time, Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance member Chris Redfield arrives in China, itself under threat of a bioterrorist attack. With no country safe from these attacks and the ensuing outbreaks, the entire world's population is united by a common fear that there is no hope left.

In a first for the franchise, Resident Evil 6 sees series favorites Leon and Chris come together to face this unprecedented threat. They will be joined by new characters, each with their own unique perspective and involvement, in this relentless dramatic horror experience enacted on a global scale.  



This is a big step forward for the series as we are truly seeing a matchup that we have all been dreaming about for a while now.  

Come back next week as we will be sharing a review of the demo as well as any more information that we can find on the game itself.  We will also been sharing our review of the game itself around its launch date.  Keep it tuned to Zombies & Toys for all of your zombie news and reviews. 

Resident Evil: Retribution Releases Friday

David Brown

For all of us fans of the video games,  the Resident Evil films have been sort of a whole new entity. While not a bad thing, this is a sign that the franchise, like the virus's within it continues to grow and reach bigger audiences with each reincarnation. The official website has this to say about the newest film, Resident Evil: Retribution:

The Umbrella Corporation’s deadly T-virus continues to ravage the Earth, transforming the global population into legions of the flesh eating Undead. The human race’s last and only hope, ALICE (Milla Jovovich), awakens in the heart of Umbrella's most clandestine operations facility and unveils more of her mysterious past as she delves further into the complex. Without a safe haven, Alice continues to hunt those responsible for the outbreak; a chase that takes her from Tokyo to New York, Washington, D.C. and Moscow, culminating in a mind-blowing revelation that will force her to rethink everything that she once thought to be true. Aided by newfound allies and familiar friends, Alice must fight to survive long enough to escape a hostile world on the brink of oblivion. The countdown has begun.

If you are interested, you can check out Resident Evil: Retribution this Friday in theaters nationwide. Check back next week for our review of the film.

House of the Dead Store : Opening Soon !!

Matt Boiselle

     There are times like this where I PRAY that I lived closer to Pittsburgh !! You see, when the biggest addition to your town is the newest CVS.....when there are 3 others within walking distance of the one that's being built....either your town isn't up to date with the latest crazes, or they want to jump on the Obamacare medical prescription love-train.

   Regardless of how you slice it, the zombie craze is undeniably off the charts right now. Everywhere you look, the masses are clad in shirts, hats, sneakers - ANYTHING you can possibly adorn yourself with, play with, or even decorate your home or car with ! So if you are one of the lucky ones that reside in the Pittsburgh, PA area ( even if you don't - MAKE THE TRIP), this Saturday, a new store will open that promises to wake the dead (bad pun DEFINITELY intended).

     4110 Butler Street is the address and newest home of The House of the Dead, a zombie superstore that will sell numerous zombie-themed shirts, artwork from local creative minds, and even a funny "zombie cornhole" game - many other products and goodies will be infiltrating the store in the coming weeks, but the emphasis will solely be on the surrounding area's product. I love the idea of a store like this, not only because it is supporting the creative collaborative efforts of some very talented artists, but gives shoppers of zombie-related items a chance to shop somewhere other than the big chain websites which seem to be dominating the markets everywhere you turn.

    Feel free to visit www.houseofthedeadpgh.com to check out their site, or if you are one of the lucky ones, head on over this Saturday and grab yourself some killer goodies - and let's ALL support shops like this !

The Walking Dead: Season 3 – The Cast, and the Zombies that Love Them

Nick Teeters

Starting out, we have everyone’s hero – Rick, sporting a machete and his signature revolver!

Next is Michonne, sporting her trademark sword and chain – with her two pets.  I expect great things from her this season.

Here we have "The Governor", sporting a knife that could make Rambo blush.

And last, but certainly not least, we have the return of Merle Dixon!  I am really excited to see the brothers brought back together this season.  Really curious as to how they will respond to one another.

Now not a lot is known about this dead head, though I am guessing he will only be around for a short while.

The twins!  The story of these two should be told in the first episode.


Stay tuned for a review of the first episode when it's released!

REVIEW: 21st Century Dead

Todd Jepperson

If you were visiting the site back in July, you remember our release coverage of an all new anthology, from award winning editor Christopher Golden, called 21^st Century Dead.  If you weren't, then I suggest you go back and read our Roundtable discussion (1 and 2) and catch the free excerpt “A Mother’s Love,” from John M. McIlveen and Criminalelement.com (registration required).

Well, the book is now available for public consumption and it’s a damn fine time for a review…

21^st Century Dead is a perfect follow-up to 2010’s game changing splash The New Dead—which is currently one of the most and highest rated zombie anthologies on Goodreads.com—wherein you will find a nice, tasty assortment of today’s freshest zombie varieties mixed in with a dash of the classic Romero-style Shambler.

Golden’s introduction, "Zombies are Good for You," is a well-crafted prelude to exactly the kinds of things you’ll find inside the book and why he chose to include them. He then steps back and lets you wander through the graveyard he’s created by combining both seasoned veterans of the genre and promising new comers. The writing is fantastic, and right from the very first story, you know why he’s been nominated six times for a Stoker (and won, both on his own and as part of a group) and twice for the Shirley Jackson. He has one of the best eyes in the business for top-quality, captivating work and he’s not about to get out of the habit.

The party gets started with Mark Morris’ story “Biters” where a little girl comes face to face with the father she thought she’d lost years ago and then Morris does something not even the most seasoned zombie reader will expect.

Orson Scott Card picks up the ball and drives it toward the goal in his story “Carousel,” which takes me back to my childhood days of “The Twilight Zone” and pulls the God card in a way I’ve never seen before.

Stephen Susco fumbles just slightly with “The Drop” before Brian Keene and the Stephanie Crawford/Duane Swierczynski duo recover and carry it right into the home territory with “Couch Potato” and “Tender as Teeth,” respectively.

for the MVP, though, I have it as a dead heat between Jonathan Maberry’s "Jack and Jill," a troubling tale of what constitutes “dead” in Stebbins County, Pennsylvania, and Thomas E. Sneigoski’s seriously unbelievable “Ghost Dog and Pup: Stay.”

Other notable entries include S.G. Browne's "Reality Bites," "Antiparalellogram" by Amber Benson, and the one-of-a-kind "Why Mothers let their Babies Watch Television: a Just-So Horror Story" by Chelsea Cain.

Considering you should be able to land the paperback for right around ten bucks, there is no way you could ever go wrong dropping your hard earned cash in exchange. If audio is your thing, you should be ready to pay about twice as much, but even for that price, you will be very happy with your purchase. Keep your eyes on the award circuit for 2012 horror literature, this is definitely a title you’ll be seeing more of. 

Definitely,

Are Zombies Good for Your Brain?

Todd Jepperson

Would anyone take zombies seriously enough to try and convince honors college students they should pay attention? According to at least one professor at Texas Tech, the answer is a groaning, "yes."

"There are a lot of classes on the zombie apocalypse and what you should do in an invasion. I’m not interested in that,” says Professor Rob Weiner. “I’m into talking about zombies in history, pop-culture, what constitutes a zombie, why we even talk about zombies and why they are popular. I’m actually puzzled by it because zombies are gross. To me, zombies are the most terrifying monster. No matter how many you kill, they just keep coming. Maybe that’s it. Maybe that’s the attraction.”

For twenty students, the ride through zombie Hollywood will begin in the 1930's, in the Haitian Voodoo style, then proceed through Romero's 1960's and straight into today's pop-culture phenomenon. “I think zombies represent the chaotic world we live in,” Weiner says. “Zombies represent the fact that no matter how you try to escape the chaos, they just keep coming. In some way the zombies are a reflection of humanity that is not pretty. They’re ugly and disgusting, and we are fascinated with ugly and disgusting. Zombies want to make you one of them. Zombies can teach us to be individuals and think for ourselves. Think critically. Develop critical thinking skills. The zombie can be used as a metaphor that says maybe we shouldn't always follow the crowd. The zombie is a warning that we should remain unique."

If you're interested in the course, or how it came to be, dig your way over to Texas Tech Today and pick professor Weiner's brain.  

BloodyDisgusting.com Caption Contest

Dorothy Emry

BloodyDisgusting.com is running caption contest. They pick a still from a movie and you submit your best caption for it. Zombies and Toys fans will want to jump on this contest because the author of the First Prize caption will receive The Limited Edition Zombie Head Walking Dead Blu-ray.  The Runner-Up receives Jaws on Blu-ray. Nobody goes undead in that classic film, but the shark does keep coming back until it gets blown apart. (Hmm. Maybe the shark was a zombie?)

No formal deadlines are posted, so keep checking back to see whether or not the winner’s been picked. If not, keep sending in “your best one-line, zingers, pathos riddled couplets, etc.” Before submitting be sure to read the contest rules on acceptable content. You might also want to check out the first still and the winners for inspiration while you’re there.

Here’s the second still, waiting to be captioned:

Head on over to BloodyDisgusting.com to submit your caption and good luck!

The "Call Me Maybe" Plague spreads to Wizard-Con

Matt Boiselle

 

   The latest internet craze of creating a mock music video to Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe'' has spread faster than a government-cover up plague that turns innocent citizens into MTV drones, and now even our beloved convention circuit has fallen prey to its inescapable clutches.

    At Chicago's Wizard World Comic-Con, both cosplay aficionados and celebrity guests participated in the sing-along, and everyone looked to have a killer time while doing so. Notable celeb lip-synchers included Jon Bernthal ( Shane from The Walking Dead), Bruce ( Evil Dead) Campbell, Dave Della Rocco ( The Boondock Saints), and every geek's (hopeful) future wife, Adrianne Curry. Be sure to click the video pic to start the party, but PLEASE don't sing too loud.... we wouldn't want to wake the dead now, would we ?