THHPPT!
From Austrailia to Paris – Greece & the US
This Zombie Kitty is on the move….
So i asked Louise Kiner some questions about her mail art project.
Ash:
I really dig your use of zombies in art.
Can you tell me a little more about:
Zombie Kitty Kawaii!
(Zombie Kitty Kawaii! Valentine 2012 )
“About Zombie Kitty Kawaii!: I came up with her in 2009. I was teaching a "Manga" course for kids (ages 8 to 12 approx) at a studio of some friends of mine. “
“It was pretty hilarious as they were all really into the horror and monsters and vampires etc. My experience with Manga was reading a lot of Shojo Manga (girls manga) and Kawaii (cute) Manga; so after the first class I thought I'd better come up with a character one I could use for the different lessons I had prepared and that these kids would like. “
“I thought "Hello Kitty", but more gruesome, but with humor as well, like the Black Night who has all his limbs cut off in Monty Python and the Holy Grail ("It's only a scratch!"). So, after a bunch of sketches, Zombie Kitty Kawaii! came about.”
Zombie Kitty 2009
Ash:
So it seems that there are a whole bunch of people involved in the project.
How does that work?
It was a bit of an epiphany the idea of making art and sending it to someone was such a great idea the fact that you might get really good mail (and not bills) was really exciting to me.
Back in the fall, I sat down that day and wrote out a basic outline for it. I actually also posted a question on how to get started on the IUOMA's Ask Anything Group. Ruud Janssen actually read my outline through and made some great suggestions to get it up and running.
It's not the most original concept people have been stealing garden gnomes for years and photographing them on holiday.
Everyone who has been involved, has been having fun and are really inventive. The Zombie Kitty Kawaii! Project/Group would be nothing without all the Artists who are and who will be involved. I think they all bring a certain charm and inventiveness to the project that I cannot take credit for.
If they all lived closer by, I would have them over for drinks and a really nice dinner. I really can't thank them enough.
Ash
Well I am certainly looking forward to having my time with ZKK and I would certainly come over for drinks
Recently, Z&T came into possession of a book. At first glance, it seems to be nothing more than a few random scribbles; but, read on and you’ll see that there’s actually a funny story to how this thing came to be. Hang in long enough, and you may even learn a little something.
I was lucky enough to end up with a physical copy of the 34 page paperback and a short conversation with the artist, William Lebeda. During our brief chat, he told me the story behind the illustrations:
“Years ago, I was working with Marvel on The Punisher remake… The art department hadn't started on the film yet, and they needed a design for a new skull logo for the front of his Kevlar body armor. So, I started drawing Punisher-style skulls on everything. At one point during the project, I started to draw really different skulls... probably as a reaction to drawing dozens of versions of the punisher one. I noticed that I was drawing skulls on everything; scraps of paper, napkins, post-its with phone numbers… all over.”
The scattered sketches were eventually collected and sorted through, which took significantly longer than he had planned. The movie was released in 2004 and the book was released in 2010. I would have to agree, that’s a long time spent organizing, digitizing, and getting ready for print; which makes the title very fitting.
Memento Mori is a Latin phrase for ‘remember to die”; or, be mindful that you will die. Artists have been incorporating the idea of eminent death into their work since the time of ancient Rome. The idea is that life is short. What we do here has got to be enough to make sure that we’re remembered long after we’re gone.
So, who wants to help Mr. Lebeda live forever? New in the Zombie Toy Store, you can pick up your very own copy of Memento Mori: a collection of drawings by William Lebeda for the low, low price of $4.99. Also, when you support Z&T, there’s always a good chance you could land some free “thank you” swag. That’s just how we do things around here. Click the link to shuffle over and snag yourself a copy. You’ll be glad you did.
William has also been kind enough to offer a few copies to our readers! If you would like the chance to win a free copy of Memento Mori, email your name, address, and picture of a skull to skull@zombiesandtoys.com. We are going to make this one easy. To enter, you can submit any picture of a skull that you find interesting. For a better chance of winning, submit your own skull creation. William will hand pick his favorites to win a copy of his book! Winners will be announced at the end of March. If you purchase a book and are later selected as a contest winner, we will refund your purchase price or send you the additional book. For inspiration, here is a skull I drew:
If you are new to the site or to the zombie movie genre in general you might have missed my earlier review of The Italian Zombie Movie parts 1 & 2 posted here. As I stated in my full review, this is such a great movie to watch if you are willing to turn off your brain and enjoy a movie for zombie fans made by zombie fans. I had the great distinction of being able to interview the Writer/Director/Producer, Thomas Berdinski, to see what kind of insight he could give us into the inner machinations of his mind and some behind the scenes news about the movie.
Zombies & Toys: If you were bitten, would you want to be shot or left to change?
Thomas Berdinski: I would definitely want to be undead for a while. Why not? There's plenty of time to be totally dead later. I also like playing as a zombie when I play “Left 4 Dead” with my 11 year old nephew. He beats me whenever we play anyway, so at least this way I have an excuse!
ZT: Any favorite zombie movies/books/games?
TB: Wow, that would be almost too many to list! I'll start with the movies that inspired me – “Zombi 2” by Lucio Fulci, “Burial Ground” by Andrea Bianchi and “Cemetery Man” by Michelle Soavi. Zombie books that are high my list include “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” by Jane Austin and Seth Graham-Smith, “Dead Beyond the Fence” by Brian Kaufman and “Eaten Alive! Italian Cannibal and Zombie Movies” by Jay Slater. As for games, I don't have time to play as much as I'd like, but “Left 4 Dead 1 and 2” and “Dead Rising 1 and 2” I enjoy playing with my nephew.
ZT: If we were to make a toy of you, would you be a zombie or survivor? What accessories would you come with?
TB: I would want to be a survivor; in fact, I'd want you to make a toy out of the character I often play at conventions when promoting my Italian Zombie Movies: Sascratch! Sascratch is the half-human half-Sasquatch offspring of a Bigfoot from the year 25,000,000 A.D. (when the Sasquatches and humans finally resolved their differences and started to breed...) He travels through time hunting zombies and promoting The Italian Zombie Movie. Accessories would include his zombie bite-proof cape, his man-purse filled with Italian Zombie Movie DVDs, futuristic guns and ammo and his ultra-hip Time Travel glasses...
ZT: You have described this miniseries as "the first no-budget horror/sci-fi/comedy miniseries to give audience what REALLY made the European zombie genre of the 80's so entertaining". That being said, what are some of your favorite zombie movies that Europe has given us?
TB: I like different movies for different reasons. What I was referring to there was the rampant sexism (and even misogyny) that was so commonplace in European horror movies in the 80s which is so pathetic and politically-incorrect today that it is often laughable! The movies that I found the most sexist/misogynistic would probably be “Burial Ground”, “Patrick Still Lives” and “Hell of the Living Dead” but there are plenty of others! I based a lot of the ridiculous sexist dialog in my movies on those films. I'd never seen another movie that parodied the sexism of European horror movies – that's what I think makes our zombie movies the most unique. Outside of that, some of my favorite Euro horrors include “The Beyond” by Fulci, “Suspiria” by Dario Argento and “The Blind Dead” series by Amando de Ossorio.
ZT: How did you go about creating all the guts and gore for the movie? I guess what I am wondering is if any of the guts were edible?
TB: Most of the juicier stuff was created by our special effects guru Joe Tardani; who I've known since childhood. Somewhere along the way, he learned how to make fantastically realistic intestines out of hanks of sausage casings, Jello, stuffing mix, bread crumbs and Kool Aid. Not only are they edible, but they taste sickening sweet (thanks to the Kool Aid and Jello...) His actual ingredient ratios, etc., are a big secret, but I think our guts look much better than the guts in most gory movies I've seen (and they cost a lot less to make too!)
ZT: What for you was one of your favorite scenes from the miniseries?
TB: That's a tough one because we had so much fun making these movies... I have to say I really enjoyed the scenes between the sexist oaf Ruggerro (Dan Grams) and his (unbeknownst to him) Succubus girlfriend Maria (Laurie Beckeman). The scene where they get trapped in the car by the blinded zombie is a favorite, as is the scene where the eggs magically fall from the sky; signifying (at least in Ruggerro's mind) the apocalypse. Also, every scene with the alien characters (myron Erickson and Terry Madden), especially when they battle “the first living dead machine” - that was fun to shoot and to watch. Bruno (Jeff Bromley) and his Michigan Militia cohorts (Keith Zahn and Chuck Alderink) had some funny chemistry, especially when you know the actor who played Bruno is a former Navy Seal. I still get a little sad when Katriona (LaShelle Mikesell) the psychic gets killed by the zombies in the garage. The flying head sequence was a blast (Christy Mack). The Queen of the Zombies (Kathy Price) was always a hoot, on and off camera... Sorry, I just can't decide!
ZT: I saw a tagline stating "The Biggest Laughs - The Grossest Effects - The Lowest Budget", if I may ask, how much was the budget on this movies?
TB: We are a no-budget movie. We didn't raise any money at all. Everyone involved was a volunteer and provided their own costumes, make-up, props, even software and computers in the case of the technical folks involved. Of course, we had to pay for things like sausage casings and latex, but we would just do that with whatever cash we had in our pockets and go from there. We shot this movie week-to-week, shooting two-three scenes each month until it was finished; solving effects problems as they arose with whatever we had on hand. The biggest expense was hard drives to store all of the DV footage on. I probably spent $4000 on hard drives (over the 4+ year shooting schedule! - It's hard to schedule volunteers who are also soccer moms, soccer dads, soccer kids!)
ZT: How many eggs were utilized in the egg scene?
TB: Now that's something I've never been asked before! Most of the eggs weren't real eggs at all but were plastic eggs from the local hobby store. Plastic eggs are reusable! We did throw about 2-3 dozen real eggs at Ruggerro and his car (it really was his car!) but the vast majority of them were plastic, so probably 60 or so of those. There were also digital eggs falling from the sky – perhaps a million of those!
ZT: Will we be seeing any more ACME products in upcoming projects?
TB: Definitely – Looney Tunes is an uncredited inspiration!
ZT: What was one of the hardest scenes to film?
TB: Probably the scene where the dozen or so zombies are attacking Ruggerro around the trailer and at his car. Unlike most zombie movies which splatter a little blood and flour on the faces of their zombie extras and call it good, our zombies have full latex masks on ala “Burial Ground”. And once the actor put on that latex mask, it had to stay on until the shoot was done – otherwise the mask fell apart. The masks had very small eye and ear holes so there was very little air circulating into them. Also, the small ear and eye holes made it difficult to communicate with the actors. Add to that, the 80 degree weather that evening and you had a very difficult situation to direct. All that said, I think it was one of the better scenes in the movie, maybe because the actors playing the zombies really did feel near death?
ZT:What got you interested in the zombie movie genre and horror movies in general?
TB: It's funny – I started making movies when I was 8 years old. I was really into Japanese giant rubber monster movies at that time, so I was making my own versions of Gamera, etc., plopping live snapping turtles on my train board. Anyway, one afternoon I saw my first zombie movie – “Horror Express” - with Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing and Telly Savalas on one of those “Chiller Theater” shows. I was probably 10 years old? Well, it got me really excited to make a zombie movie, so I got my friends together and we set up this amazing miniature train wreck (which I am still amazed by today) that was going to be the source of the zombies. We got everybody all covered in blood and started filming a bunch of 8-10 year olds rising from the wreckage of the train. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, I never finished that movie. I kind of think I've been purging those demons ever since!
ZT: I have to ask, were the two aliens in the movie inspired by many sci fi movies from the 50's and 60's?
TB: Actually they were inspired by characters in two very obscure episodes of Star Trek – The Original Series: “Return to Tomorrow” and “Savage Curtain”. The episodes are completely unrelated. It's fun - I've had Trek fans come up to me at conventions and tell me they recognized the homage we were paying to that great TV show.
ZT: Are there currently any plans for a third part to the Italian Zombie Movie as the trailer near the end of the mini-series teased?
TB: Yes, Part 3 is in pre-production right now. My plan is to start shooting this spring. Fortunately we've made enough money on Parts 1 & 2 that we will actually have a budget for this one (!) which will allow us to perhaps bring in a “name” actor or two and have more special effects. The good thing about Part 3 is you will not need to see Parts 1 & 2 beforehand. It starts where Part 2 leaves off, but it is an entirely new story.
ZT: What is next for you, a great director/writer?
TB: I'm nowhere near a great director/writer (hope to be someday!) but I do have more projects in the works. Part 3 is the next biggie, of course. We're already shooting effects for that one and I'm still working on the script. I am also considering entering a short horror film competition where all of the filmmakers are given the same plot, but they get to do whatever they want with it. I also have a pretty ambitious sci-fi that I've been dreaming of forever. Hopefully that will start to come to fruition once Part 3 is completed.
ZT: Would you consider yourself to be more like Ed Wood or Sam Raimi, when it comes to your approach to film making?
TB: From what I've read about both, I'm probably more like Sam Raimi. I really like to do everything when I make a movie. I write the script, pick the actors, produce the movie, direct the movie, edit the movie, write and perform the music, play some of the roles, do the effects – I love every aspect of movie making. This is what I've read Raimi was more like in his earlier years. Now that he has $100 million budgets, he delegates. I probably would still try to do everything!
ZT: What is your dream project, if you could make a movie with an unlimited budget?
TB: If I had all of the money in the world to make a movie I would remake that Japanese giant rubber monster movie classic “War of the Gargantuas”! I just loved that movie. And I would do it just like they did – with amazing miniatures, guys in rubber monster costumes, real explosions – nothing would be digital at all – I would make it a 100% homage to the amazing Japanese kaiju filmmakers!
ZT: If anybody wants to help out with your future productions how may they do so?
TB: The best way to reach me is via Facebook at “Thomas Berdinski” or “The Italian Zombie Movie”. You can also email me at diretto@italianzombiemovie.com. We’re always looking for talented, energetic people to help with our crazy movies!
As I said before, this was a very fun interview and shows just how in tune with the movie Tom is. If you haven’t yet seen this movie you can find it in our very own store by clicking here. Trust me when I say that you will not be disappointed with this movie. It is one of the next sleeper hits and is a must own if you are a fan of classically humorous and gory movies.
Author offers zombie fans a chance to determine their chance when hell runs out of room
by Chad Hunter
When we think SAT, we think of long nights of dreaded studying and having our brains threaten to burst. Now, with ZSAT, it’s not our brains exploding that concerns us. It’s our brains being eaten.
Zombies & Toys had the opportunity to talk with author Casey Blair Bassett, the writer behind Z-SAT: Zombie Survival Aptitude Test. With the ongoing craze of the undead, Bassett is helping the masses find out if they really have what it takes to survive the day, the dawn and the night when society crashes and the dead walk. Read what Casey has to say and after, enter for your chance to win a free copy of the Z-SAT! You will soon be able to compare your score against the staff of Zombies & Toys!
Z&T: Hi Casey, welcome to Zombies and Toys. Thank you for your time. Can you tell readers the full title of the book and a description of it?
CBB: Z-SAT:Zombie Survival Aptitude Test. [The] Z-SAT is a book that allows zombie lovers to evaluate themselves and their abilities. The Zombie Survival Aptitude Test is a 1230 point test that consists of multiple choice, true and false, illustrations, and even a personal evaluation. It affords people the opportunity to take a deeper, in-depth look into their zombie survival skills. This test is the SATs of Zombie Survival! The scoring ranges from Expert, Professional, Novice, Amateur, and Minor. Any zombie enthusiast should take the Zombie Survival Aptitude Test... it could save their lives!
Z&T: I guess you don’t have to score as expert as long as you’re smarter than the guy next to you! What was the drive behind the book?
CBB:About 2 years ago I came up with the idea of publishing a zombie survival test book. I talked to my friends about the idea and began writing questions and drawling illustrations for the book. I worked on the book on and off for 2 years, and it sat on the back burner for a while until The Walking Dead TV show came on and it motivated me to want to finish it. Ever since the first episode I have been working nonstop on Z-SAT.
Z&T: It seems like everyone loves zombies today, from movies to games to print. What drew you to them?
CBB:I have loved zombies for such a long time, and love Max Brooks "Zombie Survival Guide" and could only hope that someday my book could be that successful. I loved all zombie movies, comics, books, video games, etc. I think that zombie(s) make everything better!
Z&T: Where can readers find and purchase the Zombie Survival Aptitude Test?
CBB:The book is currently located for purchase though my website (www.z-sat.com), Lulu.com, and Ebay. The book has been submitted for global distribution and will be available for order at any book retailer this March. (Amazon, Books-A-Million , Barnes and Noble, etc)
Z&T: Are there upcoming events (e.g. additional books, appearances, etc) for promoting Z-SAT?
CBB: I don't know what my schedule is going to be like for the next several months but I plan on attending Steel City Con and/or Pittsburgh Comic Con to sell and sign some copies of Z-SAT.
Z&T: Awesome approach. Those are big events! You know zombie-fans are endlessly hungry, where can readers find more information?
CBB:Reader can find more information on my website or Facebook. (http://www.facebook.com/Zombie.Survival.Aptitude.Test) Z-SAT is also has pages on Myspace, Linkedin and Twitter. However, I use Facebook the most.
Z&T: Thank you Casey for your time. For more information on the Zombie Survival Aptitude Test, please check out www.z-sat.com! To enter for your chance to win a signed copy, email your name and address to zsat@zombiesandtoys.com. Winners will be chosen at the end of the month.
John Blake, a writer on the CNN religion blog, recently took the time to interview David Murphy. Murphy, the author of “Zombie for Zombies: Advice and Etiquette for the Living Dead,” a book which we have reviewed on this site, discusses his take on our obsessions with zombies. He states, “Americans' appetite for zombies isn’t fed just by sources such as the AMC hit series “The Walking Dead” or the countless zombie books and video games people buy. Our zombie fascination has a religious root. Zombies are humans who have lost track of their souls”
This is quite an interesting article where Blake and Murphy discuss all of the religious aspects of a zombie apocalypse. They go on to talk about how zombie stories grapple with common religious themes including the end of the world, resurrection, and even the nature of the human soul. Among other things, they also discuss such topics as how zombies “represent our basic fears of death, decay and desecration”. This is definitely a must read article that you can view in full by clicking here.
Entertainment Weekly has our new favorite television show gracing its cover this week. Make sure to rush out and snag your copy. Not stopping there, they have also posted an interview with Andrew Lincoln (Rick Grimes) on their website. View the interview in its entirety here.
"[The television series] is more about what happens to somebody when everything is stripped away from them and how does one re-create society. The interesting stuff we’ve been finding as actors is the inter-character dynamic and how that changes and modifies. There’s scenes reminiscent of Lord of the Flies in there."
The excitement of our two year anniversary begins with an exclusive interview with Brian Metcalf! As you may recall, Brian is the writer and director of a new zombie-filled movie on the horizon. Fading of the Cries is more than just a tale of good and evil. It's a dark and twisted journey staring Brad Douriff (The Lord of the Rings, Exorcist III, Child's Play) as a necromancer who summons the undead.
Synopsis:
Jacob, a young man armed with a deadly sword, saves Sarah, a teenage girl, from Mathias, a malevolent evil that has begun plaguing a small farmland town while in search of an ancient necklace that had belonged to Sarahs Uncle.
Jacob sets out to get Sarah home safely, running through streets, fields, churches and underground tunnels, while being pursued by hordes of demonic creatures. Along the way, both come to terms with the demons within themselves - Sarah begins to understand her hatred towards her mother and sister may be unjustified and Jacob discovers the secrets of his past, realizing the only way to truly defeat the demons is to return to the very place his family was murdered.
Brian was kind enough to take a few moments to offer Zombies & Toys readers a bit of insight as to what we can expect...
Zombies & Toys: The trailer from Fading of the Cries certainly looks interesting. Is it more horror, fantasy, or action?
Brian Metcalf: It is a combination of all three and it certainly has elements of all three.
Can you give us a bit more insight to the characters and their roles?
The film is about Jacob who is a young man played by Jordan Matthews armed with a sword and basically saves a teenage girl named Sara played by Hallee Hirsh from a necromancer, Brad Douriff, who has begun plaguing a small farmland town while in search of an ancient necklace.So, basically, Jacob’s goal is to get Sara home safely and they have to go through fields and streets and all these different obsticles while being pursued by hordes of demonic creatures set off by Brad’s character.
Where does Jacob come from and what’s the story with his sword?Is it magical in its own way?
It is magical in its own way.There’s a past to it in relationship toBrad’s character, basically. The sword itself has an origin: It was used to kill Brad’s character in earlier times back in the 17th century.It was actually forged of his blood.It has a magical sense of its own and can actually destroy anything that he conjours up.
Aside from writing and directing the movie, you also directed one of the upcoming music videos by Helmet.This is the second time you have directed one of their videos.Is it a coincidence or how did you make this happen?
Paige (Hamilton) and I had actually been good friends for a while.We had been introduced and I said I would like to direct a music video for you sometime. They said “yeah, we’d love to have you do one” so I did the song Money Shot for them. They really loved it.When I told them I’m doing my first feature film they said we would love to work with you again.So we shot the music video and got the actors involved in it.I’ve always been a huge Helmet fan as well so it’s a dream come true to be working with them.
What other artists will we see on the soundtrack?Conjure One did the song for the trailer and I gotSarah McLaughlin to do the opening sequence for the film.
Is Mathias the devil or type of ultimate evil?
He is a necromancer, or spell caster, and he basically raises the dead through spells and ancient symbols.His whole background is he wants the necklace back so that he can turn day into night.And with that he has control over the dead at night but not during the daytime. The zombie characters and undead cannot come out during the day.
If you were bitten by a zombie, would you want to be left alone to chance into one or would you rather be shot?
I think I’d rather be shot.
Do you have any favorite zombie films or books?
Oh my goodness, I have way too many.I’m a huge Lucio Fulci fan so I love obviously his Zombi film and City of the Dead.I’m a huge George Romero fan especially his older stuff.So Day of the Dead is my favorite Romero, not Dawn of the Dead.Obviously, the Evil Dead movies are an influence to me.I’m very excited to see the new series The Walking Dead on AMC.I’m a huge Frank Darabount fan.I’m very excited to see what comes of this.
If we were going to make you into a toy; Would you be a zombie or a survivor? What accessories would you come with?
I’d definitely would prefer to be a zombie.I’m not interesting enough as a survivor but as a zombie I would love to have my face all torn in half, my body ripped to shreds, just nice grotesque things.Mybe have removable arms that fall off. Maybe there could be a pumt that you could take off my head and you could squeeze and blood could shoot out.I would love to be really mangled and grotesque.
You wrote and directed this movie.How long ago did you come up with the idea and what was involved with the transition to becoming a full length film?
The actual idea I had when I was avery young boy.I of course improvised and modified over a number of years.Back in 1999 is when I wrote the first draft of the script.In 2002 I shot a trailer to try and rais funding with Thomas c Nichols who is also in the film.…….. In 2007 is when we finally found the investors who said lets do it.So, its been a very very very lengthy process.
I just wanted to bring everyone’s attention to a new zombie film we can expect to see in the future. Fading of the Cries may quite possibly be the most unique zombie-filled movie we have seen. Starring Brad Dourif, Fading of the Cries appears to be a magical quest story. However, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it is so much more. It does tell the tale of a hero rescuing the damsel in distress from evil. But this just merely touches the surface.
You see, Dourif’s character, Mathias, is a necromancer possessing the ability to resurrect thousands of dead to do his bidding. And the hero’s weapon of choice? A sword. Is your mouth watering yet? Am I the only one looking forward to seeing a man fight thousands of zombies with a sword?
Fading of the Cries is more than just zombie slaying film. I am excited to announce that Zombies & Toys had the opportunity to speak with writer/director, Brian Metcalf. Expect to hear what Brian had to say as well as some insights about the movie in an upcoming post. In the meantime, get a glimpse of what we will be talking about and prepare for our interview.
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.
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 obsession of finding great new zombie artists continues! And because I'm certain that everyone reading this blog also enjoys new zombie art, I will continue to share my discoveries. The talented mind of Scott Cole is one of my recent discoveries. Well, maybe not "recent". Like most everything else with this blog, I'm about 2 months behind! Regardless, Scott's amazing work can be found at 13 Visions.
13 Visions is where you can find Scott's art and design work. You can also check out the 13 Visions blog for more personal ramblings such as his interest in the horror genre, graphic design, audio drama, and random thoughts. An artist and graphic designer based in Philadelphia, Scott's work has appeared in magazines, art galleries, and on that show flyer you picked up at the coffee shop. Also a writer, we can expect to see several short stories coming to publication before the end of 2010.
Encouraged by his parents, Scott has been drawing since a young age. "My mother in particular is very artistic, though our styles couldn't be further apart. As a child I was constantly drawing monsters and skulls and creepy floating ghosts and bats. I still have a "book" entitled "The Haunted Castle", which I co-wrote and fully illustrated with colored pencils in first grade."
I know I've mentioned Mail Order Zombie before while during one of my podcast rants. As a quick recap, MOZ is a weekly podcast that reviews every zombie film that is released. That description is very generic, however. MOZ has turned into a fun community of zombie fans and features extras like convention reports and interviews. Scott can also be found on MOZ reviewing zombie audio drama in a segment called "Dead Air".
The Undead Bazaar is proud to present one artist who wears several different hats. Sara runs two different online shops, More Everything and Black and White Tees. While they are two separate entities, there is plenty of overlap. I think we're better off letting Sara explain:
You're a busy gal. Tell us about some of your projects, where you can be found online, and what you are doing there. "You’re right – I’ve got a lot of projects right now. Here’s the basics:
More Everything has been the primary outlet for my jewelry up to this point. We’re completing a major update and will be expanding the shop with additional designs. These include: - new jewelry designs - buttons and magnets: the core pieces are simple language and catch phrases but we’re also starting a line based on cemetery monuments. - journals: these are hand-bound and include a combination of blank pages, excerpts and pages from books, printed paper pages and photographs. - Purses and t-shirts: in conjunction with our sister company, black & white tees, we’re getting ready to launch some exclusive t-shirts and hand-screened, graphic purses featuring the walking dead and other classic movie monsters. - Voodoo dolls: probably our favorite new item. We’ve decided to kick off this line with a zombie voodoo doll. We’re also a featured seller on the CWTV Vampire Diaries Store (I know it’s sacrilegious to mention this on a zombie website but, c’mon).
Our sister company, Black & White Tees specializes in items with a little more attitude. The label is centered around a core line of t-shirts, again featuring simple language and phrases, designed to put ideas out with no regrets. The shop is currently adding wristbands along with it’s own line of buttons and magnets."
We'll forgive you for liking vampires. But when did you see the light and start directing your attention to zombies? "I’ve never discriminated against zombies, and I certainly haven’t abandoned the other supernaturals that I love (although, I’m even more partial to werewolves if you must know), but I started wanting to expand into some zombie designs after getting more into one of my favorite bands, The Horrorpops. Their song “Walk Like a Zombie” is what inspired my zombie bracelet."
What would be a defining zombie moment in your life? "I probably share it with a lot of other people. I’ve always been drawn to the classic horror movies and my first big zombie moment (which should be becoming pretty obvious) was watching the original Night of the Living Dead. To this day I can’t walk through a cemetery without thinking to myself, 'They’re coming to get you, Barbara'. "
Do you have any favorite zombie movies, books, or games? "Lately, I haven’t had much time for all of it. I did start reading Pride, Prejudice and Zombies recently, and I fell in love with Zombieland (of course) and I’m crazy for Left 4 Dead. So, generally, I’m about as mainstream a zombie fan as you can find."
If we were making a toy of you, would you be a zombie or a survivor? "I would probably have to be a zombie. I’m not kidding myself – if left to my own devices there’s no way I’m going to survive."
What accessories would you come with? "I would be a 50’s prom queen zombie, with a tattered, bloodied dress and a high-heeled foot that would shoot off as a projectile weapon."
If you were bitten by a zombie, would you want to change or would you rather be shot?"Shoot me - I’d rather be bitten by a werewolf."
Can you think of a better way to start a Monday than reading an interview with Robert Kirkman? You can? Okay. What if he's talking about AMC's upcoming The Walking Dead series? I thought so.
Fall cannot get here quickly enough for me. The only people who can't be excited to witness this amazing comic come to life are those who haven't read it (ahem, Jeff). The more I read about it the more certain I am that it is getting done right. Head over to AMC to read the full interview. There are some spoilers contained but nothing that will surprise those of us who read the comic.
Here are some excerpts:
"Everyone is really trying to do good by the comic, and there are scenes that are straight out of it. I think that fans are just going to be thrilled. But at the same time, [Frank Darabont] is vastly improving the material. And there are things here and there that along the way I should have caught, but didn't."
"Steven Yeun, the actor playing Glenn, was on set for the first time yesterday. He walked over and said hello to Andrew Lincoln. They were chatting, and I looked over and I was like, 'That's Rick talking to Glenn!' "
"It's non-stop awesome over here at the set of The Walking Dead."
Does it get any better than zombifying a Barbie doll? We're not the only ones who think so. Andrea of My Pretty Zombie has been crafting zombies from Barbies since 2008. While the pretty zombies are the show stealer, you can also find jewelry, accessories, and cross stitching. Yes... cross stitching. And, yes... there is zombie cross stitching!
My Pretty Zombie is offering Zombies & Toys readers 15% off on any purchases through June! Just enter the code "zombiestoys" at the checkout. Head over to the My Pretty Zombie store to take advantage. You can also like MPZ on facebook, follow MPZ on Twitter, and check out the MPZ blog.
I get the impression that there is an underlying meaning to the zombification of the Barbie dolls; Is it just me? "I get that question a lot. Some people think of it as a statement against Barbie and the unattainable female form that she represents. It's simply not true. I grew up with suitcases full of Barbies and loved them to death. I never felt that I had to be thin and blonde with huge boobs to be pretty. I guess I chose Barbie to Zombify for the same reason I played with them as a kid. She's like a blank canvas you can do anything with. That and she's got great outfits and tons of accessories."
Is there more to your creations than simply making zombies? "I’m a huge fan of all thing horror related. When I’m not crafting, I’m watching horror movies. I’m really influenced by the slasher movies of the eighties. I think that’s why all my dioramas end up having zombies in their underwear. I love taxidermy and animals in general and that’s where my “Broken Animals” Cross Stitch patterns come from. I also make evil hair accessories which came from not being able to find enough weird and creepy hair clips to suit me. As for the zombie dolls, I get super attached to them. I spend a lot of time staring at them and talking to them. They’re almost like family!"
What do you prefer more: making zombie dolls or making zombie cross stitches? "Cross stitch was my first crafting love. I learned when I was six. That was pretty much my main art form until I started getting recurring bouts of tendinitis from my day job. It really hindered my ability to sew anything without a great deal of pain. I needed to find a new outlet. I woke up one morning and thought "I wonder if I could paint a Barbie to look like a zombie?" I went out and bought one the next day. I hadn't done any painting at all since high school, but I just jumped right in! Cross Stitch is very soothing but also very time consuming. With the dolls I can have a new one done in a day, so that’s more like instant gratification."
What is your attraction to zombies? "What’s not to love about zombies? They're us, yet not us. I love the shambling slow zombies. That's what I grew up on. The campier the better! The first zombie movie that I remember as having a huge impact on me was Return of the Living Dead part 2. I'll watch any movie that’s even slightly zombie- esque."
Have you done any custom requests and if so what was the story behind them? "I love doing custom work! My two favorite requests have been from my good friend Jenny of agonysdecay.etsy.com. I made her a custom Carrie at the Prom doll and a Regan from the Exorcist doll. I really agonize over the custom work because I want it to be so perfect! Its very rewarding though when I can recreate such classic scenes and people are happy with the end result."
What is a defining or memorable zombie moment in your life? "The one that sticks out the most in my mind was seeing 28 Days Later in the movie theater. I was so scared when we left even though it was broad daylight. My heart was totally pounding and I complained to my husband that I was going to die of a heart attack on the spot. Fast zombies...holy crap! It added a whole new dimension of zombie terror for me!" If we were to make a toy of you, would you be a zombie or a survivor? "Oh, I would be a zombie for sure!"
What accessories would you come with? "Well, the most important thing would be detachable arm devices. 1. A wheel (I've always wanted one. A wheel for an arm that is, so I could roll it around on things) 2. Some kind of weapon...a chainsaw, an AK-47, or a drill...
I would need a lab coat (I work in a lab in real life) Also some hot secretary glasses and fabulous shoes."
If you were to become bitten by a zombie, would you want to change or would you rather be shot? "I asked my husband what he thought and he totally scoffed at me... "Are you kidding me?! Like you would pass up the chance to be a zombie even for a little while!" It's true...I like to think that in case of a zombie uprising that I would be the chick that was holding it all together until the very end when I got bit through some avoidable circumstance. And then I would get my arm chopped off to avoid the infection spreading. THEN I would get my wheel/chainsaw/drill arm attachment. But it would be no use. Is it weird that I have this all planned out?"
The Undead Bazaar is proud to present one artist who wears several different hats. Sara runs two different online shops, 
