Zombies & Toys Update

We are working on making some changes here at Zombies & Toys. We will be adding some content and regular features much like the weekly continuation of our zombie fiction. We are working with Web Voodoo (suiting, right?) to make ZT easier to navigate and a better resource for you, our readers. From day one, ZT has always been about bringing you the latest undead news and happenings even if it meant sending you to another zombie site to read more.



Well, now is your chance to let us know what you would like to see. A dedicated area for game news? An archive of movie reviews? Categorized links to external sources? An archive of zombie toys? Eliminate the contests? (just seeing if you were paying attention... who doesn't want free zombie stuff?) Do you prefer your updates in the current blog format? Or should we not change a thing?


This is your chance to be heard and get what you want from a site that you're a part of. Because, if you are reading this, you are a part of the Zombies & Toys community. I encourage you to email me directly at jason@zombiesandtoys.com or post a comment here. As a way to thank you for contributing your ideas, we will randomly select several comments and emails at the end of the month to win some Zombies & Toys swag as well as some other goodies we have laying around on our prize shelves!
 

December Update

I just wanted to get a quick post up to thank everyone for their patience with our lack of timely updates.  Once the holidays pass, we'll be back on track to bring you the frequent updates you're used to.

We will be announcing the current contest winners soon.  As a reminder, you can enter every contest and win multiple times.  However, you can only enter each contest once.  There is a bunch of stuff sitting in The Zombie Toy Store that was sent for us to give away, so expect several great contests to start off the new year.  We have some toys, books, shirts and other accessories, games, movies, and more!

There is a bunch of zombie news to report on so expect a few updates before Christmas.

Update

Just another one of my "what's new" and "what's to come" ramblings...

I am behind schedule with updates and I apologize.  The recent convention, holiday sales through the website, holiday preparations, work, and life have me dragging lately.  I spent the past two days taking care of online orders and replying to emails.  I am hoping to get back on schedule this week and here is a glimpse of what you have to look forward to this month:

Contests.  I have several great items to give away this month and will have the new contests posted this weekend.  I will also be selecting winners of the current contests and sharing those announcements.  We have several book, game, and movie reviews to share including some accompanying interviews.

Steel City Con was a great time as always and I had a blast speaking with some old school ZT fans as well as making some new friends.  And since my friends are your friends, you will be hearing about some fun and creative people.

You will only need to put up with my lack of updated for another day or two.  I'm nearly caught up and once I am, I will post more info.  Thank you, all, for reading and supporting Zombies & Toys!

November at Zombies & Toys

This weekend, we will launch what will be a fun-filled November for readers of Zombies & Toys!  This month will mark our second year of providing you with as much zombie news as I can dig up and find the time to post.  I would like to thank everyone reading now and those who have been around since the beginning.  I honestly never thought ZT would turn into what it has become.  While it is ZT's birthday, I want to give gifts to you!

All month, we will be launching various contests.  Some of the great items we have to give away include some new products, books, toys, movies, CDs, and much, much more.  Items will be given away by having our normal contests here on the blog but also through our Facebook page and Twitter feeds.  Some contests will be exclusive to Facebook and Twitter while others will give you extra entries.

We will also be featuring some reviews to help you begin choosing gifts for the zombie fans in your life.  So make sure to keep checking in with us throughout the month!  Here's some pics of what's in store...

Update

Zombie news has been a little slow for a change and I can't say that I mind much.  Truth is, I'm becoming a bit overwhelmed.  My being overwhelmed usually translates into good things for ZT readers, though.  So I'll start by letting everyone know what we're working on for the reminder of the year. 

The exciting news is that there are plenty of great contests lined up.  I believe that there will be a Sourpuss Clothing and a Horror Signs contest each month!  There's also more shirts to give away from our friends at TShirt Bordello.  Another friend of ZT, Billy Tackett, will be making another appearance with some items for you to take home.  For those of you with time to read (lucky), there is going to be at least two more book contests in addition to this month's contest to win The Angels Are Reapers.  In fact, confirmed thus far is Tales of Woe!  One of the contests I'm most looking forward to is for a complete set of over 50 very unique zombie miniatures valued at over $200!  Of course, there are more surprises in the works and we're working hard to make new friends you should like. 

Details of the second Undead Bazaar will be official by year's end and we will begin accepting participation requests.  Having bit off more than I could chew with the first one (nom), the second bazaar will have a limited number of available participants and will adhere to a one-month time length.  For participants of the first bazaar reading, I have not forgotten that several of you have not received your "thank you" bag of ZT fun. 

The Zombie Toy Store is growing and I'm constantly looking for fun and interesting things to stock.  A huge "thank you" to everyone who purchases their zombie goods there.  In the works, also, is a "donate" feature.  It won't be a typical donation-type thing.  There will basically be different Zombies & Toys fun packs that your will receive for helping out.  So, it's more of a purchase than a donation.  Just as a small example of site costs, think that shipping for each contest prize can range from $3 to $10.  And so far, there are 7 contests this month alone.

Finally, our last two convention appearances this year will be at Horror Realm and Steel City Con.  Horror Realm is Sept. 17th - 19th in Southern Pittsburgh.  Steel City Con is Dec. 3rd - 5th in Monroeville.  We are hoping to venture out a bit further next year with our convention appearances.

Zombies & Toys Update

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

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

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

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

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

Update

I felt the need to provide a small Zombies & Toys update. So here's some goings-ons and time frames for anyone paying attention.

The Undead Bazaar is winding to a close. There are a few more artists to be featured including their accompanying contests. Remember, you can enter any of the contests you wish and winning one does not exclude you from winning the others. Check The Undead Bazaar main page for links to all of the features and contests.

Speaking of The Undead Bazaar, huge "thanks" to everyone entering, commenting, and participating. Especially to the artists without whom this bazaar would not be possible. Over the coming weeks, I will have special "thank you" packages sent to all of the artists who participated. There will be another Undead Bazaar next year. It is yet undecided if it will be one month with 2-4 features per week or 2 months with about 1-2 per week. Feedback?

We have a bunch of new contest sponsors and I hope to have their banners posted shortly. There are a few affiliate links posted in the margin but they are all at the bottom of the list with the exception of Sideshow Collectibles. All of the other banners are from friends of ZT. They are either sites I feel you may want to check out or have been kind enough to support ZT in some way. Please take a moment to browse around and see what they have to offer.

The ZT Facebook page is becoming more interactive each week! I encourage everyone to stop by and join the discussions. I also find myself posting brief tidbits of info there so it's a great way to get news in advance.

ZT will be appearing at Steel City Con in Pittsburgh Aug 6-9. We will also be at Horror Realm in Pittsburgh this Sept.

I welcome any questions, comments, suggestions and can be reached at zombiesandtoys@gmail.com. Also drop me an email if you have any zombie news, events you would like to announce, or would like to sponsor a contest.

As always, thank you for reading and supporting Zombies & Toys!

Update

Just another "update" post to let everyone know what's in store in the coming months here at Zombies & Toys...

As I have said in the past, my lack of updates definitely does not translate to a lack of work. The Undead Bazaar has been taking up the majority of my time this month. I have been slightly overwhelmed and have some new participants. Therefore, The Undead Bazaar is going to extend into June. We still have plenty of artists to cover and great items to give away! Speaking of, our first contest will have a winner chosen this weekend so don't forget to enter now!

We have been steadily stocking new items in the Zombie Toy Store. We have added several new art collectible toys, movie figures, and some vintage zombie toys. We do not ask for donations to keep the blog running and never will. But we will soon have "swag bag" items in the toy store. These swag bags will vary in content and price containing stickers, buttons, key chains, shirts, mouse pads, and other items to show your support for Zombies & Toys.

Speaking of showing your support, we are "toying" with the idea of recruiting for a street team. Specifics have not been worked out, but if you would like to help our community grow by displaying postcard fliers, stickers, buttons, and other items please contact Jason at zombiesandtoys@gmail.com with your suggestions of how you can help.

There will be plenty of great contests throughout the summer and beyond! Sourpuss Clothing will be back with some zombie accessories. Fright Rags has some great shirts to give away. Zombie Ammo has sent us some zombie target sets to help you prepare for the apocalypse. FearWerx will be back with some more of their great zombie items. Horror Signs has more sweet signs, stickers, and magnets to give away. Zombie Blood will be awarding 3 lucky readers 4-packs of their Zombie Blood energy drink (exclusive contest for facebook fans).

Zombies & Toys will also be sponsoring a contest with our good friends over at Toy Break. For those not in the know, Toy Break is a weekly show about... well... toys. It's a show I look forward to every week. We have sent them an exclusive Zombies & Toys zombie bust hand sculpted and painted by Philip Hynes!

Don't forget to join the discussions on the Zombies & Toys facebook page and be updated with news posts by following us on Twitter. There are often exclusive contests and bonus entries to those who take part. Finally, if you have zombie news you would like to announce or have any comments, contact me at zombiesandtoys@gmail.com.

Long Overdue Update

Thanks to everyone reading for all of their patience the past few weeks. Now that Steel City Con is over, I hope to get back on a regular schedule of posting zombie news. I have a handful of news bits to report on so expect a wave of quick posts in the days ahead. I also have some great things in store for the months to come.

I'm excited to announce that PopCap Games is sponsoring another contest by offering some free copies of the addicting Plants vs Zombies! I also have some PvZ promo swag, plush characters from the equally-addicting "Peggle", and some other PopCap goodies! We will also be giving away over 50 uniquely sculpted zombie miniatures, some books, more toys, shirts from T-Shirt Bordello, more accessories from Sourpuss Clothing, possibly some movies, and will have one month with close to a dozen different zombie prizes!

I am looking to make May a themed month with features on artisans who specialize in zombie crafts. Those of you participating already can expect some communication shortly. For anyone reading who creates zombies and would like to be featured, drop me an email for more details.

Contest Winners and Update

I hope everyone reading had a great Christmas. Hopefully, now I'll be able to get back to posting updates a bit more frequently. Case in point...

December's contest for a superb calendar from myzombiepinup.com ended on the 18th and I am just now getting around to announcing the winners. So congratulations to:

Christina M. from Asbury Park, NJ

William A. from Baltimore, MD

Thank you to all who entered. It was a lot of fun receiving all of the great entry pics. Here's a sample of the entries.

New Years Eve will also be the final day to enter for your chance to win a great shirt from Zombie Liquorice. Full details can be found here.

January's prize is going to be one of the best yet and you can expect to find out more this weekend.

Thank you to everyone reading, emailing, retweeting, and Facebooking; You have made 2009 a great year. I'm working hard to maintain the momentum into the new year and will continue to do so as long as there is interest. Have a safe and happy New Year! Cheers!

Update

I can't believe it's been a week since my last post. Like many of you, the holidays kept me busy. Even though I still have several personal commitments yet, I hope to have a few updates for you this week. Here's what you have to look forward to:

I will be posting the winners and entry pictures for the My Zombie Pinup calendar contest. I have some exciting news about the first Zombies & Toys exclusive toy that arrived last week. There are several new toys in the Zombie Toy Store I will mention. My review of the movie "Carriers" will be posted shortly. There will also be posts about some of the new friends I have made including someone who made a zombie coloring book! Of course, there are more contests in the works as well including some zombie accessories, rare games, handmade goodies, clothing, toys, swag, books, and movies.

2010 is going to start off great and thanks to all of you reading and contributing should be even better than 2009. Thanks for taking the time to read. For more frequent updates and occurrences as well as exclusive information including pics and news of upcoming contests, follow me on FaceBook.

November's Contest Winners

First things first... I'm sorry for running a little behind this month. Like everyone else, this time of year has me going in several different directions. To be honest, you can probably expect most updates to be a little behind. Here's a glimpse of some things to come and I'll elaborate on each at a later date:

I will be wrapping up the Holiday Gift Guide for Zombie fans shortly. I still have another contest planned for December and will have it up this week. The My Zombie Pinup contest is going to be cut short and will conclude in a week or so. More items are expected soon in the Zombie Toy Store. Zombies & Toys is going to have its first exclusive toy and it should arrive by the end of the month. I will also make every attempt to have a post or two with pics and highlights of Steel City Con this week.

There are also some great contests planned for the first half of next year. We'll have several books, a very special version of a fun zombie game. We have a few movies to give away. There will be some different hand-crafted pieces of art. There will even be more zombie toys.

Thanks for listening and now for the winners:

Taking Eejits will be Traci H. of Bedford, OH; Melissa K. of Benecia, CA; Kevin D. of Memphis, TN; and Melody G. of Orlando, FL.

Receiving some button sets are: Tim & Donna; Suzanne G. of Knoxville, TN; and Heather D. of Toledo, OH.

Winners of the Attack of the Zombie Bikini Babes from Outer Space are Alex D. and Manny R.

Thanks and congratulations to the winners! Thanks, too, to everyone reading and especially to Eejits Toys and Vindrewski's Button Emporium.

Update

Ugh! So I jost awoke from my turkey induced coma. Sorry for the lack of updates but family and out-of-town friends rank high on my list. Allow me to update you on things to come...

Because of the news I have neglected to post, I will more than likely fire out a bunch of quick "here's something you may want to know" updates. I have news on a unique zombie book recently published, zombie toy news, part three of the Zombies and Toys Holiday Shopping Guide for Zombie Fans, a current contest update, future contest updates, and a few other things I'm sure I forgot.

Thank you to everyone who has still been stopping by to check in and thanks, also, to those of you to write in with news and holiday wishes. I have coffee and energy drinks standing by so expect some good stuff to read tomorrow while you enjoy your Sunday morning coffee!