The Ultimate Infographic for Survival - READ ON !

Matt Boiselle

     

   Attention all bookworms -if you're one of those "I'd rather read about it rather than jump into it", then this article is definitely for you. Many thanks go out to the REI Outdoors Outfitter group and their ultra-creative team of survivalists who have put some serious brainpan-purging into an ultra-informative infographic that will prepare even the most stubborn zombie-apocalypse "know-it-alls" dead in their tracks. From the proper attire, to life-saving first aid knowledge, to the most effective undead-termination techniques, this graphic even has a separate reference section down below that contains all pertinent information for all page-turners & cinefiles when you need that extra bit of appointed data. So, if you feel as if your zombie-armageddon plan just isn't coming together, then feel free to check out the graphic at http://www.rei.com/features/infographics/zombie.html

Zombie/Apocalypse 2012: book review

Matt Boiselle


                                                                 
    
 Sometimes all you need is a fresh take on a topic that has been beaten down EXCESSIVELY over the past few years in order to rejuvenate your interest in that particular subject matter. Let's face it, there really isn't a whole lot more that can be said or done to give the whole "zombie armageddon" issue a new lease on life....or is it death ?

Author Ian McClellan has in fact given the aficionados of the undead reason to breathe again with his book titled "Zombie/Apocalypse 2012" - which meshes both the idea of an impending outbreak pertaining to the flesh-eating masses & the problematic situation we are currently facing here in the good old U.S. of A., thanks to our hard headed political leaders that continue to blindly flush the hopes & dreams of American citizens down the crapper (rant OVER.) The story follows Lance, an unemployed former factory worker and his trials & tribulations, pre & post cataclysm. He loses his wife & friends to the massacres that ensue (God rest their souls - you will become VERY familiar with that statement in this book) - and he sets out in order to protect himself and the very little that he has left.

But please don't look at this tale as a vehicle of sadness - there is enough humor in McClellan's storytelling to keep you laughing for hours. His ability to inject heavy doses of levity into several different scenarios only adds to the affecting & engaging read that this book promises to be. The heads of state & country here are poked fun at with merciless abandon, and deservedly so - after a while, you'll forget who the brain dead zombies truly are. McClellan has a gift for taking a scene and wrapping it around the reader, enveloping you as if your sitting front row on Lance's directionless voyage to both political & automaton refuge.

I found this a lively book to eyeball, and kept myself glued to the pages simply due to the notion that if you started to lag with the whole "apocalypse" storyline, you had the "Average American's" rage against the bureaucratic machine, which surely comes off as less-than-P.C. If it's a true political horror story that you are yearning for, then "Zombie/Apocalypse 2012" should be your platform - it gets my vote !

'Zombie Apocalypse' to air on The Discovery Channel

Matt Boiselle

   If you are one of the countless souls gathered amongst the masses that when mid-December rolls around,
you have been beaten severely around the head and shoulders area with the never-ending glut of holiday-themed programming coming out of your High-Definition happy boxes.

  Tired of The Grinch ? Sick of Charlie Brown wrecking that damned pathetic looking Christmas tree ? Ready to punch Ralphie from A Christmas Story square in his giblets ? Then rejoice my fellow zombie aficionados, because The Discovery Channel has become the latest to jump on the back of the rampaging phenomenon of the living dead and it's impending holocaust.

    'Zombie Apocalypse', airing Tuesday, December 18th will focus on the stories and disaster-preparation scenarios of 4 different people who, in varying ways are readying themselves for what they feel WILL be the end of all things. The main thing to remember here is that with the title plainly expressed, the show itself seems to insinuate that there can be an apocalypse without the dead rising from the graves, and while that certainly seems feasible......it just wouldn't be as fun if there weren't any zombies shambling around....anyone agree ? Oh well, tune into The Discovery Channel on Tuesday, December 18th - airtime is unlisted as of yet, but it's sure to be in the prime-time hours so check it out !
 

Could You Survive ?

Matt Boiselle

 
    Are you one of those horror movie fanatics that constantly runs through different scenarios when you are checking out a film ? Do you think that you could have the perfect plan in order to successfully survive a situation where you were face to face with a deranged serial killer ? Or maybe a horde of flesh-eating zombies ? How about an amped up rabid sea creature that wants to devour you whole ?

    If you think you could make it through any (or all) of these situations, then make sure to check out Chiller TV's new summer special " Can You Survive A Horror Movie ?" In this interesting idea for a show, we the viewer will be treated to a number of different horror-movie instances in where one of a group of industry insiders will be put to the ultimate test to see if they can survive, using their wits & stamina, but most importantly, do they have the correct amount of know-how to make it through these hellish undertakings ?

  We here at Zombies & Toys have a special interest in tonight's show mainly due to its subject matter - one of the situations will involve a host testing to see if they could survive a zombie apocalypse. Now I know that many of our writers and collaborators have what they think could be an iron-clad plan for the end of the world when the dead shall walk the earth, but just how right they are....only time will tell. If you are one of the lucky ones to have Chiller TV, the show will air tonight at 9 p.m.

Heart Land trailer: Coming Soon ?

Matt Boiselle

Amongst the plethora of zombie apocalypse movies that have surrounded us lately like a pack of rampaging, virus-infected maniacs, we the viewers have seen literally every form and fashion of life fighting off the undead, but what if for a moment, we looked towards the children ?

Coming ( hopefully) soon from the ultra-creative minds at Centermass Studios, is the film Heart Land, which focuses on a small band of young children and their struggles to survive against the backdrop of a zombie outbreak. While little is known about the movie itself, you can sort of get a gauge from focusing your peepers on the trailer, which looks very impressive. For all the latest news regarding what looks to be a sure-fire hot topic movie, head on over to http://www.centermassstudios.com/ or as usual, get the latest rotting chunks of news pieces from us here at Zombies & Toys. I can almost HEAR the parents' groups chomping at the bit, waiting to attack this film !

Area 187: Almost Hell Book Review

By David Brown "In the year 2007 an accident at a clandestine U.S.Government facility in rural West Virginia releases several test subjects infected with a necrotic virus. Within weeks the U.S.
military and the Department of Homeland Security are forced to declare the bulk of the state
under quarantine. Defensive lines are fortified and nothing is allowed in or out, damning those missed in the short period of evacuations to a living hell and locking away the real truth of the virus' creation. The government transfers the responsibility of maintaining the quarantine from the military to the Department of Homeland Security, which christens it "Area 187".
Suits and claims are dismissed under anti-terror legislation as the rest of government scrambles to cover their involvement in the original project, distancing themselves and their re-elections.

Seven years pass.

Homeland Security enforces a total news blackout on all things Area 187, and as with other disasters before it the bulk of America is more than willing to move on. Conspiracies continue
to thrive outside the now-immense defensive wall and fortifications, and mercenaries known as "grave robbers" regularly slip in and out of the Area, stealing valuables and taking contracts to bring back specific items for well-paying customers. Our story follows Josephine
Terrell, a television reporter and John Heath, once an Air Force search-and-rescue team leader that escaped the Area after five years of fruitless searching for his wife, as they risk their lives from both the dead and the living inside Area 187 to rescue a group of survivors.
Josephine is looking for the story of the century, one that will prove living, breathing Americans still await rescue inside the Area and that Homeland has been covering up their existence. Heath joins her mission after he sees what may be his wife, Eileen, in a video message from the survivors. Personal rivalries, government conspiracies, and a simple man's promise weave together with death incarnate to follow their every step as they make their way through a blasted, nightmarish landscape full of the hungering dead. But the peril offered by the mindless corpses behind the wall becomes second to the danger presented by the living beyond it..."

This is the synopsis for Eric R. Lowther's book Area 187: Almost Hell, and let me tell you, if this alone isn't enough to get you excited, then you are not a zombie fan. The book starts out following a new recruit who is tasked to enter the forsaken known as Area 187 in order to fix a tower. Needless to say the talk that his superior, Lieutenant Colson, gives in which he describes the area and its dangers lets you know the action that this book holds. The prologue does a nice job of setting us up for the sense of bleakness that will encompass you as you read.

From here on we follow the aforementioned Josephine Terrell as she searches for John Heath. Upon finding him, she is quickly pushed aside due to her seemingly nonsensical claims until she shows him a video containing a woman that looks like his wife. That is when she finally believed and he chooses to take her into the area to get the story of her life. Wrought with dangers unimagined, she prepares and their journey begins.

I will stop here so I don't ruin anymore of the story but needless to say it is one that keeps you entertained from the first page right up to the last. Lowther has a writing style that exudes forward momentum. You are never at a point where you say to yourself " I wish this was going by quicker." Everything about his style leads you to connect with the characters and as events unfold you will go through their emotional journeys simultaneously. These characters feel like they are people you would see in your life and that lends to a lot of the joy in reading this book, you can really find yourself beside the characters.

With the world as it is today there is no reason to think that conspiracies don't happen all the time (maybe not to this scale). The sense of what if, really shines through here and you want to keep reading to see what will happen as the pages turn. We all want to believe that we will survive an apocalyptic virus or plague like that of zombies, but we must ask a few questions.
What if you woke up and found yourself stranded amongst the dead ? What if you knew the government would never come ? How would you survive ? Who would you reach out to ? Ask yourself all of these questions and then go pick up this book now. You will not regret this read.

If you are interested in winning a copy we here at Zombies and Toys will be giving away one, just send an e-mail with your name and address to area187@zombiesandtoys.com and we will draw a name at random at the end of the month. Good luck !

Zombie Apocalypse open source guide

Matt Boiselle While any fan of zombie films, games, or books can give you a fairly detailed rundown about what needs to get done when the dead begin to infest our precious Earth, some others would prefer some kind of official guide, or an apocalyptic road map if you will, to assist us in that time of need.

Then click your finger-friendly mouse on the pic above to be taken to the website of opensource.com. They have kindly provided a downloadable pdf that will outline the 5 major problems that are sure to exist after the undead have joined us, and those problems are as follows: Energy, finding your friends, preventing boredom, staying alive, and rebuilding civilization. Recommendations are given as how to handle these situations, so feel free to file them away and use at your discretion, but don't come crying to the webmasters at opensource if you DO NOT follow these directions to the fullest, and your skull ends up resembling a hollowed out pumpkin on the day after Halloween.

Zombie Apocalypse Store

Matt Boiselle I'm sure that most of us can remember the good old days of Mom & Dad putting us in the back of the car while they went on a shopping trip. Our little eyes bugged out at all of the goodies in whatever store we were in at the time, begging & pleading for that one toy that we wanted more than anything -" pleeeeeaase ???? I swear you won't ever have to get me anything else ever" was the common refrain amongst the sad-eyed kids, hoping for at least ONE part of their parental unit to cave in.

Well I can tell you this, I am 38 years old and I can say with all honesty that if I ever ventured into the Zombie Apocalypse Store in Las Vegas, Nevada, my pleas of " can I get that?" to my wife would be heard for miles away. Before the store opened months ago, it used to be a gold & silver traders shop, and it now offers the apocalypse survivalist just about anything you could possibly need to fill up your end-of -days checklist. Falling a little short in the weaponry department ? The shop sells a plethora of stun guns & machetes, zombie max ammo, and combat knives the size of tree branches. They also have a gourmet food department with a large array of freeze-dried goods and k-rations ( hey, after the world ends it's not like you can stroll up to the drive-thru window at McDonalds.) The two things that caught my eye were the Zom-Bomb ( a 2lb binary compound that you mix, step back and shoot with a hi-velocity round, and watch any group of flesh-eaters get blown to kingdom come), and the 3D bleeding zombie targets, which are great for combat simulation. In addition, the store also sells movies, books, clothing and much more. ( I wonder if they offer a rewards card ?)

So feel free to click on the link in the picture which will take you to the online store, break out your credit cards, and prepare to shop till your heart's content. Or if you live in the Vegas area, just look for the black building which is completely surrounded by lit tiki torches. It might just be a wild guess, but I would think that if any of us wandered into Wal-Mart or Home Depot and said we were looking to stock up for the zombie apocalypse, we may be asked to leave the store. Good luck to everyone and Happy Shopping !!

Steve Niles' Remains: Review

Matt Boiselle This is my 1st movie review - actually the 1st review that has been put into words and thrown up onto a computer screen. I hope this goes well and if anyone has any objections to my opinions or takes issue with what I'm about to say, then " Thank You !" That means that there is an audience for my madness.

I guess you could consider myself spoiled as far as movies go, now I will give almost anything a chance, but unfortunately with my patience level, that's where it ends, I've been known to return a movie after only watching the first 10-15 minutes if I'm not feeling it. I'm quite sure that I have lost out on quite a few cinematic gems, but I feel pretty sure that I've saved myself from a lot of wasted time. Unfortunately, the latter is how I felt after watching Steve Niles' Remains, which was released for a 3 day premiere run at a movie theater near my home, mainly due to the fact that the movie was shot in 2 different locations close to my domicile. Shooting for the film began in late May- early June and Synthetic Cinema International put out the call for numerous extras and role players. I really wanted to jump in and try to get on set, but my job prohibited me from doing so. All in all, this 3 day premiere was kind of a gift to the many aspiring actors that set out to become zombified on film. The movie itself doesn't air on Chiller TV until December 16th, so I took it as quite a treat to see it before the rest of the masses....my mistake. So here it goes, if you don't want any spoilers, or are holding out hope for this movie, TURN BACK NOW.

Now I never read the graphic novels, so I jumped in blind, but say the word "zombie" and you've got my attention. The story takes place in Reno, Nevada and centers in on a very unpopulated run-down casino, and as the hardcore gamblers and smarmy, self-absorbed employees go about their normal business, outside there has been a nuclear disaster ( of course) caused by the government ( what else is new ? ) that ultimately turns all of the city residents into flesh-eating zombies. We then focus our attention on Tom, played by Grant Bowler ( True Blood fans will remember him as Cooter) - Tom is an alcoholic casino blackjack dealer who has numerous romantic trysts with cocktail waitress Tori, played by Evalena Marie. Well needless to say, while the city of Reno lies burning amidst nuclear fallout, these two have been locked in a storage closet " improving employee relations" if you catch my drift. When power is restored to the casino and the electronic lock releases on the closet, they come across numerous denizens of the undead and fight back gallantly. They soon become assisted by fledgling casino magician Jensen, played by former child actor Miko Hughes ( Pet Sematary, Kindergarten Cop & Wes Craven's A New Nightmare). All 3 quickly instantly go into defense mode but are all to happy to open the casino doors to a man that was trapped outside during the blast, but oddly enough hasn't suffered no signs of infection... his name is Victor, and he is portrayed by Andrew Marks. The group of 3 now becomes a foursome and the zombie beatdown commences, some good kills overall, but here is my main problem with the film. Again, call me spoiled, but I like my undead a couple of ways - slow and methodical, or track-star fast, but both with relentless aggression. Now certainly how a zombie operates and feeds is open to numerous interpretations, but these guys just come off as silly. For one instance, every zombie that I have seen feeds on living human flesh, but this particular group starts to eat each other, and themselves as well after a while ( hmmmm.) This group of the undead eats many other things, like food left out on dinner tables, and even the stuffing from a chair cushion. NOW it gets odd, at certain times at night, all of the zombies go into a kind of catatonic sleep mode, Yeah you heard that right, zombie naptime... they twitch, they bite in their sleep, and even occasionally moan and groan during their relaxation period. When they are awaken, which can happen quite easily, their agitation level rises, and some run full speed, while some just can't seem to get out of their own way.

In numerous scenes, survivors are able to slip on by without even drawing a second look, and in what I consider the silliest scene ( mainly due to my zombie purism), one of our cast gets bit on their fingers. So in order to prevent the virus from spreading, the offending fingers are lopped off by another cast member. As the cast member that is holding the now separated digits, they are confronted face-to-face by a snarling, crazed zombie. First inclination should be to raise your weapon and aim for the grey matter, but nope, our survivor simply tosses the fingers over the shoulders of the infected killer, who is only too happy to bypass this human buffet standing in front of him, and opt for the fingers. COME ON ALREADY !!!! In all my years of zombie film viewing, I have never seen a dumber group of the undead.

Moving along, the remaining survivors are rescued ( or so we are led to believe) by a military command unit, led by Ramsey, played by Lance Reddick, and his daughter Cindy, portrayed by Tawny Cypress, and their small, albeit well-armed band of soldiers. I really don't want to let on too much more here, but let me give you the turbo lowdown. The military turns out to be a bunch of scumbags, with the exception of Cindy, a love affair blooms while another one comes crashing down, and the proverbial door is left swinging WIDE open for a sequel.

So here is a quick rundown of the essential film categories, with ratings from 0 to 4 stars.

Storyline - Typical apocalypse set-up very slow at times - 2 out of 4 stars.

Acting - I found it really tough to care for any character in this film - dead acting ( no pun intended) - 1 out of 4 stars.

Zombies - Sorry for this, but these were the worst bunch of deadheads I've ever set eyes on. If these survivors had truly applied themselves, this apocalypse would have been over shortly after it started. - 0 out of 4 stars.

Special Effects - Kudos to Synthetic Cinemas as the skylines and city shots of a burning horizon didn't look too CGI infused, but just enough to be convincing. ( There is however one car crash that comes off unbelievably cheesy) - 3 out of 4 stars.

Overall, I can honestly say that I was disappointed with this movie. I wasn't expecting too much, but hey you work with what you have, and who knows, maybe after I give it another go when it premieres on TV in a few days, I may think differently......but I doubt it.

2 out of 4 stars.

Escape From Zombie City ( A One Way Out Novel)

Matt Boiselle
Looking for a spine tingling, immersive, edge of your seat thriller through a desperate attempt to stay alive during the zombie apocalypse ? Released on October 18th in both trade paperback and e-book format, The Zombie Feed Press, an imprint of Apex Publications, sends forth Escape From Zombie City ( A One Way Out Novel), written by Ray Wallace. The book drops you smack dab in the middle of a catastrophic outbreak of the undead, and gives you the feel that it is indeed you that has begun the end of days battle to keep yourself alive and safe amongst the recently re-animated. Many obstacles face you now as the city you reside in has been overrun by what the news broadcasts have stated as results of a failed government experiment ( is there any other kind ? ). The mere thought of just trying to move on to safer ground becomes an ever increasing futile attempt that is clouded by psycho survivalists, numerous roadblocks and stonewalled military defenses. This looks like a good read and if you are into the kind of novel that just doesn't paint the picture, but gives you the brush, then grab this book - on sale now at www.apexbookcompany.com/collections/the-zombie-feed

Zombie Apocalypse Available Next Week

Remember that game, Zombie Apocalypse, that was mentione here back in April? If not, click here and refresh your memory. Anyway... it will become available as a downloadable game on the PS3 and XBox 360 next week on the 23rd.

Carry on...

Zombie Apocalypse: New Dowloadable Game From Konami

Zombie Apocalypse is a download only shooter being brought to the XBox Live and Playstation Network this summer. A four player simultaneous slaughter fest, ZA will allow co-op play online as-well-as local play. From the videos I've seen, game play is reminiscent of Smash TV (for those of us old enough to remember). One stick will character movement while the other direction of fire.

The goal is to survive 55 days of zombie attacks. You will have an arsenal of ranged and melee weapons and, of course, the environment can be used to your advantage. There will also be a range of unlockable play modes. Attempts on my part to speak to someone at Konami were futile. You can't fault me for trying!