Sideshow Collectibles' Update: The Dead

As a zombie fan, a toy fan, and a zombie toy fan, Sideshow Collectibles' in-house line of zombie collectibles are my personal favorite. Their line, The Dead, started as a run of 12" zombie toys ...er, collectibles. Shortly after, they released a Premium Format edition of Patient Zero (review). For those not familiar with Sideshow, their Premium Format series is 1/4 scale of life-like goodness featuring real clothing. Recently, they have taken The Dead in some new directions.

Not too long ago Sideshow released a vinyl collectible of Mort, the zombie. Mort stands approximately 10" and has an "animated" type appearance. This version also featured a classic black and white or grayscale color scheme. This edition was limited to just 250 pieces and available for $69.99. Earlier this week to help you prepare for Halloween, Sideshow released the color version of Mort. This version is limited to 500 pieces and, incredibly, is still available for $59.99.

The Dead have gone from 12" figure, to Premium Format monster, to animated cute. Now let us bring out "The Specimens". This latest incarnation of The Dead features three "Legendary Scale" busts. Sideshow's Legendary Scale bust lines are approximately 1:2 scale of pure, quality collectible. The first of this new line for The Dead is a trio and limited to only 200 pieces. Amazingly, these are still available for $224.99 direct from Sideshow. If interested, buy them now as I guarantee they will not be available for long nor will they be available at this price in the future.

"The latest addition to the Sideshow Original The Dead collection, Sideshow proudly brings you The Dead: Specimens Legendary Scale Bust Set. This plague-ridden trio, including Specimen 090: Probe, Specimen 187: Bullet, and Specimen 419: Lobotomy, depicts just a few of the desperate attempts to eliminate The Dead. Each piece is individually painted and finished, each with its own unique quality and detail that is the trademark of a handcrafted Sideshow Collectibles product. The Dead: Specimens Legendary Scale Bust Set is an outstanding addition to any display."

Z.O.M.B.I.E. Toy Review

The second zombie toy review from BattleGrip.com happens to be of one of my personal favorite toys, Z.O.M.B.I.E. from October Toys. Rather than a full-blown introduction, I'm just going to post some links:

* BattleGrip.com review of Z.O.M.B.I.E. toys

* Zombies & Toys review

* Zombies & Toys contest for several packs of Z.O.M.B.I.E. toys

* October Toys official website

* Zombies & Toys Zombie Toy Store where you can buy Z.O.M.B.I.E. toys

Zombie Mez-Itz Review

I just discovered a great toy site that features frequent review updates. BattleGrip.com is a great place to spend some time drooling when you need a break looking at zombies drool. What drew me over there were two great zombie toy reviews. Both items should look familiar to readers of Zombies & Toys. If they don't, head over to the Zombie Toy Store.

I mentioned before that Mezco has released a limited edition black and white zombie Mez-Itz. I was taken back at first by its $25 price tag until I read this review and found out there were only 108 made. The color version is limited to 500 pieces and is available through Zombies & Toys for $18.

So take a moment and go read the great Zombie Mez-Itz review from BattleGrip.com. Then head over to Mezco to pick up one yourself or head over to my store for the color version.

Attack of the Zombie Bikini Babes from Outer Space

No, I haven't been drinking. That's the name of the latest iPhone and iPod Touch application from SMORT. Being one of the few who doesn't own an iPhone, I don't know how this compares to other apps. However, let's review the contents: zombies, women in bikinis, dual weapons, and dancing. Sounds like a winning way to kill some time to me. Find more information by heading over to SMORT.

From the Attack of the Zombie Bikini Babes from Outer Space site:

Save yourself and save humanity! Alien zombies have landed and they’re out for blood. Your blood. Don’t be fooled! They're as deadly as they are sexy. Somehow aliens captured HotForWords and they’ve created deadly clones!

You need to stop them with the only weapons available - your trusty slingshots. Be quick. Those bombshells are multiplying, and they’re taking over the planet. Earth needs you!

* Powerful slingshots, easy to use and lethal to aliens
* A selection of live ammo, and we mean LIVE -- raccoons and skunks -- in addition to assorted bombs and exploding projectiles
* A global view of who’s winning- the zombies or the resistance fighters
* A system for challenging your comrades to see who is most skilled
* An original soundtrack, surprising sounds and blood-curdling screams

Check out the pics and video below then head over to SMORT to fork up the whopping .99 cents the game will cost you. OR... email me at iPhone@zombiesandtoys.com for your chance to win the game for free. Two winners will be chosen at the end of the month to receive a download code unlocking the game courtesy of SMORT.

Today Only: Zombie Shirt At Woot

Head over to shirt.woot today only for your chance to grab a zombie pirate shirt for $10 shipped.

Max Brooks Lists His Favorite Zombie Films

MTV.com had the opportunity to speak with Max Brooks and asked him a superb question. They requested that Brooks provide a list of great zombie films to watch. I won't list them here as that would be in poor taste. I will, however, show a clip from one of the films and provide you the link to go read what movies he suggests. Oh, yeah... click here.

Here's some words from Brooks to lead into the clip from Zombie 2, "A zombie fights a shark. And that's a real shark by the way. You're gonna watch this and you're gonna be like 'holy crap, that's a real shark and some poor Italian stuntman wrestling it.'"

Zombie Tycoon For Playstation Network

The battle for console-zombie-supremecy rages on...

Want to control your own horde of zombies and take over the human race? Of course you do. Previously only available for the PSP, Zombie Tycoon takes the gameplay elements of titles such as Rollercoaster Tycoon and Railroad Tycoon and replaces that junk with zombies! Available on the 29th!

Avatar Rewards Featured For L4D2

Here's some fun news! Not only will completing tasks in Left 4 Dead 2 earn you some achievements, but it will also unlock exclusive accessories for your avatar. This is confirmed by Steam and G4 has a video showcasing some of the goodies. Here's the rundown and video:

* Unlock the Med Kit by beating all five campaigns on any skill level.
* Unlock the Frying Pan by killing 10,000 Infected.
* Unlock the Garden Gnome by rescuing Gnome Chompski.
* Unlock the Bull Shifters shirt by winning 10 games of Versus.
* Unlock the Left 4 Dead 2 shirt by winning 10 games of Scavenge.
* Unlock the Zombie Hand shirt by killing 10,000 Infected.
* Unlock the Depeche Mode shirt by rescuing Gnome Chompski.

Video Game - E3 2009 - Videogames

Playstation Home Will Be Overrun By Zombies!

So maybe I'm a little late to the party. Either that or I've been so hyped-up on Left 4 Dead 2 news that this one slipped past me. Either way, Sony isn't going to let XBox fans be the only ones with some zombie fun. Head over to undeadyourself.com to catch up on all the fun in store for PS3 owners. My handle is the same for PS3 as the 360, "xnoybis zombie"; So give me a yell!

Head over to undeadyourself.com to cast a vote on whether or not zombies should be free to roam around Playstation Home with the living. Votes must be cast by Friday at midnight. You will also have the opportunity to zombify your avatar as well as pick up some post-mortum decor for your home... all for free!

While many of us are happy to embrace zombies as our friends,
neighbors, policemen, payroll auditors, brain surgeons, and 400-level college
philosophy professors, there are a few extremists out there that are determined
to keep PlayStation Home free of what they call "a moral menace." At the
forefront of this political movement is the think tank organization known as the
S.P.A.Z. (Society of People Against Zombies). Headed up by R Phunrooner,
President (and reputed "recovering horror movie addict"), this group has taken
an aggressive approach to ridding PlayStation Home of the undead – from a
full-on anti-zombie advertising campaign to actually attempting to censor the
male zombie head. Luckily, the S.P.A.Z. is not without opposition. A non-profit
zombie rights organization is challenging R Phunrooner and the S.P.A.Z.'s
efforts by setting up a webpage where zombies and zombie-sympathizers alike can voice their support for the deceased (that have just recently returned to life).

Zombie Music Video

Zombies inspire yet again. This time we have a video by Reality Slap for their song "Breaking Out". The video is actually really good and so is the music so make sure to give it a watch. Thanks to Luis from Portugal for sending this in.

If you're looking for more zombie-inspired tunes, check out these previous posts:

* Jonathan Coulton: Your Brains
* ZOMBIE!
* Roky Erickson: I Walked With A Zombie

REALITY SLAP - Breaking Out from Realityslap on Vimeo.

Zombie Walk Receives $1,000 Tab

Organizers must fork up a hefty “clean up” fee of $1,000 resulting from an annual zombie walk in Denver, CO. The fee, which comes from “nine hours of using a power washer”, seems a bit extreme if you ask me. The Downtown Denver Partnership (who manages the mall where the walk took place) considered the fake blood grafitti and contacted that particular department to clean it up. Isn’t fake blood meant to wash off easily?

Daniel Newman, who was organizer of the event, did his part by contacting area law enforcement and other businesses prior to the event. He even secured a permit from parks and recreation. Newman had a full cleanup crew make the rounds that evening as well as the next morning.

Check out the full article including more words from Newman and a full slide show of the event by clicking here.

I Love Sarah Jane

I was saving some of my favorite zombie clips from YouTube and felt the need to post this one. I know I posted this amazing short, "I Love Sarah Jane", before but after watching this evening felt the need to share it again. If you haven't seen this you are truly missing out. This is probably the best zombie short I have ever seen.

Edit: Here's the link in case it's not just me who can't view the entire image on this site.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYxs7Y7ulrM

Tips For Surviving Left 4 Dead 2

Who else is ready for some L4D2? The countdown has begun and I'm stocking up on Red Bull in anticipation of playing for a week straight. Well... one can dream. Considering I'm an aging geek with a "real" job and family, I'll have to settle for for Friday and Saturday from 11:00 pm to 7:00 am the weekend following its release.

To tide us over, EA Games has created a light-hearted video featuring some survival tips. Thanks to Mandy for sending this over!

Interview With Max Brooks

No, not with me. I know, bummer. However, TimesUnion.com has posted an interview with zombie guru, Max Brooks. Head over and check it out. He talks about his dinner with George Romero, his use of props during appearances, and his advice regarding not being too proactive exterminating zombies.

Q: What I admire most about your oeuvre is the seriousness with which you take zombie threats. How do you feel about films such as "Sean of the Dead" or "Zombieland" that use zombies for laughs? And how about vampires (as in "Twilight" or "True Blood") who try not to act like vampires?

A: I have nothing against zombie comedies. They help spread the word and keep the general morale high. As far as vampires go, well, we know vampires don't really exist, right?

More Zombie Wine

Zombie wine strikes again. I’ve been trying to hunt a bottle of Night of the Living Red for months with no luck. I contacted Redheads Studio of McLaren Vale in Australia who referred me to two importers stateside and I still can’t get my hands on a bottle. Maybe I’ll have more luck with Chateau Diana’s exclusively produced wine “Zombie Zinfandel” that can only be found at Cost Plus World Market. I doubt it, though. If anyone out there wants to spot me the whopping $7.98 a bottle costs if they find some give me a yell.

In the meantime, if you really want to get sad about missing a sweet-looking bottle of wine, check out my older report about Night of the Living Red.

Fort Zombie Released This Friday

Kerberos Studios has announced that Fort Zombie will be on shelves this Friday, October 30th. Just in time for Halloween! For those who do not recall my earlier post, Fort Zombie is an action/RPG that has you occupying a base and preparing for the oncoming zombie onslaught.

The game looks hit-or-miss but I’ve been dying to play a zombie RPG that deals more with planning than shooting. For $9.99, I think it’s a risk worth taking.

Man Assaults Zombie!

Looks like Woody Harrelson isn’t the only one punching people thinking they are zombies. A man in Iowa City, Iowa was assaulted after being accused of being a zombie.

At around 1:00 a.m. Sunday, a restaurant patron was ordering food when an unknown man punched him in the eye. As the victim tried to call police on his cell phone, he was punched a second time leaving his nose broken! The assailant ran out of the back door and has yet to be caught.

It is unknown whether the victim’s skin was blue or green and if he had entrails hanging from him that would indicate that he was, indeed, a walking corpse. It is also unknown if he was ordering “brains” at the restaurant. Though, common sense should be a factor being as though the victim was not attacking the restaurant employee.

Contest Reminder

First, a huge "thank you" to Vindrewski's Button Emporium and Horror Signs for sponsoring. This month's contest concludes at the end of the week so make sure to enter before Halloween is over!

Some quick reminders: You can enter both contests; Previous contest winners are eligable; Don't forget to include your name and address with your entry as well as which sign and button set you would like. Current contests are always posted at the top of the margin.

I also wanted to mention that Vindrewski's generously donated several sets of buttons so you can look forward to another chance to win next month!

Who Wants Zombie Toys?

Just a quick update to let everyone know that I finally created a functioning shopping cart for the zombie goods I have in stock. Of course, if you would rather email me at zombiesandtoys@gmail.com, I'm happy to send you an invoice via PayPal like I have been doing.

To check things out, click here. I'll post a link in the margin as well. This will constantly be changing as I already have some new things on order. I can also special order items for those of you who collect other statues, busts, or vinyl toys.

Zombie Mez-Itz Available

I just received an extremely limited number of Zombie Mez-Itz from Mezco Toys. Mezco has the black and white version for $24.99 (click here for info). This color version is a limited edition of 500 and available for $20 shipped.

He is 6" tall and has 5 points of articulation including a ball-jointed head!

Anyone interested in picking one up can drop me an email at zombiesandtoys@gmail.com.

Zombie Candy Corn

Today only! Run over to Shirt.Woot to grab today's offering featuring zombie candy corn. I've mentioned Woot before, but for those not in the know offers expire at 1 AM EST. Items can also sell out and once they're gone, they're gone. If I were a betting man, I would say that this shirt will sell out especially since it was their "Derby Champ" which means people voted on this shirt and will more than likely want one. Plus, it's a freakin' cool shirt.

Shirt sells for $10 shipped.

S.G. Browne Interview

Just wanted to mention that MercuryNews.com featured some words with S.G. Browne, author of Breathers: A Zombie's Lament. In addition to some words from Browne, the article also tells a bit about Breathers and the upcoming movie by Diablo Cody.

For those that don't remember, Browne was kind enough to answer a few questions here on Zombies & Toys. On a personal note, if you haven't read Breathers yet, shame on you. You're missing out on a great book with a fresh look at our favorite subject.

Handmade Zombie Goodness

This isn't the first time nor will it be the last that I post about some handmade zombie goodness I stumble upon at Etsy. Kee-ripes, that place is a goldmine of skill. Case in point:

The Zombie Farm

The Zombie Farm...Zombie Raising Company

Each Zombie doll is handcrafted by the Zombie Queen. Each Zombie Rag Doll comes with a toetag that gives the doll # and date of death. There is a "Body Released to" section where you can put your name or someone else's name if Zombie is to be a gift.

They're like a zombi-fied Coraline dolls!

Case Phile

Have a high-tech gadget you need to protect? Cover it with a felt zombie cover. I'm a belt-clip-dork office guy, but these are better than those iPod socks for sure.

Anyone In London Want A Free Wii?

Granted, only a small portion of readers are from the other side of the pond. However, I happen to know for a fact that there are some. I also happen to know that they participate in zombie walks. And I further happen to know that they participate in zombie walks in London ...ahem, Steve.

So, if you live in or near London, zombie walk your arses to the Tate Modern at noon on October 31st. The best-dressed zombie on the day will win a Wii console and a copy of Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles. Two additional zombies will win a copy of the game for the best zombie stagger and best zombie moan. All courtesy of Capcom Games.

More Yummy Zombie Cake

When I think of "Halloween" the first thing in my head isn't "yummy cakes". But Halloween does bring out the creativity in folks. If you didn't see the coolest wedding cake ever, do it now. Then come back and check out these other great zombie cakes. Actually, there are 10 Halloween cakes featured on Endlesssimmer each one more amazing than the next. But because this blog isn't about mad scientists or spiders, I'll just show you the zombies.

The Zed Word Contest Ends This Friday

Just a quick reminder that our friends over at The Zed Word: Zombie Blog have a cool contest that ends this Friday. I originally mentioned this earlier in the month and if you didn't enter then you need to run over there and do so now. Winner will take home an autographed poster featuring various types of zombies. Full details can be found here.

Actually, don't enter. It'll increase my odds of winning!

Zombies Invade London

Okay, so it's a shameless plug post. As many recall, a while back I posted asking if anyone would be interested in helping to spread the word about Zombies & Toys by handing out fliers at events or in stores in your area. I was honestly surprised at the offers and am truly appreciative of everyone's efforts.

Some of you have displayed the ZT swag in their businesses, at work, handed out to friends or customers. Thanks so much for the help and support. Even the simple things like a Twitter retweet put a smile on my face. Well, I just wanted to share some pics that Steven sent me from World Zombie Day in London. After you're finished admiring the phenomenal makeup job, take a close look at what he's handing out. Yup. ZT swag. So "cheers" for doing my dirty work while at your social event.

While I'm at it, I want to also direct your attention to another long-time supporter, ZombieHead. Krystal and Jim have been handing out ZT swag to their customers and at shows they attend since I got started. These images I actually took from their Myspace page. So, if you're reading, a huge "Thanks" goes out to you guys as well.

If anyone else who follows along would like to help out, shoot me an email at zombiesandtoys@gmail.com. I'll usually send out about 50 postcard fliers to those who would like them. If you think you could use more, I'm happy to oblige. Now let me see if I can't post something you actually want to read before I crash.

Yum... Delicious Zombies

Huge props to Traci for emailing me a picture of what is possibly the greatest wedding cake I have ever seen.

Here's a description from the Flickr page: "This was our Zombie Wedding cake made by Mike's Amazing Cakes in Seattle! They're awesome! They made the Bride and Groom on top look like us down to the tux and dress, and the zombies matched our wedding party too!It was red velvet, in case you were wondering :)"

While we're on the topic of zombie snacks, I uncovered some yummy looking brain cupcakes recently over at technabob. The cupcakes are red velvet raspberry cake with French vanilla cream cheese frosting. The brains on top are actually made from chocolate formed in tiny brain molds. Full details can be found on the creater's Flicker page - xsomnis.

Finally, let's not forget about the yummy cookies featuring our favorite zombie hunters. These were featured in an earlier post but deserve to be seen again. Behold, the Left 4 Dead cookies.

Thanks to Traci for sharing her zombie wedding cake discovery. If you have any news that is good for the order, drop me an email at zombiesandtoys@gmail.com.

Shirts?

I'm debating about ordering a small quantity of Zombies & Toys t-shirts. Because I do not want to get stuck with a bunch of shirts, I thought I would ask for your input. Hopefully, you all would be the ones wearing them.


Shirts would be either gray or black with one of the images below. These aren't solid, but ideas to work off of. Shirts would be American Apparel or similar quality. I would sell them for no more than $15 shipped. Like the other swag I offer, my intent is not to get rich but rather offer an affordable way to show your support.

I posted a poll in the margin and, of course, comments to this post or direct emails are welcome (zombiesandtoys@gmail.com). Because this would involve time between myself and my designer (not to mention money), I wanted to see if it was worth it.

As always, thanks for reading and contributing!

Invasion of the Bald Zombies

I know there are a lot of folks out there who are upset with the flooding of zombies as of late. I, like many of you, grew up appreciating zombie films and the terrors associated with them. Honestly, I'm enjoying all of the zombies we're seeing in our culture. But sometimes even I see something and can't decide to smile or lower my head in shame.

Hair Club for Men (yes, that hair club for men) has launched a zombie game on their website. Dead Sexy: Invasion of the Bald Zombies has you shooting bald zombies and having them regrow their hair. Not only do they regrow hair, they turn into attractive, well-dressed men with scantily-clad women on their arms. Why would you want to regrow hair on zombies? To make it to the Hair Club Mansion where a harum of beautiful women await you, of course.

Don't believe me? Click here and go play the game yourself.

I Walked With A Zombie

I've been meaning to post this one for a minute. Here's a great song from a bizarre musician, Roky Erickson. The song, "I Walked With A Zombie", is not only a great tune but also the perfect theme as we approach Halloween.

Enjoy!

More Paper Zombies

Following up on an earlier post where you could make a Zombie Freud out of paper is more zombie paper fun. I received an email from a friend pointing me in the direction of a site appropriately titled Haunted Paper Toys.

For those of you more skilled than I, you can create not only zombies but also masks, skulls, haunted houses, and much more.

Make Your Own Zombie

I'm a sucker for cutesy zombie creations. I'm also a sucker for anything fun that allows me to create my own zombie. So show me something that allows me to make a cutesy zombie and I'm jumping around like a four-year-old after eating a dozen Pixie Sticks (unfortunately, I know what this is like).

Suzanne G. was kind enough to give me the heads-up on a cool zombie maker on JMKit.com. Head over and get to work! I'll warn you, though, you can only make female zombies. It's still fun. Just ask my wife!




Click to Play!

Make Your Own Zombie Freud

This one's short but sweet... Vince R. dropped me an email with a pic of a zombie Sigmund Freud made out of paper! Oh, yeah, he also included the instructions so you can make your own. If any of you have the patience, email me at zombiesandtoys@gmail.com and I'll send you the instructions and templates. It's in a PDF format so I cannot post them.

Sooth Your Baby With Zombies

That's right! I'm doing my darndest to desensitize my youngins to the horrors of the walking dead. I'm not doing too bad if I do say so and those who have been hanging around to witness all the pics of my son can attest to that. But this... this takes it a step further.

Etsy seller Salty and Sweet is making some very cool mobiles with the silhouettes of zombies. Does it get any cooler? Well, actually, yes it does. They are also available with the images of the crew and infected of Left 4 Dead. There are some other cool ones as well but does it really get any better than zombies? I didn't think so.