Justin Beiber in Zombieland 2?

David Brown


Anyone who has seen the original Zombieland will remember the surprise cameo. It has been revealed that there will be a cameo in the sequel as well.  Recently, Abigail Breslin from the original Zombieland has hinted that Justin Beiber would be perfect for a cameo in Zombieland 2. While this has yet to be confirmed, it would be an interesting cameo to say the least for the movie.

What do you guys all think? Would Justin Beiber make a great zombie? Who would you like to see as a zombie in the next Zombieland? Let us know what you think in the comments below and stay tuned for any updates on Zombieland 2 as they become available.

image provided by Billy Tackett

Who Wants a New Zombie Toy?

I know I do!  There is a new Kickstarter project that will give us all the opportunity to see a new plush zombie made.  Created by Rick Marson, the ZOMs are hand-sewn zombies available only on Etsy and at conventions.  With ZOM demand rising, Rick decided it was time for the zombie apocalypse we have all been preparing for.

I made my pledge several weeks ago and kept forgetting to bring this project to everyone's attention.  Trust me when I tell you that bringing a toy to production is not cheap.  If you would like to pre-order a ZOM, head over and secure your new, uindead friend.  If you would just like to help support a fellow fan of zombies and toys (and Zombies & Toys), make a small contribution and gain some swag in the process.  All details can be found here.

Food for Thought

Todd Jepperson


There have been whisperings around the WWW that there was a vinyl toy artist somewhere creating Rubik’s cube puzzles in the form of a brain. Z&T is pretty good at swingin’ shovels, and we were able to dig up some goods.

We chased the rumor to a website called Moistproduction.com and vinyl toy artist Jason Freeny. Using the “Contact” link on the page, we put it to him straight. All of his work was awesome, but we needed to see his brain—well, not his brain, we’re not undead
. . . yet—no, the brain puzzle he created. After all of that, Jason was quick to respond to our email and here’s what he had to say,

“. . . the brain cube was initially created as an art piece, but once the images were let out it took on a life of [its] own. The cube is currently in review at several toy companies. Hopefully within the week one of them will be designated the company that will do a production run. It is all but certain this will happen.”

That was three weeks ago. Today I got an email update on the progress. Companies were very interested, and one of those companies must’ve struck a good deal because this thing is going production. The artist selected Marbles: the brain store, and things are in full charge. So, that's what we've got for you. If you want to see the process by which this masterpiece came to be, check out his Facebook page (here) and browse the photos.

Although this is the first piece from Jason I traced back to him, I have actually seen quite a few of his works. The one I remember specifically is the anatomical gummy bear, but his website and his Facebook page are stuffed full of everything from Hello Kitty to Super Mario to even My Little Pony. Nothing is sacred. No one is safe from his razor blade and vinyl attack and we reap the rewards of his craft.

If we can work it out, we’ll put the brain in the store and do our best to bring it to you faster and at the lowest possible price. You can count on it. Until then, please do yourself a favor and click on the links above. You won’t regret it.

Zombie College Musical Interview

David Brown



A few weeks ago I posted information on Zombie College Musical, a series created by and starring students from Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania. For those of you who haven’t seen it, I would definitely recommend that you head over to their YouTube channel (located here) to watch the first two videos; they’re great.

I recently had the pleasure to sit down with three of the minds behind this fun mix of zombies, music, and love. Yulin Kuang (writer), David Grabowski (composer), and Benjamin Welmond (director), took the time to sit down with me and discuss the series, their influences and their future. Continue down to read this great interview and watch for episode 3 of this great series to be released sometime in this spring.

What influenced you to create this series?
Yulin: I really love musicals and I just wanted to help fling another one out into the world (despite possessing no musical talents whatsoever). So, over the summer I contacted David about writing a musical with me. He texted me back, “How do you feel about zombies?” and we pretty much just went from there.
David: Definitely a combination of my love for zombie films and musicals, obviously. There’s a lot going on psychologically in zombie films, you get to really see some sides of humanity that you wouldn’t anywhere else. Adding music to that I think makes us take things a little less seriously, which allows for this kind of dark comedy we’ve created.

What are some of your favorite zombie items, whether it is books, movies, video games or even toys?
Benjamin: I could go on for hours, but I love 28 days later. It’s an absolutely crucial zombie flick, and a great movie in general. It makes zombies into something real, and unstoppable. Other than that, I really love the original dawn of the dead.
Yulin: Zombies terrify me and I generally avoid them,
but in a town like Pittsburgh that’s been home to so many zombie flicks, it’s hard not to gain some appreciation for them. I think my tastes veer more on the parody side. I did enjoyed 28 Days Later, though, as well as Zombieland and the new zombie webseries, Bite Me. I own two copies of Pride & Prejudice & Zombies.
David: Absolutely love 28 Days Later, The Walking Dead, and Dawn of the Dead. Resident Evil (the original videogame) is a piece of genius. If you’re scoffing, try playing that game alone in your dark basement and then come talk to me.

How long does it take to produce an episode?
Benjamin: Generally it takes about a month and a half to shoot and then edit the episode, if we don’t have any reshoots or scheduling conflicts.

What goes into producing an episode?
Benjamin: I usually begin by sitting down and planning out the shots with the director of photography Spencer Diaz. We generally bounce ideas off of each other until we come up with interesting ways to shoot our next scene. We then find the location, do an extra and crew call, and shoot until the end of the scene.
Yulin: On the creative side, David and I fleshed out the story plan for the series over the summer, and we write the episodes together.
David: Mind, soul, blood, sweat, drugs, tears, and a lot of alcohol.

Where do you draw influence for the musical numbers?
David: I grew up on musicals. Rogers and Hammerstein, Gilbert and Sullivan (although that’s more the opera realm), Steven Schwartz, you name it. For the music on ZCM I definitely went down the rock opera path musically. It’s an intense plot, so it called for the darkness only rock music can bring, but, there are some numbers that feel decidedly Broadway.

How many episodes do you foresee the series being?
Benjamin: 4 episodes

Will we see true love blossom in the zombie apocalypse, or will we have to wait and see?
Yulin: What’s a zombie apocalypse without a romantic subplot?
David: Love is a powerful force, and for me, no zombie apocalypse would ever get in its way. That being said, desperate times force us to be more emotional . . . I think. What that emotion is exactly, you’ll have to wait and see.

If there were a zombie apocalypse, what would you do to survive?
Benjamin: Sit in my basement, listen to Nas’s Illmatic on repeat, eat Cheetos, and play video games.
Yulin: I’d probably fall over and die at the first sign of a zombie apocalypse, to be honest.
David: Raid an arms and ammunition store, hole myself up in a basement, gather survivors, and make a desperate run to the nearest seaport. Then steal a boat, and try to get to an island where hopefully the infection hasn’t spread. From there we would build humanity from the ground up again.

If you were bitten by a zombie, would you rather succumb to the bite and become a zombie for a bit; or would you rather be killed?
Benjamin: I’ll be honest, I’m a bit curious on the simple lives of zombies.
Yulin: I’d succumb to the bite—maybe there’d be a cure eventually. David: I’d kill myself before I’d let a walker get at me.

If you ever had the chance to have action figures made of your series, who would get to be an action figure? What kind of accessories would they have?
Benjamin: Watch the next episode. I won’t say too much, but one of the characters in there is going to be awesome.
Yulin: I think Joey the Bro with his five popped collars is fairly worthy of an action figure.
David: Peter would definitely have his own action figure. We’d give him a bloody baseball bat, and a chemistry set for mixing antidote.

If anybody wants to help, or join in on all of the fun, how can they do so?
Benjamin: We have an extras call that we send out through Facebook. If you want to be a zombie and are from the Pittsburgh area, sign up here; otherwise, check out the production blog and get ready to be zombie-fied!

What does the future hold for you?
Benjamin: Sitting in my basement, listening to Illmatic on repeat, eating Cheetos and playing video games.
Yulin: Writing more webseries shows. Maybe one day I can graduate to television.
David: A lot of sleepless nights in the recording studio and caffeine . . . so much caffeine.

The Walking Dead to Invade Gaming Consoles

David Brown

If you are a fan of The Walking Dead, you are probably thirsting for everything that you can get your hands on. That being said, there was a nice announcement from TellTale Games that they are developing a game based off of the popular comic series. According to the company, the game is going to be released on PC, Mac, the iPad, and various gaming consoles. IGN.com went on to report that the game is meant to be a “multi-year, multi-platform, multi-title” production. The company is further looking to make the games episodic much like the TV show. Look forward to the release of the first game at the end of this year.

Score a $5 Zombie Shirt - Today Only!

Head over to Bigtime Teez and grab yourself today's $5 T-shirt offering, Zombie Evolution.

Bowling Zombies

Those of you paying attention to our updates on Facebook are most likely aware that we are selling Bowling Zombie sets in the Zombie Toy Store.  What you don't know, however, is we are stocking these because of a long overdue reveiw of these guys.

Made by Front Porch Classics, I received a set of Bowling Zombies to review.  After opening them, I quickly decided that they definitely needed to be a part of our store.  They are packaged in a sturdy tube that is worthy of being displayed in a zombie fan's collection.  This is a "table top" bowling game, so the included zombies are about 5" tall.  They are wooden and hand-painted with adequate and fun details.  There is one survivor, a screeming woman, that is most likely meant to be the front pin.  The bowling ball is a bomb with a painted wick. 

After passing my test of displayability (is that even a word?), I moved the Bowling Zombies through the gauntlet.  Next stop?  Work.  I often bring new toys to work in order to gauge responses of collegues.  To no surprise, they were a hit.  In fact, I have already sold several sets to co-workers with uses ranging from a portable vacation game for the family to a fun drinking game for a college student. 

The next test was with my children.  Their ages at the time were 5 and 3.  Play began with the two taking turns rolling the bomb at the zombies while your's truely set up pins after turns.  This continued for about an hour after which I became tired of constantly setting up the pins.  Even after I left the game, they continued to play for an additional hour.  Not only is this a testament as to the play-ability, but also to their durability.  The game started on the table with zombies being pounded by a ball and both being knocked onto the floor.  Later, the kids decided to take the game onto the floor where they could roll the ball with more momentum.  While they did miss the majority of the time, the set held up to their abuse.  The kids still grab my set from the zombie toy display and roll a few rounds.  While my set is still holding up, remember that they are wooden with paint.  So a few dents, dings, and scratches should be expected if they are used for play.

The final test is you, our readers.  If you want to buy a set, I encourage you to pick them up from us at the Zombie Toy Store.  They can also be found at various other retailers including Target online and Amazon.  But, you don't get free Zombies & Toys swag from other vendors.  You can also check out other offerings by Front Porch Classics with a visit to their home page.

Help A Fellow Reader Become A Zombie

I have mentioned before that Zombies & Toys is a site for  you, the reader.  Through the years, I have been able to make quite a few new friends and I hope many of you have also.  Well, one of our own has the opportunity to win a walk-on role as a zombie in the upcoming movie, Outpost 2.

Steven Uden has been an active member of our community since the beginning and he needs our assistance.  Being one of our readers from across the pond, he has entered a contest to be a zombie in a movie filming in the UK.  He is probably one of the only people I know whose own makeup application could rival a professional's.  You have a look at the pictures below and tell me if you disagree.  But I digress...

Help Steven fulfill his dream which is probably one that we all share.  I mean, who reading this wouldn't want to be a zombie in a motion picture?  I am asking everyone reading this to leave a comment under Steven's photo on this Facebook page.  That's it.  It'll take less than two minutes of your time to help one of our own fulfill a dream and make a memory that will last a lifetime.

Good luck, Steven!

Big Time Teez - zombie shirts and contest

We recently made friends with the folks over at Bigtime Teez.  As most of you know, if we made a new friend, you have a new friend also.  Bigtime Teez features a variety of funny designs and, of course, zombie shirts!

Go have a look at what they have to offer and then email me your name and address to bigtime@zombiesandtoys.com for a chance to win the shirt of your choice!  We will select one winner at random at the end of April.  All shirts are currently only $10 so you may not want to wait and should pick up your favorites now.

Featherweight Zombies

Todd Jepperson

Alot of fighters like to get into the minds of their opponents. For his fight tonight against "the Korean Zombie," Chan Sung Jung, UFC featherweight Leonard Garcia went the extra mile. He showed up for the weigh ins wearing this massive Plants Vs Zombies mask.

(photos: combatlifestyle.com)

Both fighters made the 145 lb weight limit and their fight will be broadcast live tonight at 10pm et (9pm pacific) following a 9 hour UFC: Unleashed marathon on Spike TV.

Who is the Deadliest Warrior?

Todd Jepperson

Ladies and Gentleman! This is the main event of the evening! This fight is one round, no time limit, for the undisputed Heavyweight championship of the supernatural world. Fighting out of the red corner . . .

The Deadliest Warrior Pits Vampires Vs. Zombies
Tags: The Deadliest Warrior Pits Vampires Vs. Zombies

Yeah, that really just happened. Although I did find production stills over on Spike.com, nothing is buzzing around except for the news that this is going down.

Which opens my mind to a whole new world. Who wants to see a Z&T productions Zombie Vs Vampire? Send me an email at todd@zombiesandtoys.com and tell me who you think would win, what gives them their specific edge, and how they get the job done. We’ll accept submissions until the end of April, and then we’ll let the magic happen. Based on what you, our readers suggest (though email and the poll to the right) the fight will play out in words right here on Zombies&Toys.

So, who takes it? The fearless, rotted corpse; or, the cunning and mysterious (absolutely not sparkly in any way, shape or form) parched soul? We’ll soon know. Red corner, ready? Blue corner, ready? LET’S GET IT ON!

Awww... Nuts!

Todd Jepperson

A picture is worth a thousand words...

Best New Zombie Tales (Volumes 1 and 2)

Todd Jepperson

Before you read any further, my Fanboy Disclaimer: I dig anthologies. The reason I love them is simple; I have a problem. Every book I open, I finish. Most days, I’ve got so much to do I just don’t have time to take a big enough bite to satisfy the hunger. That can get really frustrating; especially if it’s not that great a book. The solution, for me, has been copious amounts of Anthologies. My Scientific Wild-Assed Guess—or SWAG, if you will—is that, in general, most anthology stories are open and shut in an average twenty-five pages. Have an hour? BAM! Two books down. Half that time? Not a problem; you’ll be done and cleaned up way before curfew.

Now, to the books. Each of these books contains twenty (nineteen if you don’t count the author’s introduction) short stories and no two authors hold down the same fort. You have everything here from techno-Zombies to Voodoo body snatchers even to stranger than fiction morphological freaks. Not only that, but even when you do have two similar types of animates, the arc that they follow is absolutely unique. To fully paint the picture of exactly what these books are and are not, I’d need to write forty full-color posts up and down. That’s something I can’t do, and you may not survive.

My review, then, is this: I haven’t come across an anthology I regretted buying, but I’ve never landed one without the here-and-there oddball either. These two stand toward the front of the horde as being definitely worth your time (Vol.One being my favorite of the two). Both contain strong language, graphic content, and sexual themes. These are not for the kids. Keep your eye out for gems, such as: Pegleg and Paddy Save the World, Paradise Denied, and Dredging Up the Dead. If you have a young son, skip past Connections; that’s a tear jerker.

Pick them up on Smashwords, Amazon , or your favorite book store, depending on how you like your meat served; eBook or Paperback.

Carter Reid's Zombie Nation

Todd Jepperson



The Zombie Nation is my new favorite web comic. It chronicles the tale of two brothers, Ashley Herbert Lovecraft (the bitter one (and who wouldn't be if you were a boy named Sue . . . er, a dude named Ashley?)) and George "Romey" Lovecraft (the younger, happy-go-lucky one) as they do their best to keep the Apocalypse safe from humans, nerds, and vengeful ex-wives.

The first thing you might think is with names like Romey clearly making reference to the godfather of the living dead, these characters don't fit his mold. I say, remember the scene in NOTLD where the Z is using a rock to try and smash through the window of the car? Remember Bubs? They were predecessors; Romey and Lovecraft are an evolved species. They plan to outlast any obstacle that would keep them from enjoying their undeath. Although, I normally don't like my monsters to have anyone home upstairs, this guy's work gave me a good chucle.

I spent two days reading every post he had before I found the useful little drop menu on the left. If you're pressed for time, this is your express pass to the good stuff. The comic goes up every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; but, you'd do yourself well to check out every one of the links. You'll find all of the standard business, with a few handy extras thrown in there for fun. The artist even has a step-by-step Create Your Own Necronomicon tutorial. There's practical for ya! Am I the only one who has ever thought things would be better if I had my own Book of the Dead on display atop my coffee table? (apparently not)

Every line of text on the site is infused with his own, unique brand of humor. Check it out here; you'll be glad you did. For your continued viewing pleasure, here are a couple of my favorites:

The Zombie Recipe: Not Just a Mixed Drink Anymore

Todd Jepperson

So, do you remember our review of Jonathan Maberry’s novel, Patient Zero? (here) In that review, we mentioned that Maberry’s monsters were infected by a weaponized form of the Prion disease Fatal Familial Insomnia. Well, it may be that the writers for Popular Science magazine read our post. A couple weeks ago, they posted an article exploring the method by which these nasty little pseudo-proteins could shift the human machine into extinction overdrive.


In summary, the article covers Zombies from Haiti to Hollywood, and takes a little pause in between to demonstrate real world examples of the living dead in nature. It goes on to quote a guy named Steven Schlozman (author of The Zombie Autopsies) as he describes the war a Z-virus would have to wage on the human brain. They submit that the most likely scenario for this to happen would be infection by a “proteinaceous infectious particle, a prion”. The article then chases prions through the course of history back to a tribe of New Guinea cannibals who practiced none other than the eating of human brains.


It will only take about ten minutes to read the article, but it could take the rest of your life to come to terms with what you find there. Now might be a good time to start stockpiling that food storage. You don’t wait ‘til you’re thirsty to start digging a well and you don’t wait ‘til the world ends to start preparing for the apocalypse. You can view the full article by popping up on the other side of this link. Didn’t I tell you Zombies were real? You can’t say we didn’t warn you.

Night of the Living Dead Comic

Todd Jepperson

Do none of us put any stock into remakes, or is it just me refusing to hold my breath? When I caught wind of a Night of the Living Dead remake, I shook my head, suppressed my hopes, and clicked the link. What I found was a comic book released by Avatar press in July. There are thirty-three different editions, covers, and additions on the Avatar Press website (here). If you’re into comic books, hop on over and take a look.


“Fans have demanded it, the most unprecedented and horrifying night in American history continues as the next chapter of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD is revealed at last! Set on that fateful evening in 1968, shocking reports from rural areas continue to flood the airwaves with accounts of the recently deceased rising up to kill the living. Now government officials begin counter-measures to calm an increasingly panic-stricken public. Questioning whether or not the unbelievable stories are truth or simply an elaborate hoax perpetrated by militants opposed to the Vietnam War, the attention of the nation's Capitol is focused on a threat more believable, as thousands of protesters converge on Capitol Hill to voice their opposition to the War. But with National Guard forces spread impossibly-thin to deal with civil unrest, Washington D.C. is completely unprepared for an event that will forever change the course of the country, and perhaps the world, as an unstoppable army of the undead begins to flood the city, bringing their blood-thirsty reign of terror to the very steps of the White House! Written by the smash duo of Mike Wolfer and John Russo, the original film co-writer, this blood-drenched five-issue series features new artist Tomas Aira. DonÆt miss all the terrifying covers, Paul (Freakangels) Duffield provides the Regular edition, Raulo (Cpt Swing) Caceres melts eyeballs with the Wraparound cover, and twisted Matt Martin splatters the Gore covers all over the page. Also, retailers can get a ultra-rare Classic B&W cover as an order incentive.”

Going Green... and Gangrene

Chad Hunter



Night of the Living Dead t-shirts available via recycling of old shirts


Who said zombies don’t care about recycling? Now available through Neoflux Productions and Bootleg Horror, fans can get their own Night of the Living Dead: Reanimated t-shirts for the corpse-staggering price of 10 used shirts. By mailing in 10 used shirts and, after choosing ink colors and pinning this order form to the shirt you want the printing on, zombie-lovers can receive a NOTLD:R t-shirt pressed, printed, and packed free of charge via mail.

This is a great opportunity to reduce waste, promote recycling and reusing.  Shirts will be screen-printed by Bootleg Screen Printing. Free shipping is only within the US. International shipping will be pro-rated; email bootlegscreenprinting@cox.net for International shipping details. Remember that zombies don’t just reanimate, they reuse and they recycle.

Win THE WALKING DEAD on Blu-ray or DVD

Todd Jepperson

We just wanted to check in, real quick, and let you guys know about a couple of giveaways you won’t want to miss. Both contests are for your own copy of THE WALKING DEAD Season 1 on either Blu-ray or DVD and are in the typical Z&T style; where all you need is an email account, a name, and mailing address to enter. Dread Central’s contest began on Feb. 24th, and CraveOnline’s went up last week. You’ll wanna get in on these sooner than later. Take a ride on each link and enter both; If you win, you can always pay-it-forward and mail it to us!

Z-SAT Review and Scores

David Brown


Many of you who have profiles on Facebook have no doubt come across those quizzes that ask you to answer some questions that will determine how long you would survive during the zombie apocalypse. My biggest problem with many of these quizzes is they tend to have a lot of unimportant questions. For example, how is the color I chose for my shorts going to affect my survival chances when zombies aren’t attracted to one color over another (as far as we know)?  Now, along comes the Z-SAT to correct this issue.

Anyone who has or will be taking the SAT for acceptance into college will find this to be a familiar test. Rather than questions about math, reading, and writing we are given questions about the deadliness of different zombie body types, ammo choice, and even travel choices. This is a real test. Most of the staff here at Zombies & Toys took at least three or four hours to complete the test. Do not be fooled by the cover, you will be tested and you will be forced to make some decisions that aren’t easy.

There is a lot of fun to be had in taking this test.  You truly have to think about answers to questions that have never been asked before. You feel a sense of accomplishment as you check answers to see if you are, in fact, as smart as you thought. Our biggest complaint about this book is that it seems a few of the questions could be just a matter of the author’s opinions. We all agreed that a few answers didn’t make sense based off of scenarios we had seen before in books, movies, and other media. It could be that there wasn't enough time or manpower available to research and gather facts or statistics which could be cited.  While the test was fun, it would have been nice to have answers that were validated.

The Z-SAT may have little flaws, but like any test it should not be taken as an exact measure.  This test is a way to measure base preparedness levels in the event that a real zombie apocalypse has begun. As stated earlier, our crew formed many opinions after taking this test. We have posted our scores for you to laugh at but encourage you to take the test yourself.  Pick up a copy of the Z-SAT and see how you stack up to the crew of Zobmies & Toys!

Dave - 82.76%
Sara - 59.67%
Todd - 73.98%
Jason - 63.58%
Gnat - 74.63%
Kala - 69.76%

Average - 70.73%


We are eager to hear how you score on the Z-SAT so make sure to let us know.  At the very least, look for a comment left here with the scores of our three contest winners!

Ronyo F. from Australia
Kimberly R. from Phoenix, AZ
Billy B. from Lynnwood, WA

Pat the Zombie - book review

It is no mystery that I like zombies.  So, when I tell you that I received a zombie item that excited me, it's only natural to take my opinion with a grain of salt.  Pat the Zombie, however, is a book I enjoyed that definitely deserves your attention.

Written by Aaron Ximm, the book is an adult spoof of the children's classic, Pat the Bunny.  Using "adult" here does not imply anything dirty.  It is simply a reminder that you want to keep this one away from the kiddies.  Pat the Zombie is the same tiny, cute size as the original and features the same hands-on additions.  You have the "peek-a-boo" towel you lift, the furry rabbit to touch, holes, mirrors, rough textures, and so on.  All of this with a fun, made for adult fans of zombies vibe.

I chuckled as I viewed every page.  The same gimmicks that entertained us as children amused me as an adult.  I did touch the bunny.  I did look into the mirror.  I felt the gritty bones, smelled the scratch-n-sniff rotting flesh, and played peek-a-boo!  I had fun.

Often times, I will bring new products to work in order to gauge the interest of my co-workers.  I work in an office environment with 30 to 50 year-olds.  Yes, I am old.  Everyone enjoyed this book.  It sparked memories, caused groans of shock and laughter, and demanded attention.  At the very least, walk into your local book store and read it; It'll take five minutes.  But, I highly doubt you will regret owning this palm-sized gem and I am certain you will entertain entertain enough friends to get your money's worth.

The Awakening Sisters Cast

Todd Jepperson

I told you we’d be back with updates. So far, it’s really nothing but names and pictures, but there have been three casting announcements for the pilot of the upcoming CW show, The Awakening. We all know how these things change during production, but here’s what we’ve got today:

The UK’s own Lucy Griffiths has been cast as powerful attorney, sister number 1, Jenna Lestrade. If you watch much TV, you might recognize her as Maid Marian from BBC’s Robin Hood. She also plays a role in the upcoming UK horror film, Billboard, which is set for an April, 2011 release.

From Lights Out, Royal Pains, and As the World Turns, we have Meredith Hagner cast as sister number 2—so far there’s no name that I could come up with, but it looks like this will be the supporting role.

Ladies, we didn’t forget about you. There has also been a strong male role cast, although as for what part he may be playing in the pilot, we haven’t found any details. Anyway, Brian Hallisay has a Hollywood rap sheet about a mile long. He’s in the upcoming horror flick Hostel: part 3 and has had his hand in major television shows such as CSI: NY, Without a Trace, Bones, Eastwick, and Medium. (and ain’t he purdy?)

We’re doing everything we can to keep on top of these things. Sometimes our best leads are you—our readers. If you have information we don’t; or if you’re just dying to know more about this and other news we post, let us know. You can contact us by email or by leaving your comments here, on Facebook, or Twitter. Let’s hope this turns out to be as good as it has the potential to. Until next time . . .

Attention Decedents! Ad Agency looking for One Good Corpse

Todd Jepperson

This one is for our far North American friends living in or around Victoria, B.C. The company Copeland Communications is looking for a “spirited, creative, driven, social media-savvy . . . and dead” intern who’s not afraid to work among the living. They want twenty-five, unpaid, hours of you per week for at least two months. Remember, though, it’s Canada. Corpses tend to last longer in cold weather; so, they’ve got a pretty good idea you’ll last at least that long.


The trade-off? It’s probably best to let them tell you, we’d hate to get it wrong,

“As an intern, we will teach you what we know about the business. You will do research, be in strategic and creative brainstorms, meet clients, solve problems and participate fully in agency life. All the stuff that will set you up for success

. . .Our last two unpaid interns went directly to agency jobs. It’s a good thing to have on your resume and a great education in the biz. We may even hire you ourselves if you make yourself indispensable.

. . . Or eat you, as internal food supplies dictate.”

The contest is on now and will run through March 14th, 2011; so get something together ASAP. You probably don’t want to be the last submission they look at. Again, they’re not your traditional advertising firm. They prefer to go by “energy company” and they know they play by a whole new set of rules.

So here’s the deal: get inventive and enjoy yourself. They’re looking for a dog and pony show here, and you’d probably better deliver.

“We get enough resumes and cover letters. We want someone who understands the principles of selling and advertising. That’s our business! So we invite you to make your case anyway you like as long as the shambling grey guys with the bloody mouths figure into it.”

There you have it. It’s not impossible for a revenant to take a bite out of the pie the living seem to have ascended. Lumber your way over to the company blog (link) and check it out for yourself. Let us know if you happen to land the job (todd@zombiesandtoys.com). We’d love to hear about it.

A New Twist On Zombie Music

Dan Barkasi



Perspective can be everything. Especially considering a genre such as the one we cover here, an interesting viewpoint can be a difference maker in quality.

Enter Aaron Stoquert. This musician has made an EP titled “Run For Your Life,” which is five songs that tackle – you guessed it – zombies. However, the theme comes with a twist. All of the tracks tackle the idea of how a zombie may be feeling in certain situations, running a gamut of situations.

Lyrically, this is quite inspired work. It’s obvious that a great deal of time and care was put into putting these songs together. Here’s an excerpt of a lyrical passage from the song “Bunker Hill,” which is the opening song:

The wind won't blow and the fire is out
Arms of the dead have no comfort to give
Rock-a-bye baby--stay in one place
The world is coming to an end...

The music itself is deeply rooted in folk, and is very somber in it’s approach. Heavily dominated by acoustic guitars, and soothing – yet haunting – vocals, this EP is full of emotion that portrays a wide array of strong feelings. It’s very downtrodden, thought-provoking and masterfully crafted.

As I’m sure most of you have heard, a good deal of songs involving zombies can be quite silly in nature. Which isn’t a bad thing – a great deal of these songs are a blast to listen to. The fact that there is something like this that takes an introspective look into what a zombie may be experiencing, however, is a road that hasn’t been traveled until now.

Music that is full of thought and intriguing ideas is always welcome to this writer’s ears. “Run For Your Life” is a perfect example of that. Mr. Stoquert has done a brilliant job with this EP, which is a fantastic showcase of his talents. It’s well-written and performed, interesting, and has an approach that is beyond refreshing.

Be sure to check this out, as it’s easily worth the time. You can listen to all of the songs online – as well as download the EP for free – via this link (http://aaronstoquert.bandcamp.com/). There is the option to make a monetary donation of your choosing when completing your download, and I highly recommend you do so.

Zombie TV: The Dead About to Rise

Todd Jepperson



Kids, get your living room furniture arranged and Homer Simpson style ass groves all warmed up for fall. And who doesn't enjoy some quality undead television?  I am obviously excited as we’ve got three big shows coming our way. By big, I mean I have no idea what the shows will be like. Everything is really preliminary at this point and we’ll just have to see how things turn out.

First up, we have something called Awakening coming to us from teen network sensation The CW (90210, Gossip Girl). Details, as of now, are few and far between; but, it seems like the show will coat-tail two sisters’ broiling hostilities during the beginning of the Zombie Apocalypse. I’d expect this show to be quite a draw for the ladies, and fellas, we’ll let you know who they cast as the two strong female leads.

Next, we have a project which was picked up recently by NBC titled Zombies vs Vampires which sets two cops in a world filled with animate cadavers; the catch? One of the cops is secretly a Vampire. The cops are assigned to a specific division of law enforcement whose task is to deal specifically with Zombie crime. Created by McG, the dude who brings us Supernatural (my favorite TV show of all time… if you throw away everything after season 1), this actually shows some potential. The thing that worries me; however, is that it’s a CW production. Expect heavy censorship and a timid approach to the Undead on mainstream network television.

Last, but certainly not least, there are very few details about a Sony Pictures Television show called Department Zero; a spinoff of Jonathan Maberry’s novel Patient Zero, which will chronicle the activities of the Department of Military Sciences. I assume this will contain Zombies; but, not have them as the central theme. Expect CSI meets the Walking Dead meets Sleeper Cell. All I know, from all my digging, is that the script was on the desk of ABC execs, and they passed on it to do another remake of Charlie’s Angels . . . Yeah, really. Anyway, I think we have some pretty reliable people who are eager to break the news to us as soon as there is any news to break; so we’ll let you know as soon as we can.

Let’s hope these shows are half as good as they could be. The CW has had some on and off luck, with me, in the past, and NBC gave us The Office. So all hope is not gone. If and when these shows hit the airwaves we’ll keep you in the know.

Gather the Infected: We have a Cure!

Todd Jepperson

It’s no secret that Zombies exist. From Haiti to the Pacific Islands, creatures have been and are being rendered vapid, shambling machines; void of any trace of their former selves. These creatures often become slaves to the master who created them. It’s real. It happens. My curiosity begins after that. What if these cadaverous wretches went berserk? What if it was decided that they were only to consume and destroy? In the words of the great Alice Cooper: Welcome to my nightmare.

A little while ago, Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev—in the desert of Israel—dug up one small key in the development of modern Zombie science. Their study focused on the Emerald Cockroach Wasp and its ability to turn desert roaches, many times their size, into mobile buffets. The process begins by the wasp stinging the roach one time for submission, then one precise headshot, directly into the brain. The final sting results in the roach being fully alive and able to function; but, without voluntary control of its own body. The wasp then leads the roach along by the antennae, as if on a leash, back to the hive where it lays a single egg in its belly. That egg hatches and completes one of nature’s most horrific parasite-host rituals by devouring the living roach one bite at a time.



Imagine for a moment, if you will, the insects are no longer insects. Instead, the wasp is a microscopic, virus cell and the roach… well the roach is sweet old Mrs. Nickerbacher down the street. Instead of dragging her back to the hive, the virus compels her to seek, at all costs, another host and breech the tissue thereof so that the virus could then spread. Has anyone seen 28 Weeks Later?

Breathe Easy. Researchers discovered that the second sting, the money shot, deactivates the neurotransmitter Octopamine, which is responsible for some part in performing complex activities like getting the hell out of out of dodge, or fighting for your life. They also discovered, and this is the good news, that by injecting the necrotic roaches with another chemical which reactivates Octopamine, they were able to reverse the process. Hell yeah! I’ve never wanted to be a scientist, but sometimes I’d love to have front row seats to Science Theatre.

The Zombie Code - book review

Sara Ross

The Zombie Code: Keys to Unlocking Your Undead Destiny is a practical guide for anyone needing a hand with understanding zombies in the human world. Written by Mark Raby and currently available through Marion Street Press, The Zombie Code is a concise yet informative guide that will let the reader in on many well-kept, elusive tricks of the zombie trade. Through his years of extensive and innovative research, and time spent in close proximity to zombies, Raby gained a rare expertise on all things undead, as well as a finesse for making friends with zombies. Willing to share his knowledge for the first time in this book, Raby will let the reader into his world and will provide little known facts as to zombie life, habits and more. Basically, it comes down to this: if you aren’t going to join the undead, it is best to learn about them, help them, and most importantly, make a buck or two in the process.


Raby’s experience with zombies began young, on a family vacation that went awry. The unusual circumstances made it so that seven-year-old Mark was never to see his (human) family again and instead would spend years secretly (then not-so-secretly) observing zombies. One thing led to another, and Raby was eventually doing top secret government work with the zombies all around us. I hear you saying, “Wait! What?” Yes, pick up the book, and you will see how zombies are everywhere. The Zombie Code will teach you the ways in which zombies have successfully managed to blend in all around us, without causing suspicion or alarm. Another well-kept secret that Raby reveals is a zombie’s favorite singer…and I would never spoil that surprise for you!

The Zombie Code will introduce many of Raby’s brilliant ideas for incorporating zombies into human society. This includes many inventions to make zombie life easier, such as brain cola, zombie translators, and zombie wigs. He explains his courses to increase zombies’ abilities to hold down jobs and defend themselves-as well as how to market and teach these classes. There are also a number of pursuits Raby has pioneered to help zombies have more of a culture, if you will, such as a cookbook, zombie magazines, and even zombie poetry (with several lovely examples included for your reading pleasure).

Raby also provides case studies of several zombies he has worked closely with, including Kenni and Marjorie. Kenni is a teenage zombie who, with the aid of Raby, was able to return to a human high school. Marjorie was one of Raby’s more extensive rehabilitation projects, but she now works undetected in a government post in Canada. Along these lines, Raby presents a section on the careers most suited for zombies, and the results may or may surprise you.


You may be wondering how Raby deals with the fact that zombies need to consume human brains, and that is covered in The Zombie Code as well. With vast sums of government funds and some sneaky crafting, Raby is able to help zombies appease these needs. His BLOODS network also plays a major role in this endeavor as well.


As for zombie dating and love? You can read that part on your own. Just one tip I learned: remember to count a female zombie’s fingers before you get too involved.

Also included are a number of tools to assist the reader in making the most of the book. There is a comprehensive dictionary of words zombies commonly use, as well as their correct zombie pronunciations. The Zombie Code of Conduct is included so the human reader can better understand what rules govern zombie behavior. Don’t miss the list of hints for tuning up your zombiedar; it is a skill that may serve you well one day. Lastly, if all of this information has made you curious as to what you would be like as a zomie, Raby has you covered there, too. You can take his Zombie Personality Test to imagine how you would fit in with a crowd of the undead.

If this has you intrigued, and realizing you need to brush up on your zombie knowledge, you are in luck. Marion Street Press has provided several copies of The Zombie Code for a few lucky readers of Zombies and Toys! To enter, send an email to code@zombiesandtoys.com . The winners will be selected at the end of March. If you can’t wait, you can pick up this essential handbook now…and get your brain in shape for a zombie-er, your undead destiny.
 

WWE Zombies

Todd Jepperson

After mentioning the good ol’ WWF last month, it was like I couldn’t get away from it. Everywhere I looked it was Wrestlemania this! Smackdown That! Raw is WAR! (Okay, so that last one probably hasn’t been a real slogan for a long time, but you get my drift.) Anyway, the reason I’m rambling right now is because I came across a whole section of WWE.com devoted to Zombified superstar wrestlers! Have you ever wanted to see John Cena post mortem? The Big Show? Edge? Now’s your chance. It’s worth 5 minutes of your life. Drag yourself over to WWE Zombies and have a look.