Joe Ledger: The Missing Files

Todd Jepperson


Remember our review of Patient Zero, the novel by Jonathan Maberry? Well, in that book, we learned all about a Baltimore P.D. Detective named Joe Ledger and a top secret branch of government called The Department of Militarty Sciences. In Patient Zero, Ledger is up against Seif al Din (read: the zombie plague); in The Dragon Factory, it’s eugenics; and in King of Plagues it’s a whole new level of evil revisited with the 10 biblical plagues of Egypt. Joe’s been around and killed them all; or has he?

Coming soon, from Blackstone Audio, is Joe Ledger: the Missing Files. This audio anthology, read by Ray Porter, will contain five short stories detailing how the boss of Echo Team spends his free time.

Countdown is a prequel to Patient Zero where you can learn all about Joe’s big promotion.

Zero Tolerance is an audio version of the sequel story to Patient Zero which appeared in The Living Dead 2; the DMS gets back to work on Seif al Din and wraps up all the loose ends.

In Deep, Dark, Joe finds himself about a mile underground on assignment to contain a military experiment gone tragically awry.

Material Witness will have fans of Maberry’s first horror series riding shotgun down memory lane when Joe visits the creepy little town of Pine Deep where “nothing is what it seems.”

Also included will be the exclusive, and all new, Dog Days. In the wake of personal tragedy, Ledger takes some time off to get himself a little R&;R; hunting the world’s most dangerous assassin.

This anthology is set for release on the first of August, 2011. You can snag your own copy either on the Blackstone Audio site or Amazon. Don’t miss it!

JONATHAN MABERRY is the New York Times bestselling and multiple Bram Stoker Award–winning author of Ghost Road Blues, the first of a trilogy of thrillers with a supernatural bite. A professional writer and writing teacher, he has sold more than one thousand articles, seventeen nonfiction books, six novels, and two plays. Check him out at http://jonathanmaberry.com/

Patient Zero Review

Todd Jepperson

What does it feel like to kill the same guy twice in one week? Joe Ledger knows. His swat team hits a terrorist juncture in a warehouse where all hell breaks loose. He ends up putting four men down in the sting and still manages to drag his shredded buddy, Jerry, back outside after his shield gets torn up by a Chinese QBZ-95. The strange thing about the ordeal isn’t that he had to shoot somebody. He’s Baltimore P.D. He’s used to that. It’s that there were only twelve dudes in the room when they kicked it down; but, there were thirteen when it was all over. That last guy is the only one which caught him off guard; the sicko actually tried to bite him. When thirteen makes a move for one of his partners, Ledger puts two rounds from his .45 into the guys back.

Fast forward a few days and Joe gets nabbed by three goons in suits and shades. They throw him in a car and drive him about 100 miles down the road to a building he’s never seen before. They leave him in a windowless room to wait a couple of hours and then send in the boss. Mr. Church, they call him. He’s hard as a hammer and pulls no punches. After a few minutes of interesting dialogue, and a few cookies, he gives Ledger his “audition”.

In a room similar to his interrogation room, sits a man at a table. Joe simply has to go in, subdue the guy, and walk out. Simple, yeah? Not by a long shot. The moment Ledger gets close, the man springs on him; number thirteen. The guy should be in a box buried under a nice field of fresh cut grass right now; but, he’s snappy as a spring chicken. After one of Maberry’s marque throw downs, Ledger finds out exactly what Mr. Church wants with him. There’s a new face behind global terrorism, and they’re looking to release a Prion disease, which they call Seif al Din; or, Sword of the Faithful, at a conference in D.C. The disease is a combination of fatal familial insomnia and some naturally occurring aggressive parasites which cause the dead to rise… hungry. They plan to set the world on fire and dance in the shadows of its destruction.

This book is what got me into reading Maberry. The reason I picked it up, back in ’09, is because I was in the market for a new zombie book after The Zombie Survival Guide and I’d started to hear buzz about this Jonathan Maberry dude. He’d won multiple awards, including the Bram Stoker award for best first novel, and he was an 8th degree black belt in Jujitsu. I figured I’d give him a try; It was a great decision.

Patient Zero is the first book of real-world fiction novels about Detective Joe Ledger (followed in 2010 by The Dragon Factory and in 2011 by King of Plagues). The things in the book aren’t real; but, the situations are too close to science fact to ignore. There’s even a flyleaf disclaimer at the beginning of the book to which lets readers know no matter how real it sounds, it’s not… yet. Expect violence, picturesque brutality, sexual themes, language, and everything that goes with it. Definitely not for the kids.

Sadly, Zombies are only the theme of the first book; the second dealing with Genetic Splicing and Eugenics and the third to deal with a remix of the Biblical plagues. Still, you’re gonna wanna pick these up. You won’t regret it.

Don't forget to read our review of Rot & Ruin and enter to win a copy!

Undying Carcass - review

Some call it a virus, others a genetic experiment gone awry. Whatever it is, the hospitals and triage clinics were overtaken weeks ago. Infected have escaped the makeshift quarantine barricades in droves, and survivor strongholds are beginning to falter as desperation sets in. The end is near...Be Ready.

I'm not sure what's more ominous, the impending attack of the undead or Sideshow's continuous assault of their in-house zombie line, The Dead. Those familiar with Zombies & Toys already know of my love of this particular line of toys... er... adult collectibles. I will post some previous Sideshow Collectibles links at the bottom of the review. To no surprise, Sideshow's trademark quality and attention to detail shines through yet again. Read on for the details!

Sideshow Collectibles' "Premium Format" line of collectibles are 1/4 scale and feature real cloth and stitched clothing. I am constantly amazed at how accurately the scale of their clothing is. Stitches, ties, buttons, patterns are all reproduced to scale on a micro level. Clothing looks and fits naturally which is not an easy task.

Of course, all of the fleshy details are accurate as well. The sculpt is top-notch and every deliberate application of color is clean and natural. It is easy to look at this statue and declare that it is amazing looking. However, where it really shines is the attention to details that you may miss without truly studying it. In fact, these details are so seamless and subtle while still being vital that you really don't pay attention to them. It is this fact that makes it so remarkable. The exposed muscle fibers and protruding bones make you cringe. Blood stains on the figure, base, and clothing are meticulous while still appearing very natural. The corrugated cardboard sign even makes you doubt that it is not actually a piece of real cardboard. Veins are visible and flesh hangs from the body. Even the wounds show realistic and natural changes in the shades on the skin. It is fun to study these areas of decay and wonder how this zombie came to be and what happened prior to its transformation.

The pictures shown are of the Sideshow Exclusive edition. The difference between this and the regular version is the inclusion of an additional head. The regular, non-rotting head is also included allowing you the option of displaying it either way. Surprisingly, at the time of this post the exclusive edition was still available. Exclusive is limited to 400 pieces while the regular edition is set at 750.

My only complaint could actually be seen as a positive thing to most collectors. It is right on the cusp of being too grotesque. Mind you, it IS a zombie. While it is possible that my thoughts 0n the matter are due to my 5 and 2 year old children. Some items simply cannot be displayed in my home. This one is currently on display but has not been spotted by the young eyes and is on a shelf high enough and at an angle that it may not be overly scaring. As of yet, Sideshow has not crossed that line of making something gross just for the sake of doing so and previous releases have always been tasteful as far as physical damage is concerned. Then again, this release is probably the most rotted zombie we have seen from them.

For the sake of total and honest disclosure, this item was purchased at full retail directly from Sideshow Collectibles. While, at times, I am sent items to review this, unfortunately, was not one of those times. I would like to mention that the links in the margin taking you to Sideshow Collectibles are affiliate links. So, if you decide to purchase this or any item from Sideshow, you will be helping Zombies & Toys by following the links.

For more Sideshow reviews on Zombies & Toys, follow the links to see their first The Dead Premium Format figure, Patient Zero (pictured). You can also read about their first set of Specimens. For the full set of pics, check out the Zombies & Toys Flickr page.

New Premium Format From Sideshow Collectibles

Those familiar with the amazing work from Sideshow Collectibles are reading this with excitement. Some newer readers may just not quite get it. So, for the newer readers:

Sideshow Collectibles is a company that manufactures fine art collectibles. They have created an in-house line of zombie figures appropriately called The Dead. This line of collectibles started and continues with 12" figures featuring amazing detail. They have also released a trio of zombie head busts (review) and cartoonish vinyl (news) for The Dead. One item in particular that is impressive is their "Premium Format" Patient Zero zombie (review). Sideshow's Premium Format line consists of items that are 1/4 scale (approx 18 inches) and are composed of intricate details coupled with actual cloth material.

This Friday will see the pre-order window open for Sideshow's second Premium Format zombie. Called "Undying Carcass", we will be treated to what appears to be a reanimated hospital patient. At around $280, make sure you don't need to buy anything soon! The exclusive edition includes a bonus head that can be changed.

For full details on how you can order as well as more beautiful pitures, head over to Sideshow Collectibles.

ZT Update

After a whopping 61 updates in October, it seems as if zombie news is slowing down a bit. But fear not, I'm working harder than ever to keep things moving. So please allow me to give you a glimpse as to what you have to look forward to...

Left 4 Dead 2 will finally be released this month. I think I'm just as tired reporting news about this game as you are reading it. But I will say this; I downloaded and played the demo and it is outstanding. Blowing a hole through the torso of a zombie with a rifle is unnervingly satisfying. There is no way the upgrades made could have been done as downloadable content for the first one. If I can tear myself away from the game long enough to write about it, I'll post a review.

Speaking of review, I just received my trio of zombie busts from Sideshow Collectibles' The Dead. Do they live up to my expectations? Are they as outstanding as the Patient Zero reviewed earlier? You'll find out next week when I post my hands-on review and pics.

I also have two other reviews in the works. One is for an extremely popular, fun, and addicting zombie board game. Yes, a zombie board game. The other review is for a zombie that doesn't eat flesh. This particular zombie is so unique that I cannot even classify the type of review it will be. You may also be seeing some guest reviewers in the near future!

The Zombies & Toys Zombie Toy Store is open, active, and functional! Thanks to everyone who made purchases prior to this even getting done. There are a few items I am almost sold out of (and one that I am) already but will be restocking soon. I can special order pretty much anything even if it's not zombie related so if I can help you out give me a yell. Also expect some deals like free shipping or discounts around the corner.

Speaking of toys, I am extremely excited to announce that Zombies & Toys will have its first exclusive zombie toy soon! I hope to have these by Christmas and will make an official announcement once they are in-hand.

Oh, yeah! Christmas! This month I will be posting in segments the official Zombies & Toys holiday gift-giving guide for zombie fanatics. I have been working on this for some time now and am excited to share with you what I feel are some of the best gifts you can give the zombie fan in your life.

Of course, I'm still working on some great contests to start the new year off with and have something special planned for fans in December. I'm also preparing to do something for a special charity soon which should involve something that will interest most readers.

So thanks, everyone, for your continued interest and support!

Sideshow Collectibles' Premium Format Patient Zero

Sideshow Collectibles does it again. They are one of the most consistent companies out there when it comes to releasing a quality collectible. I know I’ve commented before about their in-house line of unique zombie collectibles appropriately titled The Dead. As a matter-of-fact, Sideshow’s The Dead line made my list of the top 5 zombie toys. If you want to know where they placed, head over to Zombie Command where my article is posted.

What I have lined up for review today is the premiere release of their Premium Format zombie. Patient Zero shares the same name as Sideshow’s initial 12” offering and it has not been disclosed if and how many Premium Format zombies will follow. With an edition size of only 300, Patient Zero was not available to order for very long. And count your blessings if you were fortunate enough to secure one of the only 100 Sideshow exclusive ones. The exclusive edition has a dismembered hand that Patient Zero can carry with him. Because you never know when you’re going to need a snack.

Sideshow’s Premium Format series of collectibles are ¼ scale, painstakingly detailed, and breath-taking to view. So what we have is an 18 inch blood-soaked zombie toy. I use the word “toy” loosely; Patient Zero is a real cloth clothing covered statue.

The pose is dynamic but not overly so. With one arm reaching out for what I would presume to be his next victim, this statue captures just enough movement for a zombie. His foot is also in position to clumsily move him towards the prize. This movement will bring me to my first detail: the front outside of his right shoe is worn and torn with popped stitching. A detail that’s easy to miss given its location but once noticed gives the indication that poor Patient Zero has been lumbering around for quite some time. To add to this assumption are the frayed ends of his pant legs.

They say the clothes make the man and they are certainly an important detail here as well. It’s hard to pull off real clothes on a collectible and the majority of the time they just don’t look right. Buttons are usually too large, the clothes are stiff and don’t necessarily fit like they would on an actual person, and stitching never looks appropriately scaled. I’m happy to say Sideshow manages to work past any of these flaws. Buttons, stitching, type of materials used, belt loops, pockets, folds, tears, frays… all are spot-on. Even the blood stains are realistic looking with deep reds in the center with the color fading as it is absorbed into the shirt material. Another amazing detail is an unnoticeable wire that runs through the bottom and front seams of the shirt. This allows you to adjust the amount of action you want him to display.

The sculpting and paint applications are just as amazing. Wrinkles and folds of skin, exposed inner flesh, stains on teeth, details on his hands, all of them combine to create one of the most realistic collectibles I have seen. Even the base has details in just the right spots with small spatterings of blood where they would have dripped off of his dangling hand. The eyes have a white glaze over them effectively ghosting his baby blues. Patient Zero’s tongue is even contorted behind his imperfectly twisted teeth in such detail you can almost hear his moaning. Moaning because he saw his own price tag of $275.