Review: Tellltale's The Walking Dead

Telltale games released the first episode of The Walking Dead game to PC/Mac, Xbox, and PS3 this week. This afternoon, after 2.5 hours of supremely focused game play, I immediately headed to their website to see when I'd be able to continue to play with the next episode...only to find out they're only releasing one a month! AHHH! Patience FAIL!

So, needless to say, I enjoyed the game. The gaming style was really the kind of game play I can get into; it was primarily based on character interactions and decision making. There was some zombie killing action, but really not very much. This isn't the next Left 4 Dead, but I think it's something just as special and engaging.

The game follows the story of Lee Everett, a man on his way to prison for murder when the zombie apocalypse hits. After his cop car crashes, Lee finds a young girl, Clementine, and the two team up to face a bleak and dangerous world. From there on? I can't really tell you what happens because that will be determined by the decisions that YOU make. And, unlike in some games, the decisions are reasonable and your response choices are realistic. I didn't feel like I was forced to say anything in the game that I really wouldn't have said in real life.

In episode one, Walking Dead fans will enjoy seeing Herschel and Glenn as well as the Greene farm. The world seems to be a comic-television show hybrid. For example, Herschel only has two kids (like in the show), but his farm looks a lot like the comics. In fact, the animation was very reminiscent of Adlard's work which gave it a familiar feel.

Overall, I really enjoyed playing and I can't wait until next month! Download the game on Telltale's website or on your Xbox/PS3. I opted for the XBox version and was happy with the choice.

News: Wild Interpretations of Kirkman Spoiler

Robert Kirkman's talking that talk once again. Recently, Kirkman talked about Dale's death and suggested that someone else could die the way Dale does in the comics. Basically, he wanted to communicate that they won't always be pairing people with their actions from the comic. Sometimes a character will suffer a different character's comic book fate, for better or for worse.

Kirkman was quoted as saying "There will be cases where something memorable like that will be displaced and given to somebody else. I'll hint that that actually happens in our first episode back in Season 3—there's something memorable that happened to a character in the comic is happening in the show in our first episode back and it's not the same character." Read the entire spoiler article here.

So here comes the part where I start my speculating. Okay...so here are some thoughts. Don't proceed any further if you haven't read the comics.

• Could someone besides Rick get his hand chopped off? I'm hoping not, but this one would seem to make some sense since having Andrew Lincoln handless for the coming seasons might be a television nightmare. Still, episode one of next season would be a little early for this to happen.
• Could someone besides Dale and Allen get bitten and have to have their leg chopped off? This seems reasonable, but it's a little benign to be "something memorable that happened to a character".
• Could someone besides Herschel's two girls get decapitated by a prisoner? That'd be awesome, but who? And honestly, I always thought that was one of those story lines that wouldn't translate very well to the screen. It was interesting, but not entirely necessary.
• Could someone besides Carol walk into a zombie on purpose as a type of bizarre suicide? Possibly. Carol's character is certainly very different than her comic book counterpart, and she's lacking the relationship piece that pushes her over the edge. Still, this seems like something that would happen later on.
• Could someone besides Tyrese go into a gym full of zombies, get left for dead, and then reappear an episode later? This would be way way way cool. This was one of my favorite moments from the comics, but I don't know who is BA enough for it except Michonne (and she only just arrived) or Rick (and you can't really do that with the protagonist).
• Could someone besides Dexter get shot in the neck during a prison rebellion? Not unlikely, but I think this also falls under the heading of not big enough to be considered "something memorable that happened to a character".
• Could someone besides Michonne get tied up and abused by the governor? This would be a huge change. Like mega huge. I would be surprised, but I also would be intrigued as to whom they would select. Andrea? 
• Could someone else be locked in the prison cafeteria? Maybe Tyrese? I've been guessing this one for a while. Anyway to get Tyrese on the show would be fine with me.

Alright, enough of my speculating. What do you think?

News: Walking Dead Finds its Woodbury?

Recently, zap2it.com reported that a large portion of seasons three and four of The Walking Dead plan to take place in Woodbury, Georgia. This is good news for comic book fans; I, personally, think that the Woodbury conflict was the real high point of the comics. In the comics, the town is home to the best darn villain of the entire series, Phillip Blake. We already heard about the casting of Phillip Blake (aka: The Governor), but now it looks like Walking Dead is courting a real life town to transform into the infamous zombie-free, crazy-abundant location.

The report is that the show is in negotiations with Senoia, Georgia for filming rights. The town has your typical small Southern town charm, but I'm guessing that what really sold Kirkman and Mazarra on Senoia was nearby Senoia Raceway. In the comics, Woodbury is infamous for its gladiatorial zombie ring which is staged in an old stadium in town. While maps seem to suggest the Senoia Raceway is not exactly in Senoia's city center, with the miracle of film, I would guess that they could make it look as though it is. Photos of the raceway have me already longing for season three...Michonne and her sword...oh yes.

Personally, I can't wait to see what they do with Woodbury. My guess is that they won't be able to do everything that goes on in the comics, at least not on screen. Don't get me wrong, AMC is pretty edgy, but this isn't HBO. Still, I think season three will be a good one and it's nice to see that they'll be staying with the comics as a structural backbone.

News: Kirkman's Georgia Invades Your PC

Telltale Games, a PC game developer, will be bringing Kirkman's Walking Dead world to life...or...well, interactive two-dimensional cyber life...super soon. The first episode of their Walking Dead adventure game is slated to be available at the end of April. If you preorder it now, however, you'll be entered into a contest to be animated into the fourth episode of the game. Kind of exciting? A bit, yes.

I'm not really sure how this one slipped by me for so long; I feel super late to the party. I've wondered why they didn't make a video game of The Walking Dead for a while now, but it seems like they were already on it. There's so much more information to explain and I'm sure many questions to answer, but I'd suggest you watch the video below instead of just listening to me regurgitate information. The video is a bit long, but it features a very informative interview with the game designers.

And this video will give you a little preview of the graphics and narrative...pretty cool...

Review: The Walking Dead Season #2 Finale at Muvico

Photo property of TWD productions

There's nothing like watching something on the big screen, and this was absolutely a finale that deserved a cinema-style presentation. My husband and I headed to Muvico at 4:30pm this evening to watch the finale of The Walking Dead with 198 other crazy, zombified fans. The free event, hosted by Chicago Horror Society, Flashback Weekend, and Zombie Army, was really a hoot. By 5pm, Bogart's restaurant in the Rosemont Muvico was flooded with the undead. As we waited to be admitted to the theater, my husband and I played The Walking Dead board game in a booth over dinner.

The theater was really comfortable and the sound and picture quality were well worth both the wait and the trip. I have a 60" TV, but it's rear projection and not HD. Even HD on a 60" LCD wouldn't have been anywhere close to this experience. With the surround sound you could hear the wheezing and oozing of a dying Dale's guts. That's right, we ended up watching not only the second to last and last episode, but even the one before that. Muvico was even nice enough to allow us to remain in the theater to watch Talking Dead. The event hosts suggested that they'll try to play the season three premiere at a similar event, and I highly suggest you go. It was a great way to enjoy a really great show, and the audience was enthusiastic without being poorly behaved.

Photo property of TWD productions

As far the episode, it was so awesome. I would have liked it no matter what, let's be honest, but they really delivered with a fast paced, no-nonsense piece of storytelling. From the jump, the story moves at a break-neck pace and people are killed off and abandoned left and right. I found the confusion and panic extremely realistic, especially when they drove off and left Andrea behind. That's exactly what would happen, and I appreciate this show's willingness to not tie everything up in an easy little bow.

Sorry to see Jimmy and Patricia go (I guess that means no prison rebellion? lol.), but they seemed like easy enough characters to kill off. To be honest, I'm glad that they didn't kill off any principal characters; after the last two episodes, they didn't need to. I found it a little convenient that everyone met up on the road, but maybe I missed them discussing that as a contingency plan earlier in the season? Did that happen or have they perfected some sort of group telepathy?

Photo property of TWD productions

My only other complaint would be that Rick went about explaining the whole Shane thing in a totally bass-ackwards way. The way he explained it, it sounded like he had a choice; he made himself sound like the bad guy. The reality was that Shane backed him into a corner and gave him no other choice, but the way he tells the story makes him sound like a tyrannical loose cannon. I have entertained the notion that maybe Rick has convinced himself that killing Shane was a choice and not a requirement because if it was a choice than Rick ultimately had control. It might be a more comfortable scenario for Rick to accept. Still, I think he could have phrased that whole story in a more diplomatic way.

But, let's talk about the most awesome parts of the episode--Michonne showing up and the appearance of the prison. Michonne's appearance was awesome, but to be fair I totally called that it would happen that way after the first or second commercial break. I don't care if it was predictable though; it was also freaking cool. I'm glad that they stuck with the iconic first image of her from the comics, and I'm just glad to see her around. She's such a valuable part of the narrative.

Photo property of TWD productions

And of course, seeing the prison was pretty cathartic for us comic fans. That's where some crazy business is going to go down. Its pan out appearance was very season three finale of Battlestar Galactica (anyone else remember? when it pans out and we see Earth?), and I remember loving that foreshadowing--a sign of things to come. There was also plenty of prison foreshadowing in Rick's speech about finding a place to "start making a life". In the comics, that place is the prison for sure. I loved the line of "we won't make that same mistake again" referring to getting a complacent sense of safety...of course, in the comic they do. Ahh, you guys.

Well, time to reenter my cryogenic freezing chamber until October. I guess I'll pop out to post reviews, events, and news...but other than that it's right back into my carbonite hibernation.

News: Kirkman Announces Michonne, Spoilers for Season 3?

In tonight's episode of Talking Dead, Robert Kirkman made some announcements and threw out a little information to tease us fans.

First, he revealed that Michonne, the caped crusader who made a cameo appearance in tonight's episode, will be played in season three by Danai Gurira. The American actress was in the HBO series Treme, which I've heard wonderful things about. Michonne is one of my favorite characters from the show, so I have pretty high hopes for Gurira's performance. This announcement runs somewhat in contrast to earlier spoilers which suggested that True Blood's Rutina Wesley would be playing the samurai heroine. Regardless of who plays her, I'm just glad she's decided to show up. Read further about the announcement here.

Kirkman also took his time on Talking Dead to hint at the reappearance of at least one character from seasons past. When asked if we would see Merle Dixon, Morgan or Duane in season three, he responded that he could "100% guarantee seeing 33% of those people in season three", suggesting that one of those characters is already written in to the season. I think smart money is on Merle, but Morgan and Duane do come back up in the comics although not until much later. Seems like Michael Rooker may have spoiled Kirkman's spoiler about 24 hours early though, when he announced he would appear in season three during a convention panel. Check it out here.

Can't wait until next season? I'll keep you posted with news and updates as I come across them.

Events: Walking Dead Finale Party

I'll (hopefully) be attending the Chicago Horror Society theatrical screening of the finale at Muvico, but are you thinking of throwing your own party for the Walking Dead season 2 finale this Sunday? If so, the internet has some fun party ideas for you and your attendees.

My personal favorite comes to you from The Huffington Post. They've put together a rather entertaining Walking Dead drinking game. Even if you're not a drinker, the list of things for which "you should drink" is pretty entertaining. Check it out along with their own suggestions for a Walking Dead themed drink here.

Want the glass in the picture? It comes in a pack of four different styles and can be purchased here.

News: Michonne the New Centerfold?

Image Credit: Playboy

I'm not a prude, but I'm also not an avid reader of Playboy, but now I might have to head to my local...7-11? Is that where one goes to buy such things?

Why? Why would I be picking up the infamous rag? Because the April issue of Playboy will feature an appearance by Michonne from The Walking Dead. No, I'm not talking about an appearance by the actress playing her in the TV show; I'm talking about a comic. Yes, Hugh Hefner will be putting pictures of naked, silicone-infused women next to Charlie Adlard's sketches. Why? I have no idea, but I don't question a good thing.

The issue will feature the origin story for the fan-favorite character, finally explaining who Michonne was before she became a samurai-sword wheeling BAMF. I expect to see her stealing those swords from her neighbor's house, chopping off her boyfriend's zombified arms, etc. All these details were explained in the comics but never actually seen. After reading the first Walking Dead novel which chronicled the origin story of the governor, I'm totally down for another Kirkman-created back story. So this liberated woman might be picking up a Playboy next month. But I swear, I only read it for the comics. lol.

Event: Walking Dead Finale on the Big Screen

If you're over 21 and you live in the Chicagoland area, you may want to head over to the Rosemont Muvico this Sunday night. Why? Because they will be screening the season final of The Walking Dead on the big screen! And it gets better...it's FREE! As in zero dollars and zero cents!

The event is sponsored by Chicago Fear Fest, Flashback Weekend, Zombie Army Productions, Horror Society & Sinister Visions. Look to see plenty of zombie fanatics, zombie makeup, and zombie themed treats, drinks and prizes. It should be a fun and exciting crowd of fans!

The event is first-come, first-serve however, so you'll want to show up as soon as possible. Only 200 seats are available. They will begin distributing wristbands to the first 200 people at 6pm in Bogart's restaurant on the first floor, and prize giveaways and food/drinks will be available between 6pm and 8pm.

Personally, I haven't decided whether I'll be going or not. There's something pretty nice about watching it at home and on DVR. I like the silence of my living room and the ability to pause and rewind, but then again I could always rewatch it later. Seeing it on the big screen with a bunch of fellow fans sounds like an awesome way to spend a Sunday night.

Check out the Facebook invite here.

Review: The Walking Dead, Episode 2.12

Sorry it took me so long to post, but what an episode, right?!?! I knew, given all the internet buzz and the comics, that Shane was likely to kick the bucket in the next two episode, but I was getting pretty certain that they were going to hold all their cards until the finale. I, for one, am really, really glad that they didn't. A finale filled with too many "wow" moments would have really made me mad, especially considering that it's only the regular 44 minutes long.

I will say though, as an angry comic book reader, I really wish it had been Carl to pull the initial trigger on Shane. They did throw us comic readers the proverbial bone by having Carl put down zombie Shane, but in the comic it's the other way around. It doesn't really matter that much; I'm just happy he's gone. Not that I don't like you, Jon Bernthal, but it was time. I will say that the show did a good job of throwing in a plethora of red herrings to suggest that it would be Carl to pull the trigger. You can trace moments of foreshadowing on that front all the way back to the first season, but the moment of Shane giving Carl the gun at the beginning of last Sunday's episode were pretty creepy. Very "why do I have a feeling that you're going to be the death of me?"

Some great zombie kills in this episode, too. My personal favorite was Andrea's pitchfork-to-the-face move at the beginning of the episode. Think Dale's death got her a little riled up? Maybe just a bit. But I bet that one will be nothing compared to what's coming in the finale. I'm not one who watches the show entirely for the guts and gore, but hey...it's not a bad side dish. With the zombie horde fast approaching the farm house, I'm assuming we'll see plenty of skull-bashing, brain-splattering delight. In addition, I'm assuming we're about to say goodbye to a few more characters (I'd place bets on at least one or two from Herschel's crew), and as I've stated before, rumors say we're about to see the first appearance of the samurai lawyer, Michonne. I can't wait. I'm hoping we get a first glimpse at the prison as well, but that might be a stretch.

What were your thoughts and reactions to this episode? Hopes for next Sunday? Let me know! While you wait for the episode, check out the very brief preview of next week below...

News: The Governor Has Arrived...and maybe Michonne?

Walking Dead, now into the second half of its second season, has begun casting announcements for season three with one of my favorites from the comics--The Governor (aka: Phillip Blake). The Walking Dead website announced today that they have cast David Morrissey as the infamous villain, and even though I am not at all familiar with his work, I have ultimate faith in the producers of this show.

Fan sites and other not as trustworthy news sources have been leaking another potential casting decision that I've, personally, been looking forward to hearing about...namely, which lucky lady will get to play Michonne, the samurai sword wielding lawyer turned bad ass. Rumors are currently reporting that Michonne will be played by Rutina Wesley of True Blood fame. While she's a little young for the role as it's written in the comics, I hear that True Blood is good and she does look the part. Can't wait until an official announcement though!

Review: Walking Dead Volume 15

So I read the newest Walking Dead trade back on Thursday, but didn't get a chance to post my review until now. Honestly, part of my lack of urgency might have been due to a fairly palpable feeling of indifference I felt upon finishing. It's not that the comic isn't good anymore, it's just that it's not great anymore. It's really hard to wait like 6-7 months for something, only to have it fall far short of your expectations.

In earlier issues, the characters were almost all engaging and dynamic. I was interested and invested in Tyrese, Axel, and even the Governor's goons. But now it seems that our remaining intrepid heroes are lost amongst a fog of otherwise mediocre and simplistic characters. This is largely due to the sheer volume of new people, as it just makes it difficult to develop characters as individuals rather than just faces. There are too many people in this damn town, and it makes it even harder to follow the narrative than when Herschel showed up with his 7 million children. And the characters that have been introduced seem a little hollow; they have nothing original or dramatic to bring to the table. I keep thinking of them as zombie food--just more people for Kirkman to kill off as he stalls for time before killing off more major characters.

Also, I'm a little disappointed on the villain front. I know truly horrifying villains like the Governor aren't simply spawned out of an author's pen every day, but come on. Either Rick is going to become the villain or he's not, and if he isn't, then let's start establishing a more consistent and ongoing conflict like Woodbury. Doing so would give the story a clearer and more engaging arc. I'm a little tired of this villain of the month crap. The series is becoming increasingly serial--the law and order of zombies--and I'm not down. As a result, there's no continual sense of fear anymore. I don't end each trade like I used to--by running to the calendar and counting the weeks until the next release.

And what's with Andrea bringing up Shane after all these months? He's been dead for over a year at this point. In the comics, there was never anything between them, so it almost seems like Kirkman is trying to fuse the comics to the TV show rather than the alternative. I hope this was a one time thing, and Kirkman doesn't go the way of Lucas and the prequels. You can't just start changing and rewriting stuff as a result of your own hindsight and a changing fan base. That's not how publication works.

Also, it's getting a little soap opera-y. The whole "Rick's demons" thing is becoming more melodrama than actual drama, and...this is a bit of a spoiler...there's literally a part where a character develops amnesia. Come on. Is Kirkman pulling for a lead writer gig on The Young and the Restless?

But, all my carping aside, I did enjoy it. All our favorites are still there and there's some pretty anxiety-inducing stuff with Glenn. Michonne is being her usual, gloomy self, and this one at least has some romantic drama, even if it's lacking in other dramatic conflict. The ending is eyebrow raising...if not a little predictable, and yes, I'll still be reading. I'd just like to see it gather the intensity it once had. It's grown a little amorphous over time.

There's still time to order it and ship it before Christmas! Walking Dead: Volume 15 is available from amazon.com for $10.18.

Review: The Walking Dead Board Game by Z-Man

When I heard there was going to be a Walking Dead board game coming out this fall, I couldn't wait to get my paws on it. I'm a big fan of board games (Risk, Settlers of Catan, Scrabble, Scattegories...just to name a few), so a Walking Dead board game was basically combining two of my favorite things.

It came over a month ago, but I've been so busy being a boring adult that I didn't get a chance to sit down and give it a first go with some friends until last night. After having read about 50% of the instruction manual, we sat down to play at around 8:45pm.

The game set up wasn't difficult. It's a little like Clue, and each of your players has a different designated starting place on the board. You also pull location cards, a follower card, and a hero card. We each picked our own main character to start, but you're technically supposed to assign it randomly. They each have different benefits and weaknesses, so it's probably better to just pull them without choosing.

Basically the goal of the game is to scout three locations on the board (places such as The Greene Farm, The Prison, Wiltshire Estates, etc...plus some non-comic locations such as The Mall and The Airport). You can only scout locations when that location card is turned up, which means that the majority of the time you can only scout four of the locations. This leads to more competition between players and more strategy involved in your movements.

As you move, you leave behind you a trail of zombies. To move back through this trail you either have to waste gasoline driving through them, or you have to fight your way through--hence why it's a good idea to plan your movements so you don't end up cutting yourself off from your final destination.

As you scout locations, the tasks become more and more difficult. The tension of the game is also maintained by encounter cards, which are drawn on almost every turn, as you need to complete an encounter do almost anything. I really enjoyed the variety of tasks in the encounter stack. Some required you to fight zombies with the dice, some required you to roll hats (or "actions") with your dice set. Some even required that you poll your other players about what they would do in apocalyptic scenarios, and I was really impressed that the game didn't reward you for being the "nice guy".

The game took us a little while to complete (we finished about 2.5-3 hours later at 11:30pm), but part of that might have been that we had to keep stopping to read the directions and clarify some of the stranger encounter cards. The box says the game takes 30-60 minutes, but I doubt that. My guess would be that subsequent games will take us around 90 minutes or so.  But it was an exciting 2.5 hours, and the variety of cards in the encounter deck keeps it fun and fresh. Depending on which characters and locations you pulled, this game could feel completely different with each play.

I really enjoyed it, and I hope my friends will be down to play soon. The only thing that frustrates me is that it'll take a while to explain the game to new people and, admittedly, I'm pretty bad at explaining directions. But if you're willing to devote an hour or so to learning the game, it was pretty darn fun. Sometimes games with a gimmick like this are poorly thought out, but this one pretty much had it all. The only complaint I might have is that if you had enough followers, there weren't enough dice and you had to reroll some of them to add up to your full dice pool. But whatever, not a big complaint.

There is a TV show board game, which I haven't checked out yet. Seems a little ridiculous that they'd make two, but this version by Z-Man would make a great holiday gift for the gaming and zombie fan near you! It's available for $29.19 from Amazon and it can still be ordered in time for Christmas!

Review: Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor

Below is my amazon.com review of The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor. I finished the book a few weeks ago, but I thought I'd take the time to share the review on here, too. If you have read the comics, this novel is a quick read and would be a great weekend novel. Hint hint to your loved ones that it might make a good gift...cuz nothing says Christmas like zombies.

Just finished reading, and I must begin by saying that I'm nearly breathless. I read the final 2/3rds or the novel in a single day. Overall, this is a quick and very engaging read. It moves through plot at a reasonable and engaging pace without sparing visual description and insights into character emotions. From a gore standpoint, this is about as brutal as one could be in words, and certainly not for the faint of heart. I'd advise parents to really steer clear. This is not a stocking stuffer.

The good:
-The plot is perfectly crafted and manipulated. For readers of the comics and non-readers alike, you'll be biting your nails and throwing the book in the air for the entire ride.
-The characters are believable, both likeable and unlikeable, exactly what most people would likely devolve into given the situation. The entire scenario rings true, and it seems as though the author has clearly visualized the world of the story down to the tiniest detail.

The bad:
-I'm an English teacher, so I'm a big fan of metaphor, simile, personification, the whole lot of it. But the purpose of metaphor in literature is to further specify, describe and clarify a given image. Therefore, when your metaphors become overly obscure or detailed, it only serves to distract the reader from the story itself. Sure, it may seem like the metaphors here are beautiful to the point of near genius, but they are beautiful to the point of literary impediment. About 75% of the time, they strike true and achieve their purpose, but at least once every three or four pages you'll find yourself taking pause to dissect a metaphor. This is not the mark of great writing, even if it might appear as such to someone who is impressed by the sheer word craft.
-The author, like many writers, is clearly nurturing love affairs with certain words. I hate to point it out, as now you'll be looking for it, but the author might want to steer clear of the word "gape" and the word "primordial" going forward. The other words are getting jealous.
-The point of view, for me, was a little jarring. Usually novels written in present tense are also written in first person. Obviously, this isn't some sort of literary rule, and I applaud the author's attempt to break the mold. Still, at times I felt that this tense took me out of it. I guess that I just assumed it would be written in past tense since it is a prequel.

But overall, I'm really impressed. My above comments are nothing more than the petty nitpicking that accompanies true love and fan-dom. Why else would nerds still sit in their living rooms and argue about whether Jar Jar Binks was the worst decision Lucas ever made? When you love something, you see its flaws even more clearly, but you love it anyway. And I will say, still gasping from the mind-numbing genius of the final fifteen pages of this novel, that it is definitely worth your time. 

I'd love to chat about this with people once they read it! The ending demands discussion...or at least someone to gawk and scream with me! This will be the first in a series of Walking Dead novels, and you can read an interview with the author here. If you're still not sold on it, check on the preview below...which is basically just a dude reading the first few pages...lol.

Top 5: Scenes of Zombie Gluttony

I'm sure that today you are all headed to delicious feasts prepared by your loving family. For me, it's Thanksgiving cajun style around noon, and then your traditional Thanksgiving fare around 6pm. By the end of the day, I basically have to be rolled into bed. But zombies? They don't have a loving family to prepare them turkey and mashed potatoes. As a result, they are left to fend for themselves...and boy, do they.

So enjoy this top 5 in honor of the holiday. May it make you that much hungrier.


Honorable Mention: Zombies share in a round of Amy hors d'oeuvres in The Walking Dead
This makes the list, if only because (in both the comic and the show), it seemed like someone really could have done something to stop all the additional little bites. I mean, she's not finger food, people.

http://mimg.ugo.com/201011/6/6/4/132466/cuts/amy-death-complete_480x270.jpg

#5: Little girl zombie decides that mommies make the best dinners in Night of the Living Dead.
Moms really are good at everything: cooking, hugging, listening to your problems...and, oh yeah...devouring the second you turn into an undead freak. I mean, why go for a stranger as your first meal? You don't know where that's been! Take out mom and dad first.

#4: Zombies go for the leg's first--Stephen's legs to be exact--in Dawn of the Dead.
Nothing like a meal that fights back. Just makes that first taste of flesh all the more rewarding. Maybe we should start a new Thanksgiving tradition where we lock a live turkey in an elevator and bludgeon it to death. Us humans, we've lost all sense of barbarism. lol.

#3: Zombies go for David's stuffing first in Shaun of the Dead
For a comedy, this movie sure does do the gore up right. Nothing like being pulled through a window of broken glass and then disemboweled in front of your friends. Delicious. Just makes me want a full plate of stuffing. Check out the version below, or check out a better version here.

#2: Zombies dine on a feast of deep fried Tom & Judy in Night of the Living Dead
This was the scene that caused me to sleep in my parents' bed for a week when I was eight. Nothing like getting the whole zombie family together for some BBQ, right? I hope Tom and Judy had marinated themselves before deciding to become a human buffet because otherwise that meal is going to be a little on the bland side. Start the video below about 1:20 in and stop at 2:30. I had trouble finding one that just had the scene.

#1: Bub hunts his own turkey (Captain Rhodes) in Day of the Dead
You know what's NOT a good idea? Training zombies. Cuz, you know, if you do, they might eventually turn on you and hunt you down with the intention of feeding their very large zombie family. This scene is BY FAR the best scene of zombie gluttony ever. Awesome effects. Sure to have you licking your lips for some turkey.

Happy Thanksgiving! Give thanks that you are not one of the walking dead...yet...

Top 5: Characters from The Walking Dead Comics that I Can't Wait to See in the Show!

#5: Gabriel

I remember when he was first introduced, and I was so convinced he was going to be a bad guy. The "it's a trap" warning sirens were screaming in my brain. Even though he's a small character, his story is one that brings an interesting perspective to the group.

#4: Tyrese

Tyrese would be even higher on my list if it weren't for all the rumors surrounding his casting. Before the show even aired, the internet was abuzz with news that he would be portrayed by Keith Allen Hayes. Hayes is both too young and too small to be a real Tyrese, but at this point I guess the show is pretty far off the map. If nothing else, tonight's episode proved that. Still, I loved Tyrese. His relationship with Rick was genuine and interesting. He served as a good foil (and a good friend) for Rick, and his death is one of the many reasons that we watch Rick unravel. And he killed a whole gym full of zombies with a hammer. A HAMMER!

#3: Abraham

My favorite of the new(er) survivors, Abraham is pretty awesome and hardcore without being one dimensional. He serves as a fittingly brutal sidekick for Rick post-Woodbury, and I appreciate his brand of blunt honesty.

#2: The Governor

Call me crazy, but I'm still hoping that the show's writers will go the way of cruel and bitter irony and make Merle Dixon into The Governor. Wouldn't it be beyond awesome to watch him chop off Rick's hand in an "eye for an eye" gesture? Regardless of what route they chose to take on his origin, The Governor is one of the best villains in modern literature. He's a sick, sadistic monster, and yet...a great dad? As much as any reader despises him, you've gotta look forward to his inevitable and eventual appearance.

#1: Michonne

I cannot WAIT to hear who they cast as Michonne. This samurai-sword-wielding warrior woman can take care of herself and has proved it time and time again. I can't wait to hear her say "I think of all the things I'm going to do to you, and it scares me". Watch out, Governor. Whomever they cast, it better be good. I've been personally advocating for Gina Torres (of Serenity fame), but I'm sure that's only a pipe dream. Who would you love to see as the lawyer-gone-one-woman-army of The Walking Dead?




All pictures taken from http://walkingdead.wikia.com/wiki/Comic_Series_Characters

Zombie News: Walking Dead Foreshadowing?

For those who have read The Walking Dead comics, keep reading. For those who are strictly TV fans, do NOT read on. SPOILER ALERT!

So in conducting my daily zombie research today, I came across this article about Jon Bernthal, the actor who plays Shane. Apparently he has been signed on to a new film project that begins filming in Louisiana in early December.

Photo by Gene Page (AMC, 2011)  http://www.imdb.com/media/rm91795968/nm1256532

Now, while plenty of actors juggle the demands of both film and TV at the same time, might this be a sign of things to come? Might we finally see the oh-so-dramatic end of the first trade that many of us have been craving since episode 1.6? Is there a reason that Bernthal has the time to involve himself in a new project? What do you think? And if it's going to happen (I think it will), will it happen in the same way it goes down in the comic? Is AMC that gutsy? Your thoughts, please!