Speculation: Who are the "Wolves"?

http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2015/03/

In the second half of The Walking Dead's fifth season, we've been seeing a number of ominous signs of a person or group that may be lurking behind the scenes. The main sign is the increasing prevalence of zombies with a "W" carved into their foreheads. Why would someone do this? Is it pure brutality or does it serve a purpose? Is this person/group a threat? From a narrative standpoint, this seems like a pretty obvious "duh". The increasing appearance of these "W" dead seems to be pretty clear foreshadowing of some sort of looming, imminent threat, but what is it? Many speculations have been circulating, so below are a summary of those thoughts and my opinions on them.

Possibility #1: The Wolves are the Whisperers
In the comic, there is a group of survivors who walk the world among the dead wearing the zombie skins as protection and blending in among the walkers. They could be the ones carving the "W" symbol into the dead and could be lurking around unseen, just waiting to make an appearance.

Why this idea makes sense:

http://i.imgur.com/tDP9igV.png

• Whatever the threat is, it seems to be pretty hidden and has gone unnoticed by both the Alexandria community and by the members of Shirewilt (before they were killed). The Whisperers would be easily overlooked since they blend in with the dead that no one thinks to examine any closer.
• Kirkman is notorious for screwing with the audience. No one would be expecting for him to shuffle the deck of upcoming "big bads", so to jump right to a plotline that is still unfolding in the comics would be a great way to keep comic readers on their toes.
• Enid fits this storyline perfectly. In the comics, Carl falls for a young member of the Whisperers who has seemingly defected. We don't know much about Enid's past, but what we do know makes perfect sense with the concept of her being a Whisperer. First, she didn't talk for a month when she first came to the society, a trait that matches up well with the entire philosophy of the Whisperers. Second, her romantic storyline with Carl seems to be following the same line. Furthermore, we have yet to see her kill a zombie, which might indicate that she doesn't view them in the same way that the other survivors do. This is further strengthened by her comment of "It's their world: we're just living in it", which is a very Whisperer-y thing to say. Also, Enid is very good at moving through the landscape undetected, which matches with someone who had lived among the dead for a prolonged period of time. Lastly, she seems pretty terse when mentioning her mother (or her entire back story, really). She doesn't say that her mom is dead, so could her mother be the mysterious Alpha of the Whisperers that made an appearance in the last issue of the comic?

  

  http://www.craveonline.com/tv/reviews/838201-the-walking-dead-5-15-try-recap

• The Whisperers have a legitimate reason to mark Walkers. Since they seem to move within them, marking them to keep their group together and tag the hoards they are moving within would at least make some logistical sense. It's probably the only explanation that matches with any real purpose other than intimidation and brutality. The same goes for collecting torsos. Since the Whisperers wear zombie skin, they would have a reason to collect flesh from the torso and face since it would be the most easily applied to their own flesh for the purposes of concealment.
• If they go the way of Enid being a Whisperer, they could easily replicate the "prisoner trade" that happens in the comics by capturing Daryl, Aaron, or even Morgan, who are all outside of the walls.



http://k32.kn3.net/taringa/C/4/3/D/B/D/terrynova/528.png

• The name "Wolves" makes sense with the Whisperers if you think about the phrase "A wolf in sheep's clothing".

Why it makes no sense:

• This storyline isn't finished in the comics and jumping ahead of the comics could get very muddled and confusing for Kirkman.
• A prisoner swap between Morgan and Enid would not be as obvious a decision as it is in the comics because Enid has been in Alexandria for a longer period of time, and no one in Alexandria besides Michonne and Rick even know whom Morgan is.
• This storyline might be too time consuming. They may need something brief to kill time until they get to Negan, and the Whisperers aren't that. In order to do the Whisperer storyline justice, they would have to delay Negan's appearance for at least a season, and while they've made it clear that that's certainly a possibility, I doubt they will given that it's one of the most dynamic plots of the comic and people are already salivating awaiting it.
• It looked like the citizens of Shirewilt were attacked by humans. While the Whisperers are "technically" human, they don't necessarily fight or attack like them.
• This plot line doesn't do enough to give Rick a hero moment. Without that hero moment, Deanna has no reason to not boot him out on his ass.

Possbility #2: The DC Scavengers are the Wolves

http://walkingdead.wikia.com/wiki/The_Scavengers

It's been awhile since I read this part of the comics, but before Negan arrives, a group of savage scavengers attack and almost destroy Alexandria, resulting in multiple deaths and the loss of Carl's right eye. Could they be the Wolves, out to destroy and overrun?

Why it makes sense... 

• The way in which Shirewilt was attacked seems very much like the way the Scavengers attack and destroy Alexandria in the comics, and clearly that attack was undertaken by these "wolves".
• Their timeline matches up with where we are in the comics. If Kirkman follows his original narrative, it's their time to appear in the small space before Negan's men start causing havoc. 
• Their brutality makes sense with some of the actions that we've seen, namely the tied up naked woman in the woods. They seem like the kind of guys who might hack up other survivors, overrun a town, tie up and abandon a woman. 
• Marking the walkers could be an intimidation tactic, and they're the kind of guys who would think of something like that. 
• Sasha being in the tower is a great setup for this since she's quickly becoming Andrea from the comic, and Andrea in the tower was a part of the Scavenger plot line. (If I'm remembering properly)
• Protecting Alexandria from the Scavengers would save Rick from the inevitable exile that awaits him after his little blood-splattered monologue this week.

 Why it makes no sense...

http://www.twdenthusiasts.com/2015/02/walking-dead-comic-spoilers-wolves/

• Why would they take the torsos and heads? It seems like a silly thing to be carrying around and to my recollection the Scavengers didn't have a very developed base camp. Furthermore, there's just no motivation to do it. Dismembering is congruent with simple brutality and a desire to intimidate those who might happen upon a scene afterwards, but if that's the goal, then what's the point in taking the torsos?
• This is what people are expecting, and Kirkman likes to keep people on their toes.
• They may be too similar to Gareth's group in the idea of them just being messed up, selfish, vengeful humans. The show's producers might want a little more variety.

Possibility #3: It isn't a "W"...it's an upside down "M".

http://walkingdead.wikia.com/wiki/Morgan_Jones_%28TV_Series%29

My least favorite theory and by far the most implausible, but worth a brief mention, is that the "W" is actually an "M" for Morgan. Is Morgan really as crazy as he seems at times, running around the woods and marking up walkers? He certainly seems to have a predilection for getting fixated on one phrase or symbol (aka: Clear), but is that really possible for one man to pull off?

Why it makes sense:

• We have ample evidence to support that Morgan is unwell, and a lot of the signs we have about this group seem to indicate that they're not exactly winning the mental health of the year award.
• What if he still has Duane? Okay, this is far fetched, but hear me out. In the comics, Morgan keeps Duane alive as a zombie and feeds him the remains of survivors that he captures and kills. What if Morgan is still dragging Duane along with him? That would support why the girl was tied up and devoured in the woods--food for his undead son. This would also be (sort of) a reason to dismember corpses so that their flesh is easier to feed to Duane and to carry along with Morgan for later feedings. Also, we have very few wide shots of Morgan, so Duane being on a rope behind him is not entirely impossible.

  

  http://walkingdead.wikia.com/wiki/Duane_Jones_%28Comic_Series%29

• It would honestly be easier to carve a letter upside down on a head if the body was on the ground, rather than having to lean over the torso and dangerous jaw of the ghoul to tattoo it with your symbol.
• Morgan has to make an appearance somehow.

Why it makes no sense:

• Unless Morgan found a last minute flight from Alexandria to Richmond, there's no way he could've beat the group across four states since they were driving and he was walking. They haven't been in Alexandria long enough for him to catch up, let alone catch up and already make his presence this known.
• He just has no reason to.
• The damage inflicted by the Wolves is too great for one man.
• We want to like Morgan...and we don't like these people.
• He may already be dead and a victim of the Wolves. Some have observed that the dismembered arms at the campsite that Daryl and Aaron found are wearing the same color shirt as Morgan, the hands belong to a black man, the wedding band is the same, and a pair of sunglasses are nearby. Personally, I think this is typical Kirkman misdirection, but hey...it's possible.

So...your thoughts? I guess we'll probably find out in five days, but until then...it's an excellent use of time to kick around some theories. 

News: Walking Dead Spinoff Coming into Focus

http://undeadwalking.com/2015/01/21/companion-show-called-fear-walking-dead/

So for a while we've known that Kirkman and crew were working on a spinoff series for The Walking Dead, working titled of "Cobalt", but only in the last few months have the details become clearer. First, the announcement came just before Christmas that the spinoff would be located in Los Angeles, rather than the Atlanta area setting of the original series. As a Chicagoan, I'm always disappointed when shows and movies take the typical route and chose NYC or LA as a setting, but I'll give it a shot. I'm glad that they're shaking it up though. As much as I love TWD, it would be pretty silly to just make a carbon copy of the same show simply to get more advertising revenue. Setting it in LA presents new challenges for the characters and a new range of opportunities for the writers.

But the setting is not the only shake up we'll see in the new spinoff series. According to some unverified reports in the past couple of days, the spinoff is supposedly going to start off at the beginning of the outbreak. This will enable Kirkman to show us the month that we missed while Rick was in his coma. This is bold, in my opinion. If you look at many zombie flicks and fiction, they often jump into the future to avoid having to deal with the logistics of how the infection began. It's difficult to show the full extent of the outbreak and fall of society in a way that comes across as believable. The best example I can think of was BBC's Survivors (which wasn't a zombie show, but involved a pandemic). They executed this very well, so hopefully the spinoff will follow their lead.

We also have some news on who our new characters are. We know they're a family, but a family with a few problems that predated the dead walking the earth. So what exactly does that mean? Some sources have reported that the mom is divorced and has two teenage kids, one of whom has a drug problem, and that those three teams up with her divorced male colleague.  I'm a little worried; I'll be honest, as all of that sound a little like the plot of a SyFy original movie. Also, The Walking Dead got very lucky with their younger actors--Chandler Riggs is a solid young actor--but let's face it: sometimes having a bunch of teenagers running around on a show makes it more suited for the WB than for AMC. Of course, I'm a total hypocrite because I write YA zombie fiction that I don't find to be cheesy. I guess my real concern is in them finding the right actors who can effectively pull this off. They have some very big, very talented shoes to fill.

http://www.purebreak.com/media/photo-the-walking-dead-cliff-curtis-sera-le-362564.html

One of the people they've casted is Alycia Debnam Carey. She was one of the better things about the disappointment that was Into the Storm, so maybe that's not such a bad sign. And Frank Dillane, who I'm assuming is playing her older brother, was Tom Riddle in Harry Potter, so that's not a bad sign either. The other announced cast thus far are Kim Dickens (Gone Girl, Treme) and Cliff Curtis (Training Day, Three Kings). Cliff Curtis's character also has a teenage son (I smell love connection with the teenage girl...), but he has yet to be announced in terms of casting.

Whether or not they are able to pull this off, you have to applaud these actors for getting a great gig, and you have to applaud AMC for giving it a shot. They should be in filming now or soon, with a 2015 air date for the pilot. My guess is that they'll want to run it over the summer to fill the empty space when TWD is gone, but that's purely my speculation. Fingers crossed, this will be quality stuff.

Review: Season 5 of Walking Dead...the first half

Oh, it's just so good. There's so much to say, and I really wish I'd had the time to address it episode by episode, but alas, here's my take on the first half of The Walking Dead's fifth season.

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/GraphicCity/news/?a=110429

First of all, all the stuff with the Termites was perfect. It was the perfect amount of creepy and they served their role as bad guys without overstaying their welcome. At the beginning of the season, I was a little concerned that the show was going to try to turn Gareth into the next governor and would have him hanging around for the entire season. I just didn't think that would age well, so I'm glad they didn't go that route. They were the right amount of faithful to the comics, and they really nailed one of my favorite comic book moments (aka: "Tainted MEAT!!!"). I was really pleased with Lawrence Gilliard Jr.'s performance in his final episodes. He made that excellent moment come alive in a believable and haunting way, and he died with a great deal of dignity.

http://galleryhip.com/walking-dead-abraham-death.html

As for Gareth's last stand, I was also pleased. In the comics, the cannibals are killed in an absolutely excellent bloodbath of vengeance carried out by Rick, Michonne, Abraham, and Andrea with Father Gabriel watching in horror. It's probably my single favorite panel in the comics because I think it says a lot about the theme of the narrative. I was worried that the show would screw this up by not doing it the same way. Even though they didn't do it the exact same way as the comic, the message was the same and I left satisfied. The brutality of their slaughter, justified as it was, was still very clear. It was an excellent moment of television and one of the real high points of the series.

http://www.threeifbyspace.net/2014/10/

Additionally, I'm really happy with Seth Gilliam's portrayal of Father Gabriel, who was introduced in the season five premiere. He is doing a good job of communicating Gabriel's crippling cowardice. It seems that some viewers find him to be a frustrating and useless character, but I would say that he's anything but that. We need to see people like Gabriel in this world because many of us would be very much like him. It's easy to think that you'd be Michonne, slashing down the dead and walking through hordes without blinking, but that's a romantic lie. No one would survive this long without being a little selfish and putting their needs above the needs of others. Another great example of this is Eugene, he's being brought to life in an entertaining and dynamic way by actor Josh McDermitt.

www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2790564/

Of course, any review of the season would be remiss if it didn't mention the unifying of the group in the first episode. That was well executed from a writing and story perspective, and it was a great episode for one of my favorite characters, Carol. It was fitting that, after her excommunication, she would be the one to save Rick. It really taught him a lesson about right and wrong, one that he seems to be incorporating into his character. And if you didn't cry when Daryl hugged Carol, or when Rick hugged Judith, or when Sasha hugged Tyreese...well then you're just a monster.

One of my issues with these episodes was that after only a few episodes of the gang being back together again, they had to all fly to the corners of the earth again. I was glad to see them united in the midseason finale, and I hope that they stay that way for a while. While there are drawbacks to having episodes with every single character present, namely that you don't get enough time with any one character, having them split up all the time drags out the narrative in a way that can be a little annoying at times. It's not that I don't enjoy a good character building episode; I really enjoyed the episode on the road with Abraham and crew (aka: GREATM), but sometimes, such as in the episode with Beth in Atlanta, there's just not enough there to sustain a whole episode.

http://io9.com/the-walking-dead-just-turned-into-the-worlds-strangest-1654077087

I have to mention the Beth episode a little more. I hate to do it, because I don't like to speak ill of the dead and all, but that episode was the worst one of the entire show. It was boring, the acting was bad, and Beth is just not an interesting enough character to serve as the crux of the conflict. Generally, I felt that the episode was poorly directed. Dawn was a better character in the later episodes, but in her first appearance she felt unrealistic. A good villain should seem believable, have a purpose that the viewer can buy, even if they don't agree with it. The idea that she really still believed in salvation that long into the apocalypse was a tough pill for me to swallow as a viewer. Also, her management style seemed rife with flaws, so I had trouble believing that she'd held them all together that long when she seemed so weak and disorganized. And if she was supposed to be OCD and a control freak, I can't buy that she'd allow the amount of free movement from people like Beth and Noah that they clearly had within the hospital.

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/21234/20141201/

I do like Noah though, and I'm looking forward to where he'll go. This may be extremely callous to say, but I can't help but think that if we had to trade Beth for Noah, it's probably an upgrade as far as character. It's not that I won't miss Beth; I will, and her death was both brutal and extremely well executed from a narrative standpoint. I always appreciate when characters go quickly in films and television, not giving the opportunity for a farewell. It's brutal, but it's a brutality that is true to life and the effect it has upon those who survive is interesting plot (I'm looking at you, Alan Tudyk in Serenity). I just feel that maybe Beth's character arc had run its course, and the best thing her character had left to offer was to give Daryl another reason to be damaged and angry. She had a good run and she went out like a real beast. That scene at the end with Maggie seeing her was pretty brutal and sad. I won't lie though; there was a part of me that was like "Girl, didn't you just remember that you even had a sister like 45 minutes ago??".

http://www.enstarz.com/articles/48719/20141016/

I'm looking forward to season two and Washington DC, which is where I'm assuming they will be headed next. Great conflict awaits there, but I think it will take until season 6, maybe even the midseason finale of season 6, before we get to meet one of my personal favorite characters: Negan. I'm also really excited to see Morgan's return in the second half of the season. Even though he's only been in a few episodes, Lennie James has made that character so dynamic and engaging. It was the right choice to bring him back as they do in the comics, but I hope he gets to have more of an active role than comic book Morgan did.

So I guess it's a long wait until February, but I'm excited to see where this will go!

Review: Walker Stalker Con 2014

The Chicago Walker Stalker Con I attended was in March of 2014 at the Donald J. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont. I attended with zero expectations because I had, quite literally, only found out about it that week. I saw the guest list (about 50% of the primary cast of The Walking Dead as well as Bub from Day of the Dead) and that was the only advertisement I needed. I showed up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and I was not disappointed.

I've attended a fair number of conventions in the Chicagoland area, including C2E2, Wizard World, Flashback Weekend, and Cyphan (RIP). While I don't want to knock any of those conventions (except perhaps Wizard World), this was BY FAR the best convention I've ever attended. It was well organized and low-key, while still providing a high-quality, professional convention experience. The attendance was reasonable: busy enough to feel like a legit convention experience without being so overwhelming that I felt like a small face in a zombie hoard.

The guest list was phenomenal. It was one of those conventions that you went to with a budget for autographs and then tossed that budget to the curb so damned quickly because how could you resist getting autographs from these excellent guests? To name a few, Walker Stalker Con Chicago 2014 featured Greg Nicotero (Walking Dead make-up effects guru), Steven Yeun (Glenn from The Walking Dead), Lauren Cohan (Maggie from The Walking Dead), Chad Coleman (Tyrese from TWD), Soniqua Martin-Green (Sasha from TWD), Michael Cudlitz (Abraham from TWD), IronE Singleton (T-Dog from TWD), Melissa Hutchinson (Clementine from Telltale's The Walking Dead video game), Jay Bonansinga (Author of Rise of the Governor and other TWD novels) and Sherman Howard (Bub from Day of the Dead). That's a guest list worth paying the VIP ticket price for.

In addition to the sheer volume of actors and other zombie players at the con, the panels were excellent as well. With a pretty reasonably priced VIP pass, I was able to get very close for all the panels. Even those with general admission were often invited to move forward. That's a positive vibe that you just don't get at other conventions. The actors were very candid in panels as well, and since there were so many different actors from The Walking Dead, you didn't have a one-size-fits-all TWD panel. Instead, you got to see Michael Cudlitz speak on Abraham for an hour. IronE Singleton got a full hour to be the wonderful and unique individual that he is. And, in addition to the actors, behind the scenes players like Greg Nicotero, Jay Bonansinga, and Melissa Hutchinson each got full hours in the spotlight which they probably wouldn't get at other conventions. All the panels were engaging and seemed very intimate.

And if you didn't feel you got your questions answered in panel, the greatest thing about Walker Stalker Con was that the guests were completely accessible to the fans. For some of my favorite side characters (Alanna Masterson and Lawerence Gilliard Jr just to name a few) there was virtually no line. You could just walk right up and not only get your autograph in an expeditious manner, but you could also chat with the actors and tell them how much they mean to you. You didn't feel like you were holding up a line or wasting their time. I've rarely felt that vibe at other conventions. But it wasn't just because the convention wasn't busy; it was also because the guests seemed genuinely happy to be there. They didn't seem uncomfortable talking to the attendees. I genuinely felt, and I don't even think this is naivete, that they wanted to talk to their fans. Greg Nicotero sat in the audience for many of the panels and even celebrated his birthday with the guests, birthday cake and all. You didn't feel a line between guests and attendees--we were all just zombie-lovers spending a weekend together.

For many of the guests, you could also get pictures at the table for an additional fee rather than having to go through the secondary line at the photo op booth. And these weren't just your standard "stand side by side and smile awkwardly" pictures. Brighton Sharbino (Lizzie from TWD) was doing pictures where she pretended to suffocate you just like she did to Judith. Chad Coleman had his signature hammer on the table for pictures, and IronE Singleton was hugging every attendee with a  kindness you don't find many places. It certainly caused me to shell out a few extra bucks because you just don't get experiences like that every day.

Overall, I had an absolutely wonderful time, and I can't wait for them to return in 2015. Even though the current guest list includes many of the people I've already met, it's still worth it to me to have that communal experience of basking in the glow of all things zombie. Walker Stalker Conventons began in Atlanta and extended to Chicago as their first new city in 2014. Obviously, it was a success, as they're now in seven different cities for the 2014-2015 convention season. They'll be back in Chicago on February 21st and 22nd, 2015 at Navy Pier.

Walker Stalker Con is a great gift to the zombie-loving community, and I hope others are able to attend their kick ass events. They've extended guest lists to include classic zombie actors from Night of the Living Dead as well this season, so if you love the zombie genre, Walker Stalker Con is an absolute must.

News: Walking Dead Leaks First Glance of Prison

Image Credit: Gene Page/AMC

I think this picture says more than my words ever could. The sheer awesomeness of Lauren Cohan in this photo makes me wish I had a time machine simply to bump me forward to October. Heck, I'd even give up the nearly two months of vacation I have between now and then. Anyone who has read the comics will tell you that the prison is definitely the best part of the series, and these photos only serve to reassure me that the producers are going to do it justice.

Read the entire teaser article here, and check out another awesome photo that shows even more penal, zombie shredding goodness. The article also includes a little from producer Glen Mazzara about the role of the prison in season three.

Review: Episode 2 of Telltale's Walking Dead

Well, it's better than going out to the movies and it's half as expensive. That's right. I spent my Wednesday evening like any self-respecting geek should: sitting on my couch and taking in Episode 2 of Telltale's Walking Dead game. Almost a month late from its anticipated monthly release, this game was certainly a tease...but now that I've bedded the beast, I must say that it was worth the wait.

You can check out my review of Episode 1 right here, and I wouldn't proceed any further on this review if you haven't played the first episode yet. This episode was so packed with suspense that it will be difficult to review without giving away too much of the good stuff as it is.

Episode 2 jumps Lee, Clementine, and the group forward about three months. They're still in the motel, but they're starving and even more at each other's throats than usual. After making the difficult decision of whom to feed and whom to leave hungry, you embark on the main narrative of the episode which is sure to have you paying attention to every detail.

My favorite thing about this episode was that it built consistent and realistic tension in a variety of ways. You didn't have moments where you could let down your guard, sigh, or grab a quick trip to the bathroom. Instead, I was planted to my sofa for the two hour duration of the game play. I was fully engaged in the decision making, and I found myself really stressing the decisions--even the seemingly minor ones. Even more so than in Episode 1, Episode 2 feels like a fairly realistic scenario. Often it's difficult to know what the "right" choice is, and there often isn't a way to please everyone or look like the plucky hero. This makes the game satisfying in its honesty and commitment to truthful storytelling.

My only major complaint would be that during a couple of sequences, I felt smarter than the game was allowing me to be. I saw a few things before they came, which helped add to the suspense, but it also made me frustrated that I couldn't say or do the appropriate thing to act on my suspicions as I would have in real life. Still, it obviously only made me want to play that much more. I would also say that the character of Larry made me want to hurl my controller on more than one occasion, but a strong emotional response is the sign of a captivating game. Lastly in the "negative" department, this episode was a little light on the zombie combat, but if you've read any of my posts, you'll know that that isn't the main thing that makes zombie drama compelling to me anyway. Despite the absence of zombies, there's no shortage of life or death situations. In fact, I think I died almost twice as many times in episode 2 as I did during my first crack at episode 1.

I hope it doesn't take them two more months to come out with Episode 3. It's going to be a long summer if I can't swing some punches with my man Lee Everett until the end of August. For now, start playing Episode 2! Xbox users can download the episode starting today for 400 points ($5), but PS3 and PC/Mac users will have to wait until Friday. Or, you could just buy an Xbox like us cool kids.

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: Steven Yeun & Lauren Cohan Rock C2E2

Steven Yeun takes a picture of us as we all do the opposite.

Because I don't wake up at 4am on Saturday mornings, I was unable to get autograph tickets for Steven Yeun (Glenn) and Lauren Cohan (Maggie). Still, once I'd passed that little snag, I had a great time at C2E2. I sat through some great panels, got a signed copy of The Walking Dead: Covers from Tony Moore's table, and bought some nerdalicious swag.

My day was capped off with the Walking Dead panel. Steven Yeun and Lauren Cohan hit the stage in the IGN Theater to talk about the show and the romantic relationship of "Glaggie". Overall, the two were both absolutely adorable and very articulate. Cohan talked about killing Shane as something that "had to happen" and condoned Rick's decision. She also addressed a question about why Tyrese, Rick's BFF in the comics, hasn't arrived yet. She explained that keeping Shane alive for season two kind of fulfilled Tyrese's role for a while, and that she hasn't heard anything about casting him or having his character appear in the show. I know. Sad face.

Steven Yeun was a laugh a minute during the panel. He talked about his script-reading habits (ie: on the toilet), and discussed how that made encountering Dale's death for the first time a little awkward. When asked about Glenn's relationship with Maggie, he jokingly referred to their relationship as "two people who love each other doing cool sh*t". He also referenced that before there would be any sex scenes, he'd have to get to the gym, but he was reassured when Cohan revealed that he was absolutely a better kisser than her Supernatural co-star. Yeun was quite the jokester, even threatening to take season three back to the farm (to which the packed theater booed and jeered), but he did reference the gloomy nature of the show by saying "any of us can go".

I guess we'll have to wait and see if that is, in fact, true when season three of The Walking Dead hits television screens in October. The cast returns to shooting in three weeks, and hopefully we'll be getting a couple of spoilers soon. Until then, I'll leave you with this highpoint of the panel. Imagine Lauren Cohan and Steven Yeun doing their best "zombie walks" across the stage. Who do you think did the best job? The answer: Lauren. Steven admitted that his just really looked like him "on a sad day".

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.

Events: C2E2 at McCormick Place

Okay...so after much stress and after a few new guest announcements...I guess I'm going to C2E2 as well this weekend. C2E2, the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, will be at McCormick place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday this coming weekend. It will feature zombie-rific guests such as Steven Yeun and Lauren Cohan (The Walking Dead), Chris Hardwick (Talking Dead), and Tony Moore (Walking Dead issues 1-6). Also, for those interested in running around and fighting zombies, Humans vs. Zombies will be hosting events throughout the weekend.

Check out the whole line up here, as there are many non-zombie related guests that will also likely grab your attention. The event is in the North Building at McCormick Place, and free shuttles are available from downtown to the convention center. It doesn't get much more convenient than that.

Swag: Andrew Lincoln T-Shirt Hilarity

As some of you might know, before Andrew Lincoln was the BA Rick Grimes: Zombie Killer, he was just an emo guy in love with Kiera Knightley in Love Actually. It's true. The man who now commands the respect of millions with his no-nonsense Ricktatoship, was once just a man in a mildly homosexual sweater standing outside of a house on Christmas eve and declaring his love through a series of "awwww!" inspiring signs.

As a mock of that paradox, I found this shirt on Etsy.com that mixes the two Andrew Lincoln roles into one. Once again, Etsy comes through with the absolute hilarity. I want one...oh, how I want one. What's next? We need one the mixes Boondock Saints and Daryl Dixon. This is the closest they've gotten to that one though.

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: Des Moines' Zombie Burger & Drink Lab

What did I do this week during my vacation? Drove five hours to Des Moines, Iowa of course! And why would I spend more than $100 in gas and $215 on my husband's speeding ticket to go to the center of corn country? Well, because it is the home to the one and only zombie-themed burger joint!

When you pull up outside of Des Moines' Zombie Burger and Drink Lab, it doesn't look like anything particularly special. Its innocuous reflective windows blend into the other store fronts of the capital's down town area. But once you enter, you will be immediately impressed by the amount of detail and class devoted to crafting this zombie-themed eatery.

The decor is urban and metallic, but not dirty or grungy. This isn't the type of place where you fear that they've failed their last ten health inspections. The art on the walls is new, bright, and well placed. The staff are alternative, pierced and inked...but also showered and well put together. Even though it's a zombie burger joint, someone clearly put a fair amount of time and energy into the interior decorating. The restaurant boasts two or three beautiful zombie comic murals made especially for the restaurant. The artist was, impressively, Ron J. Wagner. He is known for comics such as The Punisher, Nth Man, and Batman: Legends of the Dark Night.

When it comes to seating, you have two choices. You can either sit in the carry out area or the dine in area. We ate in the dine in area, but I'd suggest saving the money on tip and just grabbing a booth in the carry out area. There's no difference between the two menus, except that you may not be able to get alcohol in the carry out area. If that's not a deciding factor for you, be assured that there's just as much of a zombie touch in either of the dining rooms.

We were very impressed with the service. The server was very nice, and the entire tattooed staff seemed happy to be at work...genuinely happy, not TGIFridays happy. The food was served very quickly and drinks were refilled before they were even half empty. Given the greasy, fried nature of this food, a full glass was a must.

When it comes to reviewing the food, I have to admit a bias up front. My husband and I are both vegetarians, so we went with the veggie burger. Their veggie patty was vegetable based rather than soy based, and therefore it was completely inedible in my opinion. Still, their burgers involve so much fried goodness, that they were honestly good and filling even once I pulled off the patty. My guess is that these burgers would have been beyond delicious with a beef patty.

We got four burgers: The Walking Ched, They're Coming to Get You Barbara, Juan of the Dead, and Planet Terror. This was a mistake. These burgers are so big and so fried that you really shouldn't endeavor to eat more than one. We ended up never getting to the Juan of the Dead and I didn't even bite into the Planet Terror. The Walking Ched was my personal favorite. The bun is made out of deep fried patties of macaroni and cheese...yes...you read that correctly. The burger is then topped by even more mac and cheese, cheese, etc.

Once I let the food digest for a few minutes, I was up for a delicious shake for the road home. I opted for the Tallahassee, a milkshake that combines vanilla ice cream, cherry kool aid powder, and (of course) an entire twinkie. This was the best part of the meal for sure. It was a good combination of flavors, and you could definitely taste the little bits of twinkie blended in! Tallahassee would have been proud.

So should you drive all the way out to Des Moines to visit this little gem? No. That would be silly. Who the heck would do that? lol. But if you happen to be in the area, I highly recommend this as a pit stop. It would be worth a little detour. It was a little busy though, even at 5pm on a Tuesday, so I would suggest calling ahead during peak hours.

Also, if you get a chance to try the spiked milk shakes, let me know how they were! We were so full that we didn't get to try everything we wanted to! Also, we were driving. lol.

Funny: Maybe Carl Should Just Stay in the House...

http://teamkiddieleashforcarl.tumblr.com/

During season 2 of The Walking Dead, Carl's ability to just randomly disappear and reappear somewhere else became the butt of many a joke. Comments were made about Lori's fabulous parenting; after all, if there's ever a time to keep an eye on your kid, it's during the damn apocalypse. But then again, Rick's just as much to blame. Or, I don't know...maybe Carl, a seemingly intelligent 10 year old boy, could just think logically about his behavior. I certainly don't want to see The Walking Dead kill off Carl...well...ever...but after all his foolhardy behavior, some people have been calling for his head. For example, one article I read was a list of 10 reasons The Walking Dead should kill off our dear friend, Carl. Check it out HERE.

And if that one got you laughing, check out this lovely song about Carl's wandering ways. Performed and written by a band called H2Awesome.

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.