Tag Archives: zombie
Zombie Survival Guide Review
The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead
Let’s face it: at one time or another we’ve all faced a zombie scare we aren’t prepared
for. And yes, the local constabulary usually cleans things up with a minimum of fuss, but what happens when things go wrong and the cavalry doesn’t arrive? That, my friends, is the day that Max Brooks’ “The Zombie Survival Guide” saves your life. With several millennia worth of field experience distilled into a manageable 254 pages, everything you need to know to survive the coming war with the undead can be found in these pages. Your life and the lives of those you love are at stake, act now and be prepared!
OK, so that paragraph was obviously tongue in cheek, but hopefully in conveys some sense of what Brooks’ remarkable “The Zombie Survival Guide” is like. While obviously a parody of both the horror genre and civil defense/survivalist manuals, it maintains an “all-business” demeanor, never once cracking the façade to reveal the underlying humoristic intent. The result is a book that is, when taken as a whole, a funny, incredibly thorough work of satire. However, at the same time, page-by-page, it is a rather accomplished addition to zombie horror.
Starting with zombie physiology and then moving on to weapons, tactics, long-term strategy and history Brooks has produced a manual which has a thoroughness that belies the absurdity of its subject. Point by point he discusses the pros and cons of rifles, machetes and flamethrowers, then considers the optimal defensive positions for various types of outbreaks. After an extensive discussion of survival in a zombie doomsday scenario, he lays out zombie outbreaks through history, and what their implications are. Throughout, entries are extensively cross-referenced and alternative courses of action are always weighed for potential risks and benefits.
The remarkable thing about all this is that Brooks has managed to infuse a tension, and urgency into his manual that makes for great reading. Part post-apocalyptic fiction, part “Night of the Living Dead” and part “Saturday Night Live” sketch, this is a book that should hold appeal across a broad range of genres. Thorough without being dry, creepy without being clichéd, and funny without relying on cheap laughs, “The Zombie Survival Guide” is undoubtedly one of the most original books I have ever read, and one that I enjoyed reading immensely. If you appreciate any or all of these genres, or if you just enjoy a well executed, original idea, this is definitely a book you’ll want to check out.
And remember…Tomorrow may be too late, read this book today!
Real Life Zombies
The thought of our bodies walking around and operating without our personal conscious or as the more spiritual believe without our soul is an idea that has intrigued and captivated the minds of human beings for centuries. Whether it be the living-dead and body snatchers of Hollywood movies or the stories of voodoo priests using potions to turn rivals into mindless drones to do their bidding, myths, movies, and stories about zombies have been a mainstay in human culture. But the idea of our bodies walking around without freewill or after we have passed may be closer to the realm of the natural than we all thought.
We have all been in the situation where we see a hideous bug in our sink or bathtub and instead of squishing it we take a more timid approach and turn the water on and drown the pest. Imagine you try to that and you watch the ugly sucker spin down the drain. You return to the bathroom later to make the horrifying discovery that the bug had returned from the dead. There are two possibilities: either you have a bathroom infested with bugs or you are dealing with a wolf spider, whose appearance is even more terrifying than its name.
British Colombia – Zombie Preparedness Week: Are you ready?
Zombie Preparedness Week: Are you ready?
Zombies? In British Columbia? Are you serious?
Well, sorta. The threat of zombie attack is a popular phenomenon around the globe and with it comes the message to “be prepared”. Earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, landslides, avalanches, interface fires, severe storms and hazardous material spills are some of the dangers that could threaten lives and cause extensive damage in British Columbia. And while the chance of zombies a-knockin’ on your door is pretty slim, we do believe that if you’re ready for zombies, you’re ready for any disaster.
Follow along with us this week as we provide you with an arsenal of zombie preparedness tips, videos, photos and even some advice from a zombie-attack survivor.
- Watch this video about how a little girl foiled a zombie attack on her family. You might learn something.
- Tip #1: Ensure your gas tank is always half full.
- Tip #2: Have emergency kits for your home, office and car.
- Tip #3: Have a plan!
- Tip #4: Get an emergency kit.
- Tip #5: Have an out-of-province contact.
Guest Blog
- Day One: Outbreak
- Day Two: What’s For Dinner? Hopefully Not My Brain
- Day Three: Close Encounter
- Day Four: Evacuation Order
- Day Five: Humans: 1, Zombies: 0. On the Road to Recovery.
Facts and Advice
- Know the risk in your area. Other than zombie attack, your region may be susceptible to flooding, earthquakes or tsunamis. Find out and get prepared.
- Devise a plan. When zombies attack, or wildfires strike, you’ll have to act fast. Your plan should include:
- Safe exits from your home and neighbourhood;
- A meeting place to reunite with family; and
- Pre-determined out-of-province contacts so friends and family will know you’re okay.
- Get an emergency kit. There’s no time to collect supplies when zombies are shuffling around your neighbourhood! Make sure to assemble grab-and-go kits for your home, office and vehicle. They should contain supplies for a minimum of 72 hours.
- May was chosen for Zombie Awareness Month because cult classics like “Night of the Living Dead” and “Dawn of the Dead” are set in spring.
- Last year, the US Center for Disease Control created a graphic novel, Preparedness 101: Zombie Pandemic, that demonstrates the important of emergency preparedness.
The Ultimate Zombie Gun: Red Jacket ZK-22 Bullpup Rifle
When Max Brooks, the author of “World War Z” and the ultimate zombie apocalypse guru, walked into the Red Jacket shop, we were all damn excited to see what he wanted to do. We weren’t disappointed in the slightest.
Max wanted to build the ultimate civilian zombie gun, and he wanted to make it a Red Jacket. But we had to answer a few questions first. What makes the best apocalypse weapon? What is the one gun that will not only save your life once, but keep you alive in the long run?
Do you want the firepower of a military rifle or the simple functionality of a civilian-type rifle?
We went back and forth on the argument of tactical versus practical. After a lot of conversation, we decided that we want three things from the gun: availability of ammunition, accuracy and versatility.
To meet all these requirements, our mad genius Joe Meaux took a .22 cal. rifle and dropped it into the bullpup platform, added a suppressor, an ambidextrous charging handle and magazine release and an aluminum rail to mount your light or other undead erasing device. The gun he put together is light, silent, easy to use and does the job at close and long ranges — we call it the Red Jacket ZK-22 Bullpup rifle.
The bullpup has a match trigger in a barreled receiver which allows the gun to function with a match trigger on both ends. The solid milled trigger bar helps transfer energy perfectly, producing positively no loss in flex. We added a tactical solutions lightweight aluminum barrel, Red Jacket magnum .22 suppressor and a Vortex SPARC red dot scope for good measure. You can even throw in a mounted spike for the hand-to-hand moments in your killing spree.
I could go on all day, but I’ll let Joe Meaux tell you all about his new zombie-murdering creation.
‘The Walking Dead': Exclusive first look at Danai Gurira as fan favorite Michonne
The Walking Dead': Exclusive first look at Danai Gurira as fan favorite Michonne
Ever since we saw that cloaked figure brandishing a katana sword while accompanied by two chained up armless zombies in The Walking Dead’s season 2 finale, fans have been salivating for a first look at the woman under the hood — Michonne. That first look is now here. A fan favorite from The Walking Dead comic book on which the AMC series is based, Michonne will be played by actress Danai Gurira (Treme) when the show returns for season 3 this October, and here is your exclusive first taste of what she will look like.
In the comics, Michonne is an unflinching warrior who proves to be powerful ally for Rick Grimes and the rest of the survivors. But how different will the onscreen version be? “The essence of the character — her personality, her motives, everything that makes Michonne Michonne — remains intact from the comics,” says Robert Kirkman (the creator of the comic and executive producer of the TV adaptation). “But like a lot of things on the show, there will be little tweaks and differences here and there. We saw that her introduction is slightly different from how it was in the comic, and her interaction with Andrea is really going to be a really cool addition to the character that I think will get television viewers up to speed, and they’ll get to know her a lot faster than comic book readers did.”
As for why they cast the relatively unknown Danai Gurira for the pivotal role, Kirkman says, “We looked at a lot of talented people that were really fantastic, but we were waiting for that one spark, that moment where everyone was completely in agreement and completely excited, and we felt like we had found the essence of this fictional character that just randomly appeared in another person, and that person was Danai Gurira. She kind of came in and really just blew us all away. She’s got incredible presence, and she’s got a theater background, and is very physical, and was just perfect for the role.”
Kirkman is equally enthusiastic about the big location setting for season 3, as Rick and company attempt to turn a prison into their new zombie-proof fortress. “It looks absolutely amazing,” gushes Kirkman. “They are shooting the hell out of this prison. It just looks absolutely stunning, and I think when people start seeing trailers and stuff for this season, I think people are just gonna be like, “Wait, what? This is what? I can’t believe this is a TV show!” It’s really creepy, really moody and it’s just gonna be really awesome.”