Dallas Comic Con started with a bang. As soon as the doors opened, fans of The Walking Dead came pouring in. I threw my arms around Juliette and forced her to stow the crossbow beneath the table, and tossed a “stand down” glare at the boys. Yep, the Zombie Survival Crew was in kill, er, I mean meet-n-greet mode alright. Within a span of less than 20 seconds we couldn’t see the Vatos –Anthony Guajardo, Neil Brown Jr, and James Gonzaba –through the crowd. I released Juliette and that’s when it hit me.
It was hard to know how to react. (Shush, Juliette, running in circles saying “oh my gods” is a legitimate way to react to the situation!)
We dug in our heels and embraced the crowd. Well, and immediately eyed people we could tag for help, as much as they could. Huge, huge thanks to Veronica! Honestly, I have no clue how you managed to keep track of that system you set up. For all I knew you were doing it in hieroglyphics. (This may also be testament to how little sleep I’d had since Wednesday night. . .)
Lisa and Gilbert did wonderfully as ninja photographer and line wrangler, respectively. Seriously, we had to have a person to stand in food lines. They were THAT scary. Why didn’t anyone warn me of this? The rumbling in my tumbly was frightening!
Before I forget, we need to thank the DCC volunteers. Fred, you were a god with that velcro! James, we never went dry. You kept us very well watered. Rebekah, thank you for talking to keep me awake. Stephen and Craig, you rocked…and Tracy, we would not have survived without you!
Saturday had a lot of highlights, not the least of which was Neil leading us in a rather loud rendition of Day-O right after our lunch break. Everyone out in the hall stopped just outside our door and peered in like the bunch of us had lost our minds. . . which was true.
The crowds at DCC absolutely loved the Vatos. James, Neil, and Anthony were brilliant. They handled every twist and turn with a smile. Media folks came by to interview them and walked away astounded with how nice the Vatos are.
At the last minute Juliette got drafted into introducing The Walking Dead panel. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy watching her squirm when faced with the large crowd and the microphone. She got lucky and we think nobody but me saw her trip-step off the stage when she was done. Neil, Anthony and James fielded dozens of questions from the fans –Anthony was sweeter than sugar, James was articulate and Neil kept the crowd roaring with his antics. And, like Neil, we will repeat –we can neither confirm nor deny that the Vatos will be back for season 2 of The Walking Dead.
That night we all went out to dinner –after Juliette managed to have the strangest conversation ever with Thomas Jane as he took off his boots and socks in the hotel lobby. What? Yeah, you read that right. Let me tell you right now, it is impossible to eat with Neil and Anthony popping off jokes right and left. I almost had to call a time-out just to eat my salad without a tomato shooting out of my nose! (not quite the pickle mishap Juliette had in Jersey, but it was close.) Juliette had to get up and leave the table a couple of times. I’m thinking it was the really loud rendition of Rick Springfield’s Jesse’s Girl that first made her run…no, wait. She’s the one who started it. That, and Neil’s onion rings. Don’t ask.
And because we are a bunch of lunatics, after dinner we went back to the hotel and… worked some more. We tackled a few important missions for the ZSC. Before you ask, no we can’t tell you what just yet. Patience is key. You will find out in time and believe us it will be worth the wait! After missions were confirmed completed (including the successful attempt to bring James on board with the ZSC) everyone loaded into the elevator and went down stairs to the party. Only we were still working!
The guys had an interview with Nerd Heard podcast. We met Kenneth and Chubtoad (Richard) Friday night and right away they blew us away with how cool they were. That coolness passed on to their professionalism. We made quite a sight out by the pool, business-like while the interview was going on. It drew a few positive comments on everyone’s level of commitment to success. Yeah, your commanders kick backside and take names. All for you, ZSC faithful!
After the interview we all hung out at the hotel during an impromptu party. We, uhm, may have been the last ones to leave. Did your commanders pay the price for late night shenanigans? Just wait until you read about Sunday’s adventures.
After the bus ordeal, which I will explain better in a later post, I finally arrived in Dallas. Let me tell you this, no amount of warning from friends and family prepared me properly for the humidity blanketing Texas. The second I stepped out of the bus station, it felt like I’d been dunked in a bucket of warm water. So gross!
As I was musing over how to survive the humidity, this tiny blur shot across the sidewalk and tackled me. While I didn’t get the rib-crushing hug that some of the boys would receive, Juliette made a very firm first impression. (I swear, there were dents in my sides after!)
Our hellos were cut short by a demonic growl. Neither of us had eaten yet. (This would be the theme of our weekend.) We grabbed lunch and then went over to check out the convention center. The Irving Convention Center is brand-spankin’-new… and HUGE. The impression it made when first seeing it stuck. That was before we even made it inside and realized exactly how big it was. I should have asked for a map. (I might have gotten lost trying to find the bathroom one day…)
Very quickly Juliette and I realized the scope of what we were being asked to do. Tracy led us upstairs. She pointed to various doors, all of which bore the name of celebrities. Oh Holy Cow. This was far bigger than anticipated. We played it off cool, but once we left, we both kinda, maybe, sorta, ran around in circles and screamed just a little.
Anthony Guajardo and his parents, Lisa and Gilbert, arrived shortly after in the midst of a thunder storm. Too be honest, I’d never witnessed a storm like this. Texas impressed me with the light show up in the clouds. And scared the heck out of me with thunder that shook the hotel room. My nerves were settled when Anthony began to goof off, hitting poses from Nacho Libre and doing his two-second break dancing routine. We were laughing too hard to get clear pictures.
Anthony wasted no time diving into Zombie Survival Crew missions. He signed, he sang, he videoed –and he put Juliette on the floor, literally, in laughing hysterics. It took us all about 10 minutes to get her back up. I swear we laughed so hard everyone in the room lost five pounds.
Neil Brown Jr. arrived with a bang. Literally. I was in the room talking to Lisa when suddenly we heard a loud banging for the other side of the connecting doors, almost as loud as the thunder earlier. Next thing we know, Neil burst into the room. That man is a ball of energy and set the tone for our insane weekend as soon as he got there. (Which may have included a 4 am Mac Donald’s run after some severe run-ins with a bunch of angry limes. Don’t ask.)
The last of our crew wouldn’t arrive until really late. James Gonzaba and Veronica met with us early Saturday, sometime shortly before the alleged McDonald’s trip. James was smart. He saw Neil –and Juliette and my shell-shocked faces –and ran for his room. There’s a reason we thought it wise to draft him into ZSC command. Just sayin’. James kept his head down until it was time for us all to get shuttled back to the convention center to begin the madness that was Dallas Comic Con 2011.
Convention season is upon us, ladies and gentlemen. Your commanders are packing their bags, checking their weapons, all in preparation to meet YOU, the ZSC faithful. Consider this our thanks to you for having our backs since day one.
Where will you find the Zombie Survival crew on our current string of missions through the end of June?
Can’t make it out to visit with us at one of the conventions? Don’t worry. The ZSC has a few contests lined up for you guys. Let’s not forget the Sideshow Collectibles contest to win a zombie to call your own that runs until May 20th.
And site members, be sure to hop over to the Members Only section. There you can leave questions for the commanders. We’ll answer anything you can think of (so long as we’re sure the UGA isn’t watching…)
Hope y’all are prepared for ZSC madness live and in person!
Our previous Twitter campaign was a massive success. Well grab your go bags, ZSC faithful. We’re at it again! It’s time we told the world that we want to see #moMerle on The Walking Dead next season.
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As a nice little twist, we will run our campaign on April 6, 2011. That just so happens to be Michael Rooker’s birthday! Mr. Rooker gave a heck of a performance as Merle Dixon and it’d be a shame not to see it again.
The campaign will begin at 12:00 AM on Wednesday, April 6th. Tweet your #moMerle messages to the targets throughout the day. And while you are at it, send birthday wishes along to @Michael_Rooker. Let him feel a little ZSC love.
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The retreat will sound at 11:59 PM April 6th. You have one day to make an impact. We know you are up for the challenge.
– R.C. taps her sword against her boot – Need I mention that we’ve got to keep this civil? No? Good. Knew I could trust y’all.
Sample tweets:
Hey, @GunnerGale. The #zombiesurvivalcrew wants to see #moMerle on #TheWalkingDead. Do it for Rooker’s birthday, please!
Psst, @WalkingDead_AMC… you know what’d make a great b-day gift for @Michael_Rooker? #moMerle in season 2. #zombiesurvivalcrew approves!
@valhallapipcs, please make the #zombiesurvivalcrew’s day & promise us #moMerle on #TheWalkingDead to celebrate @Michael_Rooker’s b-day.
You’re old pros at this, so let’s get out there on the 6th and let the world know we want #moMerle!
It’s hard to say exactly at what point Battle: Los Angeles got the better of your fearless leader, but I do know the following for sure:
The adrenaline was pumping even before a very brave @BeachBetty1 of our North Carolina brigade agreed to accompany me to the theater (and hopefully prevent me from having a heart attack). Loyal ZSC warrior that she is, BeachBetty1 was terribly kind about the popcorn I threw all over her lap …repeatedly. I screamed, all-but-shredded the popcorn container with just one hand and even swore once or twice.
It all started when Neil agreed his training to prep for Battle: Los Angeles had some valuable lessons for the ZSC. To further support the ZSC troops and promote preparedness he agreed to lead a combat mission (errr, contest). I loaned him my crossbow, and Command has been delighted with the results he’s achieved.
Early reports from the field had me worried. I was late to the mission because of a recruiting operation at Monster Mania so intense my field report had to be broken into two parts (part one here, and two, here). Orange Brigade Commander RC Murphy penned this initial report on Battle: Los Angeles.
By the time the credits rolled on Battle: Los Angeles (and no, we’re still not going to spill the details for those of you who have not seen it yet) Command was pretty determined to keep the contest prize to ourselves as payment for the extensive emotional distress caused by the film. Fortunately for our winner, LK, RC and Jinxie talked some sense into your fearless leader.
The ZSC cadres showed great love and devotion to Neil with some truly amusing, and quite a few lovely, entries into the contest. It’s almost painful that only one of you will receive_________ from Neil.
Yep, you read it right – we’re not revealing the prize. Only the winner.
We’ll reveal the prize once she actually receives it. (We’re kinda evil that way folks.)
Oh! And there’s a bunch of other ZSC loyalists who are due for bumper stickers for being among the first 10 entries! Look for a DM or email from Command so that we can send you your swag!
A massive thank you and ZSC salute to Neil and everyone who entered!
Lora took on the coffee detail Saturday morning and did a stellar job keeping the mugs full, despite the presence of a whole host of ghouls, ghosts, zombies and aliens. By the time I got to my second cup, I decided I wasn’t going to talk to anyone else that day because every time I opened my mouth I ended up with knife, axe or ray gun pointed at me. Kinda harsh.
I sought refuge outside where I encountered Norman and we grabbed this shot before the crowds pounced. He ran in one direction while I ran in another and had an extremely close encounter with a Killer Klown. There was a brief spell of almost-panic when some ZSC loyalists misunderstood a dispatch to mean that Norman had been attacked by the Killer Klown. No names. Well, *clears throat* at least until Philly in June! I can confirm that Norman did not have a run-in with the gigantic Klown and made it out of Jersey in one piece.
By the time I got back to the table, Lora had developed a rather amusing fascination with Rob – who was manning the table behind us with the ever delightful Josh. In Lora’s defense Rob did smell really really good – which was in sharp contrast with the overall smell the crowds were giving off. Points to Lora for that one! The boys would join us later for early birthday drinks for Lora, who was celebrating her **th on Sunday.
I’m going to skip over the barely edible pizza that we tried to eat for lunch (after I skipped breakfast Lora kept reminding me to eat, but never did) because just as we prepared to chow down ZSC loyalist @Grae42 showed up and made my day! I think I *may* have over-squished him in the hug department because he’s had back problems ever since, but, well, you can’t say I’m not passionate about the troops!
There was a rather humorous incident after my first-ever taste of 5 Hour energy drink that almost earned Guy a kidney shot when he walked up behind me and tapped me on the hip. Grae and Lora mounted a temporary coup to decree amongst Command that your fearless leader is NEVER to be given 5 Hour energy drinks unless the ZSC is completely surrounded by walkers.
Grae and I decided to go on another hunting mission and spent some time chatting with Steve – who was extremely sweet and very supportive of the ZSC. He took on a spur of the moment mission for Command and signed some gear for us which we’ll put up as part of a The Walking Dead contest soon!
The Walking Dead panel? Hysterical. I won’t ruin it for those of you who may get to see similar events at future Cons, but Steve was “narly,” Laurie was articulate and very sweet, and Jon? Well, I think I have “no thrusting” burned into my brain forever.
Lora and I headed off to the restaurant to eat our first real food in, like, forever only to discover that the waiter – Jason – was the gentleman Lora yelled at the night before. He took it in stride, brought me the biggest side of mayo in history and drink that could peel paint off the walls, and I learned a very valuable lesson about pickles. Never, ever, eat a pickle when Lora is around or you will end up snorting part of it out of your nose. Just trust me on this one, ok? You do NOT want to test it out. It hurts.
The only way Lora was actually able to finish her meal was for me to leave the table and take the giggling elsewhere.
Lora’s insistence on getting to bed early got scrapped when she encountered Rob and Josh watching Jack Nicholson beating up a pigeon. Don’t ask. Suffice it to say Saturday night’s insanity rests solely on her shoulders. By the time we got to the room, it was 1:59 a.m. soon to be 3:00 a.m. because of the time change.
…the 7:00 a.m. alarm? Yeah. The clock got a crossbow bolt #justsayin
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Sunday morning dawned harsh and bright, leaving quite a few us needing to wear our sunglasses even in the darkened convention rooms. Lest anyone think the lack of sleep adversely affects my ability to lead in times of crisis, Sunday was a remarkably productive day.
We ended up locked in battle with the guys who run a Zombie Survival Course. Don’t let the picture fool you. I gave it back even better than I got it. The guys are definite ZSC material which we established after several minutes of “combat practice.” We’re hoping to run some joint training exercises with them in the future.
As the monsters began their slow lurches back to the shadows I had the unexpected opportunity to spend a bit of time chatting with Jon (in rusty, horrible Russian that was definitely made worse by my exhausted state). At first it seemed as though he was about to fire off a throw or two but then Jon decided to jump on board and support the ZSC!! Given the temperamental nature of his The Walking Dead character Shane Walsh, I thought it wise to record the decision.
All in all? A wild wacky weekend at Monster Mania – none of which would have been possible without the tireless efforts of Lora! *salutes with crossbow*
The question is? Who out there is brave enough to join Command at the next one????
There was a brief span of time when I pulled up in front of the hotel for Monster Mania 17 where I considered not stopping at all. Front of the hotel was jam packed with big, long-haired, tattooed guys standing in groups and looking like they could kick my backside with a toothpick.
Turns out? I probably should have taken the hint it was going to be a wild weekend….
I was on my own as our brave #zombiesurvivalcrew volunteer Lora – known on twitter as @loral31377 – was going to arrive at the venue a bit later in the evening. And, seriously? I swear I did do my best to stay out of trouble until she arrived.
Frankie and Guy at the table next to us – who would collectively become the ZSC saviors for the weekend – took one look at your fearless leader and realized they needed to spring into action. Those of you who know me? Yeah. You know I don’t do well without backup from the faithful Zombie Survival Crew cadres. I forget to eat, remain hydrated, sit down, sleep, or stop moving for even a split second. In this case, it wasn’t until Frankie shoved a piece of pizza in my hand that I realized I hadn’t eaten in almost 24 hours.
Within minutes I was accosted by Michael Myers (twice), three versions of Jason Voorhees and a dude with fangs in a top hat. Huh? Have no fear, your fearless leader sprang into action and promptly dispatched all comers. Yeah, moving on. By the time Lora arrived, I was a little jumpy, and *may* have responded just a bit sharply when a male voice suddenly queried: “Are you Juliette?”
Much to Command’s delight it was Kevin – @KgOr3693 – a ZSC loyalist who was promptly crushed in a bear hug by yours truly and then forced to smile for pictures immediately afterward. I know for a fact Lora was shocked he had enough left in him to come back for a second visit on Saturday! (Just kidding! Kevin was awesome and we had a blast! He even saved us seats at The Walking Dead panel Saturday night.)
I left Lora to protect the temporary command center we’d established and hiked off to hunt The Walking Dead, and make contact with Norman and Steven. Neither one of them ran away screaming when they realized I was in the room, so I’m counting that as a win. We talked ZSC strategy for a bit but covert ops would have to wait until later.
Even with the Freddy’s, Jason’s, zombies, ghosts and bloody-what-the-hecks roaming around it was after the Con shut down for the evening that things got really interesting.
Norman and I discussed ongoing missions and discovered our communication lines may be somewhat compromised. Needless to say I agreed to some adjustments in strategy with Norman, and have instructed Command to thoroughly check our security precautions in the coming weeks.
Shortly after this most important meeting, it was brought to my attention *clears throat* that someone *points at Lora* forgot to grab the computer cord so we could charge the machine overnight. I had to laugh when Lora insisted there was no way security could stop me so I should go on the retrieval mission.
When I entered the vendor room, I realized Lora is a lot smarter than I initially gave her credit for – and she should either get a promotion, or a crossbow bolt. To get the necessary accessory I had to walk across the empty darkened room, with the creepy muzak coming from a location unknown, then squeeze my backside in between tables while ignoring the life-sized Hannibal and Michael Myers dummies that were right behind me. Seriously? I think I completed the mission in Olympic time.
At some point before we collapsed in heaps, we wandered into the uber-crowded hotel bar where Lora ended up accosting a waiter – in the nicest way possible – in a desperate bid to get us drinks. (This is important later.) We wandered outside for a bit of fresh air only to have me physically manhandled by a rather “happy” gentleman insisting on telling us really, really bad jokes. Lora ducked. He didn’t. It wasn’t pretty…
…and then? The fun really started.
(Come back for Monster Mania – Part II on Wednesday, March 23)
The Zombie Survival Crew is all about supporting our fellow members. First Lieutenant Neil Brown Jr. has been waving the ZSC flag with pride since being brought on to the crew. And wouldn’t you know it, our katana-wielding friend has a new movie coming out on 3-11-2011.
From Sony Pictures:
For years, there have been documented cases of UFO sightings around the world – Buenos Aires, Seoul, France, Germany, China. But in 2011, what were once just sightings will become a terrifying reality when Earth is attacked by unknown forces. As people everywhere watch the world’s great cities fall, Los Angeles becomes the last stand for mankind in a battle no one expected. It’s up to a Marine staff sergeant (Aaron Eckhart) and his new platoon to draw a line in the sand as they take on an enemy unlike any they’ve ever encountered before.
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To celebrate the release of Battle: Los Angeles,
we’re offering ZSC members a way to not only show support for one of ours, but win a little swag as well.
Requirements:
A picture of yourself with a Battle: Los Angeles ticket stub in hand at your local movie theater.
Entries must be submitted by 11:59 PM PST on 3-25-2011.
Images containing nudity, obscene gestures, or illegal activity will be disqualified.
When submitting entries, you give the Zombie Survival Crew permission to post your image on zombiesurvivalcrew.com and it’s associated social media outlets.
Winners will be notified via the email address given with entry photo.
To whet your appetite for the movie, take a look at the trailer below:
The Albuquerque Comic Con was the first time some of the Zombie Survival Crew Command team got together in one place at the same time . . . .
We thought it would be a good opportunity to hone our collective battle plans. Instead, it was complete chaos. And that was just Friday night!
It all started when Juliette cha-cha-cha’d by accident in front of Lou Ferrigno. You know, the original Hulk? And this was AFTER she had her infamous fangirl moment in the hotel lobby that I tweeted about. Lisa and I barely managed to stay standing when that little number went down. That was our first indication that Juliette’s street cred might be more bluster than substance.
Keep an eye on the crossbow, peeps. I’m not saying mutiny. I just want to know where it’s pointed . . . and I hope not at my backside.
By the time Lisa, Juliette and I managed to meet up with Sean, Rocco and Norman (having left Anthony at the hotel to get his beauty sleep), we got mooned by a short bus full of college-aged boys during the taxi ride, and Lisa spilled almost an entire drink on Juliette after Juliette spilled part of my drink on herself.
I can’t say I was completely surprised that Rocco’s first reaction to Juliette was to start throwing punches.
I’m kidding . . . though he did elbow her in the back and aim a faux-blow at her jaw later in the night. Don’t ask.
We found him by the dance floor, introduced ourselves, talked to him for a bit only to discover Rocco’s kinda quiet, like me . . . or so it seemed. Look, I know y’all don’t believe I’m shy, but I am. You’ll find out when you meet me the first time. Juliette did.
Sean wandered around the bar and got mobbed by people, and blinked a lot from having his picture taken repeatedly. I don’t think he sat down all night.
When Norman walked in, Lisa and I stuttered (not really . . . who’s writing this post?) and Juliette put her war zone journalism skills into action before the crowds pounced. Good thing too. Because that was just about the time Anthony called to see if we were still alive. Barely, dude. Just barely. Read more…
Given the experiences of his cast-mates IronE Singleton and Anthony Guajardo – we would argue Steve Yeun is now undertaking the ultimate act of zombie-preparedness by agreeing to take on Zombie Survival Crew.
You have until midnight, EST time on Monday, January 10 to ask your questions.
ZSC Command will select the top 10 most original, intriguing questions for Steve to answer.
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Steve – from all of us on the #zombiesurvivalcrew – THANK YOU for doing this! We appreciate your willingness to engage with the fans like this! If you survive, you will have an honorary spot on Command’s rapid response team!
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A few ground rules:
You can ask all you want, but Steve’s a busy guy (and so are we) so let’s keep it concise please!
There are certain things he can’t reveal, so if you ask about Season 2 or future plans he may not be able to give a full answer.
Keep it clean and respectful! We will toss any questions we find offensive or vulgar.
You can ask your question here in the comment section or via email at zombiesurvivalcrew (at) gmail (dot) com.
Oh. Wow.
We dug in our heels and embraced the crowd. Well, and immediately eyed people we could tag for help, as much as they could. Huge, huge thanks to Veronica! Honestly, I have no clue how you managed to keep track of that system you set up. For all I knew you were doing it in hieroglyphics. (This may also be testament to how little sleep I’d had since Wednesday night. . .)
Before I forget, we need to thank the DCC volunteers. Fred, you were a god with that velcro! James, we never went dry. You kept us very well watered. Rebekah, thank you for talking to keep me awake. Stephen and Craig, you rocked…and Tracy, we would not have survived without you! 
Media folks came by to interview them and walked away astounded with how nice the Vatos are.
And, like Neil, we will repeat –we can neither confirm nor deny that the Vatos will be back for season 2 of The Walking Dead.
(not quite the pickle mishap Juliette had in Jersey, but it was close.) Juliette had to get up and leave the table a couple of times. I’m thinking it was the really loud rendition of Rick Springfield’s Jesse’s Girl that first made her run…no, wait. She’s the one who started it. That, and Neil’s onion rings. Don’t ask.
The guys had an interview with Nerd Heard podcast. We met Kenneth and Chubtoad (Richard) Friday night and right away they blew us away with how cool they were. That coolness passed on to their professionalism. We made quite a sight out by the pool, business-like while the interview was going on. It drew a few positive comments on everyone’s level of commitment to success. Yeah, your commanders kick backside and take names. All for you, ZSC faithful!
After the interview we all hung out at the hotel during an impromptu party. We, uhm, may have been the last ones to leave. Did your commanders pay the price for late night shenanigans? Just wait until you read about Sunday’s adventures. 
