Commander Monday: Yellow Brigade – Sean Patrick Flanery

 

Born in Lake Charles, Louisiana and raised in Sugar Land, Texas, Flanery began training in various forms of martial arts at a young age, taking part in his first full-contact kickboxing match at the age of 12. He continued his training while attending the University of Saint Thomas in Houston, but then one fateful day he followed a girl to a drama class and was immediately bitten by the acting bug. Later he moved to Los Angeles and waited tables for a living, before long appearing in television commercials and quickly making the transition to TV roles and onto movies.

Commander Flanery has an impressive filmography, and remains today one of the hardest-working actors in the business. He has appeared in in several episodes of HBO’s hit series Dexter, currently airing its eighth and final season.  He has also co-starred in The Devil’s Carnival, now available on Netflix and Hulu, the TV series Blackout, films The Last Word,  and Broken Horses. Keep an eye out for The Kiss, currently in production.

When not working on various projects, including film, television and music videos, Flanery can be found training and teaching the finer points of BJJ to his fellow Los Angelians – check out Hollywood Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu. He is also a regular guest at comic conventions all over the country. He often enjoys reaching out to fans via online blogging and social networking, and also spending quality time with Donut – his most loyal friend, sidekick and quite possibly the coolest canine on the planet. Despite an ongoing struggle with a powerful Reese’s addiction, Flanery is without a doubt the most suited for the daunting task of leadership, and defending our western shores if and when it all starts to hit the fan.

And if you aren’t already following him on Twitter… what are you waiting for?

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Commander Monday: Anthony Michael Hall

Brains or brawn? Which would you choose?  In survival situations, brawn may often win. The importance in being able to physically survive unexpected  encounters with the undead can’t be understated… but neither can the ability to think and take intelligent, decisive action.

BrianPurple Brigade’s First Lieutenant Anthony Michael Hall is one of the most recognizable faces in just about all of our favorite movies. An original member of the infamous Brat Pack in the 1980’s, Hall nailed a triple John Hughes score in Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club and Weird Science before appearing in Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands  and many other films. He has taken on several television roles in addition to films, most notably the successful television adaptation of Stephen King’s The Dead Zone.

While First Lieutenant Hall has not yet been tested against the true horror of the endless shambling horde, this Boston native is surely as well-equipped as any of us to not only just survive, but to stand firm with the other Commanders and loyalists when the time comes. Working from an undisclosed location, Anthony’s movements are unpredictable and undetectable, making him an invaluable asset to the more covert operations within the ZSC.  But even the most covert of operatives must eventually resurface.

Anthony Michael Hall recently appeared in Dead in Tombstone,  starring  alongside Danny Trejo and Micky Rourke.  He has previously been spotted in the popular television series Warehouse 13, Community, and Psych,  and in 2013 he was cast in MTV’s teen comedy series Awkward.

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Commander Monday: R.C. Murphy

Keeper of secrets,  slayer of demons, romancer of vampires, destroyer of zombies and things that go bump in the night,  Orange Brigade Commander RC Murphy is as gifted with the pen as she is with the sword, and twice as deadly. An accomplished writer, blogger, student of history, musical theatre and Oreo aficionado, RC Murphy is a creature of extraordinary talent. She resides in a dungeon of red satin and lace by day, putting her talents to work in order to best prepare us, the hapless and clueless, for that fateful day when all that goes bump in the night becomes reality. By night she patrols the California coast with a sharp eye on the perimeter and an ear tuned into the undercurrents, listening, watching, and waiting for even the smallest sign that the Z-pocalypse is upon us.

While devoting much of her love for her craft to The Path of a Struggling Writer some of RC Murphy’s other published work can be found in the Forever Nocturne online magazine from Running Ink press, and also in the Zombie Survival Crew Anthology: Undead is Not an Option. R.C. also contributes regular field reports from ZSC Command.

Her novel Be Ours Forever  is now available for purchase in multiple e-book formats as well as paperback, and some devoted readers were also lucky enough to receive a signed copy.

R.C. Murphy has also contributed to the Zombie Survival Crew’s first AND second fiction anthologies Undead is not an Option and Undead, Uncensored.

And sometimes, if we’re very very lucky…  she might even treat us to a Podcast-Thingie.

Photo courtesy of MP Magazine

Photo courtesy of MP Magazine

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Commander Mondays: Anthony Guajardo

Light Blue Brigade, salute your Commander Anthony Guajardo! Enthusiastic, energetic and loyal, he leaps into action without hesitation, fears neither defeat nor the undead even when faced with the most overwhelming odds and never misses the opportunity to use (or misuse) sharp pointy weapons.   He has a smile even more infectious than the most devastating of zombie viruses and can charm his way in and out of even the most precarious of situations.

Anthony hails from San Antonio, Texas. When he is not busy thinking up ways to save our collective behinds from the shambling hordes, he is a hard-working actor who has appeared in television commercials and live theater since the age of 5.

With high marks for his studies in Technical Theater History, Anthony got his first true taste of the business after landing a featured role in Robert Rodriguez’ film Shark Boy and Lava Girl. Through hard work, perseverance, faith and perhaps a healthy dose of sheer stubbornness, Anthony landed the role of Miguel on the AMC original series The Walking Dead, an experience that he would later describe as the best experience of his life.

Anthony recently worked with writer and director Cedric Thomas Smith in the short film The Symphony of Silence, a powerful story about teen bullying in America today. The film premiered to rave reviews in San Antonio, Texas and also premiered at the South by Southwest and Sundance Film Festivals.

 

Anthony is currently living in Los Angeles and has continued to train extensively through Calliope Talent under the guidance of leading filmmakers and casting directors. He also devotes time to touring the convention circuit regularly, sharing his knowledge and growing expertise in zombie survival skills.

undercover pigeonsVery recently, Anthony took part in a Top Secret mission to our Caribbean outpost alongside ZSC Special Forces leader Michael Rooker and ZSC Loyalist Steve Cardenas.  With our Red Brigade Leader and Sergeant at Arms providing logistical support and security, highly classified sensitive documents that had been intercepted by undercover carrier pigeons were successfully delivered to Commanders Guajardo and Rooker. The overall mission was a complete success and several new recruits have joined our ranks, including the pigeons.

 

 

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Commander Mondays: Jonathan Maberry

If any evidence of the pen being mightier than the sword must be given, Special Forces Brigade member Jonathan Maberry will gladly oblige.  While ZSC Command seems unable to agree on exactly when Jonathan joined the crew, all reports indicate that he appeared in the command center in the middle of the night and made himself at home. Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that Jonathan’s impressive expertise in the area of zombie literature is not the only talent he carries with him. At this point, ZSC Command decided that they probably couldn’t make him leave if they really wanted him to… but it was also decided that nobody wanted him to leave and he was immediately assigned to Special Forces.

Jonathan has nearly fifty years of martial arts experience, and has achieved an 8th degree black belt in Shinowara-ryu Jujutsu. This former bodyguard and bouncer has invested valuable time teaching and sharing his knowledge with a vast range of self-defense groups of all ages and backgrounds. He’s been inducted into the International Martial Arts Hall of Fame, and the word around town is that he’s also taught combat techniques to CIA agents and Special Operatives.  His earlier works revolved mostly around martial arts and self defense, including Judo and You, Ultimate Jujutsu and Ultimate Sparring.

Known for his work on novels Dead of Night, Rot & Ruin, Dust & Decay, Patient Zero, and Marvel Zombies Return, multiple Bram Stoker Award winner Jonathan Maberry’s writing has a unique sense of real-world relevance that separates his work from the ever-growing horde of supernatural literature. A self-professed research junkie, Jonathan tireless hunt for more knowledge is meticulous and thorough, and he never fails to achieve the perfect balance between well-written, entertaining fiction and factual details. In his nonfictional works such as Wanted Undead or Alive: Vampire Hunters and Other Kick-Ass Enemies of Evil,  and Zombie CSU: The Forensics of the Living Dead, his examination of the relationship between man and monster, particularly our love/ hate relationship with things that go bump in the night, shows he is uniquely qualified for leadership in the impending doom of the Zpocalypose. Jonathan also penned the novelization of the 2010 remake of The Wolf Man starring Benicio del Toro, and is a speaker for the National Writers Union, and president of the New Jersey-Philadelphia Chapter of the Horror Writers Association.

Fear not, friends. With the great Maberry on our side, we have nothing to fear when the Z-Pocalypse begins.

Extinction-Machine

Be sure to check out Jonathan’s latest release – book 5 of the Extinction Machine series. currently available in paperback as well as Kindle and Nook format!

Stay up to date on all things Maberry by following Jonathan Maberry’s Big Scary Blog, say hello on Twitter or Facebook once in awhile, and don’t forget to check back here from time to time to see what’s new in the Z-pocalypse.

 

 

 

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Commander Mondays: Paul Phillips

Our previous Commander Monday field reports have centered around actors, directors, producers and others closely involved in the film and television industry.  As we continue to delve deeper into the ZSC Special Forces Unit, we will uncover those with an even wider range of talents and unique abilities. This week the spotlight falls upon a different stage as we take a look at our next Special Forces Brigade member, musician and songwriter Paul Phillips.

While it’s true that Paul’s experience with actual (un)living, (not)breathing zombies may seem somewhat limited,  he has faced a shambling horde of an entirely different sort, made up of adoring fans and admirers from one rock & roll venue to the next. His extensive traveling experiences alone have no doubt taught him that sometimes the best way to survive is to keep moving, with one eye on the horizon up ahead, and the other to the road behind.

Paul Philips hails from Brunswick, Georgia and first began plucking at strings from an early age. He has admitted to taking a few lessons but is primarily self-taught, taking inspiration from his father’s musical background as well as influencing bands such as Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, Pantera, Nirvana, and Alice in Chains.  Paul’s travels took him to Florida and eventually further West.  In 1999 he landed in Los Angeles, California, which eventually led him to join forces with the alternative rock band Puddle of Mudd .  Their first album, Come Clean, was released in 2001 and has gone triple platinum while selling nearly 4 million copies to date.  Paul also toured briefly with the band Operator, releasing one album before returning to Puddle of Mudd.  In 2011, Paul and Puddle of Mudd parted ways once more as he decided a much-needed break from the road was in order.

Paul is currently operating out of Jacksonville, Florida. He recently completed work on the upcoming film Nitro Circus 3D, for which he was offered an opportunity to compose the original music score in collaboration with former Puddle of Mudd bandmate Damien Starkey. he has also been involved in The Fallout Collective and Chiller Channel’s Real Fear.

We look forward to seeing more from our own resident rock star, and have nothing but confidence that he will continue down the road to success wherever it may lead…

 

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Commander Monday: Billy Tackett

WARNING: Before clicking on any of the links in this article, please be aware that many of them go directly to Billy Tackett’s website.  Billy advises that those who suffer from heart problems, weak stomach, fear of the dark or a shortness of a sense of humor should never visit his website www.billytackett.com.

In order to better understand what makes the shambling horde shamble, it is important to employ only the brightest, the strongest, the bravest and most twisted of imaginations. The Zombie Survival Crew has hunted far and wide for new recruits, having successfully located loyal supporters of all colors, shapes and sizes. But even the best of the best are not always able to look at the enemy from inside out. Our elite Special Forces Brigade combines brawn, brains, creativity, and experience into a powerful, unstoppable force of sheer awesomeness to do just that. Just last week we introduced you to our Special Forces Commander, and this week we will begin to delve into those on his command.

For starters, who else but zombie mashup master and creator of the original Zombie Sam,  the world’s foremost Zombification Specialist™ Billy Tackett can bring us a unique, striking and honest perspective on our future foes? Few others have had the foresight to ask the most difficult questions of all, the what ifs of the upcoming Z-pocalypse.

 

What if ‘monsterism’ is the next stage in natural evolution? Do we have the right to interfere with mother nature? Wouldn’t the killing off of werewolves, vampires or zombies be akin to genocide? Or at least the extermination of a species? Conservation should be the keyword. We live in a world filled with endangered species lists. I’m not sure we can justify killing off a creature just because it wants to eat us.

 

Billy’s approach to the growing undead problem may seem unorthodox, even controversial. Some may suspect he’s a sympathizer and a security risk… but the Zombie Survival Crew thinks otherwise. In a world changing rapidly before our eyes, a kill or be killed attitude is not only common, but for many it’s the only way they can imagine survival when the dead outnumber the living. Billy’s unique perspective is not only one that should not be be lightly cast aside, but may in fact hold the key to our survival in the days to come. Perhaps in better understanding that which we perceive as our enemy, we might find a way to survive and even co-exist in the next evolutionary era.

Billy hails from a rural Kentucky town, and little has been documented about his childhood. He began drawing zombies, vampires and other undead things that go bump in the night in the 1970’s. But you’ve seen his work. Everyone has, somewhere at some point in their lives. His work has appeared in magazines, book covers, as fine art and advertising illustrations. He has spent the last decade and more building a solid reputation and a loyal fan base from all walks of life. We’ve seen him on National Geographic, in Horrorhound and ImagineFX magazines. Billy’s always entertaining Daily Arting gives us something to look forward to as we struggle forward with the daily grind, and we strongly recommend an occasional dose of Splatter Art for everyone.

Among others, Billy has created brilliant cover art for authors Robert Silverberg, Shane Moore, Piers Anthony, Richard Lupoff and fellow Special Forces Brigade member Jonathan Mayberry. Billy’s Dead White & Blue comics series are a masterpiece of horror, patriotism, humor and ingenuity that no self-respecting zombie genre fan should ever miss. He has also recently launched his own line of apparel and merchandise, and his art book For the Love of Monsters is also available to all.

Billy is always on the move. He travels the country on an exhausting schedule, keeping in touch with fans, supporters and his fellow ZSC members at all times. Billy doesn’t actively recruit for the Zombie Survival Crew, choosing instead to educate and inform the public of the nature of Monsterism from a rarely-seen perspective. For his love of monsters and for decades of awe-inspiring artwork, we salute Special Forces brigade member Billy Tackett.

What’s New?
Billy will be appearing at GenCon in Indianapolis, Indiana and Cincinnati Comic Expo in August and September. Be sure to check the calendar for more!

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Commander Monday: Michael Rooker

On the eighth day, God created Michael Rooker and said “That should give the zombies something to worry about.”

True story. Special Forces Commander Michael Rooker is badder than ol’ King Kong, meaner than a junkyard dog. Foes alive, dead or mostly dead quake in their boots when he’s around. The UGA couldn’t catch him. If you look up “badass” in the dictionary there’s a photo of him. Chuck Norris has nothing on Michael Rooker. When Michael Rooker speaks, everyone listens. His legend precedes him the way lightning precedes thunder. He is the most interesting man in the world…

That’s enough clichés.

We would love to tell everyone that Michael Rooker is actually a nice guy with big heart and (sometimes) a quiet, observant and soft-spoken manner. We would also love to tell everyone that regardless of his ass-kicking reputation, he doesn’t like violence and is more likely to shoot stuffed animals than zombies, but he would probably not be happy if we ruined his reputation. You can just ignore that last part.

Commander Rooker was born in Jasper, Alabama but spent the most interesting years of his young life in Chicago, where he studied at the Goodman School of Drama. His first forays into acting included appearances in local stage productions and pilot episodes for the television series Crime Story. In 1986 he jumped headfirst into the role of infamous serial killer Henry Lee Lucas, and delivered a truly frightening performance for the cult-classic and controversial film Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.  In 1988 he fought for and won the role in Eight Men Out, and also co-starred in the civil rights-era film Mississippi Burning. From Sea of Love , Days of Thunder, and Tombstone all the way up to James Gunn’s Slither and Super,  Michael very quickly established himself as a hard-working, talented actor with a determination matched by few.

In 2010 AMC’s The Walking Dead exploded into the living rooms of zombie-genre fans all over the world.  Even with only brief appearances in the first two seasons, Merle Dixon quickly became one of his most memorable and sought-after characters. During the record-breaking Season 3, Rooker returned with a vengeance and brought the best of Merle Dixon into living rooms all over the world. It was with heavy hearts and more than a few tears that we said farewell to Merle as Season 3 came to a close.

But as the saying goes, when one door closes, another one opens. That new door leads to Marvel. James Gunn’s much-anticipated Guardians of the Galaxy will feature our Special Forces Commander as the mysterious (and very blue) Yondu.

The Voice of Rooker has also become one of the more recognizable in the gaming community. He has appeared in the mega-hit franchise Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2, Lollipop Chainsaw, and most recently The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct from Activision.  When he isn’t filming, voicing or producing, he might be found on the firing range, of which he is a co-owner, or on regular patrols to keep the West Coast safe from zombie infiltration.

Over the last few years Michael has increased his presence on the convention circuit alongside other Walking Dead co-stars Norman Reedus, IronE Singleton, Chandler Riggs, Madison Lintz, Lew Temple, Vincent Ward and… well,  everyone else. Always pushing outward, he has expanded his convention visits overseas. He recently visited Germany and Australia, and will be traveling to Japan this summer.

We at the Zombie Survival Crew need no further convincing, Commander Rooker and his Special Forces Unit are more than up to the task as the strongest line of defense in the days to come.

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Commander Monday – Vincent ward

Attention dear readers, followers and brigadiers… Vincent Ward is among us. Time to RISE AND GRIND.

 

Vincent joined us in 2013 during his role as Oscar on AMC’s The Walking Dead. But long before he faced the shambling horde, it was clear that Vincent was a force to be reckoned with. This multi-talented actor, filmmaker, artist and writer has appeared in many television roles, films and live stage performances.

 

 

 

Hailing from Cleveland, Ohio,  Vincent excelled in basketball, baseball and football from a young age but turned his attention to basketball in high school. Starting off as one of the best basketball players in Ohio isn’t too shabby at all if you ask us. Fate took an unexpected twist soon afterwards, and Vincent found himself pursuing another dream: dance. Joining forces with his childhood friend, Broderick Dumas, they formed “Night and Day” a.k.a. The Twin Towers, since they both stood at nearly 6 feet 5 inches. Day & Night signed with Dr. Ease and the Ease Town Posse, and they toured with Public Enemy MC Light, X-Clan, MC Hammer, Heavy D and The Boys among others. Vincent went back to school soon afterwards and attended South-Suburban College in Chicago, Illinois under a basketball scholarship, shortly before returning to Dayton, Ohio.

And then it happened. Vincent attended a play in Dayton and the acting bug bit him hard.

With no training or experience, Vincent jumped onto the stage and auditioned. He was almost immediately cast with a touring company out of Columbus, Ohio and appeared in many productions including Black Man Rising, The Ones Who Shoot the Guns, Young Black Men are Dying and No One Seems to Care. In addition to the ever-growing list of theater performances, Vincent’s very impressive body of work includes television and film roles. We’ve spotted him in Ocean’s Eleven, caught him in several episodes of Everybody Hates Chris and The Starter Wife, House of Payne, True Blood, and of course most recently in AMC’s The Walking Dead as the courageous, dependable yet frustratingly short-lived Oscar.

Vincent is no stranger to hard work, and having already stood alongside him at several conventions we’re ecstatic to call him one of our own and have no doubts that when the dead start walking, he’ll be standing strong on the front lines with us.

And if we ask very nicely, he might even read us a story.

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Commander Mondays: Ernie Hudson

If there’s something strange in your neighborhood, who you gonna call? Whether that something strange is the ravenous shambling horde or a giant marshmallow thing-from-another-world in a jaunty sailor cap, Second Lieutenant Ernie Hudson is the man. While he may be best remembered for his part in the 1984 mega-hit comedy Ghostbusters, Ernie’s film and television credits alone are far too numerous to list here. This distinguished actor, producer and writer has been bringing his best to both screen and stage for so long, it’s nearly impossible to imagine the industry could ever have existed without him.

Ernie Hudson grew up in Benton Harbor, Michigan. After trying his hand in the Marine Corps, he stepped into the role of resident playwright at Concept East theater in Detroit and shortly afterwards established the Actors’ Ensemble Theatre. His talents soon brought him to Los Angeles, where he appeared in the stage musical Daddy Goodness, and his first role onscreen in the film Leadbelly. With a B.A. from Wayne State University already in hand, Ernie left Los Angeles to pursue a Ph.D at the University of Minnesota. Throughout the 1970’s Ernie was one of the most recognizable faces among smaller television roles, appearing in episodes of Fantasy Island, The Incredible Hulk, Little House on the Prairie, Diff’rent Strokes, Taxi and The A-Team to name only a few.

When 1984’s Ghostbusters exploded into movie theaters all over the country with a great hilarious glob of ectoplasmic slime, Ernie was well-established as a versatile and talented actor with a solid and promising future. He is well known for his role as the sympathetic police sergeant in the cult classic The Crow, Reggie in The Basketball Diaries, and Solomon the gentle giant in The Hand That Rocks the Cradle. Ernie has also continued to appear in many television roles, including ER, Desperate Housewives, Las Vegas, Bones, and has held recurring roles in Law & Order and The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

 

Ernie recently completed work on Gallows Road. he is currently filming High and Outside while television movies Living the Dream and Race to Judgement are in pre-production. Ernie can also be seen in Haunted Hathaways, The Grim Sleeper and Entertainment One Films’ highly anticipated drama You’re Not You. When not acting, writing, producing or hunting for ectoplasmic slime, Ernie can often be found on the convention circuit, touring the country to meet fans and gather as many new recruits to the cause. For his seemingly never-exhausted efforts to bring us all together, the Zombie Survival Crew salutes Second Lieutenant Ernie Hudson with a crossbow and a giant Twinkie.

 

 

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