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!
Chief’s Note: the decision to publish the following assessment from ZSC Member @Wulfie_ was not taken lightly. She has inadvertently uncovered internal Command structure and planning secrets. Retribution is not out of the question.
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Let’s face a few things here. No matter how the Zombie Apocalypse begins or ends it isn’t going to be pretty. Not all of us are going to make it.
Sure, we have the Zombie Survival Crew. We’re gathering forces, training, getting ready to defend ourselves. But there will be battles, and casualties. People we care about will go down and, if they rise up again, are we prepared to take them out? What would you do if one of our Commanders, or First Lieutenants, got infected and decided you’d make a nice snack?
Last week Neil Brown Jr. delivered a valuable dispatch designed to help us survive in the event of a cataclysmic global event. With that in mind I’ve written a report profiling the ZSC officers we look to for advice, protection and communications. Yes, they’re well trained, but if they become infected with the zombie virus, we need to know how to protect ourselves. This is especially true if the zombies we have to deal with aren’t just shamblers but intelligent walkers.
FIRST LIEUTENANTS:
David Della Rocco is the one who’s going to catch us off-guard because, while we’re rearing back from his zombie appearance, he’s going to be throwing out the funny one liners. Being stressed out by the apocalypse is going to have us off our game and one good joke will have us snickering, then chuckling, then laughing our backsides off. He’ll be making some wise crack about The Walking Dead. We’ll be trying to hold ourselves up because we’re laughing too hard and that’s when he’ll get us with his weapon of choice: the chainsaw. Watch out for the zombies who can make you laugh; they’ll kill you with the jokes first and their teeth later.
Jim Burleson is trouble from the get go as a zombie, or otherwise. He’s gifted at orchestrating major events which means he’ll be the one putting together the zombie attack plans. His secret weapon is a Ball Pein Hammer. Ouch. The problem in dealing with him as a zombie is that he’s smart enough to have designed a plan hidden within a plan that’s hidden within another plan. By the time you figure out something’s going on, you’ve got a hammer slamming you between the eyes. This one needs to go fast, if he’s turned, or we’re all dead.
If Neil Brown Jr. gets zombified, he’s going to be on the front lines of any planned attack because he can bring it. Our lead vato is going to go ballistic and run off in all directions trying to find out whose fault it was that Neil got turned. (It will probably be Jim Burleson’s fault because he’ll know what a strong zombie Neil will make.) Neil’s dangerous as a mere mortal; put him in a meat suit that doesn’t feel pain and he’s going to cut loose with his martial arts as soon as he’s used up his katana. If he isn’t drop kicking you into your next life, then he’s going to be charming you with that hypnotic voice and calm demeanor, and will probably talk you into believing that it’s a great idea if you allow him to bite one of your fingers; after all, you’ve got nine others, right? Either way – you’re dead meat.
Pauline Campos is our first female zombified Lieutenant. Don’t be fooled by her gender. She’s got a Mexi-fro that no man in his right mind could resist. While said male is distracted by that and trying to help her with her diaper bag, she’s going to be nibbling on his appendages and shooting anyone who tries to stop her with her .45 ACP pistol. As a former newswoman, she intuitively knows where the action is and the best place to position herself to get to the…meat of the matter. Watch out for this little hottie from hell should she be looking in your direction with zombie eyes.
Sean Patrick Flanery as a zombie? All I can say is head for the hills, kids! I’ve seen this guy in action and, the way he takes out a Jedi Warrior with his mad skills, none of us stand a chance. Jus’ sayin’. Besides, having 2 black belts in Karate and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, this guy is walking death to the walking living. After reviewing his portfolio, I’m betting that the first thing he’ll do if he becomes a zombie is to infect his specially trained assassin dog, Donut. Don’t let the name fool you. If you see Sean coming…shoot AND run because if you don’t take him down with the first shot, you’re just going to piss him off. Donut will catch you and be gnawing off your leg, while Sean sidles up to finish you off. If Sean goes Zombie, it’ll take a fleet of us to bring him down.
BRIGADE LEADERS:
LK Gardner-Griffie was abducted into the ZSC at the point of a crossbow. Not a good sign. If she’s zombified and teams up with Jim Burleson, we might as well give it up…unless they’ve been brain damaged. Because if their brains are in tact then, between the two of them, we’ve had the meat…er…become the meat. She’s got files on us and, if she happens to retain that information, she’s going to know exactly who each and every one of us are and where we live. She’ll assemble groups of Geeks to take us out one by one, moving from the most threatening down to us lesser munchies. If she actually happens to own a functioning flux capacitor…we might as well slit our own throats because the attacks will be like something out of Star Trek. Teams of zombies will be beaming in and out. We won’t know what bit us. In fact, it’s a safe bet that we’ll be zombiefied before we even realize we’re dead. LK will be at the very top of our Most Wanted list if she’s turned.
Don’t let Anthony Guajardo’s youth and pretty face fool you. He never goes anywhere without the protection of his dogs and is extremely dangerous, as proven by the fact that he has survived encounters with Daryl Dixon and “T-Dog”. He may look innocent, but he’s not. Be wary of him because when he’s not side-tracking you with the cuteness, he’s going to be hacking away with his machete looking for some finger food.
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RC Murphy’s weapon of choice of is the sword but she seems to have a somewhat unhealthy obsession with our fearless leader’s sacred crossbow. This one hides behind a facade of outrageously funny mood swings and ADD tendencies. The trouble here is that it’s a clever ruse masking the fact that she’s actually psychotic. Several of her other personalities are made of the stuff that no one, and I do mean NO-ONE, on the ZSC wants, or is prepared to deal with. Don’t be fooled by her mild mannered wife and mother persona. There’s some real evil in her lusting to break free and being zombified might be just the thing that does it. Watch out for this cutie. Trust me on that. Also…avoid the Z’s.
Ah yes, our beloved, multi-tasking and somewhat flighty Jinxie_G. Self-proclaimed creator and destroyer of worlds. On top of being an Amazon, she’s proficient with the compound bow. Being nocturnal and constantly pumped up on caffeine and nicotine makes her hyper-vigilant. As long as she’s one of us, we’re fine. But if she goes zombie, I’d suggest the duck and cover technique. A grenade, or explosive of some kind, might be our only choice in taking her down as a zombie. The problem with this is, she has a gaggle of supernatural buddies who can step in at any time and kick our collective butts. Our best bet is to make sure, she’s not Turned.
IronE Singleton’s weapon of choice is the up-close-and-personal hammer. YIKES! Add his willingness to get a bloody facial to his passion for work, life and family and he’s a formidable opponent. He’s one of the most huggable on the crew and that makes him more dangerous than all the others. The shortage of hugs during any apocalypse makes IronE (a.k.a. Mr. Huggy) particularly dangerous. Watch yourselves! He might look like a teddy bear but embracing this zombie is a fast-track to zombification.
Now we get to Norman Reedus. Oy! Norman’s weapons training, crossbow abilities, and his gift for remaining clear and focused on missions makes him a valuable commodity to the ZSC. He’s an expert survivalist which, I’m sure will save our butts if we’re on the run. He handles stress swiftly and directly – though I have to wonder what’s going on behind those eyes when he’s just sitting around in silence. I believe Norman would make the most dangerous zombie of us all. In character as Daryl Dixon he’s shown patience, reserve and a willingness and ability to set his personal feelings aside and just get on with surviving. But I think he’s got a long memory and is capable of a multitude of surprises that could prove dangerous if he’s pushed too far. Right now he’s on our side and doing his part. But all of us need to remember that he doesn’t need us and he might very well be better off without us. We’re liabilities to him and I’m sure he knows this. At the same time, in the event of a zombie attack, he’ll have a few bodies to throw at them while he makes his getaway. As a zombie…yeah…I’d be totally unable to predict what he’s capable of so let’s try to make sure he stays human – that’s dangerous enough.
Our fearless leader, Juliette Terzieff, the humanitarian. She is the official leader of the ZSC and that’s an understatement. She might be known for running around in circles screaming, but don’t let her fool you. She’s not flighty. She’s not overwhelmed. (Tired yes, overwhelmed, no.) There are things we don’t know about her; things she has hidden from us – a move any good leader should make, by the way. But let’s remember that she’s been in actual war zones and heavily involved in international politics. While her human heart is humanitarian, I’m positive her zombie heart would be zombitarian. As the leader of the ZSC, she’d be a primary target for an intelligent zombie invasion. She’s the one that knows everything about everyone, including information that the rest of us don’t have access to. Information that she may, or may not, share with those under her immediate command. She could turn zombie and set us all up for the biggest fall yet and none of us would know it. As a zombie she could infect each of those closest to her, until the rest of us are wiped out. If that happens it won’t be long before she’s giving out bags of human meat instead of the bags of chocolate that her human self awards us with. Keep an eye on Juliette. Don’t let her height fool you either; one round of ChaCha Ferrigno and you’d be zombie food.
Moral of this report, friends and neighbors? Watch your back and don’t forget for one second that, despite our best efforts to organize and band together in the event of the Zombie Apocalypse, any one of us could become a casualty.
Rest assured, your commanders have heard the cries of anguish from our crew and we are in full agreement; the Vatos need to return to The Walking Dead.
Our undercover agents have located targets for a campaign launch in order to make sure they are aware of the overwhelming love the Zombie Survival Crew has for the Vatos.
We will begin sending #BringBackTheVatos tweets to the targets at 12:00 PM on Friday February 11th. The retreat will be called at 12:00 PM the following day, Saturday February 12th. Times are local to whatever time zone you live in.
Now I know we all feel strongly that our Vatos deserve more screen time, but please keep this civil. -R.C. twirls a sword and gives a stern look-
Sample tweets:
@GunnerGale We at the #zombiesurvivalcrew would LOVE for The Walking Dead to #BringBackTheVatos! Please pass the word along.
@RobertKirkman Who loves Vatos? The #zombiesurvivalcrew! We’d like The Walking Dead to #BringBackTheVatos. Please pass the word along.
@valhallapics The #zombiesurvivalcrew really wants #TheWalkingDead to #BringBackTheVatos.
Get the point? Good. Now go forth and tell the world at large to #BringBackTheVatos!
Call to Action: Zombie Survival Crew First LieutenantNeil Brown Jr. – Guillermo from the Vatos episode of The Walking Dead – talks survival and what he learned during Battle: Los Angeles.
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Sometimes the fiction I portray helps me to understand real-life truths. Working on Battle: Los Angeles gave me some insights I thought wise to share with my Zombie Survival Crew brigades ahead of the film’s 3-11-11 release.
Battle: Los Angeles asks the broader questions about survival during a cataclysmic global event as major U.S. cities are attacked and marines are sent into Los Angeles to evacuate civilians before the government launches a massive counter-offensive. Sure, we’re battling aliens, not zombies, but many of the same rules apply.
Lesson 1: Stealth Tactics
Filming took us through some real Marine training and as much as I’d like to say the weapons work was the most valuable, the truth is how many of us are going to encounter military-grade weapons right off the bat during a zombie infestation? (Unless you have them already…)
No. The most valuable lessons were in learning how to really take cover during a firefight and how to conceal your presence. Tactics like the following:
– Don’t leave evidence of your presence. Pick up empty shell casings, cigarette butts, etc, etc.
– People do what you see in movies when a firefight breaks out. Big mistake.
– Process: Get low. Find solid cover. Identify source of fire or danger. Examine your environment.
– A car door will not protect you from bullets. The only safe places to take cover around a vehicle are behind the engine block or axles.
– In a house dry wall will not protect you. Get into the residence and take cover behind additional items such as a bookcase or table.
Lesson 2: Teamwork
As a cataclysmic event unfolds it is time to put aside differences and work together. This is about humanity, about survival. Everyone has something to offer.
If we are to survive, we have to band together as I learned filming both The Walking Dead and Battle: Los Angeles. Understand the enemy – how they operate; what they want; the best ways to defeat them. It cannot be done alone.
Lesson 3: Strategic Choices
Every person has something to offer towards common survival in the case of a cataclysmic global event but having a good command team in place is essential. From my Battle: Los Angeles cast mates I’d offer up the following as top recruits.
Cory Hardrict – He’s the type of guy who will receive the phone call, look at the bottom line, come up with a plan and execute it. No questions. No doubts. But he’s also a team player.
Michelle Rodriguez – She’s kind of a nerd but down to fight to the death for anyone on her team. She’s gritty and grindy, and something to watch in a battle.
Will Rothhaar – This kid is young, ready for anything and fast. He’s a team player unafraid of a dangerous assignment.
It has come to our attention that there is a commonality to The Walking Dead cast made up humor, intelligence and just plain chutzpah.
Every time the Zombie Survival Crew reaches out to take on a cast member (think IronE Singleton, think Anthony Guajardo) we seem to get just a little bit more than we bargained for.
Steven Yeun is no exception!
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Steven – from all of us on the #zombiesurvivalcrew – THANK YOU for doing this, for taking the crew’s craziest questions and putting them back with panache! You will forever have an honorary spot on Command’s rapid response team!
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.
After some rather amusing Twitter shenanigans and some soul searching inside the ZSC Command Center we have decided to take the following out to the broader Zombie Survival Crew brigades for a vote.
It was suggested by “someone” that we make @Squirrel_TWDan official (not THE official, but AN official) #zombiesurvivalcrew mascot, despite the squirrel’s very public – and often nasty – blood feud with the Dixon brothers from The Walking Dead.
We were assured by a Command Center discussion that the following Tweet had nothing to do with putting our furry little friend up for vote!
Wonder how long it it’ll take to chew through a wire on a crossbow. 2:55 AM Dec 23rd via web
So Zombie Survival Crew brigades, let us know what you think!
Vote yes, if you support @Squirrel_TWD as an official mascot; vote no, if you don’t! If you have an alternative suggestion for ZSC mascots, put them up in the comments section of this post.
We’ll keep voting open until Friday, December 31, 2010.
Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.
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.
