The Battle: LA contest winner is …

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.

And it’s all ZSC First Lieutenant Neil Brown Jr.’s fault.

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.

And that lucky ZSC loyalist is: @Xhannay

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!


UGA On The Hunt

Field Report by newly promoted Honorable Brigadier Grae Wolffe, SAPPED

Most people laugh off talk of government or private industry conspiracies, and even the sensationalism Hollywood adds to the theories just makes the general unknowing public skeptical at best. It is much easier for the masses to believe there is no Grand Scheme undermining their normal routine, no secret conglomerate or Unknown Government Agency hiding in the shadows…

…until you become the target of one.

Even without being the direct target, there are some of us who just feel something isn’t quite right with the world, no matter what the media and masses try to make us believe. There may not be a tangible reason, or incontrovertible truth, but that niggling feeling in the back of the head won’t go away just because others don’t see what we see, or feel what we feel in the pit of the stomach.

Recently I made an offer of aid to one of the commanders of the Zombie Survival Crew. It was an innocuous thing, just the sharing of software which I had in my possession and no longer used. The archive file was too large to just share via email or chat, so I took an old thumb drive and thought nothing of sticking it in an envelope and shipping it via standard mail. The story of that attempt was reported here earlier; and now I go from being just one of the questioning but otherwise apathetic masses to one of the questioning few who are looking over their shoulder.

I’ve been friends with another of the founding commanders of the ZSC for a few years, but until recently she has been quite active online – blogging, writing, an active twitter user – available almost any night for a fun time or serious conversation. But looking back at some of the things she told me about her life up to the time we met, and the more recent events which have caused many changes recently in her life, it feels like she has become the target of some kind of plot.

Jinxie G in an undisclosed location

Four moves in less than two years – most of them within the last year. “Official” assistance which has disappeared nearly as quickly as it was offered. And ever since helping form the ZSC, she has been on the run and unable to maintain her usual daily contact and routine. Yes, our own Jinxie has become a target of that Unknown Government Agency that is hiding in the shadows, trying to control the secret of invasion and infestation, which she and others have uncovered and are trying to prepare the defense of the human race.

Her recent move has forced her into a location without direct internet access – not even a local wifi signal to gain access with. Jinxie has been forced to roam the area with her laptop, using coffee shops, libraries, and even McDonald’s to gain access and relay orders. Although they haven’t been able to silence her, and can’t stop her signal completely, our fearless commander is obviously targeted as a “person of interest” to the UGA; communication is sporadic instead of consistent, and it is happening in such a way that none of the upper echelons of the ZSC are able to aid more directly to restore Jinxie’s communications.

There must be something They want to keep hidden, and the ZSC is on track to expose whatever it is. And the UGA is already in place, large enough to affect communications of many types, on many levels, monitoring those of us who are learning to think for ourselves more, act together in uncovering the fact which have so far eluded the unknowing masses. From small town USA on one side of the country, to large metropolitan areas on the other, and surely in place around the world, the UGA is trying to keep their secrets from escaping.

We must remain diligent. Our commanders have stirred the pot, and must be coming close to something. Their recent activities are being monitored, and those of us who make it publicly known we are helping the ZSC Command may find ourselves targeted next.


A Nibble of Monster Mania

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)


Jon Bernthal delivers a ZSC Message

On a recent foray out of ZSC Command to secure resupply of vital commodities for the zombiepocalypse, I stopped off at Monster Mania in Cherry Hill, New Jersey on a quick reconnaissance mission for new recruits. You can check out the visual evidence of the ZSC mission here.

I encountered zombies and ghosts, and spent a significant amount of time being chased by a masked man with a knife I later learned goes by the name Michael Myers. I will shortly share more details of the Monster Mania mission but wanted to relay the results of one meeting in particular right away.

Actor Jon Bernthal opted to take the opportunity to express his concerns as a citizen for a possible impending zombie invasion and deliver a message of support for the Zombie Survival Crew.


Zombies of a Different Breed

There are three things captured on film that frighten yours truly; Samara from The Ring, Pennywise the clown from It, and the kid from Pet Sematary. (Notice how two of those are from Stephen King? He’s terrifying.) So know this, ZSC faithful, your commanders will suffer unspeakable horrors to bring you information about the pending Zombiepocalypse.

Today we’re looking at the film Pet Sematary to learn more about how zombies are created, controlled, and dispatched. Genre purists are probably rolling their eyes as they read, but even we admit that it is a zombie movie. The dead come back to life and exhibit all of the signs we watch for in order to identify the first wave of zombie attacks.

A note before continuing, we’ve noticed a lot of the “predictions” put on film about the Zombiepocalypse have wonderful rural settings. Sure, in this film there’s a major flaw with truck traffic, but for the most part it is an ideal place to raise a family. Cute, serene, quiet… and totally without secure buildings to hide in when the dead rise. The ZSC would like to issue a warning to members living in rural areas; please be sure to have your escape routes planned and planned well.

In the film there are a couple false starts to the pending zombie problem. A jogger is brought in, brains leaking everywhere, and yet is still able to talk after dying. Put your weapons down, he is the resident ghost, not a walker. But don’t get too comfortable; the ghost knows way too much about whatever it is that creates the zombies.

The kindly old man, Judd, also knows about the potential for zombies. “Do you know what a graveyard is? … A place where the dead speak.” Only, in their neck of the woods the dead tend to forget they’re actually dead. One saving grace; the trek to the stretch of land that spits out zombies like a baseball player spits sunflower seeds is extremely dangerous. The downside; most of the locals know about the burial ground and the strange power it possesses. If an epidemic hit the area, how many would risk the danger to bring back their family?

That’s the truly dangerous part of the cursed Indian burial ground. It isn’t so much the power within the ground, but the potential for mass armies of the undead to be created by people who think they are doing the right thing. When dealing with grief, one simply does not stop to think of the repercussions. It certainly didn’t stop Louis after the family cat came back acting not quite right. The thing was half mad and smelled like a corpse. Zombie Cat, dude.

The land encompassing the Indian burial ground is said to have “gone sour”. Some religions believe that in order for the dead to rest peacefully the ground has to be blessed. Consecrated graveyards are not immune from zombies, but they aren’t pitching them out like this place. Other forces are at play, possibly connected to the beliefs of the dead originally buried in that place. We never learn exactly why the dead simply get up and walk after being buried there, though.

Pet Sematary reminds us, yet again, that zombies are not the people they were when they died. These are not our friends, children, significant others, or pets. They are abominations. Walking corpses with one thing in mind, to destroy the living. We do not know why they come back this way. In the movie, it could be some sort of magic gone wrong. These undead are highly intelligent and utilize weapons like a living person. Luckily they can be easily dispatched, but that may not be enough to save the living if the magic in the burial ground is abused and an army is raised. We need to be prepared on the off chance places like this exist, guys. Check your go bags.

Outtakes (R.C. took notes while watching the film. Here are some highlights):

– Ooo, a kitty! Sorry, where was I?

– Dude, it took you 6 hours to dig a hole. Not Worth It.

– “Church smells bad.” Duh? Zombies stink!

– I love my crew. I love my crew… they must not hear me scream because of a zombie child.

– Zombie Child = Best birth control EVER.

– Zombie make-out session. I’m going to be sick…

~R


Only the Lonely Survive

Chief’s Note: We here at ZSC Command take all possible Zombiepocalypse strategies into consideration, even those that defy official established protocol. It’s immensely helpful to weigh the varying viewpoints (especially when it comes to making the “who we’re going to trip first” list… #justsayin)

Today author Mark Allen Gunnells provides insight into his survival plan.

 

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Only the Lonely Survive

                Having recently released my first zombie novella Asylum and plotting out my second, it got me to thinking, how would I react in a zombie apocalypse?  What would I do to ensure my survival?  So I studied up on my zombie fiction and zombie films and think I’ve come up with a fool-proof plan.

                I’d avoid the living like the plague.

                If you look at the popular zombie tales, they usually involve a bunch of people banding together to form a group, looking for someplace to act as a fortress where they can hunker down and ride out the undead invasion.  My own novella follows said format.  The majority of these stories do not have happy endings, and how do the hordes of flesh-hungry zombies finally get the upper hand?  Do they outsmart the living? No.  Are they stronger than the living?  Not necessarily.  Do their sheer numbers overwhelm the living?  Seems the most likely scenario, but that isn’t typically the case either.

                What usually serves as the undoing of our band of survivors is one or more members of their own group.  Prejudices arise, friction develops, power struggles, sometimes even good old fashioned madness.  These issues usually weaken the group and allow the zombies to sneak in when everyone is distracted. 

                So to me the answer is clear.  If the dead arise and start feasting on the populace, don’t expect to find me seeking out my friends or family so that we can weather the storm together.  In fact, if I see survivors out on the street, I’ll likely hide until they pass.  I may even work on perfecting my “zombie walk” so that any survivors who spot me may mistake me for one of the undead.  Won’t actually fool other zombies, but it will ensure no one living wants to get to close to me.

                I consider myself a fairly sociable person, outgoing and friendly.  Compassionate also.  But when the zombies attack, I’m going to be one self-isolating hermit.  On my own, I won’t have to find a shelter big enough for a group.  As a matter of fact, the smaller the better.  Zombies seem drawn to large places, but I can certainly make due with something as tiny as one of those self-storage cubicles.  With its lack of windows, might just be perfect for a single man hiding out.  There will only be myself to feed, so I can stock up and cut down on trips out for supplies.       

                As long as I’m on my own, there will be no one to question who should call the shots, no one to keep it a secret if he or she gets bitten, no one to harbor resentments or prejudices against me that will eventually come to the surface at the most inconvenient time, no one to lose his or her grip on reality and threaten my continued existence.  There will be only me to worry about, and at least I know I can trust myself.

                Also, without any attachments I will never be put in the situation of having to save someone who has been grabbed by zombies.  If I see you and the zombies are pulling your entrails out and chewing on them like sausages…so sorry, but you’re nothing to me but a liability.  Gives me more time to run.  May sound harsh, but we’re talking survival here people.  Not the kind you’re used to from Survivor, but real life-or-death survival.

                So if I were to offer any advice on the best course of action to survive the zombie apocalypse, it would be to stick to yourself, avoid forming attachments or groups.  You stand a better chance on your own.

                Plus you won’t have to share your supplies.

~ Mark Allan Gunnells

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Gunnells is the author of Asylum (The Zombie Feed/Apex Publications, Dec. 2010) the story of Curtis, a young college student dragged to his first gay club by his best friend when the dead start to rise and attack the club. Trapped inside the Asylum are a small band of survivors, including a drag queen, a male stripper, a Vietnam vet bartender, a pretentious gay couple, and an unstable DJ.  In addition to Asylum, Gunnells, a South Carolina-based horror writer has Tales from the Midnight Shift, Volume 1 (Sideshow Press) and Whisonant (Sideshow Press) due out in 2011. You can purchase Asylum here, if you dare.

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And if you’d like a sneak preview of what Asylum is about, here is the book trailer.


Battle Alongside Neil Brown Jr.

Battle: Los Angeles Photo Contest

 Dispatcher: R.C. Murphy

 

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:

 
Prizes:
 

  • First 10 entries received will win an official ZSC bumper sticker
  • All entrants will be put into a drawing to win a Secret Prize from Neil Brown Jr.

 

Rules & Regulations:

  • One entry per person.
  • Entries must be sent to command [at] zombiesurvivalcrew [dot] com any entries received via Twitter, Facebook, or Website comments will be disqualified.
  • 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:

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 ~R


Valentine’s Day PSA

It is Valentine’s Day. Stow the groaning, folks. Trust me, when this assignment came across my desk I did the same thing. The hearts and candy routine really isn’t my thing. However, I found some disturbing Valentine’s coming into my mail box this week and felt you should be aware of the hidden dangers behind this holiday.

See, even zombies get lonely. They have a hard time holding on to significant others (once they gnaw their arms off…). Because of this lack of companionship, come Valentine’s Day zombies are pretty dang lonely. And hungry. Never forget how hungry a zombie can be.

So take our advice; grab your go bag. Valentine’s Day won’t be all stuffed animals and roses this year. The number of zombie sightings has increased tenfold this year. If you hear someone talking about candy hearts, they may actually be talking about candied hearts. Which are an undead delicacy.

Be safe. Be smart. And for goodness sake, if someone tries to give you a bunny don’t take it!


Preparing for all contingencies

 

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.


#BringBackTheVatos

Mission Dispatch from R.C. Murphy

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.

.

Your targets:

@GunnerGale, @RobertKirkman, @valhallapics, and @WalkingDead_AMC

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!