The Dead Shall Serve

Zombies have become popular in all aspects of popular culture in the last few years.  From the Walking Dead, to the Living Dead, the Forsaken of World of Warcraft, and the touchy freely zombies of Warm Bodies.  What is it about zombies that has attracted so much attention and support from fans?

Part of it is the same reason that science fiction is so popular.  You can apply real world issues to these stories, such as overpopulation.  Race relations.  Immigration.  Gun control.  Terrorism.  Things that may be politically charged or taboo, and express them through fiction.  The zombies attacking the mall in Dawn of the Dead are all about pointing out the evils of consumerism in America.

Why do you think zombies are so popular?

Zika Virus.........is it the beginning?

Of course not, but you know you thought about it. If you had to guess what the catalyst to the zombie apocalypse is, what would you say? Virus? Experiment gone bad? Extra-terrestrial? I am interested to hear your thoughts on the subject.

Day by Day Armageddon......

I mentioned the other day about the writings of JL Bourne. Here is a link to his website and his excellent work. Check him out and try his books. You won't be sorry.

http://jlbourne.com/

Fast zombies vs. slow zombies...........discuss...............

It's the age old debate in the zombie genre: will the undead be the shambling, mindless corpses that Romero depicted or will they be faster than an Olympic sprinter, a la Zack Snyder's Dawn of the Dead zombies? What do you think and why? All of this is purely speculative. At least for now.....

Me personally, I think the slow zombies would be the reality. Decay sets in and rigor mortis isn't going to allow you to run a 100 yard dash in 6 seconds flat. Besides, I think the fast zombies take away a lot of the intensity in a film because you realize that, regardless of what you do, they are faster than you and more than willing to kill you. If there was an outbreak and the zombies were like that, well, humanity is pretty well screwed.

On the other hand, the slow, shambling zombies of the original NOTLD are, in my humble opinion, much scarier. They never stop. They never think. They just. keep. coming. You can escape them, if you only stop and control your own fear. That's what they have over you: the psychological advantage. No one expects to see their dear departed get up and come after them. We freeze or run. Fight or flight. Once you realize, though, that instead of making a Rambo-like final stand, you can simply run out of sight and regroup, then your chances of survival increase tenfold. Take away the fear factor, and the zombies are just like mindless herds of cattle that roam wherever their next meal beckons to them.

The overall health of the zombie genre.....

Zombie movies have always maintained a cult following in the entertainment world. Romero really brought it to the big screen and it's been off to the races ever since. Now that the genre seems to be the highest it's ever been with The Walking Dead breaking every record possible, where do you guys see it going from here?

Lots of people complain that every zombie movie is simply a re-hashing of what's been done before. To some point, I would have to agree. I truly appreciate zombie movies that think outside the box and go where others have never dared trod. What all stories would you all like to see that you don't feel have been portrayed before in this genre? Post your ideas here. I may incorporate one or more of them into a new short story or novel, with your permission of course.

Zombie Apocalypse Weaponry Choices

OK, we've all thought about it: what weapon am I going to use when Uncle Fred rises from his casket and tries to eat my cousins? Well, I would love to know what you guys think. Me personally? I'm going minimalist. The theory behind that is that if things get so bad that I have to bug out, I want to be stealthy. No, not just stealthy, ninja stealthy. 500 pounds of ammo and magazines clanking around will get me eaten in a hurry or mugged by those with superior firepower. Here is what I would grab if the dead rose tomorrow:

Ruger 10/22 rifle with 5 Ruger factory 25 round magazines
Good quality 22 revolver
Two 500 round bricks of ammunition
Collapsible police baton
Machete

What would you guys grab?

My new story is now available.

My newest short story, Humanity's Last Full Measure, is now available on Amazon. Check it out and let me know your thoughts!

http://www.amazon.com/Humanitys-Last-Full-Measure-Shawn-ebook/dp/B01B3DIMJI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453845584&sr=8-1&keywords=shawn+clay

If you haven't checked out the Day By Day Armageddon Series by JL Bourne.......

Then what on earth are you waiting for? Hands down, this is some of the best zombie apocalyptic writing I have seen in a very long time. Written in journal form, it follows a Navy pilot from the early days of an outbreak to living / surviving in a world where the dead rule. Very good content that has a permanent place of prominence in my horror library. Check them out today. You will thank me later.

My writings...........

Currently, my first short story, Firsthand Witness to the Fall is available on Amazon.com for download. The story chronicles the experiences of the volunteers in a bio-dome style experiment and their reactions to a mysterious attack on many of the world's major cities and the resulting fallout.  Check it out and let me know what you think.

http://www.amazon.com/Firsthand-Witness-Fall-Shawn-Clay-ebook/dp/B00TBW2FMO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1453817671&sr=8-1&keywords=shawn+clay

In addition, my upcoming short story, Humanity's Last Full Measure should be available sometime in the next few days. This story follows a Major in the US Army as he goes from day one of a nationwide outbreak of unknown origin throughout the fall of civilization and then to a bold initiative to launch a counter-offensive, that, if unsuccessful, could lead to the end of humanity.

Welcome to When Darkness Falls.

Welcome to When Darkness Falls, a place to come discuss all those things that go bump in the night. The focus here will primarily be of the zombie genre, mainly due to the fact that I am a Walking Dead devotee and love all things zombie. I will also be featuring my short stories that are available for purchase on Amazon.com, so I hope you will all check them out and let me know what you think. Vulgarity and profanity will not be allowed, as neither contributes in any manner towards a discussion. Thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoy my ramblings.