For those lucky enough to be attending this year’s Comic Con, you’ll be able to participate in the upcoming apocalypse with “The Walking Dead Escape.” Robert Kirkman, creator and brainchild behind THE WALKING DEAD is teaming with his publisher Skybound to celebrate the 100th issue of his comicbook in a robust way: a zombie themed obstacle course in the San Diego Padres baseball stadium, Petco Park. The event takes place from July 12th through 14th, timing it perfectly with this year’s Comic Con (July 12th to 15th).

You will be allowed to be a Walker, or attempt to be a survivor, or merely watch the blood bath in what sounds like the most fun obstacle course ever conceived. The news comes courtesy of Hollywood Reporter. Kirkman had the following to say about the event: ”Our fans have been reading about it, watching it and now they get to live it with The Walking Dead Escape…We are literally transforming Petco Park into the early days of society’s collapse and San Diego is just the first city to fall.” Can we expect more of these events in other cities across the world? With the popularity of THE WALKING DEAD and the ingenuity behind the idea, I don’t see why not.

Also, who’s got an extra ticket to the Con this year?

As discovered by Fearnet, Telltale Games has released the newest trailer for THE WALKING DEAD videogame. The animation and special effects do a good representation of Charlie Adlard and Robert Kirkman’s vision, but it’s fairly disappointing not to be able to play as Rick or Michonne. There does seem to be a Glenn sighting (and hopefully there’s a find the groceries mini games!), however. It looks like Telltale has crafted a fairly gripping story, but what will separate this from all of the other zombie video games? If they model the game after the comic and TV show, it’ll be the plot and characters, and while they’re a step behind starting anew, it could be an even more enriching experience because of it. Plus, I’m sure there will be easter eggs and unlockable characters, rewarding fans of the show (or at least one can hope). The trailer is below.

Sorry bro, it ain't happening. *Sigh*

The Walking Dead

“Beside the Dying Fire”

Air Date: 3/18/2012

It’s been almost a week since the finale of AMC’s THE WALKING DEAD, and I’m still not resigned to the fact that I won’t be able to watch and review another episode this Sunday night. Sure, AMC’s MAD MEN and HBO’s GAME OF THRONES (to be featured next week and forever after that) is a nice consolation, but I’ll miss the verbal warfare, dripping tension and operatic emotion at the heart of this series every weekend until it returns in the fall.

Season 2’s finale, “Beside the Dying Fire,” follows up arguably two of the best and definitely most shocking episodes of the series thus far, and literally, doesn’t skip a beat. It picks up immediately where we left off, with Carl shooting zombie Shane dead (again). Carl doesn’t know that Rick killed him first, and neither know that a mob of zombies are coming for them until it’s almost too late. The mass horde of flesh eaters are everywhere, and force Rick and the gang to make their last stand at Herschel’s farm. Lori is a panicked wreck due to Carl’s disappearance (and rightfully so), while Herschel (now a badass) and Andrea (still a badass) rally the troops against the onslaught to come. For the first twenty minutes, TWD is a convincing Hollywood action movie in the best possible sense, with innumerable gunshots, a myriad of vehicles (RV’s, trucks, motorcycles oh my), fires, blood and TWD’s weekly requirement of character deaths. There are a couple heroic saves by Daryl and Andrea, Herschel has a crisis of faith, and one main character is unwittingly left behind to die. When all is said and done, I had to take a deep breathe. Epic, intense stuff.

And that’s only the first act. As always, TWD thrives in in-action, or the scenes after the fact, which isn’t surprising, because what makes WD unique in the zombie cultural landscape is that it focuses on what happens AFTER the zombies attack and eat our friend’s brains out, whereas most in the genre solely focus on its inception and the initial chaos therein.

The invasion forces the group to separate, all in different vehicles, all unsure if anyone else made it out alive. For awhile, I thought it might stay that way for awhile, but even TWD’s writers ain’t that mean. Rick, Herschel and Carl make it to the highway where they lost Sophia. Herschel begs Rick to take his boy and go, before it’s too late, but Carl refuses to leave his mother behind. Glenn consoles Maggie and finally reveals his true feelings to her (if/when Kirkman and company break up/kill these two, I’ll be the first to cry). The rhyming ones, Daryl and Carol, may be the next to link up. Lori, T-Dog and company are the last to arrive, and there’s a moment of happiness when they all reunite on the highway. But, as we all know, happiness is short lived on this show. When the absences become pronounced and the death count is tallied, it’s back to tears. The group is also left to ponder why Randall (and Shane, unbeknownst to everyone else) became a zombie despite not being bit. Depression turns to anger when Rick finally reveals what Jenner (the suicidal CDC scientist from Season 1) whispered to him, a secret he unfairly kept from them. When Lori goes to console her man, Rick describes the circumstances behind Shane’s death, an ominous encounter that makes Lori look, once again, like a clinical bipolar (though Rick didn’t do himself any favors in his creepy approach to the talk).

My arms are tired. From carrying Carol's life force.

If you thought Rick’s leadership would be unquestioned after Shane’s death, you were wrong. If anything, it’s more tenuous than ever before, as Shane Rick’s frightening shift in demeanor and change in leadership style lead to more grumbling, bickering and the potential for mutiny next season.

But what will be discussed by fans the most are the two final scenes of the season, where we spy what looks like the next stop on their journey (which is more obvious if you’ve read Kirkman’s comics) and are finally introduced to the character we’ve all been desperate to see, in as cool a fashion as one could have hoped. While the finale gives us a good sense of where TWD is headed in Season 3, I’ve learned over the course of the past two seasons not to make any assumptions about what to expect with this thrilling and wildly unpredictable show, which is just the way I like it.

See ya’ll in the fall.

To tell you the truth, I forget he was still on the show

The Walking Dead

“Better Angels”

Air Date: 3/11/2012

Remember when THE WALKING DEAD was moving about as slow as the walkers themselves? Yeah, forget that ever happened. Just a week after Dale’s heartrending death (R.I.P.) comes another fearless, whopper of an ending.

We open with a touching speech by Rick at Dale’s funeral, where he promises to lead Dale’s way from here on out, to try and “un-break” the group and prove Dale wrong: that they can survive in this harsh world yet also retain their humanity. Afterwards, they set to doing tasks they should’ve been doing a long time ago: strengthening the defenses of the farms and moving into Herschel’s house. Herschel, in a complete 180 from just a few episodes ago, is completely accommodating, offering his master bedroom to Rick, Carl and Lori and volunteering for couch duty.

Shane (the always magnetic and magnificent Jon Bernthal), of course, disagrees with the new direction.

Carl, struggling with his role in Dale’s death (he was unable to kill the zombie that ended up chewing on Dale’s torso), comes to Shane with his grief, guilt and Daryl’s gun. He wants Shane to give it back to Daryl and to keep everything a secret. As usual, Shane treats Carl like a man and with respect. If only he treated everyone like he does Carl.

Later, Lori also pays Shane a visit. She apologizes for her behavior, for what happened before and since Rick’s appearance, and more importantly, thanks him. She thanks Shane for saving her life, for saving Carl’s life, all sentiments that were truly a long time coming. It’s a great scene between two great actors (Sarah Wayne Callies probably doesn’t get enough credit for playing one of the most polarizing characters on the show).

Shane goes to Rick with Carl’s news. He thinks that Rick should talk to Carl, but Rick is focused on Randall and sending him on his way. Shane accuses Rick of having warped priorities. He should talk to his son, should help him, should give him the gun back to keep him safe. And, of course, Shane’s right, but his delivery leaves much to be desired, but despite their argument, Rick does go to see Carl, the latest salvo in the battle for being the better father.

The Walking Dead, Season 2, Episode 11

“Judge, Jury, Executioner”

Air Date: 3/4/2012

While I’ve harped on THE WALKING DEAD as much as any about its stale arguments and stalled direction since returning for its second half of its second season, this episode was ALL arguments, politics and pontificating, and it didn’t stop it from being the best and most shocking episode since Sophia’s return in “Pretty Much Dead Already.”

As Daryl pummels Randall in the barn, fishing for information about his people, it’s decision time on Herschel’s farm. This time, they are deciding a man’s fate, whether Randall should live or die. For once, Rick and Shane agree on something. Randall presents a danger to the farm and their group and needs to be put down. Everyone else is content to let that be that, except for one man, Dale (the fantastic Jeffrey DeMunn). He is incensed that everyone would sit idly by with a man’s life on the line, and warns of the dangerous precedent this would set. We all know his opinion of Shane, that he’s a monster and a danger, but is bewildered by Rick’s agreement. Dale demands an extra day before the shot is fired to talk to everyone about the issue, and come to a decision with everyone’s input involved. He’s fighting for democracy (or at the very least, fighting for everyone to have a voice and not live listlessly under Shane and Rick’s constant pissing contest, I mean, rule) and really, fighting for our group’s humanity in the face the inhumanity of the walkers that haunt them. Rick gives Dale till sundown to make his case.

Shane discusses a possible takeover from Herschel with Andrea, seeing Rick’s concession as the first step in reversing his decision. Andrea, his only ally, even finds this off-putting. Meanwhile, Dale wanders around camp and pays visits to Daryl, Lori, Andrea, Herschel and even Shane, each scene a fascinating character study and pure TV wizardry.

Synopsis (courtesy Boku Films):
On the outskirts of civilization, a remote test facility lays ruin following a catastrophic security breach. All that remains is a handful of survivors, their small armory of weapons, and a fleet of the infected. The breach lead to a viral outbreak that left hundreds dead or mutated. Now the infected walk the land, stalking the few that stayed alive.

Led by private military operative Max Gatling (Dolph Lundgren), our heroes have learned to fight against the infected, in hopes that rescue will soon come from the outside world. What they weren’t expecting, though, was the emergence of another deadly threat.

The breach also gave way to the escape of a band of malfunctioning prototype robots. Armed and incredibly dangerous, the robots could either be an indomitable force… or an unexpected ally in their battle against the infected masses.

Source: Twitch

THE WALKING DEAD

“PRETTY MUCH DEAD ALREADY”

Season 2, Episode 7

Review by Andy Greene

It’s been a couple months since the midseason finale of The Walking Dead, and with AMC’s hit ramping up just in time for Valentine’s Day, it’s time to look back at “Pretty Much Dead Already,” an episode that proves to be a turning point for the show and many of its characters.

TWD is one of the best shows on TV, and that’s even if it sometimes devolves into scenes from Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (albeit with zombies). Every single plot and subplot of this episode involves an argument between two or more characters. But it works because these characters are so rich, their emotions so real; the struggle to retain one’s humanity when in hell is really the focus of the show, not the (external) monsters they are fighting, which sounds a lot like a play to me.

The season so far has dwelled on the growing heat in the rivalry between former best buds Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Shane (Jon Bernthal) and who is the best leader, who/what is right and wrong, and what’s best for their group. It has also focused on the search and rescue for Sophia, and the growing heroics and complexities that color Daryl (fan favorite Norman Reedus) as he spearheads the task. In this episode, we (finally) get the answer we were looking for with Sophia (one that many won’t expect), and perhaps an answer in the Rick and Shane debate.

The action begins with Glenn (Steven Yeun practically jumps from the panels of Kirkman’s comic book) telling the camp that Herschel has been keeping live zombies in the barn this entire time. Obviously, this sparks uproar and reignites the debate over Herschel’s rules on the farm, particularly between Rick and Shane in another in a sea of moments that highlight both Lincoln and Bernthal’s Emmy candidacy. Rick clings to the notion that they are guests and must obey Herschel’s wishes against arms to stay in this haven they’ve found, whereas Shane doesn’t see the point in staying somewhere that clearly isn’t safe with zombies lurking and without guns at hand to kill them.

Daryl packs up again to go off looking for Sophie perhaps too quickly after his recent injuries, and Carol (Melissa Suzanne McBride) expresses concern over his safety. Daryl’s not used to anyone’s concern, especially when he’s trying to find Carol’s daughter, so he blows up in her face. Rude.

Moral compass Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn), like clockwork, expresses concern over Andrea’s (Amy Holden) association with Shane and what he’s become and whether she really wants to be like him. As always, it blows up in Dale’s face. This time, he responds rashly by grabbing the remaining weapons to hide them in the woods.

Off to the side, Maggie and Glenn continue their adolescent tiff over Glenn revealing the secret about the barn, but their burgeoning relationship proves to be the only (and very much welcome) bright spot in the series right now, and Glenn’s speech to Maggie is the cutest darn thing you’ll ever hear. Yes, I love them, which probably means one or both will be food soon enough.

Rick goes to Herschel (Scott Wilson) to discuss the news about the barn, ever the diplomat. Naïve to the danger of the outside world, Herschel refuses to negotiate, believing his “conscience is clear,” and that they should be on their way in the coming days. Rick reveals his ace in the hole that Lori is pregnant and stomps off to get in more arguments. Maggie (the luminous Lauren Cohan) overhears the dispute and lets her father have it for wanting to leave Rick’s camp out in the cold. Herschel decides to show Rick what they do with the “sick” in a final effort to get their clan to follow his rules.

There’s a great little scene between Shane and Carl (Chandler Riggs), where Carl stands up for Sophia and what he believes is right, and with Rick’s sheriff hat on his head, is symbolically mini-Rick. He’s clearly chosen his father over his father figure. This, coupled with news of Lori’s pregnancy and how he’s (again) dismissed by Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies), brings Shane past the point of no return and off to get his weapons back, which leads to one of the best and most tragic sequences of the series that wraps up all of the disparate elements of this episode and of the season so far all together in a bloody bow.

At times this season, WD has plodded along as slowly as the “walkers” themselves, but even so, these characters have been a treat to spend a tension filled hour with every week. But I think the end of this episode signals a pickup of the pace, and that even direr moments loom. That’s bad news for Rick and company, but good for us. This episode, and really, ever since the middle of the first season, this show has made a statement that it is a completely different entity than the excellent Robert Kirkman comic book upon which it is based. It takes guts to stray from sacred source material, but to this point, it’s been a shrewd move (most likely due to Kirkman’s direct involvement), and has made WD unpredictable for everyone, even for those who thought they knew what was going to happen next.

B-MOVIE REELS

by Alan Spencer
Samhain Publishing

Review by John Scappini 

B-Movie Reels has a lot going on. It’s sort of like a horror quiche, throw in a few toxic mutants, deranged lunatics, some magic, some zombies, set the oven to gory—and voila, you have Alan Spencer’s monster-movie mashup.

Set in the unfortunate rural town of Anderson Mills, B-Movie Reels tells the story of Andy Ryerson, a recent college grad. Tasked with reviewing a crate of lousy B-movies for his old professor, Andy’s uncle Ned helpfully puts him up in his old home, a house that has more than just central air going on within its woodwork. Mayhem, and quite a bit of dismemberment, ensues when the characters and creatures from the B-movies begin to materialize and attack the townspeople.

As they’re taken from made-up B-movies, the monsters all have wonderfully ham-fisted origins, and the sections describing the movies and their monsters are probably the best part of the book. The titles alone are great: Humanoid Rat Eats Indiana, The Clothesline Killer, Jorg: The Hungry Butcher, Attack of the Sludge. The Mallet Killer may be my favorite though; a young man runs away to join the carnival and avoid the Vietnam War, loses his mind, and begins to bludgeon everything in sight with the carnie mallet.

It’s not the most well-written story you’ll ever come across—characters tend to have just enough information in order to fill in backstory, and Andy has a strange habit of talking to himself at length, but that would be missing the point. B-Movie Reels is, as the title suggests, a throwback—a fun, campy, cheesy book with a high body count. If you like 60s and 70s style low budget horror films, you’ll enjoy this fun homage to the genre.

Intergroove/Film Savoy is releasing the film on January 27th on region free DVD and Blu-ray, with the tweaked title of COLLAPSE OF THE LIVING DEAD. The picture stars Chris (TWIN PEAKS, BOARDWALK EMPIRE) Mulkey, Karen (ST.ELSEWHERE, HEARTBREAK HOTEL) Landry, and the omnipresent Linnea Quigley. Toby (THE WALKING DEAD) Sells handled special make-up effects. COLLAPSE is looking for U.S. release later this year, so stay tuned.

Synopsis:
“The normal worries of a struggling small town farmer are blown away when the world is suddenly overrun by undead monsters. How can a good man protect and provide for his family in a hostile world without becoming a monster himself? “ 

The Blu-ray and DVD can be ordered at Amazon’s UK site. Below is the trailer, some stills, and the Intergroove cover art.

You can order yourself a crimson and colorless Grimes at the Toys R Us website. Enjoy, ghouls!