Freebie Time!!

As a special thank you to all of you who are kind enough to check out my little nook of the webiverse, I have a special gift!!

FREE ZOMBIE WALLPAPER!!

I know it's not much, but I saw it in the window at the store and thought of you all. Actually, it's 100% original B'hold Designs work, designed to 'keep it's eye on you' every time you sit at your personal computation machine! Just click it and save the full size after it opens........but keep your fingers away from the monitor... better safe than sorry.

Thanks again, everyone, for reading my drivel and sharing your love of zombies!

Åim high. Run fast.

Brett

Product Spotlight!

Ever ask yourself how you might hide from the undead, should you find yourself living thru a zombie apocalypse? You could only cower behind a car for so long. Locking yourself in your basement would be great, but only until your stash of Slim Jim's ran out.

Walking down the street is out of the question, thanks to the army of animated corpses that would instantly sashay their way toward you with the sole intent of cracking open your noggin like a watermelon and feasting on the gooey gray matter within.

If only there were a way you could walk confidently to the abandoned convenience store on the corner for that precious bag of stale potato chips you've been craving, withOUT having to worry about the decaying version of your Uncle Lester chasing after you. WELL NOW THERE IS!!

Presenting the latest in Anti-Zombie Technology from B'hold Designs!!

Better than traditional camouflage that can only keep you from being seen, this new ULTIMATE camouflage will protect you whether you're seen or not! The patented "Do Not Eat!" command on the front allows the wearer to walk freely and safely thru the chaos that is undead armageddon, providing a more pleasant and manageable transition into the post-apocalyptic lifestyle!

Many people have recognized the life-saving power of our Ultimate Camouflage resulting in sales around the world, including some very familiar faces, so don't get left behind and let your brain be the main course at the next zombie jamboree!! Stop by THE SHOP today and pick up YOUR Ultimate Camouflage from your pals at B'hold Designs....your tasty brains will thank you.

Aim high. Run fast.

Brett

In the beginning...

People that know me best know that my love of zombies wasn't something I was born with. They have no idea what might have happened...all they know is that somewhere between high school and my becoming a dad I was struck by lightning, or a rock, or SOMEthing that clicked the 'like' button in my brain in regards to the undead.

So what was it?

For a long time, I didn't know the answer myself. I tried to trace it back only to have my memory fritz out along the way to the point that I'd forget what I was trying to remember (those same people that know me are quite used to this).

Then one day it came to me...a sudden flash of a memory of my first zombie film.

Can you guess what it was? NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD? Nope. RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD? Wrong again. THE MICK JAGGER STORY? Sorry. Give up?

It was a little known flick from New Zealand in 1993 called DEAD ALIVE (that's the U.S. title...in NZ it's "Braindead")

I remember the day I rented it. In those days I was always patrolling the horror section, looking for titles I had never heard of in hopes of finding something special...much like the miner who faithfully pans for gold every day....rarely finding anything of value, but always hoping.

It's cover jumped out at me, so I picked it up and studied the images and plot synopsis. I ALMOST put it back to keep looking....until I saw the blurb of text at the top of the box..."The goriest fright film of all time"......it was as if it was daring me to rent it. So, I did. And, like that miner panning for gold, I cried out "Eureka!"

It was wonderful, and horrible.....surprising and horrific....laughable and fantastic. Over the top acting, and gore GALORE. There were buckets and buckets and BUCKETS of blood and body parts as zombies were mowed down (literally) by the protagonist, Lionel...sliced and diced by his creepy Uncle Les...and puréed by Lionel's love interest Paquita.

I revisited this movie thru the magic of Netflix for wii a few nights ago, and introduced my sons to what is now my #1 guilty pleasure (they're old enough, I promise).  Together we laughed and cringed in disgust at the Sumatran Rat Monkey (which looked like a muppet with rabies), the zombie with the lawn gnome for a head, the pudding scene (you'll never want to eat it again after witnessing this), the hilarious kung-fu priest ("it's time for divine intervention"), and all the rest of the delightfully disgusting elements that came together to create this wonderful work of cinema that started me down the path of the undead.

So, if you ever have an opportunity (and a strong stomach) I implore you......PLEASE  give DEAD ALIVE a chance. I'm so glad I did.

(Just don't watch it during dinner.)

Aim high. Run fast.

Brett

Today only...

If you haven't yet, don't forget to head over to the B'hold Designs Storefront for zombie gear and assorted silliness! And for TODAY ONLY, use the code 18REFUND to take 18% off your purchase!!

Aim high. Run fast.

Brett

I Never Thought I'd See the Day...

It might be hard to believe, but once upon a time, the undead were considered too strange and disgusting to be accepted by main-stream society. Many of the films made in their honor were, in my opinion, little more than spoofs drawing laughter and eye-rolling from fans and critics alike. I longed for a film that could be taken seriously by more than just the true zombie fan.

Then...somehow...zombies started becoming popular. Now they're nearly everywhere, and zombie films are drawing BIG name actors instead of just those looking to break into the business. If you don't believe me, grab someone off the street and ask them if they've seen ZOMBIELAND. Most likely they'll not only say 'yes' but they'll then draw you into a conversation about Bill Murray's scenes in the film. Bill Murray in a zombie flick....seriously, who saw THAT coming??

I definitely enjoyed seeing zombies grow in popularity, and I really enjoyed ZOMBIELAND.... but I wanted more. I wanted a serious, realistic look at what might happen to the average person who woke up in a zombie apocalypse.

Instead of the heroes driving across country in a hummer with a bottomless gas tank and seeing only one or two zombies per town, I wanted the protagonist to stink from no showers....I wanted them running out of gas in the middle of nowhere, forced to find alternate means of travel.....I wanted them using blunt instruments because ammo is scarce....and I wanted them to unwittingly stumble into a SEA of hungry, moaning undead.

I got my wish....in a television series.

AMC had the courage to take a chance on a comic book series by Robert Kirkman and bring THE WALKING DEAD to mainstream television. (I am ashamed to admit that I had not heard of the comic before the series started. I was into comics at one time, but have "lost my way" in the last few years.)

This series is everything I wanted. Real. Dramatic. And at times, frightening.

The director of this series is the one and only Frank Darabont. You might know him as the director of such films as THE GREEN MILE, and THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION.

This partnership of Kirkman and Darabont has created something truly amazing that I thought I would never see on the big screen, much less television. The character interaction and back stories are compelling and exciting, while the use of the undead is just enough for zombie fans like myself, but not so much that it would turn away the casual viewer. And the gore factor? Delightfully and disgustingly realistic . Hats off to KNB EFX Group.

I was so pleased with THE WALKING DEAD that I wanted to contact Mr. Darabont to thank him for his work and offer my own little slice of zombie-ism as a thank you gift…..one of my shirt designs. (The "Zombie Friendly: Do Not Eat" to be precise.)

I sent the package to his production company address and was delighted to receive a wonderful thank you note in the mail some weeks later. I giggled like a school girl when I received it, which made my family a little uncomfortable, but I just couldn't help myself.

It read: "Brett! Man, you are too darn kind. I can't thank you enough for the thoughtful gift, but even more so for the great letter. A pat on the back never sucks. Best, Frank Darabont"

And he's right….indeed, a pat on the back never sucks. Especially when it's as well deserved as that one.

So, if you haven't already, check out the first season of AMC's THE WALKING DEAD now on DVD, or go to http://www.amctv.com/shows/the-walking-dead for more information.

And as always…

Aim high. Run fast.

Brett

"So, what's the deal with you and zombies?"

That is the number one question I find myself facing from friends and family alike (a close second is "what's your problem?"). Most people are convinced I must have serious mental issues to enjoy anything to do with the undead. However, a lot of other people apparently suffer from the same affliction, because in case you haven't noticed, zombie popularity is at an all time high right now and I am loving every minute of it.

Personally, I find "zombie apocalypse" the most horrifying of all story-telling concepts. Think about it. No matter the horror film, the victim (whether tortured, buried alive, chased thru the woods, etc) has the hope of seeing their loved ones again, or at the very least the thought that the situation will eventually end, and life may again continue on, somewhat changed for them personally, but not on a global scale.

Not so for the survivors of a zombie apocalypse.

Imagine everyone in your house...your school...your neighborhood...your city... are after you. If you so much as make a sound they will come running/shuffling/limping toward you with the sole intent of eating your brains (or just ripping you apart, depending on which film you reference), and no amount of begging, crying or bartering will stop them. Not even conventional firearms will stop them unless they're well aimed, and unlike video games, there will be no piles of ammunition just lying around waiting for you to discover them.

There is, as far as our ZA survivor can surmise, no hope. Could YOU escape the horde? Probably. But then what? As far as you know the next town is in even worse shape. Is there a cure? Maybe, but could you find it? And if so, would you be able to implement it in such a way as to reverse the odds and restore humanity? Doubtful.

And therein lies the true horror.....hopelessness.

Now there are some people who might argue that the story of undead survival is the same old story over and over again. I disagree.

Think of all the different people in the world.....their lives, living/working conditions, family life. How would they be affected? How would they react? There are nearly 7 billion people in the world. I believe that could provide a LONG list of possibilities in this genre of storytelling, and I'm being proven correct every day as more novels, movies, and even a fantastically put together television series (of which I'll talk more about later) all add to the long line of endless zombie adventures.

Another question I get is "why would you want to watch something like that??" (that question comes from my mother mostly). The answer? I have no idea. But I love it. And really, it's not that odd if you consider some of the things OTHER people like to watch.

*cough*LIFETIME*cough*

Aim high. Run fast.

Brett