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
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