DEAD STOP at the truck stop.

Greetings my shambling shuffling friends!


Please excuse me will I drink a beer. It helps me rinse away the taste of hooker spit from the local lot lizard at the truck stop down the road. Speaking of truck stop, I have encountered a wonderful truck stop zombie story titled, DEAD STOP, by D. Nathan Hilliard.


This novel was released just this past August and is screaming to be read by zombie fans, and made into a major Hollywood movie.  I am going to say right off the bat, that even though it was a different writing style, this story is at the top of the list right along side with World War Z.


Yes, DEAD STOP is that good.


DEAD STOP takes place over the course of one night, and reminded me of the first zombie movie I ever saw in the 1980's,  Return of the Living Dead.  That is because in DEAD STOP, just like the movie, the horror only continues to increase, with the fate of the main characters becoming more grim by the minute, a rare escalation of story that never lets up.


This story begins with the most detailed and scientifically accurate description of a rotting corpse in a casket, long dead, and the first stirrings of life that swims through the remains lying in their own puddle of decomposing goo. The moment I read that, I knew I had a gem in my hands.


Immediately following, a county worker mowing cemetary lawns becomes our first victim in the book, in beautiful gory detail. Not just his death, but every death afterward, as if an angelic muse gave the magic touch to our author as he described the gore in detail.


But I am not going to spoil the story for you, I want you to buy DEAD STOP and read it. So let me jump into the G.R.E.A.T. Score with both feet and make a bloody splash.


G-ore: Top notch and magnificiently descriptive, he has moved to the head of the class on this one. 10


R-ealism: The science woven into the fiction kissed this story with a sense of realism rare in zombie and horror. D. Nathan Hilliard did his homework. Another 10


E-ntertainment: The kills, the people's reactions, not wanting to put the book down. Perfection achieved. 10 again


A-ction: The way the people were struggling for their lives, even when there was no chance, the horror the expierenced, and the smooth flow of the story, mated with a constant sense of urgency, makes this baby a nail biter.  10


T-hrills:  Very creepy and horrifying. I have prided myself with having my own zombie escape plan, and yet this story left me rethinking my options, and feeling vulnerable deep in the back of my mind. A rare 10 again.


Total G.R.E.A.T. Score is a 10!


I don't believe that I have ever given a perfect ten to a zombie story before. Nor have I ever read a novel twice before writting a review, but I did with DEAD STOP.


At the age of 36, to have relived the same terror and fear deep in the recesses of my mind that I experienced as a kid when I saw Return of the Living Dead, was fantastic.


So tell me my rotting friends, will the patrons of the local truck stop be safe behind locked doors, or will they have to keep truckin down the road to find their refuge?

You will have to read DEAD STOP by D. Nathan Hilliard to find out.

Follow this link to buy your own copy:

http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Stop-D-Nathan-Hilliard/dp/1478297611/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355022828&sr=8-1&keywords=dead+stop


Thanks for reading, and until my next post, I will be shuffling along with the lost.


Jimmy Blue Eyes
jbe.zombieblog@yahoo.com
www.jimmyszombieblog.com
'Like ' me on facebook @
www.facebook.com/jimmyszombieblog
and brought to you by the
Network Of The Living Dead webring and
www.thewalkingdeadfanclub.com


Edited by: Stephanie Stump
fields2stump@gmail.com

Christmas with the Dead, movie update.

Greetings my shambling shuffling friends.

Last holiday season, I gave the gift of review for the short endearing tale, "Christmas with the Dead", by Joe R. Lansdale, with dreams of a movie soon to follow.  Well good things come to those who wait, and the wait is over, "Christmas with the Dead", is now traveling the film festival circuit.

But wait there is more, because Joe R. Lansdale and the team behind the movie were kind enough to share a few words about the film with me along with some screen shots, and in the spirit of the upcoming holiday season, I am going to pay it forward by sharing all of that with you too!

It’s really a short story, so it would have made about a fifteen or twenty minute film. We had the chance to make a film, and we picked "Christmas with the Dead" because it was essentially a solid idea with a simple framework and we felt we could make it less expensively.

We worked in co-operation with the SFA Film Department. They supplied equipment and most of the crew. The director I brought in, Terrill Lee Lankford, is a friend, and has had a lot of film experience.I also brought in Damian Maffei as the lead. Damian is a good actor that I thought wasn’t getting enough attention. I had a hunch he’d be great, and he was. Everybody else was local.

Brad Maule, for instance teaches acting at the University, and he was on GENERAL HOSPITAL and had done a number of other roles over the years and he was perfect for the character of G.M. There’s a dog in the short story, but not in the movie. My son expanded the story, and in doing so he had built in limitations due to time and money, and the fact that a lot of our crew weren’t experienced. We couldn’t have a dog, because they’re too hard to work with, and the kid had to be minimal because of the work schedule, and kids are as notorious to work with as dogs so we joke that Brad got the dogs role.

We knew we would have to cut a lot of corners, but we brought in Marcus Koch and Cat Bernier, who made it all look better with their makeup and effects work. We had a good DP in Bil Arscott, and Marion Arscott, our art director was great. It was a kind of family affair. My daughter played the wife and sang two of the songs in the film and co-wrote them as well. Friends like Judy Pancoast contributed music and singing, and Spence Peppard, a local, friend and sometimes band member of my daughter’s band, created the song "Dead Beat" for the film. My son-in-law, Adam Coats is in it, and friend and writer, Chet Williamson has a very nice role. Most of these roles were either expanded on from the story, or were made up out of whole cloth.

The locals of Nacogdoches were great, helping us with locations and information and played small roles in the film. As for my contribution, my wife and I donated a bit of money and helped put people together, but it’s their film, not mine. The story I wrote is the inspiration, but that’s about it it. The film doesn’t look like a big expensive production, but it doesn’t look cheap either. It’s playing at the Torino Film Festival in November, and we’re about to start looking for a distribution deal.

Wow my shambling shuffling friends, I am absolutley excited about this film and cant wait to see it myself, and for a double bonus, I am providing my review I wrote last december for the short story "Christmas with the Dead" and I am glad I aquired it when I did because it is now out of print!

Tis the season for giving, and I am giving a big thumbs up to "Christmas With The Dead" by Joe R. Lansdale.

This short story is perfect for being read aloud to lil kiddies in bed who are waiting for the jolly fat man to squeeze his butt down the chimney and give them presents. But don't expect them to have visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads, no no no. This story will give them unjolly nightmares ho ho ho.

Two years after the zombie apocalypse began and he was forced to put down his wife and daughter like rabid dogs, Calvin is tired of spending Christmas alone.  That lonliness finally gets to him causing him to brave the streets and risk flesh and limb for Christmas supplies so he can have the hap-hap-happiest holiday. 

I loved this story, and will be making it a Christmas tradition to read to my kids (or at least myself) every jolly holiday from now on as my new twisted tradition.

Time for the G.R.E.A.T. score.

G-ore: nice and meaty, great descriptions of putrid faces and exploding heads. 10

R-ealism: some of the elements in the story convince me the author actually thought about survival in a zombie apocalypse. 9.0

E-ntertainment: Well, I loved it, it kept me interested, my wicked Grinch smile spread from ear to ear, and my heart grew three sizes at the conclusion 10

A-ction: Non stop, of course there was a lil backstory, but that's what made me root for the hero even more. I wanted to see him celebrate Christmas after two years of isolation. 9.5

T-hrills: there were some great close calls and the pace remained steady. 9.0

The total G.R.E.A.T. score comes to 9.5 !

So before I finish off my eggnog, let me pose these questions: Will our hero get the supplies he needs to light up his house for Christmas Eve? Will he celebrate the holiday alone? Will his trip bring him unexpected company, and is it possible to hang christmas lights, or will the dead just make a mess of all his preparations? You will have to read CHRISTMAS WITH THE DEAD to find out.

Thanks for reading, and until my next post, I will be shuffling along with the lost.

Jimmy Blue Eyes
jbe.zombieblog@yahoo.com
www.jimmyszombieblog.com
'Like ' me on facebook @
www.facebook.com/jimmyszombieblog
and brought to you by the
Network Of The Living Dead webring and
www.thewalkingdeadfanclub.com

Edited by: Stephanie Stump
fields2stump@gmail.com

                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

    

                                                                                                                                                                         

YELLOW, not just a color.

Greetings, my shambling shuffling friends!


Recently, while attending the Freestate Comic Con in Lawrence, KS., I was shuffling passed the tables of local artists and comic talent & stumbled across the display for YELLOW (just another post-zom-pocalyptic comedy/adventure love story). YELLOW is an independently produced comic, written by Bobby Bierley & Illustrated by 'Zeu' Gouveia.


I have often heard that the color yellow can make someone feel happy when they're sad, and the main character Quinn, could sure use some cheering up. After just being turned down for a date to the dance with a hottie, that he's had an ongoing crush for, Quinn mopes along in a state of melancholy between attending school, working at Zombietowne, and going home. A mundane, and totally pointless existence, for a teen who should be enjoying the best years' of his life. Did I mention Zombietowne is the local zoo for re-animated corpses? Well, someone needs to sweep the walks and that someone is Quinn.

Of course, if you've seen one zombie, you've seen them all, right? Well, that's the way the rest of America feels at the moment, so times are hard on Zombietowne and revenue is down. That's why they're investing big bucks into a new zombie, unlike any they've seen before; a totally sexy hot zombie. Unfortunately, Cupid has a sense of humor. The first time Quinn lays eyes on her, he's struck with one of Cupid's arrows and falls in love instantly. That arrow causes him to bungle his job and gets zombie babe in trouble with the authorities of Zombietowne.

Let's score this G.R.E.A.T. review.

G-ore: This comic takes place after the post apocalyptic emergency once society has regained a grip and carried on with its normal daily existence, which means there's not much gore, so G will stand for graphics. The illustrations are well done. YELLOW has a good team on-hand making this comic happen. I also enjoyed touching the paper this comic is printed on. 7.5

R-ealism: Some of the scenes are pretty silly, but YELLOW does have a touch of comedy to it. The main characters are also very well-developed. The way Quinn interacts with his fellow classmates, with the back and forth banter, reminds me of the lunch time conversations I used to have in high school.
7.5

E-ntertainment: This story moves smoothly and is also well written. I couldn't stop reading until I was up to date with issue four. 9.5

A-ction: The pace keeps your attention and doesn't bog you down or bore you. Watching between the past and modern day zombie epidemics with Quinn, and then to the management of Zombietowne, there's plenty going on without overwhelming or confusing the reader. 8.5

T-hrills: Yellow is not a scary comic, so those kind of thrills do not count. The thrill that I feel is knowing I'm reading a continuing story of an independent comic. A comic that will catapult Bobby Bierley and his artistic team into the mainstream with a great career. Yellow, in my opinion, is better than a few others that are currently coming out of a variety of major comic companies. 8.5

The total G.R.E.A.T. score: 8.3 out of 10.
Comic fans really should go out of their way to acquire this. YELLOW is a comic book GOLD (pun intended).


So, will the hot zombie babe show a spark of humanity and like Quinn for his brains? Or will the authorities of Zombietowne dispose of Quinn's affection for her, while disposing of her corpse? And what's up with the comic name YELLOW? You'll have to read it to find out.

Don't be a yellow belly, pick up this comic from www.zombietowne.com.

Thanks for reading, and until my next post, I'll be shuffling along with the lost.


Jimmy Blue Eyes
jbe.zombieblog@yahoo.com
www.jimmyszombieblog.com
'Like ' me on facebook @
www.facebook.com/jimmyszombieblog
and brought to you by the
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CONTEST TIME!

CONTEST TIME!  Go Buy a copy of THE DEAD, directed by the Ford Bros. and take a picture of yourself holding the dvd, and post it on your profile,(alerting me of course), and you can win a signed copy of the book, "SURVIVING THE DEAD", the story of how they almost died of malaria, and were regularly robbed by police, while trying to film THE DEAD in a place where no western person had ever laid eyes before.

Hit me up on Facebook at Jimmys zombie blog , or www.thewalkingdeadfanclub.com so I can see the pic, and you will be entered to win. Use a pic of you holding the dvd for your avatar, and private message Jimmy Blue Eyes to enter.

Contest ends on Halloween!

Contingency Plans for the Zombie Apocalypse

Zombie Apocalypse Survival
http://www.survival-goods.com

WANT TO BE IN A HORROR MOVIE?

Greetings my shambling shuffling friends!


I am helping Full Moon Features give you a chance for a once in a lifetime opportunity!


Full Moon Features and Charles Band are giving 10 lucky winners a chance to be in their upcoming movie! Want to enter? Follow the link Below! 


https://rgmglobal.com/clients/cb/sweepstakes/index.html


Thanks for reading, and until my next post, I will be shuffling along with the lost.


Jimmy Blue Eyes
jbe.zombieblog@yahoo.com
www.jimmyszombieblog.com
'Like ' me on facebook @
www.facebook.com/jimmyszombieblog
and brought to you by the
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www.thewalkingdeadfanclub.com

DEAD WEIGHT

Greetings, my shambling shuffling friends!

While attending the Wizards World in Chicago, I shambled up to a booth selling a small independently financed and filmed, zombie genre, infection movie. I was informed that a majority of the people involved in the film had no previous movie experience. Truth be told, I wasn't sure what to expect as a result, but I liked the raw footage that they were airing on a mini tv, so it captured my interest.

Now, having just finished watching this film, I can say I am in a complete state of shock and awe. I am worried my words alone will not properly convey the greatness of this film and the fact, that I have no doubt, that this film is going to launch an amazing movie career for the creative team behind it.

'DEAD WEIGHT'
Written and Directed by: Adam Bartlett and John Pata

Starring: Joe Belknap, Mary Lindberg, Aaron Christensen, Michelle Courvais, Sam Lenz, and Jess Ader

'Dead Weight' is the story of a man, named Charlie, who becomes separated from his girlfriend at the start of the zombie apocalypse and spends weeks traveling through the countryside to meet up with her in Wassau, WI. During that time he, and the rest of his traveling companions, face the worst that mankind has to offer. Both inside and outside of their group.

So let us get to the meat of the G.R.E.A.T. review.

G-ore: 'Dead Weight' is light on the gore, but even though no flesh was ripped from screaming bodies, this movie rises above all that and delivers a fantastic story. 7

R-ealism: 100% This is exactly how I would picture human interactions while traveling in a post apocalyptic world. Along the way, some people will be friendly souls and some will be complete scum who take for their own selfish pursuits. 10

E-ntertainment: The story is so good that nothing's predictable. 'Dead Weight' was a much better movie then a lot of junk that gets churned out of Hollywood. Even those that are backed by big names and big money. 9.5

A-cting: The stars of 'Dead Weight' are basically unknowns and yet their performances were exceptional. One part in particular, was a death scene of a nice man and his wife. As the husband laid there, dying, his expression burned an image into my mind that stayed with me long after the film ended. 9

T-hrills: Watching what a man would go through or do to reach his destination, will truly make you reconsider if you have the fortitude to do whatever it takes to do the same. The final actions of his girlfriend had me on the edge of my seat. 9.5

The total score for this G.R.E.A.T. review is: 9 out of 10

This film deserves a hollowed place on the top shelf of all zombie video libraries.

You can purchase 'Dead Weight' by going to www.carryingdeadweight.com. Be sure to buy the 2-disc set with the cover art, by Tony Moore of 'The Walking Dead' comic fame, as shown above.

Will Charlie have a happy reunion with his girlfriend? Or will the 'Dead Weight' of the past weigh them down?

You'll have to watch 'Dead Weight' to find out.

Thanks for reading, and until my next post, I'll be shuffling along with the lost.


Jimmy Blue Eyes
jbe.zombieblog@yahoo.com
www.jimmyszombieblog.com
'Like ' me on facebook @
www.facebook.com/jimmyszombieblog
and brought to you by the
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www.thewalkingdeadfanclub.com

Box o' Zombies

Greetings my shambling shuffeling friends!

During my travels between vendor booths at Wizard World Chicago, my vision was bombarded with images of toys, everywhere I turned.  Cute toys, smart toys, funny toys, gorey toys, but none stood out to me as much a BOX O' ZOMBIES did.

Brought to us by Immersive Realms, Inc. founded and operated by Shawn Recinto, Box O' Zombies was my favorite toy above all else.  Yes, we know that I would like almost anything zombie, but what impresses me, is how they were able to use injection molding and still get such attention to detail!

The nurse zombie carries a fine tipped needle in her hand, and you could even see that her stockings were torn.

This is series 1, and is based on the type of zombies you would encounter at an elementary school if you were a kid stuck in the zombie apocalypse, so I am more than excited to see what Mr. Recinto comes up with for series 2. 

Also available from Immersive Realms, Inc, is a ten inch Samurai Zombie statue.  This mini statue was a pure beauty to behold, and one zombie many would not survive in a movie.

There are only 100 of these Samurai Zombie statues in existance, so make sure you pic one up before they are gone for good!

You can buy these great toys from Immersive Realms Inc, by going to their website.
www.boxozombies.com

Thanks for reading, and until my next post, I will be shuffeling along with the lost.

Jimmy Blue Eyes
jbe.zombieblog@yahoo.com
www.jimmyszombieblog.com
'Like ' me on facebook @
www.facebook.com/jimmyszombieblog
and brought to you by the
Network Of The Living Dead webring and
www.thewalkingdeadfanclub.com

Descent of the Dead

 
Greetings, my shambling shuffling friends!


This past weekend, I made a trip up to Wizard World Chicago Comic Convention. If you're a super zombie fan, like myself, then you'll find Wizard World to be your Graceland.

The convention was packed with thousands upon thousands of fan boys and girls. I couldn't move ten feet without spotting another elaborate costume just begging to have its picture taken. It was through this mass madness of human bodies that my eyes stumbled upon the table display of TANGO UNLIMITED LLC. and their comic book:


'DESCENT OF THE DEAD'
Written by Rich Perez
Story Adaptation by Rage Ledbetter
Lead Art by Francis Penavic

"The year is 2176 and mankind has regained it's foothold against the Zombie Apocalypse of 1968. As the dead's numbers dwindle, some actually consider the undead to be mythical due to the rarity of encounters."

Unfortunately, for the characters in this story, the past has a way of sneaking up and biting them on the ass.

While Tango Company is dispatching the dead and retrieving a meteorite from a crater, the guarded community of Roanoke is over run by the dead, leaving it void of life. Sent into Roanoke to assess the situation, Tango Company makes a discovery that could change the dynamics of the way the human survivors will have to deal with the dead from that point forward.

No spoilers here folks, this is a comic you must read!

Time for the G.R.E.A.T. Score.

G-ore: Great drawings of the zombies! I liked the look of fear on the faces of the Roanoke residents while they were meeting their end. May they rest in pieces. 8.0

R-ealism: The future is not set in stone, but I love the fact that they named the guarded community Roanoke. It reminds me of the Roanoke colony that completely vanished 400 years ago, so I consider this an interesting spin on a classic mystery. 7.5

E-ntertainment: Good art with a hint of suspense as they investigate how the dead overran Roanoke. 7.5

A-ction: Good action that is used to bring the reader up to speed with the future and mankind's anti-zombie efforts to retake the world. 7.5

T-hrills: As I finished issue three, that cliffhanger had me angry for having to wait for issue four. 8.5

The total G.R.E.A.T. Score is: 7.8 out of 10

Will Tango Company solve the mystery of how the dead took Roanoke? Or will they lay around and catch up on some much needed rest? You will have to read issue four to find out.

Make sure you pick up 'Descent of the Dead' at www.Tangounlimitedllc.com, or www.amazon.com.

Thanks for reading and until my next post, I will be shuffling along with the lost.


Jimmy Blue Eyes
jbe.zombieblog@yahoo.com
www.jimmyszombieblog.com
'Like ' me on facebook @
www.facebook.com/jimmyszombieblog
and brought to you by the
Network Of The Living Dead webring and
www.thewalkingdeadfanclub.com

ZOMBIE NATION MAGAZINE

Greetings, my shambling shuffling friends!


The other day, I was cruising past the magazine rack at the local Tractor Supply Co. when I noticed a gem tucked in between the horse and chicken magazines. That gem was the premier issue of Zombie Nation, and the moment I saw it I thought I heard angels in the background. Well they were more like zombie angels, and by singing I mean moaning.



Zombie Nation is what happens when Guns and Ammo magazine has a one night stand with World War Z by Max Brooks, and boy is this baby awesome!



For those Americans prepping for the day that society is overrun by naked face eating cannibals, Zombie nation is your go to magazine. Even the advertisements were freaking cool!  There is the ad from Slidefire.com informing us about their premium gun stocks and emblazoned with the big bold words "BE PREPARED, THEY WONT KILL THEMSELVES", while a face shredded zombie lurches in the background.



I have to mention the Hornandy zombie hunting bullets, which everyone needs at least one box in their collection. Their green tips are just perfect for the green brains of the zombies you will be gunning for. Be it zombie humans, or zombie forest animals while hunting, you need these!



The articles in the Premier issue of Zombie Nation Magazine are first class.


- They give us interviews with walkers from 'The Walking Dead' hit show on AMC.


- Six tips for avoiding the bite, if you ever end up without access to a gun.


- Face stabbing rifle muzzle peices, for those tight places where you find yourself face to face with the undead.


- Belt fed Valkyrie's that fire the nato 5.56 for civilians.


- Apocalypse sniping.


- Chainsaw attachments for your rifle. Let me repeat that so the words sink in. A gun with a working chainsaw attachment. How freaking cool is that!



This issue also came with a zombie target poster tucked inside. Along with great articles on crossbows, handguns, an assault style .410 revolver and the Kel Tec KSG 14+1 shotgun, which could be the only 12 guage anyone would ever need to buy. I know the KSG is on my christmas list and you should add it to yours as well!



Gosh, I have been gushing like a fangirl shaking Daryl Dixons hand. So I am gonna get back on track with the G.R.E.A.T. Score.



G-ore: Bill Johnson is the artist behind the zombie fx that splatters these pages with awesomness.  I would love to see some zombie makeup tips in future issues. 9.0



R-ealism: HELL-OO a Guns and Ammo style magazine about fighting zombies.  Cant get any more realistic than that. 10 of 10



E-ntertainment: I have read Zombie Nation magazine four times, and whenever a friend stops by they are drawn to read it like a zombie is drawn to warm flesh. 10 again!



A-ction: The pages are packed with pics of zombies and humans engaged in combat. 9.0



T-hrills: My thrills began the moment I laid eyes on Zombie Nation, and have not abatted a week later. This magazine is too damn cool to give less than a 10 on thrills.


The total G.R.E.A.T. Score is 9.6 out of 10.



You can find Zombie Nation magazine at most retailers or pick it up online. A zombie fan without this in their collection , is just a wannabe.



So what are the best tools to lay waste to the hordes of shambling, moaning dead? You will have to read Zombie Nation magazine to find out.



Thanks for reading, and until my next post, I will be shuffling along with the lost.

Jimmy Blue Eyes
jbe.zombieblog@yahoo.com
www.jimmyszombieblog.com
'Like ' me on facebook @
www.facebook.com/jimmyszombieblog
and brought to you by the
Network Of The Living Dead webring and
www.thewalkingdeadfanclub.com

ABRAHAM LINCOLN VS ZOMBIES

Greetings, my shambling shuffling friends!


I just returned, from a trip through time, in the Way Back Machine with Peabody and his pet boy Sherman. We thought that we'd take just a quick peek at the civil war, but found ourselves smack in the middle of the movie ABRAHAM LINCOLN VS ZOMBIES.


Directed by Richard Schenkman, based on the story concept of Karl Hirsch and Lauren Proctor, and Produced by The Asylum; this movie was fun to watch!


Sadly, as a boy, Lincoln had to kill his zombie mother. Then, when he became president, a soldier returned from a scouting mission in the south with a crazy story of people eating his fellow soldiers. Shortly thereafter, this soldier became a zombie himself, only to be quickly dispatched by a scythe wielding President Abe Lincoln.


Honest Abe then decides to lead a secret mission, into zombie country, so he and some men can secure a fort crucial to the north's victory and to get an idea on the size of the threat that this new zombie menace is posing to the rest of the country. John Wilkes Booth even makes his appearance as a confederate spy in Lincoln's hand-picked crew and attempts to monkey wrench the mission.


The writers must have had more fun then a barrel of zombie monkeys while writing this script.


Abraham Lincoln VS Zombies brought chuckles of glee from me with the witty one liners, spoken by Lincoln, that referenced emancipation and other puns derived from the civil war, and Lincoln's historic speeches, all while swinging his scythe at the heads of the undead.


So lets take a look at the G.R.E.A.T. Score.


G-ore: Good zombie makeup even though the gore was kind of light. 7.5


R-ealism: I loved the period suits the actors wore and became jealous, wanting one for myself. They talked the talk and walked the walk of the 1860's. 9.0


E-ntertainment: The rewriting of civil war history to involve zombies, and the pun one liners, were gems that made this movie shine. 8.5


A-ction: I watched Honest Abe zipline, while a military fort exploded behind him, and I can honestly say that I was pleased. 8.5


T-hrills: The thrills I felt from this movie were not from the scares, but from the revision of history. This makes me wish that there were more zombie filmed pieces from important moments in history. 9.0


The total G.R.E.A.T. Score is 8.5 out of 10.


Rent this movie from your local video store, on demand service, or buy it online from Amazon.com.


So how does defeating a regional zombie epidemic lead to Lincoln's assassination at the play house?


You will have to watch Abraham Lincoln VS Zombies to find out.


Thanks for reading, and until my next post, I will be shuffling along with the lost.

Jimmy Blue Eyes
jbe.zombieblog@yahoo.com
www.jimmyszombieblog.com
'Like ' me on facebook @
www.facebook.com/jimmyszombieblog
and brought to you by the
Network Of The Living Dead webring and
www.thewalkingdeadfanclub.com

DEADHEADS

Greetings my shambling shuffling friends.

I have been planning a road trip this summer, so when the chance to watch the zombie roadtrip movie DEADHEADS came along, I jumped at the opportunity so it could help me get in the zone.

DEADHEADS is written and directed by Brett and Drew Pierce and brought to us by Frobro Films.

A bumbling four eyed dork who reminds me alot of the wimpy dentist from The Hangover, awakens to find tubes sticking out of his body and stumbles into the heart of a regional zombie epidemic, where he meets his main sidekick for the rest of the film, who acts alot like the blonde slacker from the movie Up A Creek.  These two guys are intelligent zombies, while the rest act like typical Romero zombies.

After escaping containment, these two intelligent zombies and a lil yellow bus acting Romero zombie named Cheese set out on the road to help our four eyed friend find the girl of his dreams,  so he can propose to her as he intended before waking up dead. But hot on our heroes tails is a zombie slayer and two nit wits that work for the dream girls military father who is head of the bio weapons division that created the zombies.

These two groups bump heads regularly through the film, and keep the DEADHEADS going at a great pace.

Let us check the G.R.E.A.T. score.

Gore: great gross out gags, top notch special effects, and impressive zombie makeup 9.0

Realism: DEADHEADS was so much of a comedy that realism is thrown out the window, but very impressive production values, and good costumes for all the characters involved 7.75

Entertainment: This movie is funny, and will keep your attention 8.0

Acting/action: good action, and most of the actors were good at their roles, although the bearded zombie hunter annoyed me with his attitude 7.5

Thrills: well it was a comedy, so no out right thrills, but some of the bloody scenes were a thrill to watch. 7.5

The total G.R.E.A.T. score is 7.95 out of 10.

You can find DEADHEADS at your local video store or buy it online from Amazon.com.

So will our four eyed friend find the girl of his dreams and pop the question, or will her military dad pop a cap in his ass?

You will have to watch DEADHEADS to find out.

Thanks for reading, and until my next post, I will be shuffling along with the lost.

Jimmy Blue Eyes
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OUTPOST

Greetings my shambling shuffling friends!

Glad you could visit, I just got back from a trip and was going through a small box of nazi medals and other mementos I picked up while exploring an underground nazi bunker in the movie OUTPOST, directed by Steve Barker, and produced by Arabella Page Croft (which is a cool sounding name if you ask me).

Before I get started, I would like to say that the History Channel, also known as the Hitler channel, kind of prepared me for understanding this movie by having shows that dealt with Nazi secret technology, and physics. The writers of OUTPOST utilized these urban legends perfectly into this Nazi Zombie masterpiece.

OUTPOST is about a researcher who has been hunting for hidden Nazi secret technology for half his life, and ends up hiring a group of mercenaries to help him reach the underground bunker and ensure retrieval of a device while an Eastern European regional war wages around them.

What the researcher and his mercs did not count on was Nazi Zombie Stormtroopers who are able to phase in and out of our reality as a result of the technology located in the bunker. I know it sounds far fetched but OUTPOST takes a slow burn approach and uses it to encrease the tension leading up to the films climax. This is what makes the story work, and why there is now a sequel, OUTPOST 2: BLACK SUN.

Let us take a look at the G.R.E.A.T. Score.

Gore: The gore is not over the top but works well where it is needed, like a nice headcrush scene. Just like a woman's makeup, less can be more. 7.5

Realism: The characters are believable and they payed attention to detail, The leader of the mercs checked his watch at one point, and he had a special cover over the watch to prevent light from reflecting off it during a combat situation. It was just a fleeting glimpse but this is an example of the realism that was infused into OUTPOST 8.5

Entertainment: I will actually end up watching this movie a second time with friends, OUTPOST is a well made movie. 8.0

Action: With each kill the Nazi Zombie Stormtroopers kick it up a notch as they torture, tease, and torment the mercs who just want to get out of the bunker alive 8.5

Thrills: More than once I jumed, and the suspense was well played keeping me on the edge of my seat. 9.0

Total G.R.E.A.T. Score is 8.3 out of 10 !

Now I have read a few other reviews about OUTPOST where the guys posted some snarky negative comments, and those guys are full of it! I approached this movie as a fan of cinema, and zombie movies in particular and was very impressed. I am glad OUTPOST is a part of my movie collection and recommend it 100%.

So go to Amazon.com and order your copy of OUTPOST, so you will be on the level when OUTPOST 2:Black Sun is released.

How would you escape fom an underground bunker while being attacked by Nazi Zombies who wont die no matter where you shoot them?

You will have to watch OUTPOST to find out.

Thanks for reading, and until my next post, I will be shuffling along with the lost.

Jimmy Blue Eyes
jbe.zombieblog@yahoo.com
www.jimmyszombieblog.com
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Fanboys vs Zombies

Greetings my shambling shuffling friends.

Sorry I am all out of breath, but I have been giving myself a cardio workout battling zombies at a comic convention. I have heard people brag about the killer time they have had at comic conventions, but in FANBOYS VS ZOMBIES, this truly is a situation of kill or be killed.

FANBOYS VS ZOMBIES is brought to us by BOOM! Studios, written by Sam Humphries with art by Jerry Gaylord.

Now some zombie fans just watch the movies, but not me, I watch the movies, read the novels, and collect the comics, and I love FANBOYS VS ZOMBIES.

Sam Humphries has taken the geek mannerisms and woven them perfectly into his characters making this comic a fun read,  and the art by Jerry Gaylord portrays each of the character cliche's smoothly, with good amounts of zombie gore to slip in, while the geeky main characters bumble along tryin to seem semi-cool.

Let's see the  G.R.E.A.T. score break down.

Gore: well drawn, I especially like how he portrayed the zombie publicists, and D&D zombies in issue two.  9.0

Realism: the portrayals of the characters mimic fanboys in real life.  9.0

Entertainment: this comic makes me chuckle and is a fun read. 8.0

Action: massive convention floor zombie mayhem, ziplines that break, and battles with axe wielding D&D zombies. 9.5

Thrills: not easy to scare an adult with a comic book, but I am drooling like a hungry zombie in anticipation of issue three. 7.5

The total G.R.E.A.T. score is 8.6

Be sure to go to your local comic shop and add FANBOYS VS ZOMBIES to your subscriptions. You will be glad it is a part of your zombie library.

I am going to go back down to the convention floor to battle some more zombies, but before I do let me ask you this question.

Will any famous people make cameos only to be turned into zombie chow?

You will have to read FANBOYS VS ZOMBIES to find out.

Thanks for reading, and until my next post, I will be shuffling along with the lost.

Jimmy Blue Eyes
jbe.zombieblog@yahoo.com
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Operation: Nazi Zombies

Greetings my shambling shuffling friends!

Yesterday I had the displeasure of having surgery without a pain killer.  If you are interested in knowing how that feels then please run down to your local video store and rent OPERATION NAZI ZOMBIES, after an hour and a half of watching, you will also know the feeling of having had surgery without the pain killers.

Operation Nazi Zombies was written, directed and edited by David B. Stewart III in 1999, was released in 2003, and finally made it into video stores in 2012.

With a name like Operation: Nazi Zombies, I had hoped to see actual zombies wearing nazi uniforms, like in the Nordic classic Dead Snow.  But in reality the only thing that ties together the nazi's and the zombies is a scene where one of the actors is burning pages from a file folder and mentions that they discovered the zombie virus in Berlin in 1945. Yep thats it, nothing more to this movie involving nazi zombies other than the movie title.

Of course I will give David B. Stewart III some props for being a guy who dealt with the topic (in a round about way) of nazi zombies before nazi zombies infected modern culture in the Call of Duty video games we all love.

So let me break it down for you. An army guy has been given a mission to go to a secret base (barn in the country with a laboratory basement) that has been abandoned and over run by zombies, so he can destroy all the evidence. Some of his team freak out and try to escape, getting devoured by zombies that had escaped outside the barn (secret goverment high tech laboratory). One of the soldiers goes mad and starts hunting and killing other soldiers trying to escape in a very Rambo kinda way, which in all truth is some of the better acting. Eventually a hinged box with a bomb in it explodes destroying eight miles of the surrounding country side putting an end to the spread of the nazi zombie virus that is infecting the local community.

I will spare you the rest of the details and go into my G.R.E.A.T. score.

Gore: There was an excellent head stomping scene that was nice and meaty, a well done gut munching scene with zombies pulling intestines out of a soldier, and the zombie makeup was better than alot of zom 'B' movies I have viewed in the past. 7.0

Realism: kinda hard to add realism with a very low budget, poor filming locations and some very green actors. 5.0

Entertainment: hmmm, well I did like the gut munching scene. 4.0

Acting: very green, but I did cheer for the army guy who went section 8 and was hunting his fellow soldiers, because they needed to be put out of their misery 5.0

Thrills: no thrills, no chills but I did sit through it 3.0

The total score is 4.8

With all the faults I could find in this movie, and plot holes big enough to hide a cadaver in, knowing this movie was made by people in their late teens, and early twenties, impresses me with the effort they put into it.  With more experience, bigger budget , and better writing, this director has the potential to do lots better.  David B. Stewart III obviously has movie knowledge and used it well with the resources he had at his disposal.  I give it a thumbs up for the effort because most people in their late teens would not have come close to this level of production.

So let me ask you, would you be upset to rent a movie with nazi zombies in the title only to never see a nazi zombie? You will have to rent Operation: Nazi Zombies to find out.

Thanks for reading and until my next post, I will be suffling along with the lost.


Jimmy Blue Eyes
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Infected by Scott Sigler

Greeting my shambling, shuffling friends.

I dont mean to seem preoccupied looking out my windows, but I am sure the cops will be coming any minute to kick in my door and haul me away. Now I know what your thinking and you are wrong, this is not a marijuana induced paranoia. This paranoia comes from the morgellons like infection that is crawling through the novel, INFECTED by Scott Sigler.

Infected is not a typical zombie novel,  there are no undead creatures dying to force large chunks of warm flesh down their little rotting throats, but the unlucky souls who happen to have become   Infected, do loose control over themselves, and begin killing people in a paranoid adrenalin fueled rage.

Most of the book is divided between people trying to hunt down, quarantine and study the infected, and Perry, an infected giant of a man,  who fights to remain in control through the whole novel.

Reading the thoughts that were running through Perry's mind, was like having a chance to listen to the thoughts in the mind of someone suffering split personality disorder, with a strong sense of paranoia. As the paranoia increased, so did the action, making Infected harder to put down everytime I would pick it up.

Time for the G.R.E.A.T. score.

Gore- Very satisfying, as the main character fights the infection he has to practice self mutilation, with each act of it becoming worst then the last, and the well written details will built a sadstic image of pain in your mind. 10

Realism- This infection mimicked margellons, which is considered by the CDC as being mass paranoia and a hallucination, so this novel worked well with modern themes in reality. 9

Entertainment- Very much so, switching between the virus, the authorities and Perry prevents dull moments during your read. 8

Action- OH YES! The actions of the characters were right on que with the escalation of the infection. 8.5

Thrills- more than one evening I would lay in bed imagining the itch and crawling feelings of the infection while trying to drift off to sleep. Infected will not leave your mind once you put it down for the night.8.0

The final G.R.E.A.T. score is: 8.7 !

Infected by Scott Sigler is available through Amazon.com, or your local bookstore.

It is time for me to go again but before I do, let me ask you this question.

Is there a limit to the amount of pain and damage you would go through to save yourself from an infection, or is there just a certain point where you lay there and let it happen? You will have to read  Infected by Scott Sigler to truly answer that question.

Thanks for reading, and until next time, I will be shuffling along with the lost.


Jimmy blue eyes
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Down the Road by Bowie Ibarra

Greetings my shambling, shuffling friends.

Sorry I have not posted for a while, but I took a trip Down The Road with Bowie Ibarra, its not like we had a choice though, the city was being over run by zombies and it was time to get out of dodge.

Alright, I admit I didnt actually go anywhere, but this book sure took me places.

As an author of one of the coolest zombie novels on store shelves, Bowie Ibarra was able to hit on some important aspects that other novels never even consider, because they are too busy just being a horror story. 

As soon as the novel began, Ibarra made the story personal by having the main character, George Zarragosa, look around his apartment and take into account the things he did not need to help him survive escaping the city, and yet days before could not live without, like his The Big Lebowski dvd, or his music c.d. collection. This forced me to look around and consider all the things I own and consider important right now, but would happily do without for my own survival.

George as the main character has a healthy distrust of intrusive big goverment, and this theme continues to resurface constantly through out the novel, and even takes open jabs at Fema doing more harm then good for protecting citizen in fema camps, and how those in control will always end up abusing their power. It doesnt matter if your a gang leader surviving in a city, or a fema camp guard who rejoices in stirring up racial conflict for personal enjoyment over the people who depend on you for protection. This Libertarian theme reappears throughout Down The Road, making a good point that individuals who are responsible can do better than organized groups who rule through the threat of force, like our own goverment, and the images Bowie Ibarra was able to paint in my mind showed that without freedom and free will, there really is no difference between armed gangs and goverment.

This reminds me of one of my favorite Libertarian quotes:

"A society that robs people of the fruits of their hard labor with the threat of violence and calls it income and property taxes, is not really a society.....it is a mob that is held together by institutional gang violence."


Time for the G.R.E.A.T. score!

G ore: the descriptions of shambling corpses was spot on and and well written, as was the attacks on living people. 8.0

R ealism: very realistic, Bowie Ibarra was able to show the break down of society and the abuse of power and more than once made me think to the fema disaster we all remember as Hurricane Katrina. 8.5

E ntertainment:  Once I started reading, I had no choice but to finish the story, and I am looking forward to reading the sequels. 8.75

A ction: The pace of the story was great and kept me in suspence, like the scene where he broke into the local school, I could not put the novel down. 8.0

T hrills: the zombies were always a constant threat, even when they thought they were safe, the zombies remained a background antagonist adding a sense of dread the entire time. 8.0

The total G.R.E.A.T. score is: 8.25 out of 10 !

I definatley recommend adding this to your growing zombie library. Those of you who are survivalist minded, will get plenty of ideas to help you navigate a societal collapse scenario.

Well, it is time for me to sling my pack over my back and head on Down The Road, but before I go let me ask you this:

Will George make it to his final destination safe and sound, or is there a final surprise waiting on his door step. You will have to read Down the Road by Bowie Ibarra to find out.

Thanks for reading and until my next post, I will be shuffling along with the lost.

Jimmy Blue Eyes
www.jimmyszombieblog.com
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