Posted By John Sears on August 25, 2011

It’s heartwarming to see Zombie Walks raising money and awareness for good causes while promoting a healthy and inclusive vision of Living-Zombie relations, so we’re happy to bring news of the Marshalltown, Iowa Zombie Walk (please ignore the media outlet’s reflexive Anti-Zombie slant):

It’s that time of year when frightful creatures slither along downtown streets.

All for a good reason, of course.

The Third Annual Zombie Walk will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Orpheum Theater Center, 220 E. Main St. in Marshalltown.

“It can be summed up in one word – epic,” said ZW Founder Steve Adelmund. “In having a partnership this year with the Orpheum Theater, it’s sure to be bigger, raise more money than ever before, and is a great way for the good folks of our community to get involved.”

As festivities are all-volunteer, 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit the Domestic Violence Alternatives/Sexual Assault Center of Marshalltown. Thus far, $2,771 has been raised for the facility and other causes since the event’s existence.

…

“The zombie walk is a great grass-roots example of helping in our community to strive to be better,” said Event Coordinator Dee Vajgrt. “Plus, it will be fun.”

The official slogan of this event seems to be: ‘We Invade Cause We Care’

Aww. And check out this testimonial, demonstrating the effectiveness of this outreach:

“We dress like zombies to protect the people who are getting beat up by scaring away the bad guys.” – Logan Lester, Age 9, Gliman, IA

That is really sweet, plus, awesome.

The Zombie Rights Campaign heartily endorses this event and encourages everyone in the general area to show up and get their Lurch on for a good cause.

Category: Zombie Media | No Comments »
Tags: Social Justice, Zombie Public Event, Zombies Doing Good

Posted By John Sears on August 25, 2011

We first saw ‘George’s Intervention’ some years back at The Dark Carnival, and thought it was a funny and empathetic movie about Zombies and the occasional struggle for some of the Differently Animated with cravings for, even a need to consume, human flesh.

Sadly, it hasn’t been available to the general public for easy viewing or purchase.. until now:

October marks many things this year. It’s of course Halloween. More importantly it’s the month I get married, also 5 days before that it’s the day that George: A Zombie Intervention is getting released on DVD by Breaking Glass Picures.

We’re so happy! Finally another Zombie movie we can tell people to go out and buy, maybe even rent, when asked at conventions for recommendations.

I will have to remember to use the new ‘George: A Zombie Intervention’ title though.

What great news.

Category: Zombie Media | No Comments »
Tags: Movies, Zombie Products

Posted By John Sears on August 24, 2011

I’ll give them credit for original marketing at the very least:

Free contest for horror fans! Enter to win an appearance in the zombie world of The Return Man — an action-packed undead thriller coming in March 2012 from publisher Hodder & Stoughton. One winner’s name will be immortalized as a character in the actual book — a prize of permanent glory and bragging rights over all your friends, plus a free copy signed by author V.M Zito. Don’t miss your chance!

To enter, simply complete the entry form below by September 1st, and tell us where you’d hunker down in the zombie apocalypse. The winner will be drawn at random, but creative answers make it more fun…

Zombie Apocalypse? I don’t think so; we much prefer the Global Reanimation Block Party here at the ZRC.

In fact, that sounds like a fun entry for the contest:

I would not be cowering in some ‘hideout’ at all, in the event of a Global Reanimation Block Party (the preferred term). As President of The Zombie Rights Campaign I imagine I would be very busy helping the newly reanimated integrate peacefully into society, lobbying on behalf of the Undead population for greater rights, better representation and services with our government, calming down angry torch-wielding mobs and the like.

I await their response.

Category: Zombie Media | 1 Comment »
Tags: Advertising, Anti-Zombie Products, Books

Posted By John Sears on August 24, 2011

Another band that hates and fears the Differently Animated! Ugh why is the music community so prejudiced?

Canadian hard punk rockers Kill Matilda are back with a vengeance, but this time it’s not just Matilda they’re after.

Releasing their debut full-length, I Want Revenge, on October 11 and hitting the road on their Zombie Apocalypse Tour across Canada, Kill Matilda is on the hunt to find, capture and destroy zombies wreaking havoc across the land – it’s a zombicide mission and no one’s more equipped to carry it out than Kill Matilda.

“This will be our biggest and most ambitious tour to date, in support of our best album to date, and we plan to commit zombicide in every major city across Canada while rocking out, drinking beers and saving beautiful women from the brain-eating living dead from coast to coast,” comments bassist Mykel Exner.

I guess the Anti-Zombie bigots in ‘Kill Matilda’ have grown unsatisfied with the non-existence of the Zombie Apocalypse (which is only natural as Zombies are by and large peaceful law-abiding sorts) and have decided to stage their own.

Bringing violence and fear across Canada if necessary in order to do it.

Needless to say this tour is condemned in the STRONGEST possible terms by The Zombie Rights Campaign. Here we have a musical act announcing to the whole world that they plan to commit Vitality Status-motivated violence while roaming the countryside. Will Canada do anything to stop them?

I certainly hope so.

Category: Zombie Media | 6 Comments »
Tags: Anti-Zombie Public Event, Music, Social Justice

Posted By John Sears on August 23, 2011

We talked previously about this event, and the sadly segregationist nature of the outing (and the theme park hosting it) before, here on the ZRC blog:

Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom is opening its gates to the undead for ONE NIGHT ONLY!
**
But make it a day – gates open at 10am for humans, so come early and take full advantage of BOTH Dorney Park and Wild Water Kingdom!

…

Oh, we see how it is. Sure, Dorney Park and Wild Water Kingdom wants to take money from Zombie patrons, as well as greenfaced Living customers, but should a Zombie want to attend in the bright light of daytime? Tough luck, Mr. Zombie, you can’t come inside – even through the service entrance at the back. Zombie families can play at the park, but only after dark; sorry little Zombie Billy, you’re not wanted during the day when people might see you.

Well, the ‘Zombie Invasion’ they wanted went off without a hitch, unless of course you count discrimination, and they even managed to set a world record:

They came from Philadelphia, New York, New Jersey, Delaware and maybe even beyond — crouched over, limping and dragging their way — as they descended upon Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom Thursday night to attend the park’s first ever Zombie Invasion and to say “I was there” when a record was set for most costumed characters on an amusement ride.

The park took on an eerie yet fun-loving atmosphere as well over 1,000 “corpses” in tattered clothing and make-up staggered their way along paths en route to the Steel Force coaster for a three-minute ride that would land them in the Guinness World Record book.

Some of the restrictions placed to qualify as a record are interesting, from a Zombie Rights Perspective, revealing the inherently prejudiced view of the Differently Animated held by the Guinness people:

To be counted as part of the record and ride Steel Force, zombies had to meet two criteria: face make-up had to include at least three colors, and they had to be wearing themed garments such as torn shirts, pants and dresses.

So in order to qualify for the record you MUST dress in a stereotypically ‘Zombie’ manner and you also have to be slathered in makeup. This seems to rule out both actual Zombies (who, understandably, might not want to attend a theme park that dislikes them) and any unconventional, flattering or non-conformist Greenface for that matter.

Guinness thinks they can pigeonhole the Differently Animated into one narrow-minded definition it seems. For shame. Zombies are people too, not some caricature from a Romero film!

Needless to say I think we’ve been proven correct about this ‘Zombie Invasion’ event and its negative implications for Zombie Rights. All involved should be ashamed of themselves for treating the Undead in such a callous and dismissive manner.

Category: Zombie Media | No Comments »
Tags: Anti-Zombie Public Event, Journamalism, Mainstream Media

Posted By John Sears on August 23, 2011

Another good news/bad news situation for Zombie Rights activism as we are presented with another seemingly fun public event about Zombies that is unfortunately being organized by people who are not Zombie Friendly, to say the least:

Winnipeg’s zombie community is preparing for its annual reminder that the undead are, in fact, not dead.

…

Through infiltration of the underground zombie network, the Winnipeg Sun has learned they plan to meet in Stephen Juba Park around 7 p.m. and walk to Legislative Building by way of The Forks. They’ll then convene on the Zoo for the official zombie after party.

They may be undead, but they still have hearts, and will be collecting food donations for Winnipeg Harvest. Zombie Walk organizers ask donors to store their non-perishable food items in a bag to avoid getting BRAAAAIINNNSS on them.

In order to ‘understand’ the upcoming Zombie Walk, the organizers suggest watching this highly inflammatory and Living Supremacist music video/short film:

The movie in question features extreme Anti-Zombie violence, official persecution of the Undead by the police other authority figures, culminating in an Anti-Zombie massacre to ‘stop the spread’ of Zombiism and make Winnipeg ‘safe’ again for the Living. Apparently endorsing and aiding in this plan is a Winnipeg hip-hop group ‘Filthy Animals’, who are far less concerned with rights for Zombies than they are with clearing the streets so they can more easily purchase alcohol.

What, the Zombies would otherwise buy all the good beer?

This fictional scenario (some footage for which was obtained at last year’s Zombie Walk) is apparently meant to explain the motivations behind the Zombie Walk. If the video is accurate, those motivations are to arrange a mass slaughter of the Differently Animated (taken literally), or just to profoundly disrespect this vital and peaceful part of the tapestry of North American life.

Just because they’re not, technically, ‘alive’.

Well, the ZRC certainly cannot endorse this sort of prejudice, or advise people (yes, Zombies are people too) to attend considering the great personal risk involved. We suggest making your donations to Winnipeg Harvest from the safety of your home, away from hip-hop themed Anti-Zombie pogroms.

We also do not endorse the upcoming Anti-Zombie film festival in Winnipeg, organized by yet another Anti-Zombie organization in Winnipeg:

August 23rd @ the Park Theatre.

Lazily shuffle your zombie legs down Osborne Street for the FIRST EVER ZOMBIE MOVIE MARATHON, at the Park Theatre!! We’ll be showing a selection of the finest and goriest undead movies, plus there’s going to be live zombie portraits, a zombie art show, and tons of other fun stuff!

Oh I see. Zombies are a bunch of lazy shufflers now. Right.

The films advertised on their poster include ‘Dead Alive’, ‘Dawn of the Dead’ and ‘Evil Dead 2′, but not even one Zombie Friendly or Zombie Tolerant option! What an outrage.

Clearly, Winnipeg has a very long way to go before reaching Zombie Equality. Central Canada clearly is not the best place to be if you’re Differently Animated.

Category: Zombie Media | 2 Comments »
Tags: Anti-Zombie Public Event, Movies, Social Justice

Posted By John Sears on August 22, 2011

Hey, guess who was able to fix his computer after only about 16 hours of solid work and torturous waiting? That’d be me, John J Sears, President of The Zombie Rights Campaign, that’s who!

Or is it whom? Eh. Grammar can wait for when I’ve had some decent sleep.

I honestly have no clue why the laptop died, but we have not lost any important data or correspondence and everything should be back to normal in a day or two, social media/blogging/reviewing-wise. Fortunately most ZRC materials are backed up both via Dropbox and external drive, so it’s just a matter of dragging files back over and installing tons of things.

Like, say, Windows updates. Last night I had to download and install 114 of them, I think it was. Over half a gig of updates. Yikes.

The Art Director also updated the blog’s WordPress installation, so if anything’s not working on your end, comments or what not, just let us know.

I am so eager to get back to Zombie Rights.

Category: ZRC News | No Comments »
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Posted By Jenny the ZRC Art Director on August 21, 2011

The Zombie Rights Campaign is sad to announce an unplanned hiatus of unknown duration, most likely approximately one week, due to a much-depended-upon computer deciding to self-destruct. Any orders placed in our store will still be processed as usual, since those emails go to me (the Art Director), and my computer is still functioning (which is why you get this amazing post here). Blog and social media presence will be sparse-to-none until the situation is resolved.

Say what you will about Zombies, but do they sell an operating system that is working fine when you leave the house for a few hours, then, at some point before you come home, decides that uptime is for losers? No. No, they do not.

I’d just like you all to remember that.

– Jenny, the Art and Technical Director (just not technical enough to make a Windows laptop stop being stupid.)

Category: ZRC News | No Comments »
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Posted By John Sears on August 19, 2011

After a much longer delay than we wanted (sorry about that) all items are now back in stock at the ZRC Store! The sale of many of them benefits not just Zombie Rights, but also the Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation, so keep that in mind when considering what to do with your hard-earned lucre.

First, one of those products with, in this case, all proceeds going to charity, the Lurch for the Cure t-shirt, back after selling out in many sizes at Discworld Con!

While reordering we also added new sizes, so feel free to pick up Smalls or even Extra Smalls along with the usual Medium through XXL, in either gray or pink. As always our shirts are printed by Brunetto on American Apparel material and are a durable and comfortable Zombie Friendly fashion statement.

Next a product that we actually keep the profits on, the new ‘I (Heart) Zombies’ Bumper Sticker!

We heartily suggest putting one on your car so that completely random strangers know that you support the Differently Animated.

One is on our car, as a matter of fact:

We have bulk ordering specials on the bumper stickers as well, in the event you have a great number of cars to proclaim your love of Zombies from. Maybe you own a Used Car lot, who can say? We don’t judge, in fact, we encourage you to slap them on all sorts of vehicles.

That’s about enough mercenary behavior from the ZRC for one day; we now return you to your regularly scheduled Zombie Rights agitation already in progress.

Category: ZRC News | No Comments »
Tags: Zombie Products

Posted By John Sears on August 19, 2011

‘The Walking Dead’ is doing a bang-up job of making people afraid of Zombies. Somewhere along the way, they seem to have decided that was not sufficient, and that they should terrify people about other harmless and natural elements of society.

It seems for Season 2 they’ve settled on farms:

David Boyd, The Walking Dead’s Season 1 Cinematographer describes putting on the Director’s hat for Season 2 and explains what Hershel’s farmhouse has in common with a crocodile.

…

Q: From a photography standpoint, what horror opportunities does Hershel’s farmhouse offer?

A: You know I’ve grown to think of these structures — the house and the barn — as anthropomorphic. They have spirits, is how I’ve approached photographing them. You look at the house and I try to make that thing look vicious. I try to give it eyes and a nose and see what expression it might be feeling. And Greg Melton designed a barn that you’d swear is alive. It’s got two hayloft windows up above for eyes, there’s a little central thing to pull hay in that looks like a nose and the barn doors themselves are a mouth. And by God I make sure the farmhouse looks like it’s alive. I’ll give the upstairs windows a little glimmer as if this thing is lifting its eyelids, and looking out like a crocodile.

Q: What does that make the barn?

A: That’s something else. What would that be? A rattlesnake.

As a small point of background, I spent a big chunk of my childhood living on farms. Both sets of my grandparents are farmers, living on small farms perhaps not unlike the one being created (as a prop it seems) for ‘The Walking Dead’. Farms themselves can be somewhat inherently unsettling. The buildings are often old, very utilitarian and full of mysterious functions, sharp objects, heavy machinery and even harmful chemicals. That’s more or less the nature of the beast.

Compounding all that perfectly reasonable caution-inducing material is of course the human fear of the dark, the unknown, of being separated from civilization, from immediate help and safety and rescue. Neither of my grandparents’ farms were terribly distant from neighbors; that’s not how Indiana farmland is laid out, the houses are along small roads facing one another and the bulk of the farmland stretches out behind, so that you live on the edge of your property. It’s actually pretty sensible in that regard.

Still, you’re a lot lonelier, and the nights are a lot quieter, and that’s with the power on and constant communication available with the outside world.

So ‘The Walking Dead’ didn’t set itself any particularly huge challenges here. Farms are already a bit creepy; they want to make people lose bladder control just driving past them. Delightful! Because what we need most is more terror in the everyday lives of regular people.

For shame, ‘Walking Dead’, for shame.

Category: Zombie Media | No Comments »
Tags: Robert Kirkman, Social Justice, Television