Apocalypse Hal - Dummies 5 Dummies*

Some historical trivia on dummies

Dummies have many uses in addition to showcasing the latest fashions or heading up political parties. The have been used as decoys and deceptions for centuries. So don't be afraid to add a dummy or two to your zombie survival team.

*Had to be careful due to a certain trade mark out there.


 Bite of more than you can chew.

Mr Rimsky

The Demise of Blockbuster

Hey there BZF fans, it is with a heavy heart that I bring you some sad news.  Last week my local Blockbuster shut down and I couldn’t help but have a little moment.  You see, I was always that kid who would reserve the new releases, rent movies with my mates on a Saturday before a sleepover, hell I even rented my first R rated horror movie there!!   

Sadly, due to heavy competition from Video on Demand and online traders Blockbuster has shut its doors forever in the USA.  Here in Australia, there are still some independent franchisees operating but the numbers are on the decline.  Despite this rather unfortunate news, there was one thing to sweeten the deal – a super amazing closing down sale!!!

There is one rule you must abide by with these sorts of sales, first of all, the advertised closing date is never the real closing date, make sure you hold out until you know they are closing for sure, my store said “LAST DAYS” four times.

You can call me cheap, but I was waiting for the final day of the sale to swoop in on the lowest prices and I’m pleased to report that I managed to grab 3 zombie movies for the price tag of $6 SCORE!!!  I don’t know too much about these films but I have decided to share the trailers with you below.

Undead or Alive

Make-out with Violence

Dead Air

It’s sad to see the end of an era mainly because I have heaps of memories and good times spent with friends down at the local video store, here’s hoping the other video stores in my area won’t be shutting down anytime soon!!

Bite you later

Mr Vitamin G

Tricky people

You know where you stand with zombies. They want your brain and will do anything to get it. Straight to the point they are. They won't get all schmoozy with you and then back-stab you on Facebook.

But people are different. If you survive the first week of the zombie apocalypse you may find yourself in some abandoned mall with a bunch of people you don't know. You may discover they don't all want to play nicely in the sandpit. They could be tricky people to deal with.

Well Australian author Andrew Fuller has written a book to help, called appropriately enough, Tricky people. You can use this book to identify the:

• The Back-stabbers and White-anter
• The Blamers and Whingers
• The Bullies and Tyrants
• The Controllers
• The High and Mighties
• The Avoiders
• The Competitors 
• The Poor Communicators

Andrew provides some useful advice in handling these tricky people using the mnemonic CHILL PILL. There is also a simple quiz to determine what your personality type is and how that influences how you react to people. It is a entertaining book to read and certainly gets you analysing peoples behaviours (including your own).

Admittedly Andrew doesn't cover how to handle these people in a zombie apocalypse but his tips for the workplace is a good equivalent. I found his practical advice a tab soft and simply won't cut it in a zombie infested world. Luckily you can always let the zombies deal with these people. 


Bite off more than you can chew.

Mr Rimsky

Apocalypse Hal - Foxhole Radio

Old school entertainment

I saw an article on these years ago but never got around to making one. Maybe one day when the zombies keep me stuck inside with nothing to do. These radios can be tricky I gather, as you need a "blued" or oxidised razor blade and the right type of earphone. And I suspect they only pick up AM talk-back radio stations.

I found this scan from an old comic floating around the internet so I thought I would break some copyright laws and post it. Yes comics can be educational.

Bite for more than you can chew.

Mr Rimsky

In the Flesh

When it comes to zombies on TV or on the silver screen, we are mostly accustomed to American produced fare.  It’s always on my mind to bring our BZF fans a diverse cross-section of walkers, after all, no two zombies are the same – and this is certainly the case with the UK produced ‘In the Flesh’.

Despite producing great TV, it is sadly sometimes the case that shows heralding from England do not enjoy similar success in global markets.  However, that’s all about to change as In the Flesh is about to debut in the USA (Australia got on board earlier this year).

So here’s the lowdown, the show follows Kieran who along with thousands more have literally returned from the dead.  This is where things play out a little bit different to what you might expect for a zombie TV series, these zombies go through rehabilitation via some pioneering medication with the intention to integrate them back into society!

Now before you all get overly excited and cover yourselves in raspberry rippled ice cream (over share!) season 1 is only 3 episodes in total, but due to a few well deserved awards and a very warm response from fans, In the Flesh has debuted its second season with a full suite of 6 episodes!

We still have a while to wait for season 5 of The Walking Dead and it’s yet to be named companion series, so in the meantime, reanimate yourself with In the Flesh!

 

 

Bite you later

 

Mr Vitamin G

Apocalypse Hal - Behind the Scenes

Woo Hoo! Issue 60. Who would have thought I'd make it this far.
 
So for a special treat (and cause I needed to whip up something quickly) this one is about the creative process. It will answer all those questions I never get on how I create an issue of Apocalypse Hal.

Getting ideas doesn't seem to be a problem. I just look at everyday things and think "how would that relate to a zombie apocalypse?" Go pass a pet shop and it's like "mmm what pets would be handy in an apocalypse?" Bingo! Apocalyptic Pets (coming soon).

Half the trouble is trying not to take it seriously and making it fun.

Then the hard work. Drawing an issue and creating a million layers in Photoshop. I use two main colours as that stops me spending half an hour dithering what colour to pick.

I don't know how long it takes to make an issue. I am too scared to time it. A good 2-4 night's work depending on the complexity of the art. Plus time for the research and ideas.


Bite off more than you can chew.

Mr Rimsky

Apocalypse Hal - Poacher's Map

This is more about urban foraging. We at BZF (or more importantly our lawyers) don't condone looting. Unless there is a plague of zombies involved. 

In the middle ages having the right to use common land, like pannage, was important. However these days the government may object to you letting pigs loose on the bike tracks. Still I collect lots of stuff around the place. Branches for firewood, leaves for composting, wild plants etc.

So start mapping your neighourhood.


Bite off more than you can chew

Mr Rimsky

Apocalypse Hal - Cannonball Run

A very lame attempt at the comic book guy from the Simpsons. Like him, I was in a rush. Hope everyone enjoyed Free Comic Book Day yesterday and May the 4th be with you.

Bite off more than you can chew.

Mr Rimsky

Play With The Walking Dead!

I know it’s only been a couple of weeks since the finale of season 4 but I’m already having withdrawal symptoms from The Walking Dead.  I miss Carol and her cunning nature, I miss Daryl and his crossbow, hell I even miss Carl and his bad hair.

The other day I was checking through the Google Play apps store and I nearly had a meltdown of Britney proportions.  All you Android users out there now have the ability to play The Walking Dead – Episode 1 ‘A New Day’ for free!! I know, I nearly shaved my head with excitement too, but instead I launched right into the game.

Straight off the bat they say to use headphones to fully appreciate the creepy sound effects of the environment and moaning hungry zombies – I second this idea as it really does help you to get involved in the story.  You take on the character of Lee Everett, who is struggling to understand the events of the apocalypse and who to trust as he comes across an array of survivors.

This game is definitely not like Angry Birds or Scramble which are perfect little time fillers, no, The Walking Dead is a game that will find you connecting with the characters and occasionally jumping off your chair mainly thanks to the excellent voice acting, cool comic like graphics and of course navigating the eerie familiar universe that we have come to love from the TV series.

Even if you are somebody who is not overly into gaming, I encourage you to give this a go as it’s more of a ‘chose your own adventure’ style rather than just solving puzzles and advancing through levels.   The focus here is on storytelling and character development, but beware, the choices you make directly affect your future interactions with other characters and of course your encounters with walkers.

With a total of 6 episodes to play (and a second season of the game on its way), this is truly a great way to satisfy any Walking Dead cravings you may have until season 5 premiers in October later this year.

Bite you later

Mr Vitamin G