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Post by edwin on Jun 27, 2012 20:36:10 GMT
Having watched a bit more of The Walking Dead it strikes me that Zombies are boring. Would it not be better if a Zombie retained something of whatever they were like before? OK blood lusting things but, cunning ones, stupid ones even ghastly seductive ones.
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Post by Matthew on Jun 28, 2012 5:57:58 GMT
I think you have, inadvertently, hit on one of the biggest debates within the genre with regards to the character/nature of Zombies. Personally I am a 'purist' in that I think that Zombies need to be just shambling, no-emotions, monsters that only have one single desire and that is to eat humans. They are not meant to have any 'character'. Also I think that within fiction they are meant to be used as far more than just a conventional monster 'baddie' and that the best Zombie fiction is about wider issues than just people surviving the living dead. For example if you watch the original 'Dawn of the Dead' its essentially an attack on the nature of mindless consumerism and without wanting to be guilty of reading to much into things if I find myself, almost always against my will, having to go to a large shopping centre I do find myself looking at the shopping hordes and realising that they aint that far from being Zombies  . And I dont want my Zombies to have any character. Ruins the fun for me. I dont even like them able to run. |
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Post by edwin on Jun 28, 2012 7:17:16 GMT
It has been said the Triffids were the Zombies of The Day... But even with walking vegetables we discover more about them as the book progresses. Aiming for the eyes, hearing, communication, awareness of danger and possibly a common aim to get humans.
Does anyone explain how a Zombie distinguishes between a normal human and a changed one. We see in the Walking Dead that they will eat each other, eg the bloke hanging from a tree so why wouldn't the lost little girl Zombie have been eaten by a stronger one.
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Post by edwin on Jun 28, 2012 7:20:27 GMT
I can however see the problem because a reduced shambling Zombie is getting close to the Vampire idiom if the menace is concealed until the teeth flash.
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andyp
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Post by andyp on Jun 28, 2012 19:35:01 GMT
I'm with Matthew on this one. I've read too many zombie books to be healthy and I always think it's 'unrealistic' or not in the spirit of things for zombies to have any kind of powers or skills. How they tell each other apart varies from story to story, but it's usually some sort of sense that the other zombie is already dead or is infected (possibly in the form of some sort of aura).
If you're talking about the zombie I think you are, Edwin, then I thought he was chewed on while he was hanging there but before he came back from the dead (so the zombies weren't eating another zombie). Zombies don't often eat other zombies (and don't always have an interest in other animals, which I find odd).
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Post by edwin on Jun 28, 2012 20:48:30 GMT
They ate chickens in Walking....
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andyp
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Post by andyp on Jun 29, 2012 19:13:28 GMT
You're right, they did eat chickens. There are also a couple of books I can think of where the zombies would eat anything alive, including plants if no animals were available. However, that seems to be unusual as they often ignore animals. For example in the 'Dawn of the Dead' remake they take no notice of a dog. Of course, there is no 'correct' view of whether a zombie would eat animals or not.
It's not really the same thing as they are vampires, but the creatures in the book version of 'I am Legend' do eat each other if no humans are available.
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Post by edwin on Jun 29, 2012 20:54:17 GMT
Years since I read I am Legend but don't remember them eating each other. I thought the thrust of the book was that they were bright enough to plan under the direction of Ben Cortman and even more so some were in Last Man on Earth and even the latest film.
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Post by nebogipfel on Jun 30, 2012 16:14:43 GMT
We see in the Walking Dead that they will eat each other, eg the bloke hanging from a tree so why wouldn't the lost little girl Zombie have been eaten by a stronger one. Hello everyone, My name's John. I have been lurking for a while but thought I'd finally register. Am a fan of all things apocalyptic especially if they are UK based. Re the above quote I assumed that the bloke hanging in the tree had tried to kill himself but had failed and then while flailing about in the tree zombies had chewed his legs off. He then died and turned..... It was suggested in the walking dead that smell plays a big part in zombies being attracted to the living. PS. I'm with you Matthew, I like my Zombies to be slow and stupid  |
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andyp
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Post by andyp on Jul 1, 2012 17:41:11 GMT
I just checked my copy of 'I am Legend' to make sure I hadn't dreamed it. There's a bit in the first few paragraphs of Chapter 2 where Neville talks about the vampires attacking each other, and then he finds a couple of bodies outside. They don't eat each other as such, but they do feed from each other. I can't remember if any of the film versions show this, but I don't recall it happening. It's a fairly minor point that's passed over anyway, and I guess they appear to be less of a threat if they fight among themselves.
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Post by edwin on Jul 1, 2012 20:09:04 GMT
Oops must find mine for that bit.
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Post by darrenmparr on Oct 29, 2012 18:02:01 GMT
I'm a purist - they're nasty enough as they are just shambling, eating, shambling and "Braaaaiiiinnnnnnsssss"ing as they do. Gods forbid they take on any ounce of sentience, we would be stuffed then.
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Post by darrenmparr on Oct 29, 2012 18:09:31 GMT
I'm a purist - they're nasty enough as they are just shambling, eating, shambling and "Braaaaiiiinnnnnnsssss"ing as they do. Gods forbid they take on any ounce of sentience, we would be stuffed then.
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