The Stench of Brilliance

Let it be known that I like zombies. They're a sort of hobby of mine. With this in consideration, I would like to share a few revelations.

Firstly is last month's release of the online co-operative survival horror masterpiece known as Left 4 Dead. Any gamer should be familiar with this title by this point, which places four human survivors in one of several diverse locales where they must work together to fight their way through a zombie hoarde to safety. I've been following the development of Left 4 Dead since it first went public, and to say that it meets expectations is an incredible achievement. Survivor beware - these aren't your standard slow, stupid zombies. Instead, expect something more akin to the infected from 28 Days Later and I Am Legend.

Left 4 Dead Intro

Similarly excellent is a comic series - oddly enough - by Robert Kirkman (artists Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard). The Walking Dead is an aptly-named portrayal of a group of survivors, lead by small-town police officer Rick Grimes, struggling to exist in a world stricken by a zombie apocalypse. The series is unique in that the focus is placed not so much on the typical disaster-driven content of other mainstream comics, as Kirkman feels no need to further dismantle an already-rotting world, but rather the relationships between the people in this world, and the breakdown of established roles in the face of chaos. While the zombies are certainly a compelling and prominently featured component, the true genius lies in the emotional connections formed with the survivors as they must deal with a threat more dangerous than the encroaching ghouls: each other.

Also, for the uninitiated, any self-proclaimed zombie fan is obligated to read the following. Written by mastermind Max Brooks comes

World War Z and The Zombie Survival Guide

For those who missed it last time, be sure to check out Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in the survival precursor to Shaun of the Dead. On a predictably unrelated note, I'm nearing completion of a poem, one of the first I've written in ages. I will showcase it in the near future.