Putrefied Preferences: Which Type of Zombie is Your Fave?

by Rusty Fischer, author of The Zombie Vote

You know what I’ve found? People like talking about zombies. This is a fact. Even if they say they don’t like zombies, or have never seen a zombie movie, they like to talk about zombies. I have dozens of books in print; business, diet, vampires, self-help, how-to, werewolves, all anybody wants to talk about is the zombie books. (Not that I’m complaining, mind you!)

So, in honor of my latest installment of Reanimated Readz, my series of 99-cent zombie shorts, I wanted to put it to a “vote” once and for all. I’ve identified five main zombie “types” you’re sure to recognize. So, which type of zombie is your fave?

1.     The Shuffler: This is the “classic” zombie, often referred to as the “Romero zombie” for those made famous in George Romero’s classic, Night of the Living Dead. Slow, pondering, not so smart, likes to shuffle, loves to kill.

2.     The Flash: These are the fast, angry, non-traditional zombies made famous in more recent movies like 28 Days and 28 Days Later. Smarter, leaner, more brutal and ruthless, is this “your” type of zombie?

3.     The Class Clown: The Class Clown is the kind of zombie you’ll see yucking it up in flicks like Dylan Dog: Dead of Night or Zombieland. Zombies with an attitude, zombies with a brain, zombies who can talk, think, even communicate, or at least throw off a little irony as they’re shuffling around, looking for brains. (Personally, this is my “vote” for favorite zombie ever.)

4.     The Thriller: The Thriller is the wild card. Something different, unique, maybe even never seen before. I’m thinking of “R,” the main character in Warm Bodies who can think and feel and even feel protective about humans.

5.     The Gimmick: The “gimmick” zombie is for folks who don’t necessarily like zombies but like to watch/read/talk about them. Zombies vs.Unicorns. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Sure, they have zombies but it’s mainly a wink-wink-nudge-nudge, look how cool we are for talking about zombies kind of thing. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, of course. For lots of people looking to inch their way into the zombie genre, this will be their “vote” for best zombie ever.

I know, I know, it’s a hard choice; and a personal one! But I’d love to hear your “votes” in the comment section below…

Yours in YA,

Rusty