Zombie Cliche Lookout: Someone is Looking Out for Me
While it is by no means limited to zombie or even horror stories, the last minute save from a hero (and that’s a bit of a stretch in Brent’s case) is a well established trope. It looks like things are about to get really bad, and the good guy shows up just in time to take a shot and save the day.
Want an example? Let’s stray from zombie movies and pick something completely different. I’m going to go with the assault on the Death Star in Star Wars. While Luke is focusing on the exhaust port, Darth Vader is getting a target lock on him. Luke is about to get shot down, except that Han Solo and Chewie show up just in time to knock Vader out of the way and let Luke get his torpedoes off. Boom, no more Death Star (until the imperials rebuild, of course).
About this Episode:
At this point, using the red bush for gore has become almost a cliche, but you know what? I think it’s awesome, and I like to use it every opportunity I get.
On an unrelated note, the zombie’s feet in that last panel makes me smile.
Other News:
AMC’s The Walking Dead returns this Sunday. Like always, we’re going to be doing full reviews of the show, but there’s going to be a slight change this time around. I no longer have cable, and will be purchasing the episodes of Amazon or iTunes when they become available. That means that some of the reviews might be a little late. However, Evan has volunteered to handle some of the reviews as well, which means they’ll be out earlier, and you’ll get a different perspective, which is always cool.
Discussion Question: Zombie Defense Weapon
Since the last episode’s discussion kind of turned into this anyway, I’m really interested to know what everyone’s preferred zombie defense weapon is? There was quite a bit of talk about shotguns and their various pros and cons, but I want to open this up to everything, including non-firearms if that’s your thing.
I think the last minute heroic theme is really awesome and its a big theme in most of the Resident Evil games!!! And my preferred zombie weapon would probably be the katana, because they are light, can deal a good amount of damage, and are somewhat durable.
Ah yes, the always fun “Jill Sandwich” trope.
Two things to say:
1- I have a list of my favourite comics at home, and I would like to say that Bricks of the Dead has made it to the top. Your webcomic, Dave, is on the first position of my list!(By the way, I’m 13 years.)
2- Question: What type of clothes would you prefer for the zombie apocalypse?
I would like a nice shirt,a thick pair of pants, a jacket with many pockets and the most important item of all, a clean pair of underpants. Because dirty underpants will scare the hell out of me.
On an additional note,has anyone noticed this is the 399th comic of Bricks of the dead? HALLEJLUEAH!! (I think the spelling is incorrect.)
I’m surprised Dave didn’t mention the trope of someone coming along and asking someone who’s quite obviously in trouble if “they’re okay”! 😀
Oh yeah, I’m a big fan of that one.
Typo alert: There is one typo In the discussion question, I wonder if Dave can see where the extra “of” is not needed! 😀
Actually, I think it might be that the second sentence should start “There was quite a bit of talk …” 😀 Big–>bit. 😉
Same section, last two words “you thing”–>”your thing”. 😀
Are, fixed. And indeed you’re correct, it was supposed to be “quite a bit of talk”.
That blood splatter is great!!!
Agreed.
How’d you get the bush to stick to its neck?
My guess would be that it’s got something to do with part 42446, or something similar to that part! 😀
While firearms of one sort or another are nice, they’re good when you’ve got a decent defensible location and supplies and can have some leisure popping off the undead. The problem ultimately is you will run out of ammo and with all of society on the brink, you’ll only find so many stockpiles before the lack of manufacture is real obvious.
I’d want to go with blunt and slashing weapons. If I had to head off into the Zombie Apocalypse today, I’d be bringing along my machete as that’s what I’ve got. Something anything you can swing fast and quickly and with just enough distance and speed to keep the undead back.
Who says I am going to run out of ammunition (as an aside, the word “ammo” is a major pet peeve of mine). Some of us buy it by the case. The really fortunate ones buy it by the pallet. I have enough 7.62×51 NATO to shoot every zombie in town twice. Not really kidding.
I am a great fan of this quote by John Steinbeck:
“The purpose of fighting is to win. There is no possible victory in defense. The sword is more important than the shield and skill is more important than either. The final weapon is the brain. All else is supplemental.”
Mindset beats skill set. Skill set beats tool set.
If you have to force me to choose, I am going with an AR-pattern rifle, or an M14S. The semiautomatic M14 is my favorite. I get range, penetration, and a rifle that is flat-out comfortable to shoot.
OK, let the controversy begin!
Given my choice I would arm myself one or more of the following weapons.
M-4 Carbine or variant
These rifles are light, powerful, have a good magazine capacity, are powerful enough to pulverize the skull and or break major bones (a shattered femur or pelvis will slow down a zed significantly) Since they are also used by our military, national guard and a lot of law enforcement, spare parts and cashes of ammo should be fairly easy to find.
Beretta 92-F
The 9mm parabellum round isnt a great manstopper like some larger calibers, but it has great penetration and will penetrate a skull or break heavy bone. Its also a standard issue military weapon so parts and ammo should be scavangeable. It also has a 15round magazine capacity which is a big plus.
Ruger M-22 Rifle (shortened and supressed)
I know a lot of people will disagree with this one, but a .22caliber rifle has a definite place in my arsenal. The Ruger M-22 is one of the most common .22s out there and ammo is out there is vast quantities. Saw off the stock add a homemade supressor and a couple of 100round mags and you have a very quiet and effective short ranged weapon. Granted it might take 2-3shots in the head to drop a zed, but it beats trying to quickly reload a crossbow or getting close enough to use a melee weapon.
Finally I would add a good melee weapon. I dont like the idea of edged weapons because of the likelihood that they would get stuck in the head or body of a zed. On the other hand I have never really tried to bash a human skull with a blunt weapon so I dont really know how difficult it might be. That being said I like the idea of a good solid aluminum baseball bat or maybe a crowbar. The bat seems easer to grip and swing hard, but the crowbar has the added advantage of a pointy end and is a handy thing to have around in general,
I should also address the ammo issue a little more in depth. Eventually you will run out of available sources of ammunition. I dont think that it would happen anywhere near as quickly as some others do, but it will eventually happen. (some of the military ammo out there is packaged in weatherproof containers and will last for decades) It is possible to manufacture your won cartridges and shells. Its not all that complicated and the necessary tools are out there. Brass shell casings can be reused multiple times and bullets can be cast from lead. Propellant and primers would be really tough ti manufacture but there will be loads of them left in gunshops passed over by looters who donw know how to make use of them.
How much ammunition can you stash? Five hundred rounds of .308, on stripper clips, will just fit in a .30 caliber ammunition can. If you prefer to store the ammunition in magazines (and I like a mix), ten loaded twenty-round magazines will fit in the same can. Keep one of the cans with magazines on the center console of your car. The lid flips right off.
Handgun ammunition is easier to store, except there are no stripper clips available (but then most folks don’t have stripper bridges on their rifles).
I have nothing against the .22lr for utility. I don’t give it any viability as a serious fight ender. The bullet doesn’t expand, in most instances, has terrible penetration against non-homogenous barriers (including heavy clothing), and has little energy. As for .22LR availability, when was the last time any of us saw it, in quantity, in any stores. It was pre-Sandy Hook, for sure.
I am always against the idea of “scrounging” or “battlefield pickups”. This is not Castle Wolfenstein. Allow me to illustrate: there are accounts, maybe apocryphal, of GI’s in Vietnam sabotaging Viet Cong weapons caches. Double charge a bunch of ammunition, stuff some rifle barrels full of clay, stuff like that. Point is, if it’s not factory-fresh I don’t think I would trust the ammunition or weapon. I trust the stuff I put up myself, now, before the collapse (zombie outbreak- whatever) a lot more than anything I can find.
This goes back to a more fundamental question: Do you stay, or do you leave? If you’re leaving, where are you going? If you’re going, why aren’t you there right now? Additionally, if you’re going there, why not have food, weapons, ammunition, medical supplies, and every other needful thing waiting for you when you get there?
Murphys Law I guess.
I have a decent stash of ammo at my bugout locale, along with a basic reloading press, dies, powder and primers. But there are a million things that can go wrong between here and there and I may have to improvise. Regarding the .22, I would never consider one for use against a conventional target. But I have used a l .22LR to deliver the coup-de-grace to a few deer over the years and even from 3-5 feet away the round penetrated the skull and finished the animal quickly.
Heh. Murphy’s Law. I get it.
As an untrained combatent I’d probably pick the baseball bat as my melee weapon. Any blunt medium and easy to swing object is a great weapon for the common man.
As fore firearm I’ve actually had quite a bit of time with the SKS, and other various firearms. But I prefer the SKS mostly because of my familiarity with it and the fact that you can carry quite a bit of ammo on stripper clips.
A Simonov is a great rifle. I regret not getting two or three when they were cheap a few years ago. I’d go with one of the Chinese-made non removable twenty round magazines and a chest bandoleer full of strippers. Easy-peasy lemon squeezey
The rifle I spent my time growing up with was actually a Russian make, 6 cartridge internal mag. I should actually look into the Chinese ones, I don’t know much about the state in which those are made.
I discovered this as a small child. You know those handles on garden clippers? They make prime (slow) zombie defence. Before you ignore this, hear me out. They are roughly 2 feet long, so not in bite range, if you are holding them, they are so light it feels like you are not even holding anything, they are extremely comfterable in your hand and when you swing full out they can break enamel (tested when a guy tried to mug me in a garden supply store)
All in all they are great for combat and if I was not in Canada I would have been sued by the mugger with the broken jaw.
A saber. Lighter than a regular blade, but theoretically stronger than a machete, as it is made for lopping off stuff and, if you prefer, they have a basket hilt to protect your weapon hand from pesky zomblez.
They gotta run!!! That shotgun blast is probably gunna alert the horde, and the store owner is probably going to get really pissed later about all this. If he survives that is O.o
I just bought a Fire Axe from NY, and it’s being shipped now. I’m counting on it in the possibility of a ZA.
I’ll take a pistol. Easy, lightweight, and very mobile.
My problem is choosing between a Glock or Berreta…
Either will do, if you will do.