Zombie Cliche Lookout: First, Deflect
Few people like to take the blame for bad things happening, especially if that bad thing involves shooting a cop (expect perhaps the metal band Body Count). Because of this, people tend to have a few natural reactions to being asked to explain their mistakes, especially when in front of a group of their peers. They will often try to minimize the action or its consequences. Yeah, they forgot to lock the front door and a zombie got in, but no one was hurt, so what’s the harm? Perhaps they might try to blame random chance or fate instead. Sure, they were running around with their finger on the trigger of a loaded weapon, but it shouldn’t have just gone off, right?
The big goal here is to deflect the negative attention they’ve earned through their actions, and this is an especially important goal in a crisis situation where people have to count on one another. If they start showing that they are not worthy of trust, then their chances of survival drop precipitously.
About this Episode:
One of my favorite scenes from the infamous bad movie Plan 9 From Outer Space involves a police officer carelessly using his pistol to point, gesture, and even scratch his head at one point. I’ve heard that the actor was actually well aware of firearm safety, and was just seeing what he could get away with, but I’ve always found it a hilarious example of the way characters in movies treat guns. Because of this, I try to sneak it into the comic every now and then, such as in this episode where Stewart points the pistol at Brent while asking about Murphy.
Don’t do that, kids.
Other News:
Just a friendly reminder, I’ll be taking the remainder of the week off; we’ll be back on schedule next Monday.
Also, check out this amazing blog post on Bricks of the Dead.
Discussion Question: Contest Prize
Since we got some pretty awesome suggestions for our upcoming project, I thought I’d ask what you guys would like to see offered as a prize. Bear in mind, my funds are limited, but I’d like to offer something everyone would dig.
Typo alert, Zombie Cliche Lookout, fourth sentence: it–>in 😀
Same sentence: now–>no 😉
Fixed; thanks BV.
Of course, Brent was under the extra duress of having some psycho pointing a loaded gun at him, are we going to give the guy a break or what? 😀
I suppose that’s up to each of us.
With all those extra people, Brent, Inez, Murphy, it’s getting crowded in here! 😀
I wonder how Ted, barb, and the others are faring? Maybe it’s time we looked in on them – soon, I hope! 😀
Yeah, it is getting a bit crowded. Michael and Joy probably won’t be around too long.
We’ll definitely be checking in with the others once we’re done with this arc.
How about a tiny little lego Zombie scene (for display), custom made for the contest and signed? It could be a collector’s edition. 🙂
That’s a cool idea.
Stewart may well be pointing the pistol and Brent but at least his finger is not on the trigger 😀
And that is a cool blog about your very stupendous little comic 🙂
To quote a famous movie “if you build it, they will come”
A very cool blog.
Your trigger comment got a laugh out of my; nicely done, sir.
I aim to please……. badoom tish! 😀
Moneyball?
A cool gift would be an autographed by Dave pic of one of his sets!
Congrats on the great review! You deserve all the praise we can give after all of this great work. An awesome prize could be one of the minifigs from earlier on in the series that you will not use again. Or one of your superb zombies. I’m stuck using paint and Lord Of The Rings/Hobbit sets for my zombie heads.
You have given away a lot of brickarms for prizes many parts you use from other sites like brickforge
Just wanted to say, you made my day by referencing Plan 9 From Outer Space. I too have heard that he was doing it because even the actors knew the movie was a joke, but that is still one of my favorite scenes.
Wait whos Inez?