Episode 516: Small Differences

Photo of author

Dave

Published:
Updated:

Zombie Cliche Lookout: Not Zombies

One of the interesting things about zombie fiction is that killing zombies is a guilt-free exercise. Yes, sometimes authors try to wring a lot of drama out of people having to kill the reanimated corpses of loved ones, but by and large you can kill a zombie and not feel bad about it in the morning. That sounds like a pretty minor thing, of course, but I think it’s very telling. If you think about it, zombies are a huge problem with an extremely simple solution: simply shoot them in the head.

Compare that to other, real world, issues we face. We can’t shoot the economy in the head. People love the idea of simple solutions to their problems, but that’s just not something that happens all that often. I think that’s at least part of the reason for the popularity of zombies in popular culture over the last decade or so.

About this Episode:

BrickVoid had the idea that Inez would have photographed the bodies as proof, which I thought was cool. However, I try to make this comic look as though it takes place in a time that isn’t quite clear. That means I don’t like to use things that are obviously contemporary technology, like smart phones or digital cameras. To be honest, I’m not sure why I do this; I suppose as a sort of allusion/throwback to films like Dawn of the Dead. Regardless, Inez had to use her memory to convince Murphy, which I like because it doesn’t completely get rid of the element of doubt. She is, after all, the only person who saw it. Who’s to say she’s telling the truth.

Other News:

It’s contest time, everyone! I’m calling this one The Double-Down Challenge; click through for all the details and rules.

Discussion Question: Why Zombies?

Harkening back to our Zombie Cliche Lookout, I’d like to know why it is that everyone likes zombies. I imagine there as as many reasons as there are fans.

12 thoughts on “Episode 516: Small Differences”

  1. Typo alert, Discussion Question: “everyone like zombies” like–>likes 😀

    • Fixed, thanks!

  2. Dave doesn’t like to use contemporary technology, yet he uses a LEGO ambulance set which would obviously be quite full of contemporary technology! 😀 Gee, Dave, make up your mind already! 😀

    • I don’t think the ambulance necessarily ties it to modern times; ambulances have looked relatively similar for a long time.

  3. Going to disagree with you. Shooting zeds in the head is not a solution. Like many of the problems you mentioned we like to have simple solutions and we think we have them until we realize the full implications of our actions.

    Shooting a zed in the head only gets rid of that zed. It does nothing for the hundreds of other zeds in the area. It does nothing for your survival and all the needs you have. It does create a body that needs to be disposed of or it will become a source of disease. There is also the cumiltive effect of having to kill zeds day after day after day. This will take its take its toll.

    Walking Dead brushed on some of these long term issues but never really got into waht they were doing to dispose of all the bodies at the prison and Woodbury. Still wondering?

    • Excellent points, here, Rattraveller!

    • If I recall they had some type of burner at the prison… That (Spoiler alert) Carrol used to murder those two diseased men.

      • Good point, although one of the victims was a woman.

      • She tried to burn them but really just charred the flesh. A full cremation takes hours and you have to turn the bodies. They were killing dozens a day. Besides the smoke would have given their location away.

  4. The trouble with most of today’s modern technology is it’s reliance on battery power, in the Z.A. the ability to recharge items will not be freely available. (I think I’ve lost track of how much time has passed in the story so far)

  5. Why I like zombies?
    I don’t. I’m frightened of them.
    Think about it, they eat people. Has it occurred to anyone how much that could hurt, nails and teeth stripping a living human being to the bones?
    Now imagine about 20 of them wandering up the street. Sp00ky.

  6. You my friend, are amazing!