Zombie Cliche Lookout: We Want to Help
I oscillate a lot between optimism and pessimism. I’m probably a naturally pessimistic person, but over the last few years I’ve really been working to reverse that and change my outlook on the world. So while I might claim that most people are inherently good and decent, I would also say that a lot of people have an inherent selfishness in them that can manifest in a lot of very dark ways. Apply that line of thinking to the zombie apocalypse, and we can make a lot of assumptions about people and how they might react in various circumstances.
For instance, while we know that we stand a far better chance of survival when we’re in a group of people that can divide labor and protect one another, groups also require more supplies. The more selfish people in the group see more people to fight zombies, but they also see a lot more mouths to feed.
About this Episode:
I had a hell of a time with this episode, and had to re-shoot two of the panels twice (I usually take between three and five angles per panel in my initial shooting). For whatever reason, I just couldn’t manage to get Tara’s face in focus. I really enjoy this comic and photography in general, but sometimes my inability to do very basic stuff is pretty frustrating.
Discussion Question: Limited Resources
As I mentioned above, survivors must strike a balance between having more people in your group for additional benefits of divided labor and security, and not having so many people that feeding them becomes impossible. This is actually something I’d love to see addressed more in zombie fiction.
But I digress. As a survivor, how do you think this balance would affect you? Knowing that your supplies are limited, would you be able to turn people away? And, if so, how would you choose who to deny and who to keep? It’s easy to say you’d only want those who would bring desirable skills to the group, but I think most of us would have a hard time telling a family with young children to get lost in the middle of a zombie outbreak.
Typo alert in About this Episode: photograph–>photography 😀
Fixed!
I wonder how much he’s going to tell them of what his plans were, I mean before he accidentally shot Abe and turned him into a zombie? 😀
You never want to show all your cards.
Hmmm, supplies vs. Team members. More food water and ammo vs. More helping hands.
Unless you are one of those types who is ok with turning into a cannibal during the Zombie up rising, then team membere /ARE/ supplies 😀
😀
Not…not that I would be one of those people of course <..>
It just really depends on the situation. I would like to believe Im one of those moral doo gooder types (totally not a cannibal) in the z invasion so I most likely will take in people into the group reguardless of supplies. It would probibly get me on the ‘first person we boot out of the group’ list but, yeah. There it is.
They say people taste like pork. Delicious, delicious pork.
Hmm. No comic for Friday – is Dave doing two comics a week or three? 😀
I’m doing two a week for the foreseeable future. It’s the most I can manage with my schedule these days.
Nice! Three a week was great while it lasted, but all told, two a week is fine with me! 😀
Yeah, I wish I could do three. Maybe someday I’ll me able to able to bump it up again.
Today’s world is teaching us what a Z apocalypse could be… You said Dave that most people would have a hard time telling a family with young children to get lost, I’ll answer you that most good people will already be gone… And I’m not telling that it’s a good thing.
Just look at what’s happening today… At Europe’s door, thousands of families crossing seas and lands, leaving their homes, facing war, only to be welcomed by clubs and tear gas.
I’m letting you imagine what the situation could be when it’s “every man for himself” time.
It’s already a sad world we’re living in. Can’t be much worse in a Z apocalypse…
The refuge crisis is an excellent example. I’ve read some absolutely horrifying stuff from people about it. It really goes to show you how people can react to a crisis and just make things worse.