Zombie Cliché Lookout: Pistol Whip Diplomacy
Beyond just a zombie movie cliché, or even a horror movie cliché, is the idea that you can settle an argument by pistol whipping one party into unconsciousness. Seriously, it’s deeply ingrained into the tapestry of modern storytelling. Get two parties into an intensive enough argument, and there’s a good chance someone’s getting pistol whipped.
But I digress. I’m pretty sure I’ve covered closed head injuries and the repercussions thereof in the past, so I won’t retread that. I will, however, point out how hilarious I think it is that characters are so brazen in their willingness to assault someone with the intent to potentially do great bodily harm, simply because they’ve grown weary of discourse.
Invariable, when the assaulted party wakes up sometime later with a headache but no other adverse reactions to having been unconscious for an extended period of time, they’re more concerned with where they are and what they missed than the fact that they should probably be seeking medical attention before they start forgetting things like their family members and basic arithmetic.
Discussion Question: Settling the Big Damn Argument
In a mixed group arguments are an inevitable part of daily life. Since you live in the real world and not in an action movie (although this is the real world where we pretend it’s a zombie apocalypse), pistol whipping your opponent into submission is, sadly, not an option. That said, how do you resolve standoffs in the zombie apocalypse?
Other News:
The comic’s two-year anniversary is coming in February, and I’d like to do up a nice little anniversary posts with some statistics and whatnot. I’m wondering if the readers of Bricks of the Dead would be willing to take a short survey so that I can learn a bit more about how you found the comic, what you like, what you don’t, and what you’d like to see in the future.
So who’s up for a survey?
Well, at least we know how he got where he is now. The question is how long was it between his stay on that firetruck and when the gang got back to him? 😀
thats true but i dont understand why thwy had to strip him
Maybe they want to use him for breeding.
I would call waking up in a cell, stripped naked with only a sock for company and a bucket “adverse reactions”.
Probably not too long. I can’t imagine that area would stay free of zombies for an extended period of time.
If only there was a Brickarms blackjack.
“Where did you get that?”
“Sent away.”
Hah, that’s fantastic.
Holy @@@@ …
… A fifth panel
Yeah, every now and then we get extra panels.
Great, now when do we get extra panels with something other than blackness in them? 😉
Surveys! Yay!
I always like them too.
Knocking someone unconscious is a cliché by itself. Sam will probably have severe brain damage. (Having re-read the previous episodes, this makes sense and would be a very unexpected story element.)
Yeah, that sort of head trauma wouldn’t do anyone any favors.
I’ve been following BOTD all the way from page 1, but haven’t commented before. But this one hit me (so to speak) a little close to home.
My medical history is very uninteresting, except for an automobile accident that involved a serious concussion. I was unconscious for only 3 minutes, give or take, but there’s a 6-hour gap in my memory. I suffered from temporary anterograde amnesia as a result of the tap on the head, but fortunately fully recovered otherwise. I certainly started noticing the prevalence of “easy KO” head blows in fiction after that, so I appreciate Dave bringing this up.
Hey Steven!
First of all, thank you for following my comic.
Second, thanks for the personal insight on this topic. Being unconscious for three minutes doesn’t seem like a big deal since we’re so used to people on TV getting knocked out with no repercussions, but it’s a hell of a big deal that can have far-reaching consequences.
The brain is one of those “final frontier” sorts of fields of study, and it’s been quite something to watch NFL, NHL, and now soccer groups start to come to grips with it. That hockey gear could become as uncommon as fencing or boxing gear within a generation if changes aren’t made. The ongoing plight of Sidney Crosby has really changed things for a lot of people.
The changes in the NFL over the last couple of years have been interesting to say the least, and I think we’re just beginning to scratch the surface.
It’s hard to believe that, not long ago, football was played with leather helmets and hockey with none at all.
I’ve noticed and have seen a lot of news coverage regarding young athletes needing full physicals for any hidden/unknown medical conditions before playing and the talks of how serious head injuries are.
Oh yeah, there’s been a ton of that, Silver Fox.
We had a kid at one of the school around me die suddenly after a game. It’s horrifying.
Exactly. I was hospital-bound for 2 days following the accident; it’s really a lot like “flesh wound” bullet wounds in fiction. Getting shot is a big deal, and getting hit on the head is in many ways worse (though getting shot in the head is probably the worst of both worlds!)
My wife tells me that for almost 4 hours following the crash, I kept repeating the exact same set of questions over and over again, dozens of times. You certainly don’t see that sort of consequences in movies! However, there is a film which has taken on personal significance for me on this topic: “Memento”, directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Guy Pearce. For anyone wanting a popular-culture intro to the joy of anterograde amnesia, it’s fascinating. It’s also a pretty good thriller.
That sounds absolutely horrifying.
I can’t recommend Memento highly enough. Absolutely brilliant film.
It looks like a good film, but I can’t help but notice the product placement in it.
I can’t say I recall a lot of product placement. Besides Polaroid, obviously.
Tom Tykwer’s “Winter Sleepers” features a character much like the guy from Momento. They never explain it’s origin (since he doesn’t remember it), but he has a nasty scar on his head. If you don’t mind subtitles it’s a hell of a film. Nolan and Tykwer are both kings of the melancholy thriller.
Grrr, *Memento*
My sister got kicked in head by one of her horses and did exactly the same thing. Didn’t remember anything that happened, and kept asking the same questions over and over for some time after coming to. Really freaked my mother out.
Also, keep in mind you don’t have to be knocked out to have serious problems. I know a woman who is… “odd”, due to a fall on ice. She never lost conciousness, and is still more or less herself, but she acts and thinks just a little bit different than she did before.
I’ll have to check out Winter Sleepers. I hadn’t heard of that before now.
@Bob – Good notes on not having to be knocked out to have serious problems. Some head injuries are deceptive; much worse than they initially seem.
Sam is grabbing his stereo before they leave. I always knew pistol whipping was a diplomacy.
Oh sorry double comment. Must pressed the button twice.
No worries; I’ll delete it.
Not only is pistol whipping diplomacy, it’s the only diplomacy I know.
Sam is grabbing his stereo before they leave. I always knew pistol whipping was a diplomacy.
I refreshed this page five times times because I didn’t think the last slide was loading properly /facepalm.
Now that’s hilarious.
Give me a scenario Dave.
For an argument?
Yes!
You want to leave the location, as the zombie attacks are becoming more frequent, and the supplies are starting to dwindle. Another person in the group wants to stay, because he’d been on the road before and lost almost everyone in his group.
The camp is divided pretty sharply between the two sides, but there are a few people who won’t leave without their partners, who happen to be on the other side of the fence.
That “Let’s Stay Here” guy isn’t going to back down.
Since I’m not very big on “Power in Numbers” I would gather those of us whom wish to leave, and sneak out when ever we can. Taking a reasonable amount of supplies (Not to much that it will leave them in a bind) and as well the at least amount of vehicles needed (Don’t want to leave them immobile).
The reason for sneaking is because I don’t want more increasing tensions to where we are killing each other off. It would also make the transgression a bit easier.
I wish the best of luck to anyone that thinks I’m wrong though… Generally decisions I make are well thought out, but I’m not big on forcing people to do something against their will. So if they want to stay inside of a fort and die with a meager amount of supplies left; then so be it.
Good response, sir.
So hey, surveys. If I did one up, would you guys take a few minutes to fill the sucker out? Inquiring minds want to know.
Of course man.
Thank you, sir.
Surveys are good.
Let the people be heard!
And checking my gravatar…
Is it working?
Gravatar looks good, Matt!
That’s another “Yay” for a survey. Looks like I’m putting on together.
Survey = win!
I have my social security number, DoB, and credit card numbers all ready!
That got an honest to god, laugh out loud out of me. Nicely done, sir. Nicely done.