Episode 347: Counter-Attack

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Dave

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Zombie Cliche Lookout: Turning Tides

When it comes to the war against the zombies, victory is never assured. But a battle? Well now, that’s a different story. And when the zombies are actually helping you against your other enemies? That just sweetens the deal.

At any rate, every battle – at least those in fiction – has some sort of big defining turning point. The point at which the good guys are at their lowest, and then suddenly seize an opportunity and take the offensive. And sometimes, things go back and forth a whole bunch of times (Return of the King, for instance). Once they cross this point, the bad guys days are numbered, at least for the time being. You never know when the bad guys will show back up later on.

About this Episode:

A lot is going to happen in these next few episodes, so bear with me a bit on the timeline. While Barb is doing her thing in today’s strip, other things are happening that are going to be revealed in future episodes. It’s a little more complex than what I usually try to do in Bricks of the Dead, but it sounded like a fun challenge. If it doesn’t work they way I’m hoping, well, sorry.

Other News:

This is the last week to enter The Unofficial Hunger Games Wilderness Survival Guide swag giveaway. If you’re interested and live in the US, hit up the forum to enter.

Discussion Question: Pets in the Zombie Apocalypse

What role will pets have during the zombie apocalypse? Companions? Guards? Early warning systems? Food on the hoof?

I’m a dog person myself, and would definitely want to keep one around. We don’t have a family dog now (damn renting), so I guess I’d need to befriend a stray or something like that.

30 thoughts on “Episode 347: Counter-Attack”

  1. They are two things them dogs, one they are the companions for all. Second they will not only protect you but in some cases, give their lives for yours. A great example of that could be Sam from “I am Legend”. Not exactly a zombie flick, but I guess it works, right?

    • It totally works. I’m always a huge baby when the dog dies.

      • Me too. Remember the scene in “Watchmen” when Rorschach kills those two dogs? That nearly brought me to tears, and the rest of the comic didn’t bug me at all.

        • I really need to read that one of these days. It’s a big cultural blind spot for me.

  2. So the nurse knows the use of a firearm, eh?

    And my cat? I’m sorry, as long as I can avoid eating her food, she’s safe, but after that she is “Food on the hoof”…

    • Looks that way.

  3. Two things I really like how Barb is taking on these thugs, being a Joss Whedon fan I really think its cool to see a strong female character. Second, I’m glad these jerks are being taken care of. For the discussion I would like to have a dog or something, but I would be very nervous of it being more of a hazard, barking = ZOMBIES FREE FOOD! Also I hope the family is safe inside the house!!

    • I have two ankle bitters for dogs and they Yap every time a leaf blows past the window. So my first order of safety is to kick my dogs out. I love them very much but I love me and my family much more. A good well trained dog (which mine are not) would be a great help in the ZA as well as for your own sanity (companionship) and protection.

      • That’s a hard choice, but necessary.

    • I’m a big Joss Whedon fan as well, Mason.

  4. Double whammy! Good to see someone is now filling the role of ‘get-shit-done’ guy. Also glad to see the good guys aren’t just running away for once.

    Still, one prisoner left, and the element of surprise is gone…

    • Yes indeed.

  5. I feel that the theme of animals gone feral needs to be explored further. If high functioning animals like people are one bad day awayfrom regressing, I’m of the opinion that once you take away the comforts and security human provide domesticated animals, that the too will begin regressing to survival states as well.

    • Excellent point, Luis.

  6. Wow… Barb blows away a bad guy with a shotgun. Badass.

    As far as pets go, I would definitely keep my dog around. Early-warning system and companionship; especially if I didn’t have people with me to keep me sane.

    • Companionship cannot be overrated. Dogs are awesome.

  7. 😀 Biggest plot twist of the decade right here!

    I love this. Although I honestly expected shirtless to die first…

    As to the discussion…I don’t think I could bring myself to kill my beloved dog, but I don’t think he’d be useful. The fact that we never trained the big guy for anything would probably render him useless for anything but morale.

    • Shirtless is too awesome to die first.

  8. Don’t want to kill the dog, don’t want to eat the dog… don’t want him to turn zombie and kill me, don’t want him to bark and pull the attention of every zombie in the neighborhood on me or my group… don’t have the time to train a dog… (let alone walk the dog)

    Well, to make a long story short; I don’t have a dog and will never get one, just in case we get a ZA.

    I will buy me a goldfish though…

    • Hah!

  9. My dog Sparky will make a great snack for the Z. He barks all the time at every thing. This encourages my other dog to start howling. We would so be toast.

    • Good thing Sparky can’t read.

  10. We have fish as pets and I’m not overly attached. Those could easily become some tasty meals down the line. DH has already been eyeing our big Red Devil Cichlid for dinner. Most cichlids are edible and guppies breed remarkably fast. 🙂

    • Maybe that could also be a renewable source of food as well if you have enough fish for them to breed!

      • Now there’s a thought!

  11. Go Barb! I have to admit that I almost wrote one those “that guy” posts pointing out that the weapon Barb picked up and used appeared to be a tactical shotgun whereas the zombie chow formerly known as “convict smiley” had been brandishing a handgun. A quick review of the past couple of stripes, however, revealed that he had been holding the shotgun in his left hand the entire time. I should have known better then to think Dave would have made a rookie mistake like that. As far as dogs go, Im a big fan of our canine friends. Being a very deep sleeper I prefer to have someone around with better senses then I do and who can alert me to trouble when needed. I have slept soundly many a night in some remote cabin or tent out in the middle of the woods somewhere knowing that that anyone or anything that tried to mess with me was going to have to contend with 100lbs of fur, muscle and teeth before they got to (a now awake,armed and ready) me. While I am a fan or larger breeds (current dog is shepherd/lab mix that we rescued) A smaller, easier to maintain do would probably do just as good a job on guard duty. None of the flopsy/mopsy B.S. mind you. When I say smaller I mean something like a Boston Terrier or maybe a Jack Russel. Small but really brave and tough.

    • There end up being quite a few guns in play here:
      Gene’s revolver
      Prisoner’s pistol
      Prisoner’s shotgun

      And now this prisoner’s MP5.

  12. Foreshadow much? Not that we can trust any of the hints you drop. You had me going on the completely irrelevant point of whether or not Genes injuries were survivable under the current conditions.

    • Hah. I try to cover my ass.

  13. Hah, I can’t even imagine firing a SPAS-12 one-handed. That is, of course, a major problem for minifigs; their arms don’t work right for long guns.