Zombie Cliche Lookout: Tough Retort
The thing about being a tough guy is that it’s not a part time job. You can’t be a tough guy most of the time, and then turn into a total wimp when the shit hits the fan. Because then, my friend, you’re a poser. And no one likes a poser, especially in the zombie apocalypse.
This one gets turned on its nose all the time, particularly when the tough guy goes soft for a kid, or an animal, or a pretty girl/guy. That said, I like it better when this trope gets played straight and the guy stays indomitable to the end, even when it puts him at a distinct disadvantage. Sure, he (or she) could probably make it out alive if they’d simply hold their tongue and compromise, but that’s just not the way they work.
About this Episode:
I don’t think a single one of you didn’t see this turn of events coming. I thought I was being pretty clever here, but I guess I’m more predictable than I thought.
Okay smart guys, what’s going to happen next?
Discussion Question: Bows and Crossbows?
AMC’s The Walking Dead (I say AMC here because Daryl was not a character that originated in the comic) has made crossbows a popular choice among people rolling out their zombie survival plans. My question is, just how practical is this? What are the benefits? Drawbacks? Are people underestimating the learning curve and strength requirements of shooting bows?
Of course, one of the obvious benefit is the chance to re-use or possibly even make your own arrows/bolts/quarrels. But, again, how realistic is that? I’d imagine that you could occasionally reclaim an arrow, but would searching for them be the best use of your time, especially considering that they could very possibly be broken?
Whats going to happen next? ‘Click’ no ammo! Guns are for show, knives are for a pro 😉
As the bows/crossbows I’m not a fan. The ammo is the biggest issue, and homemade ammo takes away accuracy which in turn makes the weapon useless.
I think a lot of people underestimate the difficulty of making arrows too.
Sam is going to discover the gun is out of ammo or jammed and beat him to death with the end of it! 😀
In a zombie apocalypse, broken guns make an excellent bashing weapon! 😉
That’s pretty hardcore, BV.
1st of all, whats up? I’m finally back! And 2nd, I’m sure that one of the other people in the house wont approve of Sam’s reckless actions. Besides, who kills someone in a chapel? That’s not cool.
Sam could also reveal some hidden badass, namely that he’s actually very familiar with how guns work, and is quite okay with shooting this guy dead. 😀
He just might. Perhaps he’s an avid hunter?
Oh, and about starting to piss him iff? What about Sam, he’s already very pissed off IMHO! Pot, kettle, black! 😀
*off, sorry.
Oh yeah, Sam is not happy right now.
For me a crossbow is a reasonable weapon in context. When Norman Reedus was asked about his never-ending supply of ammo in an interview I read, he said that they recover arrows as they can (which is constantly evident in the series) and they find arrows in houses. I don’t really buy the finding arrows in homes line, but there you go. Crossbows do have the advantage of relative silence and powerful accuracy at close range. But I would not rely on one as my primary weapon. I view it sort of the way I view suppressed firearms – practical for that one quiet kill but not the way you want to fight off an army.
I could easily see keeping one to hunt with so that you don’t call the hoard down on yourself every time you shoot at lunch.
Finding arrow in houses? That seems impractical. I could see it if he were using a bow, but don’t crossbows use different ammo?
Yes they do.
On another tack, I am skeptical that you could use a modern crossbow as a bludgeon like Darryl often does and expect it to continue to function.
I suppose it depends on how it’s built. A rifle stock should serve as a bludgeon, perhaps crossbows are built the same way?
Preeeeetty sure that gun isn’t loaded. Only reason that guy would be so calm. Or he is a really good actor. Someone give that man an Oscar if that’s so!
As for the question, I think that a crossbow isn’t as practical as it is made in the show. By no means am I an archer and I do not believe I’ll become one any time soon, and under that basis I’ll say that the crossbow isn’t the best idea. I’ve seen people shoot crossbows before, but never have done so myself, and from what I’ve seen it’s a pain in the ass to pull back that spring and set it. I’ve always wondered how practical that would be in the zombie apocalypse when you’re all tired, hands filled with inevitably scars from previous cuts, and possibly bleeding from time to time. Good old Mini-14 will stay a while longer here with me.
Didn’t someone point out the draw weight in the last episode? Wasn’t it well over 100 pounds. That’s a hell of a lot of weight for some people.
It seems that the consensus is that Sam has an unloaded and/or jammed weapon.
I think the guy just thinks that Sam is too much of a pansy to shoot, pushing his luck for sure.
I expected a lot more people to think that, Calicade.
I kinda really do hope he shoots, adds a necessary evil to Sam’s personality. It’d make him a lot more interesting for sure.
Maybe Sam comes to his senses… So this guy is annoying and he’s trying to manipulate Sam… and yes he asked the question that made Sam relive his wife’s death…
Did he do anything really physically aggressive? Is what he said really THAT bad?
Does this mean the guy has to die? Come on Sam… come to your senses and walk away. Leave the anger for the Z’s
Ahum… well, that’s my take on things 🙂
Well, they did knock Sam out and drag him here against his will, so there’s that. Poor Sam is probably concussed.
Ow… ehm… I forgot about that ‘little’ detail.
Hah!
I’ve liked Crossbows for a very long time, they’ve always been my favored archaic ranged weapon. They can be used with the ease of a rifle, have as much power as a bow, and the only sound they make is a twang. The issue with the crossbow has to be it’s reloading time. As for reclaiming arrows and bolts will probably be the greatest possibility of regaining them. Creating them though? Well unless you’re a fletcher I wouldn’t trust myself to make any bolts or arrows to use. Perhaps you could learn how to do it over a few years.
I would think you could eventually learn how to do it, if you survived that long. In the meantime, there’d be a hell of a lot of trial and error.
I own longbows and they’re hard enough for me to pull. I’ve tried out crossbows and I just don’t have the strength to pull them 1) at all or 2) quickly if I needed it. When I can pull it, my hands shake from the exertion and my accuracy would be shot.
I need to try my hand at archery. Not for hunting or defense or anything like that; it just looks fun.
Let’s face it… crossbow are sooo cool ! Bow are cool too though.
Problem is that both requires some training (like every weapon in general to be efficient with). So few chances I’ll run looking for them, grab it if there. I’ll stay with the baseball bat, no need for refill, easy to use.
IMO gun is loaded (I hate the unloaded gun trick) I don’t feel Sam can kill someone cold blood, even he sure look pretty pissed.
Ok you get it ! I ain’t got no idea what will happen, but I rely on Dave to make it looks good
I shall try my best.
And, for the record, bows and crossbows are indeed cool.
I think when it comes down to the fighting, a crossbow is not the best choice. First, the amount of strength needed for the draw is not practical, especially after five or ten shots. second, it is near impossible to hit a target at a fair range when on the move – crossbows require a steady hand and footing, and this is difficult to maintain when running. Also, they are not ideal for melee because it is likely that the bowline will snap, fray, or be dislodged. I am guessing most crossbows are not meant for heavy impact. Third, the “retrieving ammo” is not very practical when the shots are embedded deep in the gnarled flesh of the undead. This is also not very sanitary to retrieve. In addition, wind direction and strength play a massive role in archery. Also, any small flaw in the shaft or fletching will impede accuracy. Finally, crossbows are almost always heavier, and the archer can only comfortably carry about fifty arrows (which are very bulky and cumbersome, not to mention sharp) ,whereas ammunition for a rifle can be carried by the hundred in compact magazines.
Overall, I do not think the crossbow is practical or effective, and is overly dramatized by TWD.
Cool topic Dave, and I am really liking the comics!
Oh man, great call on the topic of the unsanitary nature of reusing ammo. Let’s say you shoot a zombie with a arrow; do you think you’d be willing to reuse that for hunting? Would you have defense and hunting arrows separate?
I agree, if you killed zombies with it, you would never want to use it to hunt food, (I would never feel comfortable no matter how many times I scrubbed the arrow). Good call Dave!
Also Dave is correct about the arrow type; compound bows use hollow fiberglass arrows but most crossbows (at least large game crossbows) use aluminum. Different brands utilize different sizes and materials, so searching house to house would be almost always futile – at least when it comes down to arrows.
Lastly, arrows wobble and bend in flight, so they do not always cleanly pierce the target accurately.
BTW: Pi3rK, a baseball bat is very unlikely to crush the brain to the point it incapacitates the undead. Humans may die from the trauma, but the undead need the brain pulverized – not knocked around inside the skull. Baseball bats also send violent tremors up the shaft when hitting something hard (why baseballs are so soft) so you would likely either break a wrist (if not wrapped) or drop the bat! I would go for a tire iron (the “l” type) instead because this will enter the brain and not just obliterate the skull. In addition, swinging a bat hard enough more than once can damage the shoulder, wrist, or snap a tendon. Not worth it!
At this point Sam is clearly ready to strike, whether or not the gun is empty!
Once I heal up I’ve got to do some more weapon test videos with coconuts and improvised weapons. It should be interesting.
Fiberglass??????? I havent seen a fiberglass arrow since the 70s.
Im wondering if the other guys in Abe’s family/team will show up. We have not seen them for quite a while, and they are quite possibly observing this from a one-way mirror. Also, I am 99% sure that gun is unloaded, or at least the safety is on.
As said in the Zombie Survival Guide, bows and crossbows are impractical as a primary, simply because they require a lot of skill, and if you are unskilled or moderate, you will have to get a lot closer to your target, perhaps alerting it to your position, eliminating the need for a silent weapon.
PS really glad the storyline is at a brisk pace again, and that Dave’s all right.
The one-way mirror thing is a super cool idea.
LOL side note, if you hover your mouse over the panels it says: “Good thing the gun isn’t loaded”
LOL… now that looks like a spoiler. Maybe it’s Abe’s way of trying to see if Sam is turning in a cold blooded killer who can join Abe’s team…
Interesting idea.
I was wondering if anyone was going to notice the mouse-over text.
Well it seems I’m the only one wrong as I said the gun was loaded… 🙁
Oh no one said you were wrong. That mouse-over text is just a joke that’s playing on my comments about everyone predicting the story 🙂
I’m back! Took a vacation from the internet. It was so calming! But about the crossbow, not to sure it would work out in the long term. If people think pistol maintenance is a lot, crossbow is a lot worse. I’ll stick with my Sig, thank you very much. A great comic strip, once again!
Welcome back!