Zombie Cliche Lookout: Splinter Groups
While conventional wisdom holds that there is strength in number, there are also a lot of interpersonal issues to deal with. Even though having more people around to deal with zombies is a good thing, if everyone is fighting and nothing is getting done, that strength simply isn’t worth it. In times like this, sometimes if makes sense to break up the group into two or more smaller and more functional groups. Of course, this often introduces some new conflicts about how to fairly split up the resources of the original group, especially if people brought some very desirable things into the group in the past.
This is another flavor of this trope, which is where two groups temporarily merge toward some common goal, with the plan to split back up once they accomplish whatever it is the group was formed to do. This can be as simple as securing a temporary location against the zombies, or something far more complex and long-term. Either way, everyone enters into the group with the understanding that it is very much temporary. Of course, sometimes allegiances shift during the temporary merger.
About this Episode:
And we’re back! Thank you all for your patience while I took some time away from the comic for the holidays. It was really nice to spend time with my family, and I’m totally ready to get back to work on things.
Discussion Question: New Year’s Resolution
This is an obvious one, given the time of year, but I’m going with it anyway: what is your New Year’s resolution? I’m going to play along on this one. During my recovery from my broken leg and the two surgeries I need to put things back together, I put on a fair bit of weight. Somewhere in the neighborhood of twenty pounds. Now, I wasn’t exactly in good shape to begin with, so I certainly couldn’t afford the extra. So my goal, as I’m sure you have guessed, is to get into better shape in 2015. I’m also doing this to train up for Tough Mudder in September, which is going to kill me if I’m not in better shape.
Well, my New Year’s Resolution was going to be to deal with the personal loan. I had a windfall at a local gaming establishment, and wasn’t spending too heavily, and I got a jackpot big enough to pay out the loan. So I did exactly that. I guess the main goal I’m going after this year, now, is to take better care of my own life, which is not really a resolution, it’s an ongoing process. 😉
Nicely done on paying off that loan, BrickVoid. My wife and I are working on getting out of debt as well. This is our fourth year working on the project, and we anticipate being done at the end of 2016. At this point, the only things we have left are her student loans, although that’s still a big chunk of change to knock out.
There’s one possible typo in the Discussion Question session: “This is a obvious one” a–>an 😉 Generally speaking, the convention is to use ‘an’ in sentences where the word it’s placed before has a vowel sound at the beginning of the word. Up to Dave, though if he wants to correct it or not. 😉
Yeah, that’s definitely a typo. Fixed.
Same here Dave. Time to loose this same 40lbs again. This will be the 4th time. I drop down to a respectable weight, maintain it for about 2 years, then one day I notice my clothes starting to get a little tight again. I hop on the scale and BOOM. Back to my old weight again.
I need to lose about the same amount. Looks like I’ve got a virtual weight loss buddy!
Are we about to lose Inez D:
Maybe so. I figured I’d start the year with a bit of drama.
Deal. Misery loves company. Although you CANT be that overweight if your seriously considering a Tuff Mudder in Sept.
Yeah, maybe 40 pounds is highballing it, but I definitely have my work cut out for me.
Besides, I’m not running the damn thing.
Well. its not like a 5k where they let you walk it. I HATE running but Im thinking of taking it up. Seems like the most efficient cardio I can get. I love my martial arts, but 3 minute sparing matches and grappling sessions can only get you so far. I need more cardio. I was in a tournament last spring where I had to point-spar 3 matches back to back. I almost keeled over. My only savior was that I was competing in the 35+ age group so there weren’t any of these annoying youngsters to deal with. You don’t know the meaning of the work “pathetic” until you see two men in their 40s go at it for 9 solid minutes. Looked like the that fight scene from “UP”
I wouldn’t walk the whole way, but man I just can’t run very far. I’ve got two very messed up ankles that simply stop working after running for a bit.
That UP reference was hilarious, sir.
I wonder if Inez really wants to be crammed into a 2-seater with a pair of people who probably don’t really want her along for the ride? 😀 Human interactions in a a zombie apocalypse are tricky at best, but when it gets to the “three’s a crowd” stage, things can get decidedly hairy rather quickly! 😉
Doesn’t sound like a lot of fun to me either; she must be desperate to get away from this group.
I wonder what his compensation was… 😉
Hah, I imagine the gun he’s flashing around, although the phrasing is pretty strange now that you pointed it out.
Ahh the gun! Is that a metaphor? 😉
I missed that… It’s a tough angle.