Zombie Cliche Lookout: No Scrubs
I’m going to get a little dark in regards to zombie fans in this write up. Please bear in mind that I’m not making a sweeping statement about all fans of the genre, but rather only a small subset of fan. Okay, that disclaimer out of the way, I have noticed a fairly disconcerting trend in which certain fans seem to love the fact that there is a decisive separation between people who have the ability to survive, and those that don’t. In fact, they see it as an opportunity to purge the world of those that they perceive as weak. I find this aspect of the fanbase pretty damn horrifying, but I also think it makes for an interesting theme when it’s integrated into the story itself.
About this Episode:
In the last episode, Pepper made the following comment: “Are we sure Dave has a wife and kids? Because Dave doesn’t seem like a family man, at all! He killed Sam’s pregnant wife. He slaughtered most of the family at the chapel. He killed “Family Man” Ted. He had Tara leave her father to die alone. And now these kid’s are about to watch their mother be eaten alive! Dave is a sick man, disguised as a family man.”
This was just a fantastic point, and I think it gets to something I’ve been doing in the comic without really thinking about it. Indeed, I am a family man, so naturally the thing I would fear most is seeing my loved ones put at risk when there is nothing I can do about it. This fear just keeps coming up again and again in the story. Weird, eh?
Or maybe I’m just a bitter, single guy. You’ll never know!
Discussion Question: Vicky’s Options
Time for a little bit of role playing. In this scenario, you’re Vicky. What do you do? Can you save yourself and your kids?
Clark has totally lost it there’s one zombie, can’t he see that if he acts quickly, he can help Vicky and her kids?
It doesn’t seem like any of them are going to make it, and it looks like the kids are going to get a blunt lesson as to why they shouldn’t want to be attacking a zombie.
I think by the end of this story arc, Vicky and the kids are going to be zombies, and there’s only going to be Clark and a rather confused Barb left to clean up the three zombiefied charges Clark was left in charge of! 😀
Clark is definitely cracking up, no question about it. Of course I won’t comment on how the arc will end.
Also, if I’m not mistaken, there seems to be a rather good chance Clark will be set upon by a zombie just around the corner. Those who run away to try and live another day often become the victim of something lurking just around the corner! 😀
Haha! Yes they do!
I hope not! I’d love to see him come back from this.
I don’t know if Dave would do the obvious thing, and kill off a coward.
Dave’s story is very realistic. People die. Sometimes from simple mistakes, like Ted. So I think it’d be a little too convenient to have Clark die right after abandoning two young children in the zombie apocalypse.
“Realistic” might be a stretch, but that is indeed what I’m shooting for, balanced against using movie and book tropes for fun.
That happens all the time. Reminds me of Steve in the Dawn of the Dead remake from 2004.
*Plays Viki. Flails arms about useslessly while thinking about all those hours wasted in martial art classes as they are tackled by a rotting canable corpse.*
You know you would think the same thing :3
Also, I did not know that about zombie fans, wanting z’s to cull the ‘week’. I find it odd really, given that the zombie genra (supposedly) plays on the fear of crowds.
Oh and I would try to brace my arm under the zombies chin and roll left or right. Failing that, hit it my free hand because…why not at that point?
It’s something I hear people talk about, or see online from time to time, and it really bugs me. I don’t understand people like that.
Darn it! I really like Clark.
I may have to rethink a few things. 🙂
I’m hoping that he remembered something that could help them. And it’s just around the corner. But I can’t think of anything.
Or I hope he starts arguing with himself, and turns around and goes back to save the day.
How heartbreaking would that be if Clark struggles with his decision. Argues with himself. And he decides to go back to save Vicky and the kids, just to see them all being devoured by zombies. Maybe even seeing Zed-Vicky eating one of her own children.
What would that do to clark? I would love to see him try to move on and try to forgive himself.
Would it be worse that way, or would it be worse if Ted would still be alive?
He’d feel Way more guilty,having killed his wife and kids, but maybe he could receive forgiveness from Ted. And that would help them both heal. Maybe.
Omg!
I tapped into your subconsciousness, Dave! =O
And I didn’t even know I was doing it. Does that mean that my subconscious hacked into your subconscious? Haha! 😀
I love that you had this entire conversation by yourself. Some really great thoughts here. I can’t speak to the way I’m going to approach things, naturally, but I hope you find the way they take the character interesting.
It looks like Vicky might be about to kick the zed onto Teddy Jr.! That would not be good! :'(
If I’m Vicky, with Ted gone, Clark running away, and barb who knows where, I would know that I am the only one that’s gonna look after my kids. So I wouldn’t want to tell them to run!
Maybe I’d have to put my kids in danger and yell at them to try and grab the zed’s legs and trip him, or flip him over. But then they might become the zombie’s target. So hopefully it would mix the zed up long enough for me to get back up and kill him, or grab my kids and run away!
But I don’t think I’d even think of putting the kids in danger in that situation. I’d probably just yell at them to RUN!!! And I’d have to deal with it myself. Dammit! I should have told them to go back in the house! Darn!
Do you have kids, by any chance?
Nope. 🙂
But I have a Boston Terrier that I Love Very Very much! Same thing, right? Haha!
And if I did, I probably wouldn’t tell you!
Just in case you Were a “bitter single guy”. Haha.
I know it’s dark, but I like the idea of Vicky kicking the zombie away only to have it land on one of her children. It’d be a great escalation of tension, and offer a great self-hatred for Vic later on.
She’d WANT to kill herself for what she did (even though it wouldn’t be her fault) but has to go on in order to make sure her other child survived.
Yes!!!
The weak must die! 😀
Hehe.
Definitely. I wonder if the other child would carry any guilt, then.
Especially the boy. If he were young enough,he might think he can be just like his favorite superheroes. And he would feel horrible for not saving his sister.
Because he can!
He’s “Superboy”. And he’s been protecting the city of Sandbox, from the evil powers of Lord Ruff, for Years!
Then maybe after she died, he would go crazy and keep thinking he’s a super hero. And he’d always be putting himself in danger, thinking he’s going to save everyone.
That would seem silly, but it might just be crazy enough to work. It would be soo frustrating for Vicky. She used to cheer on “Superboy”, in his battles. But now she has to tell him to cut it out, and face reality.
And if he can’t, well then that would be so sad. :'(
That would be a horrible situation. But, now I kinda want it to happen! 😀 Sorry, kids!
Hah! There I go again! You give me so many thoughts, Dave! 🙂
So far there doesn’t seem to be a hidden bite on the foot, so there is a good chance Vicky can save both the kids and herself, if she gets them to listen, stop whacking the dead head and pull the zed forward while she pushes it up and over.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GVqk1-Ed6jQ has the throw I’m talking about 46 seconds into the video. However seeing how the current danger is a strong and fast creature likely to grab both kids about mid-flight and force us into a painful choice of “only one can…”
The problem is the canon from episodes 711 to current. We know the family quitely moved and probably neatly put the boards and some of the more dangerous stuff away, to where we haven’t seen. This means the ak like gun, a hammer, and other helpful items are somewhere off most of your screenshots. If Clark grabs any of the items that could help the situation we have a chance to see him develop into a new role or fumble into a “now you have the kids and guilt” role especially if he is truly having a nervous breakdown.
In all honesty though I must say: “Kids are like clay, adults are like bricks” whatever you put a kid through they must shape up and then act on what they internalize.
If I’m Vicky I probably die trying to save my kids… Because I’ll do anything I can to prevent this monster to attack them, even putting my body as the ultimate shield.
I’ll accept the bites long enough to tell them to go away and leave me. Hoping they’ll run away… So they don’t see me dying…
I’d like to see that next episodes LOL
#BestMomEver
Hi Dave, Outlast 2 is being released soon, will you be doing your YouTube commentary series? 🙂
I’m thinking that seeing her kids in danger might give Vicky that rush of adrenaline she needs to overpower the zombie and then, working together, the three of them defeat it.
Having Clark run away straight into another zombie is a cliche, but I could justify it here.