Zombie Cliche Lookout: Flipping the Odds
In the majority of popular fiction, the good guys win, although the zombie genre frequently turns this on its head. Why is this? Well, I suspect most people like to see the people they’re rooting for win out. After all, if the trope was the other way around, consuming too much popular entertainment would be pretty tough on the psyche. That said, I often found this cliche frustrating as a kid. Why did Cobra have to be such knuckleheads? Surely the Ninja Turtles couldn’t stop all of Shredder’s machinations. And for the Decepticons to have any menace whatsoever, didn’t they need to actually be able to win from time to time?
Yes, I grew up in the late eighties and early nineties, why do you ask?
At any rate, there is a balancing act to having the protagonists winning. As readers and fans, we want to see our side win, but that has to be tempered. They can’t win too often, and they certainly can’t win too easily. After all, if the good guys are completely overpowered, they don’t need you rooting for them, do they?
About this Episode:
In retrospect, I should have swapped out Cheryl’s face in that first panel to the “angry” version. Dumb mistake on my part. Also, in the last panel Cheryl is talking to Sam and Tara behind her, not Ned and Bill.
Discussion Question: Bad Guys Winning?
As I said above, the norm in popular fiction is that, in the end, the bad guys lose and the good guys come out on top. Sure, there are setbacks and sacrifices along the way, but that’s the overall trend. It is not, however, a 100% guarantee. So give me some of your favorite books, movies, games, comics, etc. where the good guys don’t triumph in the end.
Typo alert: “After all, it the trope” it–>if 😀
“all of Shedder’s machinations” Shedder–>Shredder I watched this show as a relatively young person and I certainly know how to spell his name! I still Googled it to be sure, though! 😀
“should have swapped our Cheryl’s face” our–>out 😉
“on my part.Also,” Insert space before “Also” 😀
Four typos today, Dave! That’s not actually as bad as it sounds! 😀
Fixed all; thanks.
Wednesday’s comic should be opened with “Give us one good reason not to murder more of your people, Ned?” 😀 I’m sure he’ll find an acceptable answer to that one, even though he has been a bit brutal himself, he ought to know what this other group is trying to do: Survive and get along peacefully wherever possible! 😀
I shall answer your question… in a song…
Well, I’d expect some zombies heard that song and will be along to interrupt it – unless you mean the zombies are the “song”! 😀
I still don’t understand who Tara was shooting at in Episode 839 as she still seems to be shooting at nobody at all.
Confusing, that! 😀
She hit Stewart, which is why Russell, Sam, and Tara are gathered around him. Looks like I could have made that much more clear.
To the nth degree mate! 😀
Dave: “Yes, I grew up in the late eights and early nineties, why do you ask?”
I have to say, I’d ask in order to get to know better just how old you were at the time of seeing those cartoons. 😀 I’d also ask because it would give me relevant background information on what you did as a teenager or young adult! 😀
I’d also ask what were things like for you back in those days? 😀 So, what were they like? 😀
Also, it looks like it took me a hell of a long time to grow up.
Fixed.
By the way, I find it perfectly acceptable to use shortened forms like “80’s” or “90’s”, it’s easier to remember the spelling of words that aren’t really words. 😀
I frequently come across tweets on Twitter that have the shortened form of the above eras! 😀
Typo alert: “eights” –> eighties 😀
Got it.
Are you sure? 😉
That typo made me lol when I saw it in the question of yours I answered! 😀
In Western culture the good guys win in the end. Communist countries movies frequently the “good guys” won but died in the end for the glory of the state. Starting with War of the Worlds (TV series) and Babylon 5 if a series knew it was going on for a year or more, the good guys frequently lost many of the early battles until they could finally struggle through to learn how to defeat the enemy or enemies as was frequently the case.
I just read War of the Worlds. It was a pretty interesting read, and not exactly what I had expected.
To answer the question Water World, Mad Max (all three movies) and the original Fallout game the “Hero” won the day but could not take part in the triumph as the were sent away. Oh and the new Star Wars movies told us the “good guys” didn’t win but only got a minor triumph and have been at war for decades and basically all their lives went to s***.
I can’t recall the ending of Water World, but Mad Max is a damn good example.
He couldn’t get used to the land not moving and left on his boat