ZOMBIES: Recap/Notes #TheWalkingDead finale 'Too Far Gone'

THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH HUMANITY REARS ITS UGLY FACE AGAIN IN MID-SEASON FINALE
by
Bowie V. Ibarra

Things have once again come to a head in the mid-season finale of 'The Walking Dead'.  And with all the teasers we got up to the finale, I had one question from my dependable Wild Speculators: 

Who dies? this round?

JACKIE DRUGA,
author of 'The Flu' series from Permuted Press

I hate to say it ... Herschel.  But I'm hoping for Beth.

 R THOMAS RILEY
author of If God Doesn't Show from Permuted Press

Rick.

ARMY ED, Special Weapons and Tactics advisor to ZBF.com

No one.

Well, here are some notes from the show, including the body count.

LORI PARENTING SKILLS

So, what is it about the zombie apocalypse that has made parents think they can use the old 'stay where I can see you' school of thought.  It's like Lori with Carl not staying in the house.  This isn't play in the mud time anymore like in the olden days.  This is the zpoc, where zeds are randomly walking through the wood in packs.

This muddy zed might finally explain those zeds in the road the other episode.  The Governor stopped his car because of mud in the road.  It must have been a flood plain and the zeds got caught up in it.

Well, anyway, we got to watch a young child get bit by a zombie.  Not fun.

A SHOUTOUT TO LUCIO FULCI?

Am I the only one that noticed that mudslide zombie was reminiscent of Spanish Conquistador zombie from Lucio Fulci's classic, 'Zombie'?

Check it out here.

THE GOVERNOR AS JIM JONES

You got to admit, the Governor might be a sonovabitch, but he's got an assload of charisma.  this guy was like a Zpoc Jim Jones of Jonestown fame, leading his sheep into the flames for his own self-interests.

I mean, look at him.  Coming in to the new group, even after the mysterious deaths of previous leadership, he still earns the hearts and minds of the survivors and convinces them that making a move on the folks at the prison is the right thing to do.

I have to admit, I don't know how I would react to some dude showing up, mysterious deaths of leadership, and mobilization of a group of unskilled folks against a fortified position in the middle of the zpoc.  I don't know, maybe stay quiet, pack my shit, and run the other way with my friends.

BODY COUNT AND TEASERS

We had a huge zombie death teaser with the cutaway from Daryl as a zed was about to sneak up behind him, but that didn't go down. 

We had a huge teaser for Rick as the Governor took the full mount and was raining blows to his face when Michonne came in for the save, running him through.

I believe there's another big teaser for 'Lil Ass Kicker's alleged death.  Yeah, daddy Rick and big brother Carl saw the bloody baby carrier.  We also saw what a hard time the kids were having lugging that thing around.  Hell, you can see that most every day outside of the zombie apocalypse.  Those things are a pain in the ass.

So in the midst of the debacle, it stands to reason that since we didn't see the baby get eaten, that one of the kids or an adult picked the baby up out of the contraption and ran off with her.

Of course, I said the same thing about Lori, and that they would come face to face with her zombie and that didn't play out.

So, in the end, the Governor ate it, and he executed Herschel.  Dipshit Mitch the Bitch took a bolt to the heart from Daryl.  And the Governor's new family pretty much ate it as well.

HERSCHEL'S MEXICAN CARTEL STYLE EXECUTION

This sucked a lot. 

Herschel's an amazing character, and one of the most noble of the series.  He got a piece of his neck sliced by the Governor, sparking the skirmish to take the prison.  As the battle started, Herschel tried to slide away, only to be recaptured by the Governor and have the rest of his head hacked off.

Having watched Mexican Cartel decapitation videos online in an effort to research my 'cartel vs. zombies' work in progress, I've learned, much to my horror, that decapitations are not as glamorous or easy as we've been led to believe.  It would most definitely taken multiple hacks with Michonne's Hanzo sword to finally lop the head off.

You know, like Mary Queen of Scots.  The executioner's job was not easy.  And though I've seen some executions from the middle east that did not take as long as Mexican cartel dudes using knives to slit the throat and start digging in, the fact is there's lots of effort put into cutting folks heads off.  That's what made that final gruesome moment with the Governor finishing Hershel the most disturbing moment of the episode to me.

Also, whatever you do, don't Google 'Mexican Cartel Decapitations'. 

No, seriously, don't do it.

ALSO, WHY HERSCHEL?

So, The Governor has a choice to hack off the heads of Herschel or Michonne.  One is an old man who doesn't really have any serious beef with The Governor, apart from him being a total asshole.  The other is a woman who killed his daughter, messed him up in the head, and is his biggest reason for making the lives of The Walking Dead Fun Bunch miserable.  What the hell?  Just a strange choice.

CAROL'S LEGACY

Well, that one pre-teen finally took the exiled Carol's words to heart.  Well done on the pistol headshot, little girl.  I don't care what the internets says about you, you're fine by me making executive decisions in the heat of battle.

THE HEART OF HUMAN CONFLICT

And, in the end, we see the true problem with human existence bringing itself to the fore again.  The late Rodney King said it best when he said, 'Can't we all just get along?"

The Governor shows up with a tank and his 2nd militia to take the prison, demanding Rick and his friends leave.  Well, duh, Rick's not going to walk away from everything he and his friends have made at the prison and points out how stupid it is for the Governor to overrun the prison.  Then nobody gets it.  Rick even offers to squash the past and live together in a truce for the greater good.

But the governor's not having it, and everybody loses.

It makes one wonder if Carl would have taken that shot with his rifle and scored, what would have happened?  Would the militia have tried to move on the prison without their leader?  Hershel might have lived.  Who knows?

SEPERATE STORIES OF SURVIVAL

In the end, the Governor's 2nd Militia was decimated, the prison overrun by zeds, and the Walking Dead Fun Bunch were splintered.  You've got Glenn and the folks on the bus as one group.  You figure Tyrese, the kids, Maggie, and Daryl.  And Carl and his Dad.  Is that right?  Did I miss something?

The Daryl/Tyrese dynamic will be interesting, with Tyrese having beef with Carol.  We'll see how that plays out.  I'm already seeing an episode where this team meets Carol in the future.

Army Ed was a big proponent of seeing how different groups survive.  Looks like this will be the story for the second part of the season:  How these three groups survive and if they reunite.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

This is pretty easy to identify.  Three big things stick out:

Will Carol return?

What the hell was with that dissection of the rat?

Who were the folks that massacred that small group in the woods?

Well, that's that for now.  Until February, pick up one of my books or one from Permuted Press today.  It's good shit.  You should read them.

Down the Road, Down the Road: On the Last Day, and Down the Road: The Fall of Austin.  Pick them up in paperback or Kindle today.

 

 

 

BOWIE V. IBARRA earned his BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University.  Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com today.

ZOMBIES: Recap - #TheWalkingDead 'Dead Weight' coup d'etat

IS THE GOVERNOR RUNNING AS A FACE OR A HEEL?
by
Bowie V. Ibarra

One minute, the Governor is ready to cash out.  The next, his new family is lighting his fires of life again.  This guy is nuttier than squirrel turds, and it comes to the fore again in the episode 'Dead Weight'.

But before we get to the notes, lets take a look at the 'wild speculation' for this episode from my trusty Z-Day enthusiasts.

ARMY ED, Special Weapons and Tactics advisor to ZBF.com

The Governor turns face... until the kid dies.  Then, he'll fall apart.

The little girl gives him a reason to recapture what he's lost.  She will die because at some point he won't be able to save her.

JACKIE DRUGA,
author of 'The Flu' series from Permuted Press

It is a well known fact that we are going to be without the prison group for one more week until the mid season finale. Last week we saw the Gov in a flashback of what happened before he got to the prison.

I believe we will see a major character change in the gov. He found a greater purpose in that little girl. I predict a few more flashbacks and they meet up with the bad camp. I don't believe the gov will be responsible for the prison demise. I think he'll try to help because he needs a safe group for his new family.

Watch a for a new Governor to emerge because no one is expecting it. 

R THOMAS RILEY
author of If God Doesn't Show from Permuted Press

1) looks like we're stuck with the "new" Gov for a bit, oh joy
2) the writers will continue to dismantle and destroy the season 3 Gov ( let's face it, he can't get any more cliche, right? Right?)
3) I really don't see logically, the Gov being allowed refuge with Rick's group, but that's the direction the writers are headed, I fear
4) would love to see the Gov team up with the exiled Carol, fingers crossed 

NOTES

THEY'RE RIPPING OFF IDEAS FROM PERMUTED PRESS TITLES!

Okay, so maybe that headline is still a stretch.  There are a bunch of wild things that can happen during the zombie apocalypse.  And naturally, those things can be similar ideas that others have shared.  The whole 'flu' epidemic in the prison seemed straight out of Jackie Druga's book.  I remember only weeks before releasing 'Down the Road' that there was a 'heel wanting suicide but not having bullets' bit I had written into my book that played out just like on 'Resident Evil: Apocalypse'. 

And now, the decapitated folks with signs on their dead bodies was completely reminiscent of a scene from my book 'Down the Road: On the Last Day' in which local survivors confront a boy taking advantage of a young girl in town.

Look, you'll have to read it to understand how when I saw this as a part of the show, I knew a writer had cribbed the bit from my book.

But its logical something like that would happen in a world filled with chaos.  Get it on Kindle, cheap, and decide for yourself here.  You'll see what I mean.

WAS MARTINEZ GOLFING WITH A PUTTER?

I'm not a golfer by any stretch of the imagination, but was Martinez using a putter to fire off balls down the zombie fairway?  I know I am probably wrong, but aren't golfers supposed to use woods?

(UPDATED BY ZBF.COM SUPPORTER CHUCK M.)
*Martinez was using an iron (or pitching wedge), that's why he was hitting off the mat and not using a tee.  My guess is Martinez used a 9, the Governor used a 7.

(Thanks, Chuck!)

SKUNK BEER

There are going to be a lot of tragedies when the zombie apocalypse finally rolls around.  Death, destruction, mayhem.  But none of those will be as sad as the existence of skunk beer.  With refrigeration being undependable in the zpoc, any beer that was refrigerated will be considered skunky.

But there's hope.  Any beer that has NOT been refrigerated has a chance of not being skunky.  Beers in dark bottles also stand the best chance not being skunky.  And, unfortunately, the only beers they found were bottled in green bottles, reputed to get skunky the fastest when exposed to light.  Better to drink beer from green bottles that were stored in boxes that didn't expose them to natural light.

But did they drink it?  Hell yeah, they did.

Would I drink it?  Hell yeah, I would.

BITERS IN MUD/MASS GRAVE

Okay, so what the hell was that horde of zeds sloshing around in the mud like some kind of rained-out outdoor concert?  Were they rising from a mass grave?  Perhaps victims of the folks that jumped those people in that camp the Governor and friends stumbled on?

WHERE HAVE I SEEN THIS STRATEGY IN ACTION BEFORE?

The Governor gives his new ally, Mitch the Bitch, the excuse to cover up for pretty boy Pete's murder.  Once he brings Mitch the Bitch over to his side, the party line is going to be that Pete died on the supply run in some kind of noble exchange.  His reasoning?  'People believe what they want to believe' and 'Everybody loves a hero'. 
Pat Tillman, anyone?  (ohhhh, he went there...)

Next week, the Governor moves on the prison.  But will that other group of survivors show their face?  Was the person that wiped out that camp of survivors Carol?

Until next week.

And if you enjoyed the blog, support the blogger by picking up one of his zombie horror titles. 

 Down the Road, Down the Road: On the Last Day, and Down the Road: The Fall of Austin.  Pick them up in paperback or Kindle today.

 

 

 

BOWIE V. IBARRA earned his BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University.  Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com today.

FIGHTS: ZBF.com salutes Doctor Who's 50th

THE TV LEGACY OF SPACE/TIME CELEBRATED GLOBALLY
by
Bowie V. Ibarra

 



When I was a kid, Doctor Who was totally unknown to pretty much my entire hometown community.  There' was no one I could talk to about the shows, no one who watched it.  It would air on KLRN, the PBS station out of San Antonio, Texas, Monday thru Friday, at 10:30pm.

Now, raised as a good kid all my childhood, I went to bed at nine.  So I only got to watch one episode a week.  That was on Friday night.  I would record the shows with my audio tape player because I didn't know how to use the VCR yet.

Now, if I was lucky, during their fund raising weeks, they would show an entire Doctor Who series.  See, Doctor Who used to air in 25 minute episodes, usually around four-episodes long.  So during these fund raising events, they would show all four parts.  Sometimes, you might even get TWO full episodes.

We got the episodes years late here in the states.  We were never up to date for Doctor Who, but we got it.

But then it got canned in the UK, and it eventually disappeared from KLRN.  I knew I'd never see it again.

Then one night, years later, while house sitting, I noticed a movie on TV called 'Doctor Who'.  What?  Yep.  It's the Paul McGann flick, and it was a great one-shot.

Then, gone again.

Years later, it reappeared, and I couldn't believe it.  It even had the same opening that I remembered, right down to the music.  The special effects were much better than the original Tom Baker opening segment that I will always associate with Doctor Who.  But you could tell it was a total tribute to that.

I was moved.  Here was something that brought me so much joy as a child returning to television.

And now, years later, it has developed a global following that blows me away.  I never thought Doctor Who, that obscure UK TV show I used to watch as a child would ever return and be as huge as it is now.  Who would have thought that a TV show that was meant to be filler between TV shows on the BBC 50 years ago would set a world record for the number of people watching a TV show across the world?  I certainly didn't.

And although I miss the old days, I'm so happy to see the world sharing in the noble glory that is Doctor Who.

Now that little dorky kid that made a TARDIS out of an old refrigerator box doesn't feel so lonely anymore.

BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press.  One of his latest titles, 'Room 26 and the Army of Xulhutdul', is a magical young adult title filled with magic and adventure and is available in paperback or Kindle here.

Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com, where zombies, blood, and fights matter.

FIGHTS: Meet the Pit Fighters - Chin Wu: Shaolin Kung Fu

YOUNG SHAOLIN KUNG-FU MASTER FACES CHALLENGES IN MMA CAGES
by
Bowie V. Ibarra

Making the journey to discover the world is a kung-fu master from China.  He faces physical and philosophical challenges in San Uvalde as he puts his skills to the test in the MMA rings.

Here he is:

NAME:  CHIN WU
NICKNAME:  N/A
BIRTHDAY:  OCTOBER 4, 1973
BIRTHPLACE:  ZHENGZHOU, HENANG PROVINCE, CHINA
BILLED FROM:  SAN UVALDE, TEXAS
NATIONALITY:  CHINESE
FIGHTING STYLE:  SHAOLIN KUNG-FU
TEACHER:  SHAOLIN TEMPLE, YIN BAIWEN
SIGNATURE MOVES:  BACKFLIP KICK
HEIGHT:  5'7"
WEIGHT:  150 lbs.

BACKGROUND

Chin Wu had been orphaned at the age of four in Shanghai.  He was sent to the Shaolin temples in Zhengzhou, China, near the Yellow River, shortly before his fifth birthday.  After waiting several days in front of the door of the temple, he was allowed in.

            Strict discipline, intense training, and spiritual meditation dictated Chin’s life.  For the next 10 years, Chin Wu became an expert in Shaolin Kung-Fu, mastering the Five Animal System, advanced Shaolin Kung-Fu techniques, Chinese Boxing, and Drunken Style.  He also mastered many weapons techniques, including the moy fah gim (Plum Blossom Saber) and the nau yip doe (tie-sheet blade).  However, his favorites were the sahm jit gwun (three section staff) and the goong seun gwun (Goong family staff).

            After staying with the Shaolin community longer than anticipated, Chin Wu was encouraged to leave the temple.  As one of the most articulate and intelligent students, they sent Chin Wu off with a wave and a smile, knowing that he would find his place in the world.

            Immigrating to the United States, Chin spent some time in San Francisco working in Chinatown.  For the next three years, Chin worked at a restaurant and picked up the English language. 

            American culture fascinated Chin, especially movies.  Although the friends Chin met in San Francisco treated him to the modern movies, nothing compared to the “spaghetti westerns” of the sixties.  Chin was enamored with the music, the stories, and the action.

            After several years in San Francisco, the wind blew Chin Wu to San Uvalde, Texas, where he heard word of a fellow Shaolin monk that had set up a temple in town out on a small patch of land near Fort Inge. Yin Baiwen has been his teacher ever since.

 

Here's his book trailer teaser:

 

 

Read more about Chin Wu in the 'Pit Fighters' series from ZBF.com.  'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' are combat sports-themed books that features fights from the early days of MMA, and plenty of underground money fights.  You've got to check them out, and they're available on Kindle or paperback today.

 

 

BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster.  His latest story, 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull' is a Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite'.  Get it in paperback or Kindle today.

Bowie earned a BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University.  Network with Bowie for updates and news at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.

FIGHTS: Meet the Pit Fighters - William Campbell: Western Boxing

 A SCOTTISH BOXER COMPETES IN THE MMA CAGE IN THE 'PIT FIGHTERS' SERIES
by
Bowie V. Ibarra

A Scotsman looking to make a name for himself in MMA competition and boxing joins the stable of fighters of San Uvalde International.

Here's the lowdown:

NAME:  WILLIAM CAMPBELL
NICKNAME:  N/A
BIRTHDAY:  APRIL 28, 1963
BIRTHPLACE:  DUNDEE, SCOTLAND
BILLED FROM:  SAN UVALDE, TEXAS
NATIONALITY:  SCOTTISH
FIGHTING STYLE:  WESTERN BOXING
TRAINER:  ANGUS McKINNON
SIGNATURE MOVES:  UPPERCUT FLURRY
HEIGHT:  6'4"
WEIGHT:  21 STONE (ABOUT 290 LBS)

BACKGROUND

William was the sixth child of eight siblings.  Growing up in Dundee was rough on William, who quickly earned a reputation as a scrappy fighter in is early school days.  Ironically enough, when it came to settling issues between his siblings, he always chose the diplomatic route over fisticuffs.

When he was fifteen, William was encouraged by his father to join a boxing club in Dundee.  It was a blessing and a way for William to stay out of trouble on the streets, even though most people stayed well away from him at this point.  His size, intimidating.  His reputation, fearsome.

            Angus McKinnon, a former boxer, took him under his wing at his gym.  He helped William win his first super-heavyweight title at twenty-four, led William on a good run of victories in the UK and Europe.  But William would squander his winnings on wine, women, and song.  Those bad habits eventually led to his downfall as a champion boxer.

 

            Now considered a washup, William took back alley money fights to pay the bills before returning to work with Angus again.  But even though he had honed his skills again, no one wanted to sign him because of his reputation as a drunk and philanderer. 

 

            So William took to the money fight circuit to earn a shot he had lost in America for the big time.  He took any and all fights available, even MMA fights, utilizing his superior size and hand skills to win matches.  He eventually caught the attention of Herbert Hess, who signed him on to the San Uvalde International stable.  The rest is history.

Here's his promo trailer:

CLICK HERE TO SEE WILLIAM'S BOOK TRAILER

Follow the adventures of William as he tries to reach his goal of fight sports glory in the 'Pit Fighters' series.  'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' are combat sports-themed books that features fights from the early days of MMA, and plenty of underground money fights.  You've got to check them out, and they're available on Kindle or paperback today.

 

 

BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster.  His latest story, 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull' is a Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite'.  Get it in paperback or Kindle today.

Bowie earned a BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University.  Network with Bowie for updates and news at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.

FIGHTS: Meet the Pit Fighters - El Aire: Lucha Libre

MEXICAN LUCHADOR FEATURED FIGHTER IN ZBF.COM COMBAT SPORTS SERIES
by
Bowie V. Ibarra

Fighters from across the globe compete in the noted combat sports series, 'Pit Fighters' from ZBF.com.  One of them is a Mexican luchador who achieved fame and fortune in the pro-wrestling rings around the world.  But having achieved some of the highest honors in lucha libre, he has chosen to try his hand at mainstream mixed martial arts.

Here he is:

NAME:  EL AIRE
REAL NAME:  DIEGO VILLA (UNKNOWN PUBLICLY)
NICKNAME:  EL REY DEL CIELO
BIRTHPLACE:  MEXICO CITY, DF, MEXICO
BILLED FROM:  SAN UVALDE, TEXAS
NATIONALITY:  MEXICAN
FIGHTING STYLE:  LUCHA LIBRE
TRAINER:  EL PROFE
SIGNATURE MOVES:  THE SUPER CELL, CORKSCREW HEADBUTT
HEIGHT:  5'7"
WEIGHT:  86KG (190 LBS)

BACKGROUND

The free-wheeling and legendary lucha libre star, El Aire, is an outstanding athlete and lucha libre competitor.  He has earned titles in Mexico, Texas, and Japan.  He's also competed in the UK and Germany.  His name translates to 'The Air'.  His nickname translates to 'The King of the Skies'.  He earned that moniker because of all his high-flying aerial moves.

El Aire runs hard in the ring, giving his all for the fans and his own glory.  He also plays hard, spending long nights out with friends, drink, and women.

El Aire prefers suits to t-shirts, and is always dressed to the nines outside the ring.

Having reached many goals in lucha libre, El Aire decided to pursue the new sport of MMA in the united States.  He fights with his mask on.

His arch rival is Elena Maribel Navarro DeLaPena, a jilted lover and rich socialite who is determined to take his mask.

Here's his book trailer:

El Aire cuts a promo on Mesero VIII

Follow the adventures of El Aire in the combat sports series, 'Pit Fighters'.  'Pit Fighters: Baptism by Fire' and 'Pit Fighters: Double Cross' are combat sports-themed books that features fights from the early days of MMA, and plenty of underground money fights.  You've got to check them out, and they're available on Kindle or paperback today.

 

 

BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press and Simon and Schuster.  His latest story, 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull' is a Tex-Mexploitation superhero story in the tradition of 'Machete' and 'Black Dynamite'.  Get it in paperback or Kindle today.

Bowie earned a BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University.  Network with Bowie for updates and news at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.

ZOMBIES: Recap - #TheWalkingDead Late 'Wild Speculation', Notes for 'Isolation'

DEATH WATCHES, ESCALATION OF TENSION IN LATEST EPISODE
by
Bowie V. Ibarra

'The Walking Dead' returns with another dark episode that just gets darker.  It seems this season they're balancing the action with a crueler theme at this point.  But before we get to the notes/recap, let's see how some of the 'wild speculation' played out

JACKIE DRUGA, author of 'The Flu' series from Permuted Press

First just let me get my typical gripe out of the way. I hate the fact that they wrote all the Woodbury residents into the series, and now they have found a way to write them off. Gotta love that the immune are original cast. Hmmm. Maybe that has something to do with the illness.

My prediction is the illness is not what you think. I think Kirkman and writers got a hold of my book Flu 2 and stole the idea of taking a germ from a BSL lab. The Gov did that. It’s all him.

Carol is doing the killing. She and that little girl are doing the deeds.

ARMY ED, Special Weapons and Tactics Advisor to ZombieBloodFights.com

I think Carol will turn out to be the one responsible for the rats and burning the bodies.

R THOMAS RILEY, author of If God Doesn't Show from Permuted Press

1) there will be more minor character deaths due to the "superflu", characters who we barely know their names, a major character will get sick, my prediction is either Rick (though he'll recover) or Daryl.

2) supply run, yep, and then the supply run will experience a setback, separating the two groups for an episode or 2.

3) a new group will (at least should) be introduced, Rick and company are going be faced with some tough decisions, possibly expelling the sick ones to protect the core group, of course this will be met with resistance and Rick's position will be in jeopardy as group leader.

So how did they do?  Looks like both Jackie and Army Ed scored with the prediction that CAROL WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR EXECUTING THE FIRST TWO SICK FOLKS by burning them.  Well done Army Ed and Jackie.  That confession by Carol to Rick was pretty cold.  Not to mention the fact that she was asked by Tyrese to watch after Sasha while he was away.  Now we'll have to see how the possible revelation to Tyrese plays out.  And we get to see if Carol executes Sasha, too.

That's an issue, though, because Tyrese made the SUPPLY RUN that EXPERIENCED A MAJOR SETBACK (way to go, R Thomas) when the team that was sent 50 miles out to get antibiotics was jumped by the proverbial zombie mob and their Dodge Charger was disabled.

Here's some notes and observations from this episode:

DODGE MOTORCARS THROWING MORE MONEY AT THE WALKING DEAD

So, looks like the character Zach happened to have a stylish black Dodge Charger that Daryl had the ability to fix for the supply run.  We've already seen our hardy survivors use Dodge Rams.  Dodge trying to get that Hyundai Santa Fe/Death Dealer promo dollars.

MORE KILLING KIDS

Eesh.  The harsh truth of the Zombie Apocalypse has been a part of this series from the first five minutes of the series:  Kids are going to die, too.  Remember when Rick's first action was shooting a little girl who had turned into a zombie in the face?  Remember when they spent an entire half of season two looking for a kid?  Remember when The Governor kept his dead daughter, Penny, around after turning and Michone put a sword through her head in front of her father?  Here we go again with one of the kids Carol tried to train coming down with the virus that killed her dad.

DID CAROL TAINT THE WELL?

So, the weirdest moment was when Carol knocked over the water barrel.  What was that about?  There was still a lot of water in there.  If she wanted more water, couldn't she have tilted the barrel to get to it from the spout.  Could she have tainted the well with zombie blood and spilled it out of guilt?

JACKIE DRUGA chimes back in with WILD SPECULATION for next week's show: 

My prediction for next week, Rock finds out Carol is not alone. Hershel saves people but gets sick in the process and we find out that Michonne was actually a stay at home mom of a little boy who was snatched from the crib by walkers.

Will the squad sent out for antibiotics make it back on time?  Did Tyrese get bit or get all that gore in his mouth and get infected?  Looks like we'll have to wait until next week to find out more.

And if you need more zombie horror, check out the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press.   Down the Road, Down the Road: On the Last Day, and Down the Road: The Fall of Austin.  Pick them up in paperback or Kindle today.

 

 

 

BOWIE V. IBARRA earned his BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University.  Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com today.

FIGHTS: NERD RAGE - Alamo City ComiCon a bush league cash grab

UNPROFESSIONAL SHYSTERS DUPE SOUTH TEXAS NERDS, DORKS, AND GEEKS
by
Bowie Ibarra

 

Take a look at the pic below.  This is the pic of close to a thousand some-odd folks who were turned away at the Alamo City ComiCon 2013.  I was in this line and waited three hours to be told they weren't letting anyone else in.  That also included folks who had bought their tickets because by 4pm that afternoon, they had violated the fire code.

Here's reasons why this con needs to be listed as one of the worst cons for customer service and organization and that came across as a big cash grab with no consideration for the folks that were hoping to attend.  Alfredo 'Apple' DeLaFuente (ACCC Pres), Roger Bustamante (ACCC Vice-Pres.), take note.

 

So, check this out.  Long line?  I get it.  It's a con.  It's been billed as 'The Biggest Pop Culture event' in San Antonio.  I could understand the line.

 

But if these scammers running this organization were professional, they could have 1) Been aware of the numbers of the presale tix, VIP, and such to know how many people they could let in.  Again, by the time I got near the ticket booth, the Fire Marshall had shut the show down because they let too many people into the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center (!).

2)  They could have communicated with the folks waiting hours in line better.  I watched as one lady came out near the ticket booth saying 'We're stopping ticket sales for one hour and not letting anyone else in'.  They did that because they were in violation of the fire code and had to let people leave.  But that was it.  The lady or no other volunteer went down that line that you see above of about 1k+ folks to tell them that fact, so those folks still stood there like idiots.

 

3)  So that's about the time some asshole came out to the front of the line, a representative from the convention, who started telling people we're not letting anybody in and we all could have avoided this had we bought our tickets online.

So this fat piece of shit basically told me, the dudes who had drove in from Midland, and everyone else in line, that it was OUR FAULT for waiting in line and not getting tickets even though I showed up two hours after the door had opened?  He basically came out and spit in our faces with no regard for the folks who had driven in, their families, or other children who also waited in line for this event, who were told they could buy tickets at the door.

Asshole's reply?  Buy your tickets for tomorrow now.

Again, this reply shows that the folks running this debacle had no consideration for the folks like myself who could only attend one day.  And what about the folks who drove in?  Tough shit.  Should have bought online.

What kind of fucking so-called professional organization treats folks like myself who were dumb enough to be ready to shell out $35 bucks for a chance to go into an event to spend even more money?  An organization that could give a shit about the people outside because they already made their money stuffing the small space they had rented (I thought they rented out the whole venue), which then denied people who HAD bought their tickets online from even going in.  That line was just as long.

So the 'should have bought your tickets online' argument doesn't hold water.  They were turned back, too, because organizers weren't concerned about counting the folks that came in but lining their own pockets.  There were enough volunteers with their thumbs up their asses that could have been there to do that.  But its hard to be led and told what needs to be done when their leadership is clueless.  That falls on the two volunteer coordinators, Stephanie Ramos and Robert Moreno, so I can't fault the volunteers for that.

But I'm not the only one.  Here's some gripes from the public Alamo City Comic Con Facebook page:

"For such a big turnout I was disppointed with the lack of volunteers outside directing the lines, no fliers being given out with list of events, more signs, bigger room for celebrity ally, it was all shoved into a small place, not enough concession stands, not enough Atms, Sapd should not have to be given info out....the list can go on. I've been to bigger cons that had their act together. This con has potential but needs better planning. Oh at price change from what is listed on your website not cool. Glad I didn't shell out big bucks for this event."

 

"This was the line of about 1000 people waiting to purchase tickets. The ticket stands were closed at the time but unless you were at the front of the line, you had no clue they were sold out. After this line was another like of about 500 people who had already purchased tickets including pre-orders online. These people (not photographed) were waiting to even get in the building. That line had been waiting at least an hour for more space to clear out. "Very disappointing that even if you had purchased a ticket ahead of time you couldn't go in. Being sold out is one thing, but waiting until you've reached capacity and then saying you won't let honor pre-purchased tickets is another matter."

"Being under-prepared and overwhelmed by the turn-out is one thing. Turning away people who have already purchased tickets is quite another. When you pre-purchase a ticket online there is an agreement with the event holder, and that agreement was broken for many people. If you try to purchase tickets to a sporting event online, they will stop selling them when they've reached capacity. That did not occur here. I believe that next year will be better after this fiasco, but that doesn't do anything for the people who have wasted time and money trying to participate and support this event.""I had a ticket, my 7yr old did not,I too stood in line at 1pm only to be told they were no longer selling tickets. After I had invested 3hrs of my day and a chance pick up a 5hr $100 gig. I couldn't attend because the look in my sons eyes when I told him we wouldn't be able to go in. So I took him to a local pizza place in full Ironman costume. Sad day for this father. Thanks for thinkin this shindig through."

"my opinion: great booths, good celebrities, good panels. BIG lack of organization. If you got cheapish tickets and didn't expect much, you were fine. But if you were VIP and promised things for months that just flat out didn't happen, you become the not so happy camper."


Look, don't get me wrong.  I want this event to succeed.  San Antonio deserves something fun like this to elevate itself from that 'Keep San Antonio Lame' moniker folks have given it.  This con is a fun event that this city needs to contrast against its blue-collar image of folks that only enjoy The Spurs and want to go out and drink every Friday night.

I also don't fault the folks that made it in and had a good time.  It was cool to see so many people having fun inside the venue and hearing about them meeting people and seeing all the fun costumes.

And I don't fault Apple and company for the endeavor.  It's a cash cow, we know, and their probably wiping their asses with all the money they made this weekend off of saps like me.  You sank lots of money into a multi-month slick promo campaign as if you were the next big thing, but ran it more like you were at the pulga off of Highway 90.  C'mon, man.  The whole promo campaign made it look like ya'll had your shit together, but it turned out to be a disorganized disappointment.

And I understand that in the end, my gripe is very much a '1st World Problem'.  It's all like, 'I got turned away at Alamo City ComiCon after waiting in line for three hours on my day off.  Now I have to drive back to my apartment in my new VW Bug with all this money in my pocket.'  Really, when you put it in perspective.

But next year, observe basics like fire code, head counts on pre-sale, head counts day of, and don't be afraid to let the people in line know what's going on instead of making them wait like dumb asses.  Show some respect to the people who are about to line your pockets.

But this con really needs to start planning for next year and clean up their act, and it starts with ACCC PR guy Fred Hernandez issuing some sort of statement acknowledging their mistakes and oversights and pledging to make it up to the thousand some-odd folks who were looking forward to the event, drove in from all around, and were ultimately treated like shit by their staff.

That is, if these folks haven't already hit the rails and we'll never hear from them again.

BOWIE V. IBARRA is the author of the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from Permuted Press.  He has written three superhero-inspired books, 'Codename: La Lechusa', 'Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Chaplain Skull', and 'Room 26 and the Army of Xulhutdul', which takes place in San Antonio, Texas.  His most recent title, 'Alamo Rising', is the story of an ancient curse unleashed on downtown San Antonio, Texas.  It is available in Kindle or paperback from Amazon.com today.

 

Bowie Ibarra earned a BFA in Acting and a Masters in Theatre History from Texas State University.  Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com.

 

FIGHTS: Repost from BISH'S BEAT: FIGHT PULPS

Check out these outstanding fight covers from the 20s and 30s pulp magazines collected at BISH'S BEAT: FIGHT PULPS

BLOOD: Review - 'Machete Kills' is a ridiculous action-packed ride

ABSURD ACTION/ADVENTURE SERIES BRINGS THE MAYHEM, LAUGHS
by
Bowie V. Ibarra

 

If you think 'Machete' was ridiculous and fun, wait until you see 'Machete Kills'.

The movie opens with Machete and his lover/partner-in-crimefighting Sartana (Jessica Alba) as they fight the Mexican cartels.  After a botched mission, Machete becomes embroiled in a chase to stop a renegade arms dealer from blowing up Washington, DC.  And the madness begins!
The film is filled with all sorts of Machete-style violent gags with the comic book style action director Rodriguez is known for.  And you can tell all the stars were having a good time.

Like his other movies, Rodriguez sets up the flick with a 'trailer' for the final movie in the Machete trilogy.  No spoilers here, but just know it is ridiculously hilarious.  And throughout the actual movie itself, he sets up the final movie, making 'Machete Kills' the 'Empire Strikes Back' of the Machete series.

You'll get what I'm saying when you watch it!

'Machete Kills' is outrageously fun and is a movie that is totally ZombieBloodFights.com approved.

And if you like outrageous Tex-Mexploitation style stories like 'Machete', check out these titles from ZBF.com, Tejano Star and the Vengeance of Reverend Skull and Codename: La Lechusa.  Get them today in paperback or kindle.

 

BOWIE V. IBARRA earned his BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University.  Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com today.

ZOMBIES: Great moments in Romero's 'Day of the Dead'

MOST UNDERRATED ENTRY PERHAPS BEST IN THE HOLY ZOMBIE TRILOGY
by
Bowie V. Ibarra

 

When people talk about George A. Romero's best zombie movies, you'll probably find a great many people will respond with 'Dawn of the Dead'.  I mean, how many zombie movies had that much action and zombie-smashing fun?

The next segment of fans (like myself) might say 'Night of the Living Dead', the original and the granddaddy of zombie horror movies. 

But a select few might say his third entry, 'Day of the Dead'.  Ironically enough, the minority might be right, and there's been a lot of people looking back in retrospective at the movie since the 2nd wave of the zombie wave has hit.  Here's some great reasons why 'Day of the Dead' might be Romero's true zombie masterpiece.

1.  THE BUDGET
For his third entry, George finally got a big budget, $3.5 million, to film the movie.  But he had to change his original vision which included a zombie army learning how to use weapons.  In the end, the special effects-heavy original script made way for a cerebral adventure in the zombie apocalypse.

2.  THE CAST
This movie has perhaps the most talented cast of the three up to this point.  The actors, from top to bottom, were outstanding.  Lori Cardille, who played Sarah, was the backbone of the cast, providing a solid protagonist to the solid antagonist, Captain Rhodes, played by an over-the-top Joe Pilato.  Rhodes goons were great, lead by another outstanding performance by Steele, played by Gary Klar.  And the misfits, John and McDermitt, played by Terry Alexander and Jaraleth Conroy, were outstanding middlemen to the struggles of the scientists vs. military through-line.

But the two people who stole the movie and are outstanding performance centerpieces were Dr. Logan and Bub, played by the late Richard Liberty and Sherman Howard, respectively.  Liberty, like Pilato, takes his character to great heights with theatrical skill, but doesn't go far enough to make it look ridiculous and remains based in reality. 

3.  THE OPENING SEQUENCE
I refuse to give away the opening moment, but the following moment with Sarah and the misfits searching for signs of life along the Florida coast is magnificent, and quickly and efficiently displays the hopelessness of the zombie apocalypse.

4.  TOM SAVINI
Between 'Dawn...' ('78) and 1985, Tom Savini became one of the most legendary masters of special effects, and he put his tremendous skill on display in this movie.  The makeup and final feast gore effects are out of this world.  This is one of the first movies that Greg Nicotero of 'The Walking Dead' fame cut his special effects teeth on.

5.  THE SCENES IN THE COMMISSARY
Before Quentin Tarantino was doing Mexican Standoff's at the Denny's in 'Pulp Fiction', Romero created one of the most tense moments in film during the early parts of the movie.  Not only that, but it put the acting skills of all the actors at the fore, including Pilato and Liberty in a great moment as they explore their philosophies on how to deal with their circumstance.

6.  JOHN'S MONOLOGUE AT THE RITZ
When Romero did not get the budget he needed for his initial vision, he had to scale the script back a lot.  So instead of relying on special effects, he had to rely on dialogue and character relationships to propel the story.  Its in this monologue, when John and McDermott invite Sarah back to their trailer, where you see how expertly crafted the movie is.  It's a monologue that rivals Duane Jones' 'Beakman's Diner' monologue from 'Night of the Living Dead' for performance, depth, and the hopelessness of the end of the world.

7.  MIGUEL'S GAMBIT
Again, one of the outstanding performers in the movie was Anthony Dileo, Jr., as the unstable Miguel.  From the word 'go', Miguel is a mess, seen praying in the helicopter and judged as unstable by his own girlfriend, Sarah.  When Miguel is left alone after suffering a serious wound (no, i'm not going to spoil it for you) and believes his friends have been killed, he unleashes zombies on his enemies in a hugely emotional gambit that has lethal results.  It is one of my favorite moments from any zombie movie.  His 'sign of the cross' gesture was one I used when playing high school football, so its a very special scene to me.

8.  THE FINAL FEAST
For me, a good Romero movie has to have a 'feast' scene.  You know what I'm talking about, right?  The moment when the zeds get a stack of people and just munch out on them.  You get the most tremendous final feast scene committed to film with this one.  The only other one that comes close that I can remember is in 'Land of the Dead'.  But man, you get to see the heels torn apart and devoured by hundreds.

9.  THE FINISH
The movie ends remarkably well, and is the only movie that offers any kind of glimmer of hope.

All in all, ZombieBloodFights.com will not punch your Zombie card if you have not taken in this movie yet.  Be ready for a little more depth both in performance, dialogue, and script, as well as a tremendous story that could arguably be the best film in the Romero trilogy and, perhaps, the genre.

And if you appreciate zombie horror, you'll love the 'Down the Road' zombie horror series from ZombieBloodFights.com.  Down the Road, Down the Road: On the Last Day, and Down the Road: The Fall of Austin.  Pick them up in paperback or Kindle today.

 

 

 

BOWIE V. IBARRA earned his BFA in Acting and MA in Theatre History from Texas State University.  Network with Bowie at his official website, ZombieBloodFights.com today.