Q: What first got you into the world of zombies?
A: When I was 13 I accidentally stayed up too late and saw an Italian zombie movie on HBO. That was my initial terror. In High School I saw "Night Of the Living Dead" which really sucked me in. I was so scared of seeing "Dawn of the Dead" that I had to wait until Grad School to get up the courage to watch it. I bought it on VHS, locked myself in my basement apartment, and watched it over and over again over the course of an entire weekend.
Q: Why can’t zombies run? (Even if their ankles break from lack of coordination, wouldn’t they just keep running?)
A: I think its a combination of brain function (seriously impaired) and necrotic flesh that has lost most of its elasticity.
Q: Given the average household, what are 5 things that a survivor should grab from their home in the event of a zombie apocalypse?
A: If you have NOTHING else, get a portable water filter. Dehydration will kill you faster than any zombie.
Q: What made you switch from Saturday Night Live to zombies?
A: I was into zombies way before my stint at SNL. Live TV was a job. The living dead are an obsession.
Q: Do you personally believe that a zombie apocalypse is really possible or is it just an entertaining idea?
A: God, I hope it isn't possible!
Q: In your book, The Zombie Survival Guide, you mention that the only way destroy a zombie is to destroy the brain. If a zombie is decapitated, could the zombie head survive without the body attached?
A: A severed zombie head is still alive, and if the jaw is intact it'll still be snapping.
Q: In many movies of the Zombie genre the zombies involved always have some sort of super strength power. If zombies were to happen, wouldn't the rotting muscles of the zombies become weak instead of super strong?
A: Zombies shouldn't be any stronger than humans, in fact, they should be weaker. Zombie have many advantages over us, but physical strength is not one of them.
Q: What is your favorite and least favorite zombie movie and why?
A: Favorite zombie movie has to be the original "Dawn of the Dead". George Romero has some truly unique insights into American, specifically Baby Boomer culture. My least favorite film has to be "Return of the Living Dead". In their own words "They're back from the grave, and ready to party." Enough said.
Q: What is your favorite and least favorite zombie video game and why?
A: My favorite zombie game is "Land of the Dead", a small, indie-produced game to tie in with the Romero Movie. It's main attraction is it's reality. You run into a room, and have to waste minutes going through empty drawers, just like they would be in real life. My least favorite has to be the one about a guy in shopping mall. Really? Zombies in a shopping mall and Romero doesn't get a dime from that? That game, and its creators, can go to hell.
Q: Are there any zombie/post-apocalyptic novels that you would recommend?
A: "Earth Abides" by George R. Stewart. Probably the most realistic account of what a plague would do the our species. And then there is "Life as we knew it" by Susan Beth Pfeffer. Amazing book. The journal of a teen girl during a near-apocalyptic crisis. Again, as realistic as it would probably get.
Q: In The Zombie Survival Guide, you mentioned that if the survivor is in a boat and decides to drop anchor and rest that they should be weary of zombies walking on the bottom of the riverbed, for the zombie could find the anchor and climb up to the boat. How is it possible for a zombie with no brain activity tocomprehend the simple hand-over-hand task of climbing an anchor?
A: Zombies do have brain activity, just not advanced. The reason they can climb in water, as opposed to on land, is that water counteracts gravity, especially if gas pockets have begun to form in the zombie's body cavity.
Q: What would be your best advice to give to those in a college/dorm setting in the event of a zombie apocalypse?
A: Know your dorm mates, have a plan, organize, and figure out far in advance, if your RA is worth saving.
Q: What is your personal “survival” plan for when it happens?
A: I live near the ocean, so I always have the short term option of heading to sea. In addition, my home is defensible enough to determine if the threat is a class 1, 2, or 3.
Q: You’ve mentioned the best weapon out of each category in your books (melee, range weapons, incendiary, etc.), but what is your weapon of choice?
A: A machete is always good; light and strong and useful in many instances. Pluss, I can store it in my trunk with other gardening gear so it appears as legal as spade. In the opening stages of an outbreak, obeying the law is a MUST.
Q: Traveling alone has its perks, but so does travelling in groups. Which is your preference?
A: Groups are always better. In this country we pray to the alter of the super individual; the loner, the Rambo. However, the only reason our species has survived was because of our ability to cooperate. I know its tough for most people to accept, especially for an anti-social hermit like me, but sometimes we have to set aside personal preferences for the hard facts of survival.
Q: Which do you think is more frightening, rage-filled charging zombies (seen in 28 Days/Weeks Later) or slow moving, moaning zombies (mentioned in your book)?
A: For me, slower is always scarrier. Fast zombies are all about adrenaline. There's no time to think, no time to fear. With slow zombies, all you have is time. For me, nothing is more terrifying than pondering your own death.
Q: It’s been proven that the voodoo zombie (seen in the film The Serpent and the Rainbow by Wes Craven) is real, but is there ever a possibility that they could suddenly turn into flesh feeding maniacs?
A: The Voodoo zombie is essentially slave labor. They do what they're creator tells them to do and if their creator told them to start eating human flesh, maybe they would.
Q: Each terrain and shelter has been discussed in your books, where would you choose to hide out and why?
A: One word: Svalbard.
Q: Obviously ammo, water, and food are important when it comes to stocking up for the post-apocalyptic world, but what is the best choice of food (canned, dried, frozen, etc,)?
A: Depends. If you're on the run, frozen is obviously out, and dried is lighter and easier to carry than canned. The best solution, however, is to learn to live off the land. Learn about edible plants and animals and be prepared to jettison a plethora of cultural taboos.
Q: If ever a zombie apocalypse occurs, do you think that we could domesticate the zombies, as seen in Shaun of the Dead?
A: I don't know if its possible, but I'm pretty sure someone will try.
Q: In a zombie apocalypse should we burn the bodies, use weapons shown in games like Nazi Zombies, or detonate an A-bomb and destroy the earth to prevent this from ever happening again?
A: Using nukes is a little like burning down a house to make sure the roof never leaks again. Weapons is video games should be left to video games. Burning is your best solution, but for God's sake, be careful. Fire has no loyalty!
Q: Except for Resident Evil, you don't see zombie animals... why is this?
A: The animals in Resident Evil are put there for entertainment, and that's one of the reason they're such entertaining games. However, and this is good news for pet lovers. If you have a favorite dog or cat that's bitten by the living dead, don't worry about them turning into zombies. They'll just die.
Well, there ya have it folks. I'm hoping you learned something new and useful... or maybe you were just reminded of something you already knew. Either way, now you have a better view of what could be coming... and that's definitely a good thing.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO MAX BROOKS FOR BEING SO WILLING TO HELP OUT THE LITTLE PEOPLE ;) It's not every day that that happens.
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