We know it’s been a loooong time (cue the zombies shuffling) since we updated here, but new things are coming soon enough. In the meantime, Mathew Riley was kind enough to send over a link to a new review of our book at Bookgeeks.co.uk. So check it out!
The good folks at the Baltimore City Paper have quizzed the Zombiemania co-authors on what makes a good zombie movie and much more. You can read it in this week’s issue or online right here.
Arnold and Andy are at Zombie Fest in Pittsburgh this weekend, but we just had to offer this brief update as the good folks over at the Bloodtype Online website have posted a review of the book in their book review section. Thanks to everyone at Bloodtype Online!
On Thursday, October 4 from 6pm-9pm, Geppi’s Entertainment Museum at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland, hosted the American launch of Zombiemania. Both authors - who also serve as Curator (Blumberg) and Registrar (Hershberger) of the museum - were on hand to sign books and chat about zombies, while the museum offered free admission to the entire museum for all attendees during the party. Food and drinks with a Halloween twist were also offered.
[UPDATED] Some pictures from the big night have been added. Click for larger versions of each. The first picture shows Zombiemania’s target audience giving the book the thumbs-up (actually it’s co-author Andrew Hershberger, but he really is a zombie). The second shows co-author Dr. Arnold T. Blumberg at the signing table. The final picture shows the kind of tasty refreshments on hand for living and undead to enjoy at the event.
For comic book fans, Zombiemania is about to make its comic debut!
Writer J.C. Vaughn (24: Nightfall, Shi) and newcomer artist Vincent Spencer are the creators of Zombie-Proof, and they say they’re trying to go the proverbial extra mile for zombie fans with the series.
“The series has been described as Dawn of the Dead meets Home Improvement and Cheers, and that’s pretty accurate,” Vaughn said. “Vince and I take it seriously, but we also want it to be fun.”
Featuring a hero named Billy Bob Driwahl (say it out loud), the series offers a very different take on the zombie apocalypse. Zombie-Proof #2 also features a unique special appearance by the real world guidebook, Zombiemania: 80 Movies to Die For and unique contributions in the form of news reports and blog entries from writer-director Robert Tinnell (The Wicked West, Terry Sharp), writer-director Todd Livingston (The Black Forest, The Living and The Dead), documentary producer Carey Strelecki (I Have Never Forgotten You: the Life and Legacy of Simon Wiesenthal), and Zombiemania author Dr. Arnold T. Blumberg.
Zombie-Proof #1 debuted as a surprise hit with a limited Baltimore Comic-Con Edition. In fact, it was substantially more limited than intended. With the other copies at least temporarily lost in transit, only 100 copies were available. They sold out immediately, as did the copies of the standard edition.
Zombiemania’s authors are thrilled to see the book making its comic book debut. You can find Zombie-Proof #2 in the September 2007 Previews from Diamond Comic Distributors, DCD item code SEP073857, Page 327 under “Moonstone.”
Be sure to check this week’s Scoop weekly pop culture e-newsletter. In the “Main Event” section, Zombiemania co-authors Arnold and Andy are interviewed about the experience of writing the book. You can also jump to the article directly.
Zombiemania co-authors Dr. Arnold T. Blumberg and Andrew Hershberger will be appearing at The It’s Alive! 2007 Zombie Fest on October 27-28 at the Pittsburgh ExpoMart in Monroeville, PA - right across the parking lot from the Monroeville Mall where George Romero shot his original classic, Dawn of the Dead!
Arnold and Andy will be there to sell and sign copies of Zombiemania as well as take part in a whole horrific host of programming. A record-breaking Zombie Walk is also planned (last year’s Zombie Fest set the Guinness World Record for most “zombies” ever assembled in one place), as well as a Zombie Ball.
UK-based Telos Publishing Ltd, publishers of Zombiemania, are also serving as “Zombie Master” sponsors of the event. More details as they are available.
We’re very proud to announce that Zombiemania has made its first contribution to the annals of zombie cinema on DVD! The October 2007 DVD release of Flight of the Living Dead: Outbreak on a Plane features two audio commentaries. The second commentary by the editors of IGN.com will feature several references to Zombiemania as the good folks at IGN referred to the book when examining the film.
Chris Alexander of the superb horror entertainment magazine, Rue Morgue, has contributed an enthusiastic review of Zombiemania for the magazine’s 67th issue. Calling the book “an in-depth analysis of almost every aspect of each presented picture” and a “case file that convinces the reader why the selected movies matter,” Alexander credits the authors with conveying “the importance of the undead in high style.” The issue is currently on sale as of this week.
Zombiemania co-authors Arnold T. Blumberg and Andrew Hershberger will be on hand at the Maryland Film Festival on Saturday May 5 from 3pm-4pm to sign copies of the book and chat with other movie fans. They’re being hosted by the fine folks at Atomic Books.
