The Walking Dead Marathon and Review!!!

The Walking Dead is one of the biggest shows of the year, which can been seen in the slew of nominations it has been receiving. AMC is even doing a marathon of Season One on January 18-19. In honor of that, we are *finally* posting our reviews of the series.

@Wysefyre's review

I became interested in The Walking Dead comics shortly after this year's San Diego Comic Con. The buzz around the show was so great, I had to see what everyone was talking about. I still feel a little silly for not knowing about this amazing series. I devoured the TPBs and then, when I finished getting caught up, trepidation sunk in because I didn't know if the television series would live up to the comics. Needless to say, my fears were unfounded.

In six episodes, I fell in love with The Walking Dead all over again. I love how true to the comics the show was, while also veering off the story's original path to add new twists to the mythology. I really liked a lot of the new characters, such as Merle and Daryl, I liked keeping Shane around a little longer, and I liked the trip to the CDC. I think the small break for the survivors was needed. They needed to remember what having luxuries such as hot water was like, that way when it's taken away from them, it hurts all the more (yeah, I like them being tortured. It's part of the fun.)

That said there were a few things I didn't like, starting with Shane. As I said in my midseason post, I was worried about how they were going to deal with Shane. I like the idea of keeping him around for a little bit because in the comics, you don't get to really care about him, but at the same time, I really want this particular storyline finished. I want them to move on to the next arc because I want all the great character development that comes with it.

The inclusion of the CDC was smart of the writers. The survivors were in Atlanta, so why wouldn't they go to the CDC? What I didn't like about it was Jenner telling the group that it was a worldwide occurrence. I had naturally assumed that, but by outright saying it, it kills potential storylines because it killed hope. They now know there's no way to gain answers, not that we really want those answers anyway, but watching them struggle to find them would have been interesting.

I'm also opposed to the end of Jacqui's story. I get why she did what she did, but she was a poorly developed character, and it felt like the only reason they resolved her story like that was to simply get rid of her. It reminded me of Grey's Anatomy a little bit. Grey's had too many characters so they had someone enter the hospital and kill a bunch of people. What's the point? There would have been more emotional resonance if it had been T-Dog, another new poorly developed character, but he was developed better than Jacqui. Seriously, what did she do other than know how to get to the sewers?

Overall, I love the show. I look forward to see what other twists they throw at us, and I want to know how long before we get to meet Michonne. It wouldn't be TWD without her, so she needs to get introduced soon. Can season two get here already?

@Wilderowens Review

Unlike the other members of [insertgeekhere], I have only read the first issue of The Walking Dead. Now, before you stone me, I will tell you why. Zombies terrify me and this show didn't help that at all. I mean, I was hallucinating zombies walking down the street! It was bad and I really wish I was kidding.

Despite my fears, I did enjoy the show. I even watched it twice. The story really pulled me in and kept me simultaneously terrified and excited. Towards the end, I did feel like the plot was a little rushed. This could be due to the short six episode season. I am still excited to see where they head from here. With the whole world available to you, yet deadly at every turn, where would you head toward?

I especially enjoyed the character interactions. Each actor really embraced their character role in a way that made me connect with them. Shane had this down, with his alpha role in the group and his girl. He really showed how power-hungry he was when the one person who always outshines him showed up. When Jacqui stayed behind with Dr. Jenner in the CDC, I could understand her wanting to end the struggle. I am curious if we will see any of the characters that left the show but may still be alive.

All in all, I enjoyed the show and will recommend it to all. I even promise to finally read it and try to get over my fears. *runs and hides

Review: The Day After and Other Stories by Wil Wheaton @wilw

Did you know that Wil Wheaton came out with a book of short stories? I got my hands on a copy of The Day After and Other Stories a few weeks ago and just got the chance to sit down and really enjoy it. It was part of a very short release in December, and I am so happy I bought it for two reasons.

One: It's wicked good.
Two: I got a tweet from Wil himself!!!!!!

Yep, so here is the story. When I bought it, I got a very nice automated email from Wil, thanking me for buying his book. So of course, I tweeted this:




To which I got this as a response:




Needless to say, I fell off my chair, then babbled incoherently for about twenty minutes. I did handle it better than I thought I would, especially after my first Wheaton encounter.

Oh yeah...so since this is a review, I should probably talk about the book. The Day After and Other Stories has four short stories, ranging in size and topic. Despite what I anticipated, these were not all sci-fi/fantasy stories. The element that ties the book together is that these are people stories. Each tale, no matter the length, touches upon the human condition. The title story, The Day After, is a zombie survivor story. One kid is trying to deal with his realization that his world is gone forever and there is no going back. Frankly, this story freaked me out but in that good way. You know, when you feel that connection to the characters. My favorite part is that he gives an intro for each story and his reasoning for writing it. One story, Language Barriers, is based on a conversation he overheard one day. Another story, Room 302, is based on a photo that a friend gave him. He even manages to bring his love of poker into a touching story about a bar patron called Poor Places.



In the intro for the book, Wil Wheaton says that he wrote this for his fans that wanted him to write more fiction. Well, the only fiction works of yours that I have read are this and The Last Unicorn (Pegasus Kitten) from Clash of the Geeks. Mr. Wheaton, I have to agree with them. You have great talent for drawing a person into a story and you should explore that.

Sadly, The Day After and Other Stories is no longer available, but I'm sure if enough people tweet him about it, he will cave to your demands. The Mob Shall Not Be Ignored! Until then, you should check out his bookstore, where he sells other literary delights!

2010: The Year of the Zombie

I'm usually not a fan of end-of-year remembrances; in fact I never read them. However, I feel like this has to be put out there: Was 2010 the Year of the Zombie? I say this because I feel like zombies were so hip that they were shoved down my throat as they tried to rip it out.

In all fairness, it really started (for me at least) in July at SDCC. So this is really the six months of Zombie but year sounds better. Zombies were everywhere, from merchandise to the zombie march to costumed zombies to the giant The Walking Dead panel. Yes, TWD, I blame you. ;) Thinkgeek started pushing their huge amount of zombie merch and TWD books were flying off the shelves. NYCC was the same, if not worse. Now with the success of TWD, this will only continue. There are zombie web series, and humorous zombie holiday shorts. Soon, who knows?

From BookPeople's Blog

To be honest, Zombies freak me out. I still watched The Walking Dead, and liked it despite the nightmares. My only fear/desire is that zombies will mainstream to the point that they sparkle. I would hate it but am damn curious to see how it can be done.

Prediction for 2011:
Year of the Frankenstein. I need more evil resurrection in my life.

Geeky Bad Habits

I know a lot of people that like to ask me about being a geek. Almost to the point of me being a little paranoid. I just can't hide my geekiness and I am proud of that. It has hurt me though. Professionally, it is bad when you start talking about how you need to leave work early to get to the comic book store in time. This got me thinking about how my geeky nature has brought on a few bad habits.


My Bad Habit: I hum the Super Mario Theme song when I'm walking and dodging people on NYC streets.

In My Defense: NYC streets can be so crowded, it is almost like surviving a video game. Plus, I only do it when I'm alone....


My Bad Habit: I eventually find a way to start talking about my zombie escape plan with almost every person I meet.

In My Defense: If you follow our tweets, you know that zombies freak me out! You have to be prepared!


My Bad Habit: I turn into an adrenaline-high-ninja-psycho fan at cons.

In My Defense: Everyone else either already is psychotic or they need to get out of my way.



I know, I know I'm a little crazy, and I have too much time for self reflection. In the end, I can't blame the geek community just because I'm so quirky. Still, I would like to know that I'm not the only crazy one out there! Please let me know if you have any geeky bad habits too!

Team Unicorn teaches us all how to have a Safe Holiday!

The makers of the Geek and Gamer Girls Song just gave us a holiday treat. Team Unicorn comes to my rescue with this great instructional video: A VERY ZOMBIE HOLIDAY. With all of the zombie craziness lately, it is always important to be prepared. This video makes me feel better about buying my pies!




Did you spot a few familiar faces in the film, besides Team Unicorn, of course? I saw Brian Kameoka as a Caroler, who runs The Guild twitter crew and Jonathan Nail as the husband who also plays Michele Boyd's husband on Solo, a great web series. Behind the scenes is Sean Becker, who seems to be behind every web series these days!

Halloween Premiere Weekend: Werewolves and Zombies and Internet Sensations, Oh My!

Last weekend was a great time for some geek-tastic TV premieres.  The Syfy channel premiered Red: Werewolf Hunter and AMC finally premiered the Walking Dead series.  Any card-carrying nerd can tell you why these two premieres have been hotly anticipated since their initial announcements, but if you have been under a rock or failed your official Nerd-License Exam (keep trying, you can do it!), I'll tell you why.  First, Felicia Day.  The Guild writer and star has been on fire over the past few years, with her own show and prominent guest spots on hit shows like Fox's House and Lie to Me.  Second, The Walking F'ing Dead.  The multi-Eisner award winning comic series by Robert Kirkman being made into a live-action series by the station that brought us Breaking Bad & Mad Men?  No brainer.  So, lets get down to the details.  How did each of these shows live up to the hype?  Read on...

Red: Werewolf Hunter

All of the camp, none of the guilt!

Couresty of SyFy

This is a Syfy Original Film...

Normally that'd be enough to end any credible review, but in this case we have a unique exception.  Sure, Syfy has a long-standing reputation of quality films like Sharktopus & Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus, but we won't let their record (and apparent sea-creature fetish) taint our judgment. The main attraction for this gem is its red-headed star, Felicia Day.  As I've mentioned, Felicia has recently been putting out an impressive collection of work, but this film is different for a few reasons.  First, it's a leap into the world of science-fiction action, which is not necessarily new to her, but definitely out of her niche of awkward comedy.  Second, she's taking the lead in a full length (for TV) feature.  Her most note-worthy roles are in web-based short episodes, and I mentioned her guest spot on House; however, we all know that all the sick person ever gets to do is fall over, then convulse after a wrong-guess diagnosis.

The plot of the film is a spin on the Red Riding Hood tale, and promises to be the first in a line of fairy-tale exploitation films from Syfy.  It starts with Red (Day) introducing her fiance to her family and eventually their family tradition of hunting werewolves.  What starts out as a fun weekend with the folks turns hairy (sorry) when Red's man gets himself snacked on by a werewolf and begins to manifest his own transformation.  From there it becomes a Romeo & Juliet tale of love versus family loyalty.

Any movie that starts with "Syfy Original" is going to have some issues with writing, but despite that, the cast was able to deliver some decent performances and some memorable moments.  I particularly enjoyed Rosemary Dunsmore's performance as the rifle packing Grandmother.  All-in-all the movie lived up to the hype by delivering a fun experience.  The IGH crew actually had a lot of fun playing our own little Riff-Trax session while watching.  Let's face it, we all watch the awful Syfy channel movies anyway, at least this time we can say it was to support Felicia (my love!).  So in closing, I'd give Red: Werewolf Hunter an IGH rating of 7 lycanthropes.

The Walking Dead

In a perfect world all apocalypses would look like this.

Courtesy of AMC

To start, I'm a huge fan of the Walking Dead comic series.  I first picked it up when they were around issue #50 and I've been a steady reader ever since.  If you haven't looked at it yet you owe it to yourself to pick up the first trade.  Robert Kirkman's epic "horror movie that never ends" has set the new standard in horror/suspense books and garnered an immense fan following as a result.

The story begins with our protagonist, Sheriff Rick, waking from a gunshot-induced coma in an abandoned hospital.  Confusion turns to cold-blooded panic when he finds he's not alone in the world, but instead there are hordes of walking undead dying to invite him to dinner (I really can't help it!  Sorry!). After meeting some warm bodies, Rick sets off to search for his missing family, and from here the series will lead us through the story of Rick and the many survivors he meets along the way.

The series is being directed by Frank Darabont, who also brought us classics like The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile.  It's obvious from the first episode that he has studied the source material and has a deep respect for Robert Kirkman's original vision.  So many scenes were ripped right from the book and the direction and acting made it seem completely natural.  I was fortunate enough to be at the Walking Dead AMC panel at San Diego Comic Con and got a first-hand account of how Robert and Frank have been working together.  The collaboration has clearly paid off big time.  We all know the pitfalls of comic book adaptation, especially to a TV series, but what the Walking Dead has pulled off is nothing short of perfection.  I personally cannot wait to see how the rest of the series plays out, and how far they'll get this season.

When it comes to living up to hype, this show not only lives up to, but surpasses expectations.  I would, with confidence, give AMC's The Walking Dead the patented IGH rating of 18.9 head shots.

I hope you've enjoyed these shows as much as I did.  I also hope you enjoy my review.  Let us know what you thought on the comments, or send a tweet our way @IGHInsider.

Mata atode aimashou!