Warm Bodies

The past few years we’ve seen a surging movement in films and T.V. to capture modernized tales of the supernatural and undead, and we, the fans, can’t seem to get enough. Warm Bodies shows that the zombie sub-genre has not run out of steam yet and offers up a healthy dose of something fresh.

The premise is similar to Shaun of the Dead in that there is a bit of romance, a dash of comedy, and a light sprinkling of horror mixed with some nasty gore but with a twist. Unlike many other zombie films this movie places the zombie population as the hapless protagonists who apparently have a smattering of higher thought functions. Oh and an insatiable hunger for brains naturally. The backdrop for the film is set in what seems to be perhaps the final outpost of humanity encircled by the ruined world they once knew (similar to George Romero’s Land of the Dead but less dystopian). Unlike other zombie films, however, Warm Bodies introduces us to a lower form of zombie which is akin to the monsters you might find in a late night dungeon crawl in Dungeons & Dragons (if you have seen the trailers these are the skeleton looking fiends).

The overall pace of the film slows down occasionally in the beginning as they try to get enough of the story out so you understand the main character’s plight and the position of zombies in the natural order. While definitely a funny film, the use of comedy could have been used to boost some of the longer scenes to help keep the audience engaged. The style of comedy may not be to everyone’s liking either. It harkens back to an earlier era of film making when one could actually focus on the comedic value of uncomfortable scenes and awkward stances rather than crude jokes and forced one-liners. However, this movie does have its fair share of one-line zingers which are well timed and definitely funny.

Nicholas Hoult (best known as the Beast from X-men First Class) does a fantastic job playing the remorseful zombie wanting more from life. Considering he’s a zombie for most of the film, he does a great job of remaining in character and keeping that ‘look’.  Teresa Palmer (I am Number Four and Sorcerer’s Apprentice) has the difficult task of being the love interest in the film, one she manages to pull off well. Parts of her role are sped along naturally due to the limitations of film but she and Hoult actually have decent on screen chemistry. Rob Corddry (Hot Tub Time Machine) was a real shock for me in this film. His stance, make up job, and mannerisms early on had me thinking he was Mark Strong (Kick-Ass, Green Lantern, Sherlock Holmes). I was really impressed when I realized it was Corddry playing the role of Hoult’s best undead buddy. The only real crime this movie committed to me was the lack of John Malkovich (Being John Malkovich, Red, Dangerous Liaisons), but given the premise of the movie (a story loosely based on Romeo and Juliet) it is understandable. He makes do with what he’s given and makes for a believable antagonist but given his talent level it would have been nice if they could have used him more.

Overall rating: 6.9 out of 10

The Waking: Dream's End #1

The HIT series that redefines the Zombie genre returns! Years have passed since the events of The Waking took place.

 Murder has become practically extinct in a world armed with the knowledge that those who are murdered will return from the dead to take the lives of those guilty... But within a new world comes a new kind of killer. And he must be stopped! From the writer and creator of the Wonderland trilogy and Fly comes a return to the horror that never sleeps.

The first volume of The Waking was such a big hit, that a follow-up was inevitable.  With the dead coming back to avenge themselves, it’s pretty much made homicide detectives obsolete.  Which is exactly where Vanessa Pelagreno finds herself now, years after her initial involvement, only her problem is much bigger.  The overall concept of this series is something I personally have never seen before and most likely many others haven’t either, which makes it that much more interesting.  I mean, these zombies are literally leaving the criminals dead to rights.

Now like I said before, I really enjoyed the concept of the series, but for this particular issue I’d have to say that feeling that Raven gives the reader of; although the victims are taking care of themselves now, something still isn’t quite finished, is what I liked the most.  It gives you a sense of wariness for Vanessa, knowing that she’ll never really be able to escape what she’s done and that this story probably just won’t end well for her.

This time around, however, the art seemed a bit off in some of the panels.  At times, some things looked a little cartoony which doesn’t really fit the mood of the story and takes you out of the overall experience.  Other than that, I have no real complaints.

Whether you’re a fan of zombies, thrills or the ever-talented Raven Gregory, The Waking: Dream’s End is a fantastic book to pick up.  Just make sure not throw this out, or it may come back for REVENGE!  For more info on this book and where to pick it up visit the Zenescope website or the Zenescope Facebook page.

Geek-o-Rama received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review.All thoughts, comments and opinions belong solely to the individual reviewer.

Phoenix Comicon : The Rest of the Story

The other day I told you all about my first day at the Phoenix Comicon. Since then and even before then, I've been trying to figure out how to tell you all about the other days. You see, there were some good, some bad, some amazing and some eye opening moments that weekend but so much of it is still so tangled up inside of me that I'm not sure what to even say about it. I'm going to do my darndest to give you a good taste of what really is an amazing con but please forgive me if it's not my usual joyful bubbling.

Friday -
Friday..oh Friday..I woke up early because I had decided to surprise Walter by meeting him at the airport. Justin stayed behind at the hotel to try to figure out just how my corset was supposed to be laced. Meeting up with Walter was pure amazing. It was the first time in my life that I wasn't worried or nervous about meeting someone. Turns out I was right, him and I just fit together somehow. After grabbing the shuttle back to the hotel, it was off to breakfast, a quick stop at Target and then on to the con!

We got there with a bit of time to spare before the one and only panel I managed to attend started. Since there was only 20 minutes or so, though, we decided to just go sit in the room and wait. I kind of dragged Walter along with me (What? I had good intentions..his friends would be doing the panel!) but he really didn't want to be in there so eventually, we agreed that he'd go find Mike and meet up with me after the panel was done. Justin and I enjoyed the panel..it was typical Raven and Andy silliness which always makes me laugh. I was amused when the moderator wanted me to say something and Raven was like umm no..that other girl, call on her. You'd think he'd heard my side of things or something....

For the record, since Raven wouldn't let me speak, here's my take:

1. Skynet involves nukes. Nukes create zombies. Both apocalypse happen together. I'm screwed.
2. Zombies are like ants. You won't be safe out on the water. They'll just keep plunging in until they form a zombie road.

After the panel, Walter was totally true to his word and we met up. Justin decided to stay upstairs for another panel so we headed down to the show floor. That's when I goofed things up...fast forward a while...Got to meet up with Ross and give him his surprise. That part was fun. I also picked up some new goodies, also good.

Saturday -
.....Umm...Geek Prom! Yes, we attended Geek Prom! After a really hard day, Walter agreed to attend with Justin and I and I am so, so, so glad that he did. The event was different but it looked like everyone was having a lot of fun. It was good to be able to watch some real silliness happening. Even if you're not into dancing to geeky music, I recommend this event. It's fantastic for people watching. If I'm lucky enough to attend next year, I'll be attending this again..it's a fun event plus the proceeds go to a great charity.

Sunday -
Poor Justin wasn't feeling so good on Sunday so he pretty much left Walter and I alone to wander the con floor, seeing friends and me frantically doing things I should have done the other days. People love Walter and it made me smile to see them light up when he'd come around. I can't blame them..he showed me what it was like to be silly and goofy and how to smile until your face hurt again. He really is a pretty great guy*.

Walter and I did a bit of last minute shopping and a lot of last minute talking and for me, wishing that the weekend wasn't coming to an end. There was so much more that we could have seen and experienced, but I have no regrets, just things to look forward to next year.

So while this is probably the worst con write up ever, I hope that you guys understand that it's not the fault of the event itself. The event is amazingly well organized and well run. The exhibitor floor was filled with fantastic artists, writers and companies. The panels were varied and there was something for everyone, no matter what your interest. My weekend was amazing, thanks not only to the con itself but to the people who I got to spend time with.

I'm already looking forward to attending next year. I promise to do a better write up as well as take some better pictures. Thank goodness for people like Andy who covered for me this year!

*I received no monetary compensation for this comment.

Rex Zombie Killer

Yay, another zombie book! I know that's what you're thinking and honestly, I thought it too. Zombies are the new vampires and honestly, I'd rather have sparkly vampires. Now, before you throw stones or glitter at me, at least let me finish this review.

Rex isn't like any other zombie story out there. It isn't about yet another group of people holed up somewhere shooting zombies in the head in the hopes to survive. Rex is all about a group of animals, including a baseball bat wielding gorilla, making their way across the country. Their goal? Safety and maybe a new home. Their challenges? Zombies (duh!) and the scum of the Earth that somehow always survives these things.

Before you know it, you'll be falling in love with the characters and if you're anything like me, cheering them out loud as they face one challenge after another. It's true. If you'd been in my bedroom while I was reading this, you'd have heard me muttering go Buttercup..go...Of course, after that, I'd probably have screamed to find you standing in my bedroom, but let's move on from that, shall we?

These guys here are the ones you'll be falling for before you know it. You'll be cheering them on and then looking at your own pets just a little bit closer. This double-sized, 56-page one-shot ships in April at a special price of only $3.50, and will be available for pre-order in the February 2012 Diamond PREVIEWS catalog. (Order Code: FEB12 0806)  It is rated TEEN+ for mature themes and violence, however, I can tell you that my 11 year old read the first few pages of this and is just waiting for me to hand over the laptop long enough for him to read the rest. It's one of those books that you need to read for yourself and then decide if your child is ready for it. Additional one shots are planned for the future and I can't wait to get my fingers on them!

I was provided with a digital preview copy of this book. As always, all comments, thoughts, and ramblings are 100% my own. Thank you to Big Dog Ink and Rob Anderson for the use of the photos included in this review.

Corey the Zombie Killer

I know what you're thinking. What in the heck is Katrina doing? Zombies? The girl is the biggest wuss known to wussdom and suddenly she's doing reviews on books that have the word zombie in the title? Has she lost her mind? Is she smokin' something? Has she finally cracked? Will she ever be the same? Why did it take her months to figure out that CZKWorld probably stood for Corey the Zombie Killer World? Are fruit snacks really a breakfast food?

Ok, or maybe you're just curious but not really having an entire internal dialogue like I just did. Just remember, I have never, in all of my 12+ years of blogging, claimed to be entirely sane or psychologically balanced.

Keep that in mind as I tell you about CZKWorld Studios' Corey the Zombie Killer. I first met the guys behind this book at the Detroit FanFaire back in September and after a couple of months of going back and forth, they sent me a digital copy of their very first book to check out.

Now, don't ask me why but I honestly thought this was going to be a fluff comic. You know, cute little kid goes around killing..wait a minute, how did I even start to think that? There's no logic in that thought process, what so ever. Ok, so I was wrong. This is not cute or fluffy. It's about zombies..and a guy who wants to kill zombies. Not cute. So, let's get started...

As y'all know, I like to start with the cover. Now, since this was a digital copy, I can't attest to the quality of the print. What I can do, is show you the cover. It looks like this:

"The story starts 1 year after the infection has taken place. This is where we find Corey (young human man). He learns his survival depends on finding someone to trust in a corrupt zombie ruled planet. Every turn is a twist....leading to the unforeseen and a rising body count. A rising human and zombie body count..."

See? Not cute or fluffy. All in all, a pretty good story though. I'm going to dub this a really good starter book with a few flaws.

The Writing: I would have loved to have gotten a bit more background information on the characters, especially Corey. While we're introduced to him, we really don't learn much about him. Overall, the story is well written with just a few bumps along the way. At one point, I felt like the writer had a bit of block and forced the words out. Then, he was right back at it. Overall, a really good starting point in a story that has a ways to go. I have confidence that the character will be fleshed out more in upcoming issues. (And that we'll see that girl again that he muttered a naughty word about..though I don't know why I think that. Psychic network?)

The Art : This is the first time, in a while, that I've seen an entire comic done in black and white. As it was pointed out to me, not all comics are done in color.* However, I think this one would have benefited from the depth that color could have added. That being said, I thought the art was nicely done. It showed the variety of zombies that are now living in this world. It made clear the conditions that people are now living in. All in all, nice portrayals.

The Problems:  Really, I only have one or two problems with this book that weren't mentioned above. The first one is just one of those things I can be really anal about. I found spelling and grammar errors as I was reading through the book. This is one of those things that an editor (or possibly spell check) would have picked up on nice and quick and was totally preventable.

My only other issue is with the art that comes at the end of the book. In these panels, we see Corey fighting a zombie and his face lacks a certain continuity. For a moment, I actually paused and double checked that another character hadn't entered into the scene. Due to the lack of color, I'm also unsure as to if this zombie was hiding in the shadows or if day suddenly turned to night.

Overall: I think this is a great first book for these guys. It has some rough edges, but that's nothing that can't be fixed with time and some more experience. I've heard rumors that the second printing should be on sale soon and if you'd like to check this out for yourself, just click on the link up above. After all, what's more fun than getting in on something from the start? If you get a chance, catch up with these guys at a con. If memory serves, they were pretty friendly and they had some pretty cool swag (yes, I am a swag addict) in the form of t-shirts and buttons.

Edit: Michael, author of Corey the Zombie Killer, noted that I forgot to mention how handsome he is. I apologize profusely for the leaving out of that. Folks, Michael (seen on their about page wearing an Ireland hoodie..and we know my weakness there!), is very handsome and I swear he didn't pay me in swag to say this (though if he would like to send me some, I won't write Return to Sender on the package. Please note, I am also available for proofing, for a small fee..probably more swag.).

I received a digital copy of this book. The thoughts (random and coherent, alike), opinions (the good, the bad & the insane) and everything else (except company logo and cover graphic) are 100% mine..except what I said wasn't mine. Those are property of  CZKWorld Studios. 

*Can I just point out that just because I don't read super hero comics and yes, companies send me their comics to review (which by the way works out nicely for both sides), it doesn't mean I'm a moron?