Zombies: Doomsday Attack

Max Brooks, author of The Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z, which is in development to become a movie, was online Friday, Oct. 30, at 11 a.m. ET to discuss the world of the undead on this Halloween eve and the popularity of the genre in books, movies, videos and pop songs. His new graphic novel "The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks," is just out.

MaxBrooks.com

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Washington, D.C.: Max -- Thanks for preparing us for the eventual zombie wars. Several reviews of the recent zombie movie, Zombieland, criticized the violence in the movie. I say that killing zombies is not violent, it's necessary. They're not people, people. If you're afraid of killing a zombie because it's violent, then you're going to be a zombie. Now for the question...any chance of survival if I occupy a row house in Capitol Hill?

Max Brooks: Of course you have a chance for survival in a Capitol Hill row house. Just make sure the get up the stairs and then destroy them!

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NYC: Do you believe the zombie genre was born out of reaction to the Vietnam War? and does the genre gain more followers during times of crisis?

Max Brooks: I think the general anxiety of the 1960s-70s spawned our interest in the living dead. When people worry about the end of their world, they need a safe vessel for all their fears. Zombies provide that vessel because they're 'safe'. You can watch "Dawn of the Dead" and still sleep at night. Try that with "The Day After".

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Arlington, Va.: Clearly most of us will need to engage in combat with the undead at some point in time, but is there any hard evidence to suggest that there are more of these incidents near Halloween? Or is it just something we hear more about even though the numbers are actually fairly steady throughout the year?

Max Brooks: Halloween is a very dangerous time, not for zombie attacks, but for human attacks on people dressed as zombies. So please, please, if you see someone shambling around on Halloween night, don't chop their head off!

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Arlington, Va.: I think my neighbor might be a zombine. Do I need to blast his head off with a shotgun?

Max Brooks: Do NOT be proactive! It's been proven time and again that "Officer, I thought he was a zombie" does not stand up in court.

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World War Z: I loved World War Z -- which is now considered the best zombie book available by connoisseurs of the genre. It's a shame that so much zombie fiction is poorly written and littered with typos. Thanks for raising the bar -- I hope a rash of good zombie literature will follow on the heels of World War Z. Are you working on anything new?

Max Brooks: "The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks" just came out a few weeks ago. It's a 'graphic' companion to the first book, meaning that 11 stories from "The Zombie Survival Guide" have now been illustrated in a comic book format. I'm also working on another graphic novel (not zombie related) and a new comic book mini-series for "GI Joe".

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Alexandria, Va.: In the event of a zombie attack, what qualities should I look for when deciding who I will let join my "survivor group."

Max Brooks: First: Usable skills. Can they grow their own food? Can they repair machinery? Can they survive in the wilderness for longer than an afternoon? These are only some of the skills you might want to consider for your group. However, no ammount of training will work without the right mental attitude. You can have a doctor/tracker/helicopter pilot in your team, but who cares if, on Z-day, all they say are "Oh God, we're all gonna die!"

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Leesburg, Va.: Max,

In lieu of fighting the Zombies during the apocalypse...could I hole up in a really, really secure bunker of some sort and wait for everyone else to die and the zombies to starve themselves to re-death?

Max Brooks: The problem with a bunker is, how are you going to get out? Zombies don't starve (That's the 'infected' in "28 Days Later"), so all you've done is trapped your self in a hole. Better to get out of the populated areas, find a patch of deserted land and scratch out a means of survival for as long as you can.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Hello Max! I just finished WWZ and it made me want to move into a walled compound above the timberline (and I mean that as a compliment). Could you tell us a little bit more about concept of zombies and cannibalism? How do you think it compares in expression to other baddies du jour, like vampires?

Max Brooks: Zombies are apocalytic in nature. They belong to a class of monster that doesn't just hunt humans, but seeks to obliterate that entire human race.

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Alexandria, Va.: Where do zombies get their energy? Do they keep going forever, like the Energizer bunny? My plan for surviving a zombie attack is to lure them onto the roof of a tall building and push them off. They'd fall to the bottom, break their legs, and wouldn't be able to move. Can zombies push elevator buttons?

Max Brooks: Good plan. But be careful with the zombie crawlers. Their legs may be broken, but they can still come after you on their arms. Also, beware decapitated zombie heads. They can still bite. No open toed shoes.

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State College, Pa.: I have the recently published "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" sitting my shelf. Do you predict more zombie infiltration into our literary classics?

Max Brooks: If they do, I'll be curious to see how Keruac deals with them in "On the (Undead) Road".

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Washington, D.C.: Say I run out of food and need to loot the local grocery or convenience store. Should I keep a motorcycle helmet and body armor on hand for such an outing? Will it help me?

Max Brooks: If you run out of food, chances are the local grocery store will already be looted. Better to stock up now and stay put, stay hidden, and stay safe.

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Glen Ellyn, Ill.: Max,

Can you recommend a good dog trainer? I want to make sure my dogs are ready for the zombie apocalypse.

Max Brooks: Any trainer that stresses silence. The last thing you need is your barking dog betraying your position.

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Ashburn, Va.: My fried and I are having a heated debate here, could you help us settle it?

He says that a sawed-off shotgun is the preferred shotgun to blow zombie heads off, because it is less cumbersome and not detrimental to the carrier's mobility.

I say that a standard shotgun is best, because the sawed-off's range is too short to be effective. You would need to get much too close to the offending zombie in order to get a good shot off.

Can you settle this once and for all?

Max Brooks: BOTH shotguns are a problem. How many 12 guage rounds can you stuff in your pants? Shotgun shells are big, heavy and give you least bang for your bug, litteraly. Better stick with a .22, or even better, something that doesn't need to be reloaded like a machete. And don't worry about shooting zombies at long range. If they're that far away, just walk in the oposite direction.

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Annandale, Va.: Is there anything you can tell us about the WWZ movie? It's a very ambitious choice for a feature-length movie, given that it is more in the format of a documentary mini-series. How does development hell for such a project compare to battling armies of the undead?

Max Brooks: I can tell you that Marc Forster has signed on to direct the project. I just had lunch with him a few weeks ago and he is either the world's best liar or he really wants to make this movie. Right now we're waiting for a new draft of the script. That should determine the next step in the 'developement' process.

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When there is no more food...: 28 Days Later presented an interesting concept in that if zombies have no more food, they will eventually die. However, in WWZ, the zombies frozen in the ice could still reanimate. How do you reconcile these possibilities?

And how do zombie ravens from Resident Evil tie in -- I'm used to thinking of zombieism as something that only humans can contract.

Max Brooks: The 'infected' in "28 Days Later" were actualy alive, hence their need for food. By that logic, they should also need water and after a few days without water, their bodies would begin to shut down. So in reality, the main charachter would wake up in the hospital to discover that London is littered with the corpses of infected who died from dehydration. And then the movie would be called "4 Days Later".

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Atlanta, Ga.: Shouldn't we be working on prevention? If we were all vaccinated ahead of time, the zombie scourge wouldn't spread. At least, that's my takeaway from the work of When Zombies Attack!: Mathematical Modelling of an Outbreak of Zombie Infection"researchers at the University of Ottowa.

Max Brooks: Yes, we should be working on prevention, and cooperation, and education... but then of course we'll have to deal with protesting Z-Baggers who'll just call it socialism.

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Montgomery County, Pa.: Zombies have always struck me as rather slow. I have always tried to figure out why people have such a hard time killing them. People always get too close to them and that gives the zombie a chance to grab and bite them. What is a good weapon to use that reaches far enough that would kill a zombie without having to get close enough so the zombie will get you?

Max Brooks: The problem with zombies is that we tend to underestimate them. People get to close, get bit, and join their ranks. If you're looking for a hand weapon with reach, try good root chopper or bank blade. Most lawn and home improvement stores carry them (But just say you need them for "Brush Clearing".

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Richmond, Va.: My boyfriend is a big fan of your book (it's on my to-read list!), but it worries me that I don't really have the skills required to be on the survival team. What can I do to make sure he doesn't leave me behind?

Max Brooks: If you study your survival skills, develop a cohesive plan, and prepare a well stocked anti-zombie kit, then it'll be your boyfriend, and not you, who should worry about being left behind.

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Chantilly, Va.: Please settle a debate I often have with a co-worker: Which is scarier, the fast, dumb zombie or the slow, smart zombie?

Max Brooks: Just tell your friend that everyone knows that fast zombies aren't real!

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Bethesda, Md.: One thing I've always wondered: Do zombies retain skills they learned in life? For example... if a pilot becomes a zombie, can he/she still fly a plane?

Max Brooks: No, zombies have no memories of their former life. You wont see the undead trying to wash windows or do your taxes. All they know how to do is swarm and feed.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Let's say I'm holed up in a well-defended location during the zombie outbreak, but after time food has run out. Is it safe to eat the flesh of dispatched zombies without becoming one myself?

Max Brooks: Good news, if you eat infected zombie flesh, you wont become a zombie, you'll just die.

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Richmond, Va.: Max, in your survival guide you give a great guide to weaponry and how to combat the undead. What is your weapon of choice personally and how often do you hone your skills?

Max Brooks: A machete works just fine for me, and given the overgrown folliage in my garden, I get a lot of practice.

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D.C.: My friend is convinced he will out-survive me when the ZA arrives. I have consistently demonstrated my survival skills, and my intelligent decisions during such an event. His reaction and solution is to throw me to the zombies so he can out-survive me. I tell him that his reactionary plan is quite telling and demonstrates my superior abilities. He thinks it's a good plan, and a good way to prove me wrong and out-survive me. Who do you think is right?

Max Brooks: Your friend is going to throw you to the zombies? Some friend.

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Anonymous: So, a shotgun blast should aim for the jaws? Because if they can't bite, they really can't do too much else?

Max Brooks: True, but probably not the most efficient use of your ammo.

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Kindle?: Hi, loved World War Z and would like to read your survival guide -0- it doesn't seem to be available on Kindle. Is it going to be?

Max Brooks: Take it up with Amazon, and remind them of their civic duty!

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Chicago, Ill.: Mr. Brooks,

I have two dachshunds -- if you're casting for the movie of World War Z yet, I'd like to send you their headshots.

Max Brooks: Please do. You can never have enough dachshunds!

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Falls Church, Va.: Time of the Season is my favorite Zombies song. What's yours?

Max Brooks: "How soon is now" but the Smiths. I know, it's not zombies, but as a writer, I reserve the right to free associate.

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Chantilly, Va. Librarian: Mr. Brooks: In the event of a zombie/flu/plague outbreak, what are the 1st through 5th steps we should take? (And please don't say to destroy the stairs to your house's second level. I'm talking about immediate actions needed to survive.) Thanks.

And thank you for your wonderful books. More than once someone has (usually sheepishly) admitted to reading them, and once they realized they were in the company of the like-minded (who wouldn't judge them), new friendships bloomed.

Max Brooks: 1. Remain Calm.

2. Examine your surroundings.

3. Move away from the infected area.

4. Don't run. Just walk quickly to conserve energy.

5. Formulate a plan of how to get home/locate loved ones/ or reach a more secure safe-zone.

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Wiredog: Are there any Zombie Comedians? Zombies doing standup? Zombie movie directors?

Max Brooks: No, but that doesn't mean all comedians are human.

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Rockville, Md.: Let's say I'm using a machete to defend myself and I get bit on the hand.

How much time do I have to cut my hand off before my entire body turns to zombie? Is it like snake venom where I have time before it circulates or am I a goner in a millisecond?

Max Brooks: The time you have depends on the wound. Smaller surface area helps. Smaller blood vessels punctured also helps. And most importantly, if you're bitten in an artery with blood flowing away from the heart, you'll have a lot more time than a bite to a major vein.

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Richmond, Va.: What is your favored terrain in which to evacuate to during the initial encounter? What type of things can you make or prepare ahead of time to take with me and my team so that we are ready to setup shop and start the slow process of survival and eradication.

Max Brooks: First, look at a map of the world and find a place that is scarecely populated. That should be your safe zone. Visit that zone ahead of time to get an idea of what challenges await you. And most importantly, befriend the locals and learn from them. Don't go the 19th century rout and think you know more than the people already adapted to that harsh enviornment. Be friendly, diplomatic, and culturaly sensitive because your life may depend it!

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Cleveland, Ohio: What if I am attacked by a zombie and a vampire at the same time? What should I do?

Max Brooks: Cut off the zombie's head and tell the vampire you don't like his hair (that'll send him away crying).

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Dallas, Tex.: Something that's always bugged me -- if zombie-ism is a blood-borne virus, wouldn't splashback from close-combat weaponry (say, machetes) be a undeath-sentence?

Or is it only zombie saliva that carries the virus?

Max Brooks: Yes, splashback is a problem, but only if it hits you in an open wound. And don't worry, you can't get it from a toilet seat.

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Bethesda, Md.: What about the Hiding In The Open strategy: If I put on tattered clothes, some stage makeup, and shuffle about... will the zombies detect my life force?

Max Brooks: Interesting plan. Try testing it out first. Dress a pirana and take a swim in the Amazon.

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Orlando, Fla.: Are all the deaf people going to be eaten during World War Z? They can't hear them coming, and not a lot of people know sign language...

Max Brooks: Deaf people might actualy have a better chance than the rest of us. Deaf people already live in a heightened state of alert because they can't depend on the passive sense of sound detection. Remember, its not the senses, but the brain behind them.

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Chantilly, Va. workers: Our boss doesn't understand the importance of learning to protect yourself against zombies. When the undead finally rise against us, should we throw him out the door first?

Max Brooks: Before resorting to such drastic measures, I'd recommend talking to your HR representative and have a seminar on Zombie Preparedness. Your boss is responsible for your health and well being and he should at least know how to fortify your workplace.

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Washington, D.C.: I have confidence in my ability to survive a zombie attack, but is there a point in time when it's time to throw in the towel? If so, what are the signs?

Max Brooks: NEVER throw in the towel! No matter how bad a zombie crisis seems, there is always hope. Survival is a state of mind and the living dead are no match for the human spirit. Remember, when the dead rise, all you need are three words:

YES WE CAN!

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Max Brooks: Sorry I don't have time to answer all your questions. Thank you for taking such an interest in surviving the undead.

Remember, be prepared, not scared, and organize before they rise!

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