Deadliest Warrior Vampires vs. Zombies Panel

Comic con 2011 began for me on a bad ass note. I mean who doesn’t want to start their morning with a panel starring none other than the great vampire graphic novelist Steve Niles (30 days of night), Zombie connoisseur Max Brooks, and the entire Deadliest Warrior cast for the Spike TV’s Deadliest Warrior Vampire’s vs. Zombies? Now I have to admit although I was familiar with the show, I never watched more than a few minutes of it, and although found it an interesting concept, I never though that acts of war required that much mathematical or strategic thought. After hearing each of these talented people speak, I realised that even the simplest battle requires a least a little strategy.

Although I was pretty pissed off that Wes Craven was slated to appear on this panel but did not show up, the excuse was even more irritating. Moderator Geoff Boucher claimed he had an accident with a “vespa”? Although I hear Wes is notorious for not showing up to public engagements, I still wanted to see one of the father’s of modern horror.

I have to say I really appreciated the entire panels dedication to their science of battles, and having input from horror masters Steve Niles and Max Brooks was even better. Being that there could never be a fair one on one fight between a Vampire and Zombie as Zombies are way too slow, panel and show members Richard “Mack” Machowitz and Dr. Armand Dorian (who is in fact an actual Doctor) figured that the fairest way to pose a fair battle experiment was a ratio of 1 to 62. 1 Vampire for every 62 Zombies. And one other experiment was how long it would take 3 Zombies to tear through the chest cavity of a Vampire to completely incapacitate them, and in this instance it took just under a minute at about 52 seconds. During this entire experiment, Dr. Dorian actually watched the entire thing and gave a play by play if you will of the whole thing, describing what body parts were being compromised, and what would happen in an actual situation like this.

The absolute best parts of this panel were first, the Q and A session in which an audience member asked Dr. Dorian the reality of a virus that could turn us all into zombies and change the world. Dr. Dorian’s response was that it actually was not too far off from reality, and that the fact that viruses can change and mutate too fast for the medical field to catch up, could cause a serious problem. And the fact that the CDC has actually come up with a plan in the case of an actual Zombie Apocalypse, even furthers this reality.

The 2nd and best part of this whole panel was the shortest but really wet our appetites for the coming Zombie film epic, World War Z. Max Brooks disclosed only that it stars Brad Pitt, and is currently already under production and set to release around summer 2012 maybe later. One interesting fact about the movie is that great effort is being taken to film appropriately in regards to character and location. For each location in the book, they are actually filming in those actual locations, and are using high profile actors from each location, and from that country in an attempt to secure the films authenticity and feel. A great idea on Max as well as the producers and directors part.

Although I never thought a battle between Vampires and Zombies could be so incredibly scientific and thought out, I enjoyed the different approach and appreciated the fact that even a doctor could take something so serious…something really meant just for us horror movie dorks.

make custom gifts at Zazzle