Page 32: The First Zombie
Friday, March 9th, 2007Sorry about this page being a couple days late. I’ve been really sick in the past week.
If you have any questions about the First Zombie or anything else, check out the comments from the recent pages, where I reveal tons of stuff.
March 9th, 2007 at 12:53 am
Huh. Interesting. I’ve been enjoying this so far, looking forwards to learning a bit more. I have to admit, at first I was worried that there was going to be no storyline to speak of, and basically be just a Matrix meets Dawn of the Dead, but this is actually better than I had thought. I’m glad. Man, though, you just love spoilers, don’t you? Oh well, if I wanted to avoid them I’d stop reading the comments. It’s cool to have a good comic to follow from day one, though. Keep it up, and I hope you’re feeling better.
~Sleet
March 9th, 2007 at 12:57 am
I hate “The Matrix” and “Dawn of the Dead,” and almost all other movies ever made, especially in those genres. There’s a lot to this story, although I’ve done a bad job of telling it so far. The movie will be a lot better.
March 9th, 2007 at 12:58 am
Oy, too bad there’s no way to edit comments once you’ve posted them. Just wanted to add.. Panel four, the close up of ugly and shambly? Very cool. I am a fan of his hair, or what’s left of it. I don’t know if it was intended for his face to have all the expression I’m reading into it, but I’m definetly interested in hearing his backstory. He is interesting looking. Well, I think that covers it for now. Yeah.
~Sleet
March 9th, 2007 at 1:55 am
Oh God. Every single one of the webcomics I keep up with is ending on this cliff hanger note. I love it… no, not really. The zombie in the bushes… it even has a facial expression. So zombies are.. more or less intelligent or at least capable of something other than “Braaainsss….”?
Hope you are well again.
March 9th, 2007 at 2:38 am
What happens if the original zombie gets destroyed/killed?
Would all other zombies cease to exist or … ?
Or is the original zombie invincible?
March 9th, 2007 at 2:52 am
please don’t tell me the original zombie is dracula! actually i’m not expecting it to be but that would be drop. lovin the story so far though, when are we gonna see some blood farming though … it was such a big deal and well, nothing as of yet.
anyway … love panel 4 and his expression there is something almost … almost human (or vampire in it)
p.s. with colds/flu i find the best thing to fight them off is really hot showers and extremely strong coffee.
get well soon man.
March 9th, 2007 at 3:07 am
First Zombie is scaaaaaaaaaaarrry. and he dont look happy either
aaaaaaa 2 whole days without my new addiction! I never dreamt Id look forward to Mondays so much! lol
March 9th, 2007 at 3:11 am
Sleet’s right tho, he does have alot of expression going on in his face, what Im reading in it is actually kinda weird, like he is not happy to see those two talking. Anger and sadness.. sooo weeeeeiiirrrdd
I wonder if whats left of his lips can still move or are permanently grimacing?
March 9th, 2007 at 6:07 am
I love the look on Math’s face there in the last panel. XD He’s like “Heh heh… Oops. Our bad. ^__^” ” Really scary first zombie there. Woo! I’m glad you seem to be feeling better.
No more hospital trips I hope
March 9th, 2007 at 6:07 am
I”m starting to think this first zombie guy has a grudge against vampires too.
March 9th, 2007 at 6:51 am
Lol. Read the comments under Monday’s comic. Bobby says that TFZ (The First Zombie) has it out for all the vampires, wanting them to suffer from blood deprivation among other things.
March 9th, 2007 at 7:57 am
Ugh.. I don’t think I can continue to read this comic anymore – I can’t believe you said you hated Dawn of the Dead!!!
I do have to admit that I wasn’t a huge fan of the latest version of Dawn of the Dead (I just can’t abide by fast zombies – make mine the slow, shambling type plz!) – slam this version all you wish.
But the original Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, and Day of the Dead were fantastic, and remain classics to this day.. Even dare I say it – Land of the Dead was ok – poorly realized on screen, but the premise was good – people barring themselves in cities away from the Zombies, and having to make forays out into the world for supplies, this is what I imagine would happen in real life (should Hell ever be too full and the dead walk the Earth). The whole Dead Reckoning (Big Rig o’ destruction) part, and having Zombies regain their intelligence was just plain ol’ lame.
I’m a huge Zombie fanatic, and I think vampires come in a close second for me. Without George A Romero’s vision of zombies though we would hardly give them a thought. I just get heated when I see someone call down the Zombie master’s vision..
March 9th, 2007 at 11:33 am
Awww comeon. “Dawn of the dead” was a good zombie movie. At least I liked it. The storyline wasn’t nearly as involved, but the zombies were there and that’s almost all it takes
You’ve seen the Resident Evil movies? or played the video games? There’s a fairly interesting story line there. Not nearly as intricate as the one you’re developing, but still good. It’s the classic Evil Corporation creates super virus and it’s released on a town to test it. These are the people that are fighting the zombie’s story
This is a really good story, and I’m really looking forward to the next comic
I’m also sick, so I know how you feel 
Not quite as sick as a blood starved vampire. Stupid colds…
March 9th, 2007 at 11:53 am
The first “Dawn of the Dead” was much better than the remake, but I didn’t like either. The only zombie movie I’ve ever liked is “Shaun of the Dead.” I haven’t seen a whole lot, though — less than 10. The main problem is that they all have the same story (no story). Very boring. I’m not saying “Last Blood” has been better so far, but at least it has something new going on and something that makes more sense, I think (origin of the zombies).
Nara, bad news — you might have to wait until Wednesday for a new page! But if that is the case, you will at least see a new piece of art (well, partly new at least) on Monday, and a logo!
Lydia: Not all zombies are intelligent, but the First Zombie definitely is, yes, and he can control all the others, which basically gives them intelligence as well at times.
VDC: We’ll learn later if the First Zombie can be killed!
R3d Ra66it: Keep in mind that it was only about five hours ago when Math and Val drove up to help Murdo and Grady kill those zombies. And we saw Math drinking some blood just a few pages ago (blood from his previous mission that failed a couple days earlier). The comic story has been going way too slow, taking too long, and I’ve been trying to cut out everything that isn’t necessary, although I’ve been doing a bad job of that. We will definitely see some blood being taken from the survivors at the school, though, yes. But the story is about keeping the human race alive for FOREVER, so the vampires will always be able to live off their blood, for centuries. Getting some blood right now isn’t hugely important.
March 9th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
The fact that all the zombies are being controlled by one zombie reminds be of a book by stephen King, “cell’, except the “zombies” or phone crazies as they are called in the book, all work together but there is no leader. They go on a swarm mentality, its as if they were all one mind, just seperate bodies.
I never really been a fan of zombie movies either, shawn of the dead is just about the only I can stand. But i love this comic and can’t wait to see where it goes next.
March 9th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
Does anyone here read “Wicked Powered”(http://wickedpowered.com/), there’s a panel in a recent page with a vampire guy killing Hitler that looks disturbingly familiar. Is the same artist doing both stories?
March 9th, 2007 at 10:36 pm
Yeah i read that comic ro and just saw it and was going to post the same about that drawing………..weird weird……….. So Bobby what is the deal. So how is Mac doing….. seem like for ever since he left. hope he is kickin in heads and takin asses..
March 9th, 2007 at 11:01 pm
Owen also draws that strip and my brother writes it, yeah — no problem at all. Zombie Hitler getting killed in color looks pretty awesome. (Hitler is not a zombie in “Last Blood,” by the way — or a vampire!)
“So how is Mac doing….. seem like for ever since he left.”
I know it does, sadly, but he actually only left like five hours ago. He’s dealing with zombies and trying to find supplies, making his way as carefully as possible to a medium sized town where he thinks he can get some stuff and not run into too many zombies.
March 10th, 2007 at 8:47 am
Wow, The First Zombie looks sooo cute!
March 10th, 2007 at 3:19 pm
awesome comic, just found today and already book marked.
i love the vampire saviour factor, especially against the mindless (for now, with exception of tfz) zombie horde.
kieran
March 10th, 2007 at 8:35 pm
Hahaha, badass. TFZ is catching on.
*Flex*
March 11th, 2007 at 11:29 am
UGH. I just posted forever and forgot my e-mail address. All down the tubes.
Mewt: love TFZ. good anagram.
Bobby:
Yay! I guessed TFZ was a vamp first!
Is TFZ genetically or casually related to someone we’ve met?
Is Mac a vamp in hiding? I only ask becaus of the enormous amount of strength it would require to control an axe after the force to put it through three zombies at once seems to be unhuman.
Can we name moustache man Ron Jeremy? He looks kinda like him, and seems like the kinda guy who would hate being named after a porn star.
What in the name of hell was TFZ’s coffin made out of that it held a crazy vamp for 65 years? In my experience, crazy and stationary don’t go so well together.
New Fun stuff for zombie fans-
The Zombie Infection Simulator
http://www.sothisisacomic.com/Zombie/zomb3.html
1 Zombie, Large population, watch how it spreads!
Urbandead.com
Web-based MMORPG. Will you be a survivor, or a zombie? I’m freaking addicted. If you join, my character name is Superdoommonkey. Look me up. Human Hambargarz HAR HAR HAR.
March 11th, 2007 at 11:37 am
Clarification: I just read my last post and my relation question is a bit odd in it’s wording.
How is TFZ related to Someone We’ve Already Met, genetically or casually?
March 11th, 2007 at 11:47 am
Hey Bobby, Owen,
I’ve been following this since you started (I follow Sore Thumbs, Wicked Powered, Cecania’s Private Party, and Marry Me; got the link on day one), though this is my first time commenting.
Let me say that your work is remarkably well done; as an avid fanstasy buff, this is shaping up well. I look forward to the movie and the video game (whether you’re planning on it or not, it’s coming with the movie).
I have a few questions, if you don’t mind:
1. What archetype of vampires are you using here? Another astute reader mentioned “turning into mist or super-human strength.” There seems to be a general classification of vampire types (I’m not a gothic vampire nut or anything, I just read a lot). Any hints on what kind of powers you’re granting your vamps? Do these carry over into zombie form?
2. Do the zombies “reproduce” the same way the classical zombies do (”braaaiinnnnsss…”) or more of the vampire approach (”TAG! You’re bit!”)?
2. There is, amongst reader comments and implications, a presupposition of advance knowledge regarding the movie. Is there a blog or something I missed? Or are these friends of yours in the know? I’ve gathered what’s going on from context, but I’ve not found any direct explanation of the juice. Any linkage?
On an unrelated note: I’m a software developer with a specialization in web. I own a development firm and an entertainment network. If you ever need some quick code slammed out for the site, or want some high-profile banners or anything (my main site pulls around 125M hits/year), just post the request. You entertain for free, it’s the least we all can do. It takes an entire community to raise a story.
Thanks a bunch to both of you, and keep up the good work!
March 11th, 2007 at 12:02 pm
TFZ is genetically related.
Mac is not a vampire — just very strong!
“What in the name of hell was TFZ’s coffin made out of that it held a crazy vamp for 65 years?”
He chose to stay in, on purpose, but he couldn’t get out even if it was made of paper. He was made extremely weak by not drinking blood for decades. It’s not until a specific moment when you officially become a zombie after like 65 years and suddenly have those strengths.
March 11th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
All right, if there’s only one zombie, how did they get to the entire world? Just the logistics of it seem impossible. Even if one zombie spreads the disease to a whole city, or even a whole country, it would probably signal the biggest military actions of all time. Might even justify nuclear bombing of the infected country. Considering a bunch of people with very little training manage to survive, even a small contingent of military could survive. Nothing a zombie can do against a tank, especially if it’s got a mine flail on it.
It’s not really a big concern, since there’s already a big suspension of disbelief, I’m just curious.
March 11th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
Zombies, as previously mentioned, are immensely strong. Some nuclear activity -was- done in attempts to stop the zombies, but they’re already dead. What in the world is nuclear power going to really do to something that already exists without the aid of any real outside energy source (IE clean air, water, food). I proposed earlier that technically, a zombie’s flesh should still be broken down, but Bobby said that by the time nuclear retribution would be had, nukes wouldn’t have the area to affect via explosion.
It’s simply not the sort of thing you can send out a bunch of guys with guns to do. The real fear that makes any Zombie story ‘Real’, the panic behind it, is that you could go out and fight. You could hit them hard, you could put all your force behind it… But once the steam runs out of your well-oiled war machine of a slice and dice, the moment you have people on your side start falling… You begin to lose. The odds turn against you.
As for the reason the small town survives, as previously stated, they’re out in the middle of nowhere, and they’re a small grouping. Hence, zombies haven’t really bothered focusing on this one small town yet. Just the few occasional marauding zombies.
March 11th, 2007 at 6:17 pm
Ted, no suspension of disbelief in terms of how the zombies took over the world. Very easily. You can ask the same question of any zombie movie where most of the world gets zombified, but in this story it’s even easier to see how easily the zombies did it, because “Last Blood” has the extra element of a zombie leader who can control all the others and who has extra powers, like the ability to smell blood at great distances.
“Might even justify nuclear bombing of the infected country.”
And there was nuclear bombing, lots of it — as was already pointed out in this story on Page 20 when Math said there was an “all-out nuclear war.” It was too late to matter, though.
Read “The Stand” or any number of other stories to find out how these things spread quickly and easily. The First Zombie bites the girl on the beach, bites some other people, no one knows that it’s ZOMBIES or any kind of big disease for a while yet, infected people go on car trips, PLANE rides, and it all happens pretty damn fast, especially in this day and age, easier than ever to spread such a thing. It would spread to every continent and most countries within 24 hours before anyone knows what’s going on. In “Last Blood,” you have to get bitten by a zombie and then die before becoming a zombie yourself (like in most zombie stories, I believe), but any bite is very life threatening and they’re probably all fatal, killing you within 24 hours maybe. So anyway, at first we’d probably just have lots of bites and people being oddly sick, many of whom would still travel around. The First Zombie probably simply went to an airport right away near the beach and strategically bit people who were flying to other countries. He’d been planning this for 65 years. It’s not very tough to put this into motion.
The military can’t really do anything against this sort of thing. Within a week there would be a billion zombies and a week after that there’d be six billion, especially with the zombie general leading the way. Then it’s just a matter of trying to hide, but the First Zombie seeks them all out.
“Considering a bunch of people with very little training manage to survive . . .”
That’s for two very big reasons: #1, they’re out in the middle of nowhere and hardly any zombies have come their way so far — they’re just lucky to be the last people for the First Zombie to get to. #2, spoiler: they’ve actually been kept alive on purpose up to this point by the First Zombie, for a specific reason.
March 11th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Zen, thanks for the nice comments.
“What archetype of vampires are you using here?”
I have no clue! I’ve read practically zero vampire stories and seen practically zero vampire movies. “Once Bitten” starring Jim Carrey might be the only one I’ve seen all the way through actually, and I haven’t seen that in about 20 years.
“Any hints on what kind of powers you’re granting your vamps? Do these carry over into zombie form?”
Well, with enough blood in their system, they’re incredibly strong. Then there’s the ability to smell and recognize blood, of course, with some vampires having a stronger sense of smell than others, and Math’s is better than most. When you go through the 65 years of torture to become an original zombie, you retain most, if not all, of your vampire powers, and you gain some new powers, like the ability to communicate and control all the other zombies telepathatically. (And I just had a huge idea for something that I might do at the end of this story, which could greatly set up some sequels even more. Interesting. I’ll keep that secret, though.) And anyway, probably some other powers, too!
“Do the zombies ‘reproduce’ the same way the classical zombies do (’braaaiinnnnsss…’) or more of the vampire approach (’TAG! You’re bit!’)?”
I think I answered that in my previous comment above to Ted.
About the movie: Nothing really to link to, no, although I’ve mentioned several things about it in the various comments for the pages. In my blog post for the first page I said, “I plan to direct an independent film of ‘Last Blood’ in 2007, with shooting currently scheduled for September.” Selling the story (screenplay, yet to be completed) to Hollywood before then is another option, but if that doesn’t work out, I then hope to raise the funds to film the movie myself.
About your development firm and entertainment network and the offers you made, that all sounds great and I’d love an e-mail about that with more details. You can reach me at bobbyc512@gmail.com. Thanks.
March 11th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
Love the comic, just stumbled onto it last week. Keep up the good work.
So why can’t our resident vampire zombie killing machine sense Zombie Prime lurking in the bushes?
Oh, and about the ability to stop the zombie outbreak – remember these zombies are controlled by something smart (that might have military training given the dog tags) and can walk several hundred miles across the ocean floor. If the zomibies can use weapons in any way, or even if only ‘Prime’ can, the outbreak would be almost unstoppable.
Especially if there is a period where you still look human but are contagious and under the influence of the zombie leader.
March 11th, 2007 at 10:50 pm
“So why can’t our resident vampire zombie killing machine sense Zombie Prime lurking in the bushes?”
It will be explained, but it could be a few different things. Either his blood is so different that Math can’t tell what it is or the First Zombie has the power to change the smell to nothing or possibly Math does smell it and he thinks it’s another vampire checking on them in an invisible form. Haven’t decided yet.
March 12th, 2007 at 12:04 am
you never answered about Ron Jeremy.
March 12th, 2007 at 12:08 am
That guy’ll probably never get a name! And no, not gonna be Ron Jeremy!
March 12th, 2007 at 6:16 am
If First Zombie still has vampire powers, then I can see it. I just was wondering.
I haven’t read through all the different Commentary sections so I am sure this was asked before – Aside from the obvious (immortality, speed, strength, enhanced senses, ability to look gorgeous) what ’supernatural’ abilities do vampires have?
March 12th, 2007 at 2:24 pm
From the post directly above your first one –
——–
“Any hints on what kind of powers you’re granting your vamps? Do these carry over into zombie form?â€
Well, with enough blood in their system, they’re incredibly strong. Then there’s the ability to smell and recognize blood, of course, with some vampires having a stronger sense of smell than others, and Math’s is better than most. When you go through the 65 years of torture to become an original zombie, you retain most, if not all, of your vampire powers, and you gain some new powers, like the ability to communicate and control all the other zombies telepathatically. (And I just had a huge idea for something that I might do at the end of this story, which could greatly set up some sequels even more. Interesting. I’ll keep that secret, though.) And anyway, probably some other powers, too!
——–
March 12th, 2007 at 9:30 pm
Color me embarassed. This is what I get for fast scrolling past all the other comments.
March 12th, 2007 at 9:31 pm
No problem. It’s a huge block of text up there.
March 13th, 2007 at 1:45 pm
Is TFZ something along the lines of a human who got bitten by a vampire and got mad pisst at that and heard some story about how Zombies would be the doom of mankind or something so he kinda went with it?
March 13th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
(Redhead might be onto something, but it’s much more complicated than that!)
March 14th, 2007 at 7:49 am
Now I love this comic. Will it be possible to buy it from europe when you publish it?
March 14th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
It will be, yes!
March 24th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Stumbled across this comic yesterday, very nice work… an original premise.
Did anybody else notice the bullet hole in TFZ’s head? And then wonder how the heck anybody’s going to kill it if it can take a bullet through the head and keep moving?
March 25th, 2007 at 11:43 pm
JD: He’s retained some of his vampire powers, so maybe he needs to be killed like a vampire.
November 29th, 2007 at 6:56 am
Is there going to be anymore, I really got in to this, and it ended here
Anyone?
December 8th, 2007 at 1:56 pm
What made you pick Bulgaria for the start of it all?
December 8th, 2007 at 2:25 pm
atacam: I’m confused. There’s 80 more pages for you to read! Keep going!
hyacinth: Various reasons, not one specific thing. I had almost zero knowledge of Bulgaria before writing this, and I still don’t know a whole lot. Mainly just wanted a country that people had heard of but didn’t know much about, and Bulgaria fit well for that, I thought.
December 10th, 2007 at 1:37 pm
THIS IS THE BEST PAGE SO FAR!
January 15th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
hahaha This page got me surprised. I actually live in Bulgaria
June 18th, 2008 at 1:45 am
heh, me too… more Bulgarians join the fray! *creepy zombie sounds*
June 24th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Great story line! At first I was like, “Oh Great! Yet another post-apocalyptic Resident Evilish story…hmm”. But after reading (and seeing) the interaction of characters and dynamic possibilities of not just a movie, but sequels and perhaps a prequel? (plz
) , I’m hooked! Hopefully the bureaucracy of making and producing a movie wont keep your dreams in purgatory. Good Luck!
July 30th, 2008 at 9:56 am
If the primary zombie/vampire has plans to wipe everyone out, whats the purpose? Where can he go from there unless hes just completely suicidal. Kill all people, kill all food and then theres nothing left and nothing for him to do.