THE DEAD TIMES
DEAD ARE COMING...
The Final Zombie Giftocalypse
The nights are getting chilly, the fog is rolling in and the moans of the living dead are a tad more frightening; it is time for the twelveth annual Zombie Giftocalypse! This year, I've got some sad news, I am stopping work on The Dead Times website in the beginning of next year so this will be the final Zombie Giftocalypse article I write.
The rules have not changed; ten items never mentioned on this long-running website of undeath before. So, let's get into the list and, while it's true that Zombie popularity has dwindled over the last few years, this year's list contains items that any seasoned deadhead would love to find under a severed, dying Christmas tree.
1. Zombie Tyrannosaurus Rex
Buy "Zombie Tyrannosaurus Rex" on AliExpress
The two versions of this piece (the "Plain" version and the "Jungle" version) show what a Tyrannosaurus Rex might look like after having succumbed to the Zombie virus. They ooze breathtakingly gory detail. I adore the wonderfully textured look of the skin, the exposed gore of ripped flesh and the mesmeric guts dangling from the death dinosaur's belly. It also poses and interesting question; would this fearsome beast, often cited as the king of the dinosaur world, be able to retain his crown even after infection? If he became an almost unkillable, flesh-hungry wandering corpse with little more intelligence than the drive to consume the living would this be all that different to being the apex predator he was in life?
2. The Return of the Living Dead - Trash & Suicide figure set
Buy "The Return of the Living Dead - Trash & Suicide figure set" on Mad About Horror
The poster for 1985’s legendary Zombie horror-comedy The Return of the Living Dead features two "cartoonified" Zombies - their skeletal remains glowing green, their hairstyles standing proud and their clothes remaining mostly intact. These two Zombies are based on characters in the film - punks known as Trash and Suicide - but, obviously, these outlandish Zombified versions of them are not shown in the actual movie. Coupled with the spray can and graffitied gravestone, also highlights from the movie's poster, I think this set is an excellent gift idea for fans of the original movie.
3. Zombieland "Double Tap" t-shirt
Buy "Zombieland 'Double Tap' t-shirt" on Etsy
This skull-cracking t-shirt reminds wearers of, quite possibly, the single most important rule for the Zombie apocalypse. First introduced in movie Zombieland, I would argue that this rule is suitable for pretty much any scenario with hostile combatants, especially where the foes are undead or otherwise ghoulish in nature as any avid fan of survival-horror games knows.
4. "The Outbreak" Zombie miniatures
Buy "'The Outbreak' Miniatures" on Etsy
Intended for use in Zombie tabletop games, I think these small Zombie figures would make excellent display pieces even if not used. Having a set of 40, an option when purchasing, would definitely give the feeling of a true Zombie horde. Careful though, these are unpainted, 3D printed miniatures - they will require assembly and, optionally, painting.
5. Zombie Calendar
Buy "Zombies Calendar" on Etsy
Everyone needs a calendar for the new year, right? I mean, without one you'd be stumbling through the year with the mindless shuffle of a wandering ghoul. Buy a Zombie themed calendar for the Zombie fanatic in your live so they can mark on all those important dates like the arrival of the living dead and when you need to purchase more supplies for the bunker.
6. Hell on Earth (Life of the Dead - Book 1)
This Zombie novel has certainly got some high praise with multiple 5-star reviews, one stating "Fast-paced, action-packed, and full of gore! I couldn't put it down!!". In the fact, the book is the first in a series of 5 novels, each with equally high acclaim, so if the astonished receiver of this book enjoys what they read, there is a lot more for them to sink their teeth into later.
7. Diary of the Dead poster
Buy "Diary of the Dead poster" on ukposters
I love the question written in large, unescapable letters on the top of this poster; "Were will you be when the end begins?". This poster comes in a range of sizes and, you can even get it framed if you want.
8. 28 Days Later vintage poster
Buy "28 Days Later vintage poster" on Etsy
It may be over 20 years old now but Danny Boyle's 2002 hit infection movie 28 Days Later is a classic, not to be forgotten. Zombies in culture had pretty much reached rock-bottom in the late 80s and throughout the 90s. In 2002 28 Days Later brought them running and screaming back into people's faces; the living dead had evolved for the new era, become more violent, turned into true creatures of horror, gone were the slow, mindless brutes of old and in came the new, modernized, sprinting hazards where even a single one was a dreaded threat. Now, I know many Zombie fans (me included) do not consider 28 Days Later a Zombie movie but its life-bringing effects brought to the dead genre cannot be overlooked. What's more, the long-awaited 28 Years Later stands ready to do the very same thing today, with the modern, failing Zombie genre.
9. The House of the Dead t-shirt
Buy "The House of the Dead t-shirt" on Etsy
A new movie-adaption of the critically acclaimed arcade Zombie shoot'em'up The House of the Dead from director of the action-focused Resident Evil film-franchise, Paul W. S. Anderson, was announced this year. That makes it the perfect time to don a t-shirt celebrating the original classic game from SEGA.
10. Clicker from The Last of Us Part II
Buy "Clicker from The Last of Us Part II" on Infinity Collectables
With the second season of HBO's jaw-dropping The Last of Us TV show - itself based on the hugely popular The Last of Us game franchise - being released next year, now is the perfect time to add this 8 inch figure to your collection. The figure is amazingly detailed, showing off the fungal infection that inflicts mankind in this universe perfectly. I love his uncomfortable pose - you can almost see him twitching with involuntary muscle movements caused by the infection controlling his mutated frame. The body armour and ripped clothing is also a nice touch, displaying how this, former trooper, lost his humanity, becoming the beast that he hunted.
DESCRIPTION:
I am shutting the virtual doors of the technological tomb we call The Dead Times in 2025 so this is to be the last ever Zombie Giftocalypse. Never fear though (well, maybe just a little) as 2024's despicable festive season has brought a wealth of Zombie gifts to lighten even the darkest of hearts. Enjoy a list of ten such mind-numbing creations within and, please do, whatever fetid state your body is in, have a merry, wonderfully macbre, Christmas.
CATEGORY:
The Zombie Giftocalypse
WRITTEN BY:
DATE UPLOADED:
17/11/2024