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Mar 19th, 2008 - 07:43:02 |
Zombie Walk Detroit
Raising Hell
Picture a beautiful day out on the town with friends, walking nonchalantly and strolling down the street, passing by other pleasant people when a sudden scream pierces the air as a woman is dragged to the ground not 20 feet away by a pack of zombies. There’s nobody nearby yelling, “Cut!” It’s not even Halloween. One of the zombies looks up from the feast and spots you. What would you do?
If the people at Zombie Walk Detroit have any say in the matter, you’ll join in the fun. “If [someone] can attend, all they really need to do is get themselves into some old clothes, bloody themselves up and join in!” said Kelli Von Zombie, founder of the organized mob of undead.
Zombie walks are a growing phenomenon across the nation and happen in several cities, sometimes annually. Von Zombie formed ZWD after attending a handful of local walks and reveling in the sensation of wreaking both shock and joy on a stunned public. “We had no choice but to form the first official organization in Metro Detroit, Zombiewalkdetroit.com,” she said, explaining that they are “wholly dedicated to scaring up zombie adventure at any given moment.”
On Sept. 29, ZWD organized a leisurely lurch around Royal Oak, drawing nearly 200 participants and a large amount of spectators and photographers. Video of the event hosted on their website features zombies of all shapes and sizes, from punks to hipsters to soccer moms and entire families. It would appear that nobody is immune to this virus.
The festivities are not without guidelines, as zombies are given a breakdown of proper etiquette for the living dead prior to departure. “No zombifying of anyone who hasn’t given permission, be respectful of others’ property … those kinds of things,” said Von Zombie.
Of course, these rules limit the food supply of these decomposing denizens of Detroit, so volunteers are stationed along the route to pose as victims. “Victims mingle amongst the general public somewhere along our path, and when we see them, we feast!” Von Zombie explained. Once a victim is “eaten” they become infected as well and join the mob as a new recruit. Current plans in the works involve a spring 2008 outbreak in Greektown and later that year, an October event in Ferndale. ZWD is attempting to get at least one more mob together before the end of the year. While their initial idea for a Somerset charity event appears squashed, Von Zombie promises a December event of some kind. “It isn’t over,” she vowed, “We have a plan B. We also have a plan C and D for that matter. We don’t give up easily.”
It’s only natural that fans of the Zombie Walk would be fans of zombie films. “Right now I’m stuck on Army of Darkness,” admits Von Zombie, “I know, I know, they’re skeletons, not fleshy zombies, but they still rose from the dead for cripes sake.” As for the making of zombie babies as displayed in Dead Alive and the 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead, “I’d imagine it’s nonsense,” she said. “Zombies have issues with arms and legs falling off and such, so … see what I’m saying?”
Actually, that’s probably something we’d rather not see. | RDW
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