As I’ve discussed before, nuclear reactors will be a threat in a post-collapse America. Eventually the lack of maintenance will allow the decay of security mechanisms and constructs around the cores of nuclear power reactors. This map shows each reactor in the US and the 50-mile danger zone around each. It also includes the population of each danger zone. It’s humbling to look at this map and realize how much nuclear devastation would occur if standard operations ceased.
KillerTargets alerted me to this auction, which is selling a bunch of cool zombie stuff, and the proceeds will be going to AIDS/LifeCycle 11 (ALS). ALS is an organization that raises money for AIDS research and awareness. Up for auction is a prop head from Zombieland, combo packs with the following contents:
a “Night Terrors” print signed by Bernie Wrightson, and lots more cool stuff. Now’s your chance to own pieces of zombie and film history, so, take advantage of it! The Big Zombie Tour in the pack is a tour of The Walking Dead locations in and around Atlanta. The Netherworld listed in the pack is a haunted house in Norcross, GA and it is bad ass. There’s some really cool stuff available to the highest bidder so get over there and give them your money! Remember, that money’s also going towards a good cause.
Doodle 2
Robert Kirkman, creator of The Walking Dead, recently took part in USA National Doodle Day supporting research and awareness of neurofibromatosis. He has created two doodles for the contest and they are up for auction now on eBay. There are almost 6 days left in the auction, so if you want to own an original Kirkman piece, here’s your chance!
Doodle 1 is currently going for $65 but doodle 2 is going for the righteous sum of $280. It’ll be interesting to see the final prices.
There’s an oft-neglected aspect to the zombie apocalypse that just occurred to me. Maps. We’re gonna need maps. I know damn well I don’t know the country like the back of my hand? Do you? No, of course not. Well, good news. The USGS is having a sale on its maps. They’re only $1 until June 4.
The maps are per-county, so… yeah, if you want to be REALLY prepared, you’re gonna need a bunch of these. BUT, they’re only a buck. Maybe the best thing to do would be to pick a bug out location and get a map of that location so you know all the ins and outs of the area. Remember, no matter where you go, you’re always going to need an escape route.
Zombieland Rules to Survive
It might be worth memorizing these rules… ALWAYS double tap!
I just picked up the premier issue of Zombie Nation at, of all places, Tractor Supply Co. It’s primarily a gun enthusiast magazine with a zombie theme but there are some zombie-specific segments. The magazine does have a centerpiece… no, it’s not nekkid zombie ladies (thankfully). It IS a zombie target sheet for shooting practice, though!
There are some big, badass guns in this magazine, too. The cover is adorned with Valyrie Armament’s BSR MOD-1, a belt-fed 5.56 mm semi-automatic assault rifle with, get this “infinite” capacity. I don’t know if infinite is the right word there, but it does look like a badass rifle. There are pages upon pages of information regarding this and other weapons in this magazine, rife with useful info to help you choose your weapon.
There are some other cool things in the book besides guns, though. There is a rather large article on zombie cinema, a few pages detailing some of the better zombie books on the market (though, I see a lack of some of my favorite indie authors), and a bunch of other cool stuff. Oh, by the way, there’s also an interview with some of The Walking Dead’s Walkers!
I haven’t read it yet but stay tuned to the HereBeZombies Facebook and Twitter feeds for more info.
So, I wrote an article a while back about finding water in the zombie apocalypse. I now realize that I forgot a great source: hot water heaters. There’s a hot water heater in every home in most advanced countries and it’s filled with fresh water! Opening it and getting that water out might pose a challenge, though.
As most people are aware, hot water heaters can fucking EXPLODE! As far as I know, this is only true if the heater is on and is compressing evaporated gases inside the unit (since water can’t be compressed). Once the grid is down for a bit, all the water heaters should be safe. In that interim time, water should be available from other sources.
If not, be very careful. There should be a pressure release valve on every hot water heater in the United States. I can’t speak for other countries, but I’d be surprised if safety regulations didn’t require them everywhere. Pull that pin and let all the pressure out before attempting to access the water inside. There should be a panel on the outside of the unit that you can remove and access the innards of the contraption. From there, you should be able to get to the water.
If not, just bash the bastard with a hammer till you get there.
It has come to my attention that most of the zombie safehouses scouted out by people are not safe for one single reason: nuclear power. Most of the zombie strongholds that people post on sites like Reddit and other zombiephile hubs are in the US and Europe, both of which will be covered with radioactive fallout should society fall.
It is reasonable to assume that the people working in nuclear power facilities will eventually abandon their posts. Whether they leave to be with their family or the facility is overrun by the undead, it will eventually be unmanned. Most of the world’s nuclear reactors are located in the Northern Hemisphere, which means it’s in a ton of trouble.
If nuclear power facilities aren’t manned for a period of just a few days, the cooling systems in place will begin to fail. Once they fail, it’s just a matter of time before the reactors melt down. Since reactors today are far more efficient than those in the past, they have much higher capacity and hold much more fissile material. If that fissile material isn’t cooled properly, it explodes. That’s another bad thing about the efficiency of these reactors: the meltdowns will be magnitudes larger than anything we’ve seen thus far on earth. Continue reading
Is that Glenn and Morgan?
The first episode of The Walking Dead video game from Telltale games is now available on Steam. The game follows the lead character, Lee Everett, as he tries to escape the impending plague. After seeing the initial video, we know that Lee is a prisoner being transported out of Atlanta to parts unknown. The video shows him in the backseat of a police car being driven by a kind, but chatty older policeman. Eventually, bad things start to happen and that’s where we left off.
Eventually Everett will be joined by a young girl named Clementine. You will assume their survival journey through the game’s world. Eventually, you’ll even see cameos from The Walking Dead characters like Glenn and Dale. The game will come in five installments spaced one month apart.
I’m not 100% sure how the pricing works but the episode listed on Steam right now is selling for $24.99. As far as I can tell, once you purchase this episode, you will receive the other episodes as they are released. Steam is calling this the Season Pass. As I can’t find a different link to a Season Pass, I’m guessing this is it.
The game features a decision system that’s supposed to shape the way the story unfolds. We’ll see how great that works, but it sounds good. I’m skeptical because other recent games (I’m looking at you, Mass Effect 3) said the same thing but, ultimately, disappointed fans.
You will be able to explore Herschel’s Farm before Rick and his group arrive, meet Glenn before he heads to Atlanta, and no telling what else. The story seems to shadow the story of the main storyline while being completely separate. It does adhere to the comic canon, not the TV show. I don’t think they will reveal any major spoilers in the game, though, since the game takes a different path than the survivors with which we are familiar.
If you’ve been waiting on baited breath for this like I have, now is your chance. Go purchase and download (and hope I’m right about the Season Pass!). It’s available to Steam customers on PC now but only US PS3 customers are able to purchase it today. It should be available on other Sony territories tomorrow.
