The Walking Dead

For my final essay I will be discussing how The Walking Dead has become a staple for zombie tv shows and how it has developed into such a big franchise. By analyzing the video game, comic book, and the tv show I plan on describing what made The Walking Dead so popular and what about it makes it such a compelling and thought provoking program. Instead of simply focusing on the gore and the grotesque I will explore the psychological and mental aspect of the show and how it describes what can happen to people's emotional well-being after a major apocalypse occurs. Lastly, I want to also look into the differences between the comic book and the tv show and hypothesize why the tv show decide to add/exclude certain key characters and what it did to not stray away too much from the comic. I also want to examine what makes the zombie genre as a whole so popular.

Essay 4 Topic

For my final essay I will be writing about the first prompt. I find it very interesting how the Walking Dead has grasped such a large following and I think one of the primary reasons for this is because it has a presence in so many mediums. For instance it originally was a comic book series, but then it evolved into a television series, which also sparked the production of it being turned into a video game. I also want to explore why this zombie franchise in specific has been so successful and what sets it apart from other zombie franchises. It will also be beneficial to note the differences between the tv show and the comics because I would want to highlight how this franchise is so dynamic and viewed through so many different lights. Lastly I will also be talking about the "Talking Dead" which is a television series of its own that follows the show and provides another outlet for viewers who enjoy the show to closely follow it.

Zombie Essay

For my final essay, I will be writing about the zombie genre. This mainly consists of a comparison between receptions to different portrayals of the creatures. I will attempt to explore whether there is a perfect recipe for a representation of them that maximizes positive feedback. I'm not entirely sure which sources I will be using at this point, but I will certainly be incorporating content from all popular mediums of storytelling.

12/09/2014 Ian Crowley

For my final essay I will be comparing various movies, television shows, video games and comics that exist within the zombie genre. Specifically I will discuss how the zombies and human characters are portrayed in each type of media. I will analyze the weak points and the strong points of each type of media and their portrayal of a zombie apocalypse. Furthermore, I plan to explain what makes some shows, movies, video games, etc. better and more successful than others. Some media from the zombie genre that I will be discussing in my essay may include, The Walking Dead series, Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland, and I am Legend. I may also try to include an analysis of what the zombie genre represents and explain what makes it a significant form of expression in our contemporary society.

Final Essay

For my final essay, I will be talking about the different portrayal of zombies in different types of zombie films, ranging from the common apocalyptic nature as shown in the Walking Dead, to the comical Zombie films like Zombieland, and possibly other genres like zomcom. Through this analysis, I plan on delving into what the portrayal of zombies represents in relation to past movements, as well as what the zombies allegorically stand for and also how non-infected people react to these different waves of zombies. After writing about these differences, I plan on writing about the connection to the apocalypse, as well as any other ways that zombies can be represented and what those representations say about the way zombies influence societal thoughts, specifically in reference to different mediums being television, movies, and graphic novels. 

12/09/14 Cristal Kim

For my final essay, I will be discussing the zombie genre and the evolving culture that surrounds it. Specifically, the first part of the essay will discuss the portrayal in TV shows and movies, and how they define the zombie genre. I will compare these two mediums and how they choose to portray zombies, citing the differences and similarities their characters each possess. What these interpretations of the zombie apocalypse stand for before moving onto the changes zombie culture has experienced. From terrifying monsters as illustrated in old-school horror films, to background characters in The Walking Dead, and finally to actual beings like in Warm Bodies. 

Zombie Essay

My plan for my essay is to draw similarities between zombie apocalypses and general catastrophes. I want to look at certain elements that are present in any disaster and see if they can correlate to zombie apocalypses. For instance, both include the need for individuals in society to confront dangerous situations and to find a particular solution for the problem at hand. Also, I want to analyze the similarities with the adoption of unconventional roles in both disasters, such as with children having to grow up fast and assimilate into a world that forces them to grow up, or with women having to adopt roles that force them to use weaponry or force. I don't know; I'm very excited to see what type of sources I can come up. I want to construct a comparative analysis with movies, books, and historical events, especially like with wars, which showed women having to fight in battles or assume their husband's occupation when he was at war, or evidence of young men having to fight in war at such a young age. It'll be interesting to see what I can use as sources.