Why are we so fascinated by Zombies? This morning io9 posed this question and it got me thinking about why I love zombie fiction.
Zombies are so fascinating because they’re a blank slate. Because they have no personalities or characteristics other than undead. They can be anything.
They can slowly shamble towards you. They can run, hopped up on viral powers. They can morph into hideous beasts. They can overwhelm you simply by their relentless pursuit. They never tire. They never stop.
They can be anything that fits the tale to be told. I enjoy zombie fiction and have read numerous books about them. What keeps me coming back is how different they are.
Often times it’s not the difference in zombie, but how the surviving humans relate and interact with them. How much is known about them? How are they viewed? Is it a noble profession to quiet the undead because they too were people once? Are the zombies hideous creatures unleashed from hell as punishment?
Are they walkers? Biters? Zom-Zoms? Z? Zed?
They’re one beast with many names. And because they’re a blank slate they can morph to be anything. That’s what makes them so appealing.
There are tales of zombie love stories. Zombies as pets. Zombies capture the imagination because they are us. They’re relentless molds we fill with our fears, hopes and emotions.