PARKERSBURG - Brains.
Must have brains.
The zombie craze is dead and alive here and residents are hungry for them.
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Zombies take part in last year’s Zombie and Monster Walk in Parkersburg.
From the inaugural Zombie and Monster Walk last year in downtown Parkersburg, which returns this year, to a comic book store in Marietta where residents are pouring for "The Walking Dead" series, comics about zombies and dressing as zombies have become a social norm.
James Moore of Vienna, organizer and creator of the Zombie and Monster Walk, said he was eager to socially and economically benefit a community cause.
"I've always been interested in horror, I grew up as a teenager in the '80s horror genre," he said. "I wanted to do a charity fundraiser and thought that it (the zombie and monster walk) would be a great thing to help out the community and have fun as a family."
Those who walked last year donated nonperishable items to the cause, and if money was given more items were bought by the organizers.
"We are doing the same thing this year," said Moore. "If people donate by handing us money, we will go out and buy more food."
Moore said the cause helps food pantries around the area right before Thanksgiving, so they know they are doing a great thing for the community.
Old Man Rivers Mission on Pike Street benefited from last year's walk. Co-director Mike Conrad said any time a fundraiser of that nature can be held, it's a good thing.
"Any time there is a fundraiser attached to some type of community gathering like that, it's always a good way to interject (citizens)," said Conrad. "It gives a cause to what they are doing."
Conrad said he was surprised at the success of the benefit last year because he doesn't understand the zombie craze, but was glad the community took to the idea and appreciated the donations from it.
Jordan Lowe, owner of Marietta comic book store Asylum Comics, said the zombie craze is great for his business.
"The culture really moved toward it (zombies)," said Lowe. "Not sure what the psychology about it is."
Lowe said many comic book readers started asking about "The Walking Dead" even before the television series. The horror series started out as a comic book.
"Comics have always had a good base of horror," said Lowe. "Zombies have helped take over in more recent years."
Lowe said he keeps up with reading the comics that come in, but his favorites are the "indie" comics that aren't as popular with the everyday reader. For example, "The Walking Dead" was not originally expected to get as much attention as it received.
"The Walking Dead" is a monthly black-and-white comic book series about the travels of Rick Grimes, his family, and other survivors of a zombie apocalypse.
The series was first published in 2003 by Image Comics. The comic was created by writer Robert Kirkman and artist Tony Moore (who was later replaced by Charlie Adlard after issue seven, though Moore continued to do the covers through issue 24).
The comic received the 2010 Eisner Award for Best Continuing Series at San Diego Comic-Con International, outdoing originals such as Spider-man and Superman. Lowe was shocked the comic had such a heavy following, but pleased for all types of readers to enter his store.
