I am lead writer for the Mystery & Adventure Agency, and we have participated in many events, including co-hosting a fund-raising 5K for arts education in our community. It was spectacularly popular, fabulously fun, and full of people clamoring to dress up and perform, and who paid for the privilege and then felt better afterwards.
It was a 5K Zombie Run.
But why are zombies popular?
One evening I was taking a break with an international publication, and after finishing the article about Mauritania’s Conservation Coast, I turned the page. It was an article called, “Monsters from Mesopotamia.” It was absolutely fascinating, especially to someone who loves monsters, loves history, and loves writing and performing monsters. And I, like so many others, am a big fan of pop zombies. They make for great public art, partly because the costumes aren’t too hard, and partly because the depth of the performance required is, well, brainless.
Enter Zombie Super Cool fact Number One
“A recent Google search showed the word “zombie” garnering 318 million Web pages, while “vampire” collected a mere 80 million, with “werewolf” loping in third at 44.5 million.”
HOLY CANNOLI. Why would they be that much more popular ? I thought, maybe Zombies have always been that popular.
Enter Zombie Super Cool fact Number Two
Intriguingly enough, although the earliest man-wolf transition in literature is from Gilgamesh and vampires can be traced in writing and etymology to multiple ancient sources (the 3000 year old Assyrian incantation is deliciously creepy), the modern Zombie is a relatively recent creation. The historic Zombie “is a corpse revived by a sorcerer or magician, usually in the context of Haitian, Louisianan or West African Voodoo. The zombie then becomes entirely subject to the power of its master. In literature, zombies have been known to guard treasure, terrorize neighborhoods and, more generally, commit murder. . . . .This new zombie, popularized in director George A. Romero’s 1968 cult-classic movie, “Night of the Living Dead,” is a revived corpse that relishes human flesh and, of that, the brain most especially.”
So then, of course, I started chatting with my husband about it, and we became curious as to when and why exactly Zombies became popular. My theory was that people feel like an Apocalypse is on the horizon, that things are crazy, out of control . . . and art helps us survive.
Enter Zombie Super Cool fact Number Three
Google Analytics show this trend begins in 2008!!
AND Google Analytics show that Zombies kick Vampire and Werewolf BUTT.
Vampires deal in blood and seduction, werewolves are misunderstood but ultimately still violent and there will be no good outcome. Both are clever and manipulative. It hurts to be them. But a lumbering, slavering, short-lived, decaying Zombie, or a sprint Zombie, rising up out of the mud on a Zombie Run, clamoring to yank the runners health flag? MINDLESS FUN.
