Ah zombies, truly the most recognizable undead creature, comics, books, movies, and, of course, videogames, there is no media that can escape the horde.
Do you remember the first zombie you'd ever seen? Was it a glimpse of House of the Dead at the Arcade? Resident Evil perhaps? Maybe a late night showing of Night of the Living Dead?
Yet, all things must start somewhere, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step after all, have you ever wondered, where do zombies come from?
Do you remember the first zombie you'd ever seen? Was it a glimpse of House of the Dead at the Arcade? Resident Evil perhaps? Maybe a late night showing of Night of the Living Dead?
Yet, all things must start somewhere, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step after all, have you ever wondered, where do zombies come from?
The First Zombie Boom
It all started in 1915, with the American occupation of Haiti, an occupation which lasted about 19 years, now this is where it all began.
When marines returned home, either when their tour of duty was over, or some other circumstances, they returned with fantastic tales.
Tales of living dead toiling in the fields at midnight, tales of voodoo and witch-doctors, tales of supernatural rituals, tales of prohibited concoctions…
Tales of zonbi.
Tales that captured the public’s imagination.
Yet, what truly made those tales spread, was a certain book, The Magic Island by W.B Seabrook, filled with many fascinating experiences with Haitian culture, but most importantly, it held the original understanding of zombies, the living dead, the gift granted by The Snake god.
When marines returned home, either when their tour of duty was over, or some other circumstances, they returned with fantastic tales.
Tales of living dead toiling in the fields at midnight, tales of voodoo and witch-doctors, tales of supernatural rituals, tales of prohibited concoctions…
Tales of zonbi.
Tales that captured the public’s imagination.
Yet, what truly made those tales spread, was a certain book, The Magic Island by W.B Seabrook, filled with many fascinating experiences with Haitian culture, but most importantly, it held the original understanding of zombies, the living dead, the gift granted by The Snake god.
Every single rule we know regarding the voodoo zombie, comes from this book.
It was through pulp magazines, that the boom had finally begun, Manly Wade Wellman, Robert E. Howard, Garnett Weston, among many many other authors, brought an americanized vision of voodoo and zonbi (now called zombie) to the general public.
Of course, it wasn’t just voodoo or witchcraft, there were stories, inspired by Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, tales of science going too far, mad scientists with delusions of grandeur bringing back the dead for nefarious reasons, Lovecraft’s Herbert West Reanimator is a prime example.
But, there was a new medium as well, cinema.
White Zombie, Ouanga, Revolt of the Zombies, King of the Zombies (which is the original Nazi Zombies), I walked with a zombie, The Isle of the death, etc. etc. Many many movies, featuring our lovely rotting friends.
Most importantly of course, a cocktail named “The Zombie.”
Yet, as it happens with all fads, it was bound to loose its steam at one point or another, and by the mid 40s, the zombies had mostly come and gone, just like that, the boom was over.
Over, but not forgotten that is.
Yet, as it happens with all fads, it was bound to loose its steam at one point or another, and by the mid 40s, the zombies had mostly come and gone, just like that, the boom was over.
Over, but not forgotten that is.
An Undying State
After the first time zombies fell off the spotlight, being replaced by different trends now capturing the public’s attention, there wasn’t much of note. Popping here and there in comic books and magazines centered around horror.
Until, a small indie film, you probably never heard of it…
Until, a small indie film, you probably never heard of it…
Of course I am being facetious, who hasn't seen this movie?
What is there to say about this movie that hasn’t been said already? Established the rules for the new zombie, yes yes, everyone knows Romero used to call them Ghouls (which is a similarish creature from another folklore), but, the name zombie stuck and… Didn’t become a sensation just yet.
You see, Night of the Living Dead, bombed, due to some strange legality, Romero didn’t see a penny from it, it was so bad, he almost quit film-making all together.
Yet, at the same time, that legality, made it so NotLD was public domain from the moment it was released, and would later achieve cult status, thanks to a little invention, the TV, and because it was public domain… You get what I am putting down, don’t you?
Not wanting to have such talent die, Romero was approached by none other than Dario Argento, who managed to convince him to try it again.
And, we got Dawn of The Dead, zombies are back baby.
You see, Night of the Living Dead, bombed, due to some strange legality, Romero didn’t see a penny from it, it was so bad, he almost quit film-making all together.
Yet, at the same time, that legality, made it so NotLD was public domain from the moment it was released, and would later achieve cult status, thanks to a little invention, the TV, and because it was public domain… You get what I am putting down, don’t you?
Not wanting to have such talent die, Romero was approached by none other than Dario Argento, who managed to convince him to try it again.
And, we got Dawn of The Dead, zombies are back baby.
Zombie Boom 2 Electric Boogaloo
Just like its older sister film, what else is there to say about Dawn of the Dead? It is the quintessential zombie film, everything we know and love about the modern zombie, canonized into western culture.
The late 70s and the 80s would become paramount for zombie films.
But, it won’t end there, with Dario Argento being granted the rights for the European distribution, Dawn of the Dead will go to Europe, under the name Zombi (we don’t have time to discuss how confusing the whole Zombi 2 thing is).
The zombies had reached the old continent, and beyond.
In 1985, another landmark had come, The Serpent and The Rainbow by Wade Davis, it is arguably considered to be the first time in which zombies would be created through pharmaceutical means.
And, not only that, another legend who had worked in NotLD had decided to take his gander in the ring, John Russo would make, The Return of the Living Dead (We don’t talk about the sequels situation, its very confusing), which would bring the brain eating zombies to the formula.
And, of course, a new medium had entered the fray, videogames, giving the first few pixelated zombies, in games like Entombed, Zombie (by none other than Ubisoft), Sweet Home, or showing up as enemies in Ghost n Goblins and Castlevania.
The late 70s and the 80s would become paramount for zombie films.
But, it won’t end there, with Dario Argento being granted the rights for the European distribution, Dawn of the Dead will go to Europe, under the name Zombi (we don’t have time to discuss how confusing the whole Zombi 2 thing is).
The zombies had reached the old continent, and beyond.
In 1985, another landmark had come, The Serpent and The Rainbow by Wade Davis, it is arguably considered to be the first time in which zombies would be created through pharmaceutical means.
And, not only that, another legend who had worked in NotLD had decided to take his gander in the ring, John Russo would make, The Return of the Living Dead (We don’t talk about the sequels situation, its very confusing), which would bring the brain eating zombies to the formula.
And, of course, a new medium had entered the fray, videogames, giving the first few pixelated zombies, in games like Entombed, Zombie (by none other than Ubisoft), Sweet Home, or showing up as enemies in Ghost n Goblins and Castlevania.
But, it won’t be until the 90s that the zombie horde would truly appear in videogames, a golden decade for both zombie videogames and films.
Romero would not release a zombie movie in the 90s, therefore, it was free real state.
Classics like, Zombies Ate My Neighbors, Alone in the Dark, Resident Evil 1, 2 and 3, The House of the Dead, Half Life, Doom, Monkey Island 2, Blood, Nightmare Creatures, Dead of the Brain 1, and 2, etc. etc. Adopted the zombies into their rogues gallery.
Zombie Boom 3 A New Millennia
Although the horde was loosing momentum by the end of the 90s, it was revitalized yet again.
There is no true “detonator” for the third boom, it was solely a combination of many factors.
A perfect storm was brewing in the 00s, 28 Days Later gets released, A remake of Dawn of The Dead is released, The Walking Dead comic is released, Romero returns with Land of the Dead, World War Z is published, among many other happenings.
Alone they weren’t much, but together… Zombies were back from the grave, they did it again.
From the 00s to the 10s, there was no escaping zombie media, with the internet now in full swing, like a disease did the zombie fever spread, no one was safe.
And, surely I don’t need to say more, you quite likely lived through this one.
There is no true “detonator” for the third boom, it was solely a combination of many factors.
A perfect storm was brewing in the 00s, 28 Days Later gets released, A remake of Dawn of The Dead is released, The Walking Dead comic is released, Romero returns with Land of the Dead, World War Z is published, among many other happenings.
Alone they weren’t much, but together… Zombies were back from the grave, they did it again.
From the 00s to the 10s, there was no escaping zombie media, with the internet now in full swing, like a disease did the zombie fever spread, no one was safe.
And, surely I don’t need to say more, you quite likely lived through this one.
Is it over?
Against all odds, zombies had come, gone, and returned.
Their fad, much as themselves, has an undying quality to it, now they remain as a main stay in all kinds of media.
Zombies have made it through every single medium of modern media, leaving their mark in the public every single time.
Would we have a Zombie Boom 4? We will never know until it happens. Zombies are now over a century old, and still going strong.
Now, I hope you enjoyed this read, and have a newfound appreciation, for the humble zombie, the little walking corpse that could.
It's been quite some time since i have written something purely historical, do tell me what your thoughts are, was it enjoyable?
Their fad, much as themselves, has an undying quality to it, now they remain as a main stay in all kinds of media.
Zombies have made it through every single medium of modern media, leaving their mark in the public every single time.
Would we have a Zombie Boom 4? We will never know until it happens. Zombies are now over a century old, and still going strong.
Now, I hope you enjoyed this read, and have a newfound appreciation, for the humble zombie, the little walking corpse that could.
It's been quite some time since i have written something purely historical, do tell me what your thoughts are, was it enjoyable?
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