“we are the walking dead”: race, time, and survival in ... · race, time, and survival in...

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Extrapolation,Vol.51,No.3©2010byTheUniversityofTexasatBrownsvilleandTexasSouthmostCollege

“We Are the Walking Dead”: race, time, and Survival in zombie narrative

gErrY CanaVan

Theonlymodernmythisthemythofzombies—mortifiedschizos,goodforwork,broughtbacktoreason.

—DeleuzeandGuattari,Anti-Oedipus

Well,there’snoproblem.Ifyouhaveagun,shoot’eminthehead.That’sasurewaytokill’em.Ifyoudon’t,getyourselfacluboratorch.Beat‘emorburn’em.Theygoupprettyeasy.

—SheriffMcClelland,NightoftheLivingDead

■ Oncebanishedtothegross-outfringeofstraight-to-videohorror,allbutdead,zombieshavecomeback.BeginningearlyintheBushera—evenbefore9/11,withthefilmingof28DaysLaterinLondoninsummer2001—andcon-tinuingunabatedlythroughthepresent,thefigureofthezombienowlurksattheverycenterofglobalmassculture.AlongsideThe28DaysLaterfranchisewemightnamemyriadGeorgeRomerosequels,remakes,andpastiches;otherfilmslikeHouseoftheDead,Quarantine,IAmLegend,andPlanetTerror;zombie video game franchises likeResident Evil, Left 4Dead, andDeadRising;bestsellingproseworkslikeWorldWarZandPride,Prejudice,andZombies,bothnowadaptedasfilms;even, I’d argue, anovel likeCormacMcCarthy’s critically acclaimed,Pulitzer-Prize-winningTheRoad,with its

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unforgivinglandscapeofstarvinginhumancannibalsanduniversalabjection;zombie-themedcrossovereventsinsuperherocomicslikeMarvelZombiesandD.C.’sBlackestNight;independentcomics’offeringslikeImageComicshitTheWalkingDeadandWarrenEllis’sBlackgas;forthefirsttimeintelevisionhistory,zombie-themedserieslikeDeadSetinBritain(arealityTVparody)andaversionofTheWalkingDeadnowgreenlittoseriesonAMCintheU.S.;so-called“zomedies,”zombiecomedies, likeFido,Shaunof theDead,andZombieland;Imightgoon. PlayingoffMarx’swell-knowndescriptionofcapitalasvampireinCapital,Vol.1,SteveShavirosuggestsina2002specialissueofHistoricalMaterialismon“MarxismandFantasy”thatourpreoccupationwiththezombieoriginatesoutofthezombie’srelationshipwithcontemporaryglobalcapitalism:

Incontrasttotheinhumanityofvampire-capital,zombiespresentthe‘humanface’ofcapitalistmonstrosity.Thisispreciselybecausetheyarethedregsofhumanity:thezombieisallthatremainsof‘humannature,’orevensimplyofahumanscale,intheimmenseandunimaginablycomplexnetworkeconomy.Wherevampiricsurplus-appropriationisunthinkable,becauseitexceedsourpowersofrepresentation, thezombieisconverselywhatmustbethought:theshapethatrepresentationunavoid-ablytakesnowthat‘information’hasdisplaced‘man’asthemeasureofallthings.(emphasisinoriginal;288)

Whenourcomputersarecompromisedbyhackersorviruses, theybecomezombiecomputers,andwhenourfinancialinstitutionsfail,itisbecausetheyarezombiebanks.Remorselesslyconsumingeverythingintheirpath,zombiesleavenothingintheirwakebesidesendlesscopiesofthemselves,makingthezombietheperfectmetaphornotonlyforhowcapitalismtransformsitssubjectsbutalsofor itsrelentlessanddevastatingvirologicmarchacross theglobe.The anti-ecological “proliferationof zombie bodies,”Shaviro notes, inevi-tablyculminatesin“exterminationandextinction”(286)—afinalnightmareofexhaustedconsumptionthatinoureraofendangeredspecies,overfarmedoceans,andPeakEverythingdoesnotseemsofaroff. ButwhereShaviroseesthezombieasalreadyidenticaltotheproletarianizedsubject of late capitalism, Iwant in this paper to focus on theways thisidentification seems troubled andnecessarily incomplete.The audience forzombienarrative,afterall,neverimaginesitselftobezombified;zombiesarealwaysotherpeople,whichistosaytheyareOtherpeople,whichistosaytheyarepeoplewhoarenotquitepeopleatall.Acritique likeShaviro’s—or, for thatmatter, like theoneadvancedbySarah JulietLauroandKarenEmbry,whoclaimthezombieintheir“ZombieManifesto”astheposthumansuccessortoDonnaHaraway’sfamouscyborg—mustfirstthinkcarefullyabout

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theproblemsofsubjectpositionandidentificationthatarisewhenspeakingaboutthe“universalresidue”(Shaviro288)calledthezombie.Thezombie’smutilation is not one thatwe easily imagine for “ourselves,” however that“we” isultimatelyconstituted; thezombie is rather the toxic infection thatmustalwaysbekeptatarm’slength.1Becausezombiesmarkthedemarcationbetweenlife(thatisworthliving)andunlife(thatneedskilling),theevocationofthezombieconjuresnotsolidaritybutracialpanic.TocomplicateDeleuzeandGuattari’sproclamation inAThousandPlateaus, then, themythof thezombieisbothawarmythandaworkmyth(425);2oneofthewaystheStateapparatusbuildsthesortsof“preaccomplished”subjectsitneedsispreciselythroughtheconstructionofaracialbinaryinwhichthe(white)citizen-subjectisopposedagainstnonwhitelife,barelife,zombielife—thatanti-lifewhichisalwaysinimicallyandhopelesslyOther,whichmustalwaysbekeptquarantined,ifnotactivelyeradicatedanddestroyed. Myapproachsuggeststhatthemajorimaginativeinterestofthezombieliesnotasastand-inforthesubjectpositionsofglobalcapitalismbutratherinthezombieapocalypse’sinterrogationofthe“future”oflatecapitalisthegemony,and itsconcordantstate racism, throughfantasticdepictionof itsbreakdownandcollapse.Thispaperreasserts,thatistosay,thebiopoliticaloriginsofthezombieimaginary,andthereforeinsiststhatbeforewecaneverhopeto“becomezombies”wefirstmustcometotermswiththehistoricalandongoingcolonialviolenceofwhichthezombiehasalwayseverbeenonlythethinnestsublimation.

Thinking Zombies: Robert Kirkman’s The Walking Dead

ItseemsinstructiveattheoutsettorecallbrieflyVivianSobchack’sapproachtosfinScreeningSpace:TheAmericanScienceFictionFilm.Incontradistinc-tiontotheSuvinianapproachtosfprose,forSobchacktheimportantgenredistinctiontobemaintainedisnotsf-vs.-fantasybutsf-vs.-horror,adivideshefindstobehopelesslymuddledbyablurredandindistinct“no-man’s-land”betweenthetwopopulatedbyhybridfilms(inourcase,zombiecinema)thatarguablybelongtobothmodes(26–27). “Thehorrorfilm,”Sobchacksays,“isprimarilyconcernedwiththeindi-vidualinconflictwithsocietyorwithsomeextensionofhimself,thesffilmwithsocietyanditsinstitutionsinconflictwitheachotherorwithsomealienother”(30).Itisforthisreasonthatwefindakeydistinctionbetweenhorrorandsftobethequestionofscale;weexpecthorrortotakeplaceinasmallandisolatedsetting(perhaps,asinNightoftheLivingDead,assmallasasinglefarmhouse)whilesfexpands tofill largecitiesandnations,even theentireglobe.Wemight think, for instance,ofEnglandafter theRageoutbreak in28DaysLater,orhowintherecentMarvelZombiesandDCBlackestNight

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storylines insuperherocomics thezombieoutbreakswells tofill theentirecosmos,eventheentiremultiverse. IfweacceptSobchack’sgenredefinition,wefindthatthezombiesubgenrestartsoutinhorrorinitsearliestfilmformulationsbutwindsupinsfinitslaterones;while“horror”entriesinthishugelyprolificsubgenrecertainlyremain,themostpopularandinfluentialmodeofzombienarrative(especiallyduringtheBush-era“zombierevival”periodonwhichIfocus)hasbeenthe“zombieapocalypse”: the large-scale zombie pandemic that leads to the rapid totalbreakdownoftechnologicalmodernityandtransnationalcapitalismonaglobalscale.Toputthisanotherway:ForSobchackthelocalscaleofthehorrorfilmisconcernedwith“moralchaos”—thedisruptionofthenaturalorder—whilethebroader scaleof sffilm lends it to“socialchaos” (30).Unlikehorror’sMonster,sf’sCreatureisunparticularizedanduninteriorized;itdoesnothate,norseekrevenge,anddoesnoteven“want”tohurtus.Itjustdoes(37).ThesfCreatureisaneruptionthatisonlydisruption—anditisforthisreasonthatthesffilmissooftenpreoccupiedwiththereactionofsocietytocatastrophe(ontheonehand)andtoadispassionate,spectacularaestheticsofdestruction(ontheother).Intheend,Sobchack’sdivisionbetweenhorrorandsfcomesdowntothedifferencebetweenterrorandwonder(38).Ifinthehorrorfilmwefeel“fear,”inthesffilmwefeel“interest.”Inthehorrorfilmwefindwewanttocloseoureyesandlookaway,andtheexcitementisinforcingourselvestowatch;butinthesffilmthenarrativepleasurecomespreciselyinanticipating,andthenseeing,whatwillhappennext. Andso,havingdiscoveredthezombierightattheintersectionofthesetwomodes—the zombie is both local andglobal, personalanddepersonalized,symptomofmoralchaosandcauseofwidespreadsocialbreakdown,gross-outconsumeroffleshandspectaculardestroyerofourintricatelyconstructedsocialandtechnologicalfortifications—Iwanttoreadthezombie’srelationshiptocontemporarycapitalisminthecontextofthepostcolonialapproachtosfJohnRiederadvocatesinhis2008bookColonialismandtheEmergenceofScienceFiction.InthatveinIwillbefocusingprimarilyonRobertKirkman’s73-issuecomicbookseriesTheWalkingDead(whichbeganin2003andisstillongoing).Kirkman’sisazombienarrativethathasbeen,tocoinaphrase,de-horroredbythediminishedimmediacyofthecomicsform,whichmakestheanticipatory“interest”nativetosfallthemoreevidentinhiswork. TheWalkingDead is describedby its creator in the introduction to thefirsttradepaperbackintermsthatSobchackwouldrecognizeimmediatelyasessentiallysciencefictional:

Tomethebestzombiemoviesaren’tthesplatterfeastsofgoreandviolencewithgoofycharactersandtongueincheekantics.Goodzombiemoviesshowushow

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messedupweare,theymakeusquestionourstationinsociety...andoursociety’sstationintheworld.(DaysGoneByi)

HereKirkmandescribeshisobjectiveinTheWalkingDeadasanextensionof theworkofGeorgeRomero—always themostcerebralandeven, inhisownway, themostsubdued creatorofclassic20th centuryzombiecinema,grantinghischaracterslongperiodsofquietsafetybetweenthecatastrophiczombieattacksthattypicallybookendhisfilms.Kirkmanwritesthathehopestoemploythehyperbolictemporalcontinuitynativetothecomicformtocre-atethefeelofaRomerofilmthatneverends(iii-iv).Insuchastorythefearof“moralchaos”oftheearlyoutbreakwillnecessarilygivewayto“interest”in thewaysocietychanges in thewakeof thezombiedisaster—andso it’snosurprise thatKirkmanusesthesame“wakingupfromacoma”tropeas28DaysLaterto“skip”theinitialoutbreakandgetimmediatelytothepost-apocalypticbreakdownworld. InhisintroductiontothefirsttradepaperbackKirkmantellsusTheWalk-ingDead is“notahorrorbook”butabookabout“watchingRicksurvive”

Top: The Walking Dead #1; below: The Walking Dead #52.

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(iii).Forover70issuesreadershavefollowedRickGrimes(beforethezombieapocalypseapoliceofficer,andthereforefunctioningasasynecdocheforthepre-zombie social order) through a dizzying disintegration as he has beenscarredbothphysicallyandmentallyinthefaceofongoingzombieonslaught.OvertheyearorsoofnarrativetimethathasbeendepictedintheseriesRickhaslosthisplaceinsociety,hishome,hisbestfriend,oneofhishands,hiswifeandinfantdaughter,andfinallyhisgriponsanity;byturnsparanoidandmurderous,Rickhasprovenhimselfwillingtodoanything,toanyone,inthenameofsurvivalforhimselfandhissurvivingprepubescentson,Carl. InTheWalkingDeadRickGrimesandhisbandoflargelyexpendablesur-vivors—noneofwhomaresafe—exploretheruinsofourownlate-imperialAmerica.The story focus in theearliest issuesof the series ison reachingcitycenters,where(wearetold)thegovernmenthasorderedallcitizensinanefforttobetterprotectthem.Itusedtobethat(white)peoplefledthecityforthesuburbs“forsafety,”outoffearofrisingcrimerates;herethatlogicisreversed,andtheymustgoback.Butthegovernment’splanisadisaster,as concentrating survivors in one place onlymakes it easier for zombiismtospread,andRickbarelymakesitbackoutofAtlantaalive.Bychancehemeetsupwithhiswifeandfamily,whonevermadeittoAtlantaatall—onlytodiscoverthathisfellowpoliceofficerandbestfriendShanehassnappedunderthepressureofleadingthegroupandultimatelyneedstobekilledtoprotecttheothers(byCarl,noless,intheclimacticsceneofissue6thatendsthefirsttradepaperback).3

Abriefstintataruralfarmhouseturnsbadwhenitisdiscoveredthattheownerofthefarmhousehasbeenlockinglocalzombiesinhisbarninanticipationofa“cure”that,wecanbecertain,willneverbeforthcoming.Anotherinevitablemassacreensues.FinallyRickandhisgroupareabletofindamodicumofsafetyinanabandonedjail.Heretheinversiontypicaltozombienarrativebetweenaprivileged“us”andaprecarious“them”ismadecomplete:Grimes,awhitepoliceofficer,willmakehisdesperatehomeinsideajail,whiledangerousandhostileOthersarraythemselvesagainsthimoutsidethewalls.Inthisreversalofthelogicoftheprison-industrialcomplex,thebooksettlesforalongtimeintothisnewstatusquoas(intheproudtraditionofRomero’szombiefilms)thesurvivorsworktobuildfortificationsandprotectthemselves—asanewimaginedcommunityunderRick’sleadership—againstallthatisoutside.

The Colonial Gaze

Soallowmetoreturnagain,inthismomentofrelativequietforRickandhistribe,totheory.WhereDarkoSuvinprivileges“cognitiveestrangement”as sf’s essential feature—the de- and refamiliarizing power of alternative

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worlds—andwhereFredricJamesonprivilegestheradicalretemporalizationofourdisorderedpresentintothesettledhistoricalpastofsomepossiblefuture,Riederfocusesourattentiononwhathecallssf’s“colonialgaze”:

Wecancallthiscognitiveframeworkestablishingthedifferentpositionsoftheonewholooksandtheonewhoislookedatthestructureofthe“colonialgaze,”borrow-ingandadaptingLauraMulvey’sinfluentialanalysisofthecinematicgazein“VisualPleasureandNarrativeCinema.”Thecolonialgazedistributesknowledgeandpowertothesubjectwholooks,whiledenyingorminimizingaccesstopowerforitsobject,theonelookedat.(7)

Zombienarrative,Iargue,shouldbeunderstoodasoperatingunderpreciselythissortofcolonialgaze.Zombies—lackinginterior,lackingmind—cannotlook;theyare,forthisreason,completelyrealizedcolonialobjects.Zombiescannotberecognized,accommodated,ornegotiatedwith;onceidentified,theymustimmediatelybekilled. Toshiftbrieflyintoabiopoliticalregister,thisisahyperrealmetaphori-zationof theracial logic thatenforcesmodernity’sdistinctionbetweenthatmodeof“civilized”livingnativetothepoliticalsubjectandzoë,barelife.4 Forourpurposes—concernedasweareaboutzombienarrativeanditsvisionof“infection”runapocalypticallyamuck—itseemsusefultotakeamomenthere to quote Foucault at length on biopolitics, because in themoment heintroducestheconceptofbiopoweritistodisease,toepidemiology,thatheturnstoexplainitslogic:

Thisbiopoliticsisnotconcernedwithfertilityalone.Italsodealswiththeproblemofmorbidity,butnotsimply,ashadpreviouslybeenthecase,atthelevelofthefamousepidemics,thethreatofwhichhadhauntedpoliticalpowerseversincetheMiddleAges(thesefamousepidemicsweretemporarydisastersthatcausedmultipledeaths,timeswheneveryoneseemedtobeindangerofimminentdeath).At theendof theeighteenthcentury, itwasnotepidemics thatweretheissue,butsomethingelse—whatmightbroadlybecalledendemics,orinotherwords,theform,nature,extension,duration,andintensityoftheillnessprevalentinapopulation.Thesewereillnessesthatweredifficulttoeradicateandthatwerenotregardedasepidemicsthatcausedmorefrequentdeaths,butaspermanentfactorswhich—andthatishowtheyweredealtwith—sappedthepopulation’sstrength,shortenedtheworkingweek,wastedenergy,andcostmoney,bothbecausetheyledtoafallinproductionandbecausetreatingthemwasexpensive.Inaword,illnessasphenomenonaffectingapopulation.Deathwasnolongersomethingthatsuddenlyswoopeddownonlife—asinanepidemic.Deathwasnowsomethingpermanent,somethingthatslipsintolife,perpetuallygnawsatit,diminishesitandweakensit. (emphasismine;243–44)

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WhenFoucaultwritesofdeathasasortofall-pervasive,“gnawing”pollutiveforceagainstwhichsocietyimaginesitmustarrayitselfthroughcareful,ratio-nalizedmanagement,heisspeakingourlanguage:thelanguageofthezombie.Stateracism,forFoucault,followsthelogicofanyzombiefilm:

Inthebiopowersystem,inotherwords,killingortheimperativetokillisacceptableonlyifitresultsnotinavictoryoverpoliticaladversaries,butintheeliminationofthebiologicalthreattoandtheimprovementofthespeciesorrace....Inanormal-izingsociety,raceorracismisthepreconditionthatmakeskillingacceptable.(256)

Thebiopoliticalstate—invertingthesovereignpowertomakedeadorletliveinitspowertomakeliveorletdie(241)—needstocreatethissortofracialimaginaryinordertoretainitspowertokill.Underbiopowerthosewhoareimaginedtothreatenthepopulationasawholebecomenotmerelyadangerbutakindofanti-lifethatmustbesequesteredfrom(white)lifeatanycost.Anycontactwithazombie,afterall,mightleadtoinfection,justastheracialOthermustbedisciplinedandquarantinedtoprevent“intermingling.” InColonialismandtheEmergenceofScienceFiction,Riederdemonstratesatlengththatthiscolonialdiscourseofsuperiorandinferiorraces—thecolonialgaze,Foucault’s lifeandanti-life—isahighlyunstablepositionality that isunderconstantthreatofpolarinversion,aninstanceofHegelianmaster-slavedialecticwhosefundamentalprecariousnessisenactedandreenactedthrough-outthehistoryofsf.Inanalternatehistory,orinfuturedays,thecolonizerknowshecouldwellbethecolonized.InthiswaysfengagestheviolenceattheheartofEuropeanimperialistexpansionbyreplicatingit,overandover,inmetaphoricalformsbothforandagainstthecolonizingsubjectandtheimaginedracialhierarchyonwhichhisorherself-identitydepends. ThereforetheexemplarysfnovelbecomesforRiedernotThomasMore’sUtopiaorH.G.Wells’sTheTimeMachinebutWells’sinvertedvisionofanimperializedEnglandinflames,WaroftheWorlds,whichinitsprovocativefirstchapterexplicitlyequatestheMartiancolonizationofEarthwiththeBritishexterminationofthenativepopulationofTasmania.Wells’sMartiansarenotgenericalienothers,theyarecolonizers;theyoccupytheprecisefuturologicalrelationshiptowardsBritainthatBritainclaimstooccupytowardsitsimperialholdings:

NorwasitgenerallyunderstoodthatsinceMarsisolderthanourearth,withscarcelyaquarterofthesuperficialareaandremoterfromthesun,itnecessarilyfollowsthatitisnotonlymoredistantfromtime’sbeginningbutneareritsend....Andwemen,thecreatureswhoinhabitthisearth,mustbetothematleastasalienandlowlyasarethemonkeysandlemurstous.(4)

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Almostahundredyearsafterwards,inTimeandtheOther,JohannesFabianwoulddescribe this retemporalizationas a strategy forwhatFoucault callsstateracism:

...itisnotdifficulttotransposefromphysicstopoliticsoneofthemostancientruleswhichstatesthatitisimpossiblefortwobodiestooccupythesamespaceatthesametime.WheninthecourseofcolonialexpansionaWesternbodypoliticcametooccupy,literally,thespaceofanautochthonousbody,severalalternativeswereconceivedtodealwiththatviolationoftherule.Thesimplestone,ifwethinkofNorthAmericaandAustralia,wasofcoursetomoveorremovetheotherbody.Anotheroneistopretendthatspaceisbeingdividedandallocatedtoseparatebod-ies.SouthAfrica’srulersclingtothatsolution.Mostoftenthepreferredstrategyhasbeensimplytomanipulatetheothervariable—Time.Withthehelpofvariousdevicesofsequencinganddistancingoneassignstotheconqueredpopulationsadifferenttime.(29-30)

Wells goes on: “And beforewe judge [theMartians] too harshlywemustrememberwhatruthlessandutterdestructionourownspecieshaswrought,notonlyuponanimals,suchasthevanishedbisonandthedodo,butuponitsinferiorraces.TheTasmanians,inspiteoftheirhumanlikeness,wereentirelysweptoutofexistenceinawarofexterminationwagedbyEuropeanimmigrants,inthespaceoffiftyyears.Arewesuchapostlesofmercy,”Wellspointedlyasked,“astocomplainiftheMartianswarredinthesamespirit?”(4-5) ThelogicoftheWaroftheWorldsnarrativeisoneinwhichthe“future”(Mars/Europe/U.S.)isunderstoodtobeinvadingitsownevolutionary“past”(Earth/Tasmania/theGlobalSouth)tosecureitscontinuedexistence.Andthiswaspreciselytheracistlogicemployedbythecolonialimaginarytojustifycolonialandimperialviolence:whitenessisunderstoodtobehumanity’s“mostadvanced”form,andotherracesareideologicallycodedas(atbest)primitiveor(atworst)dangerouslyobsolete,subjecttodisruption,displacement,andevenexterminationinthenameoftheEuropeanarcofhistory.WhathappensintheWaroftheWorldstemplate,then,isnothinglessthanEuropeancivilizationgettingatasteofitsownmedicine—theexterminativelogicofthecolonialspherecomesbackhometothemetropole. Thezombienarrative,Iargue,isbestunderstoodinthesetermsasaslightlytransformedrefigurationofWaroftheWorlds.Zombieapocalypses,likeimpe-rialisticnarrativesofalieninvasion,repackagetheviolenceofcolonialracewarinaformthatisideologicallysafer.Zombiefilmsdepicttotal,unrestrainedviolenceagainstabsoluteOtherswhoseveryexistenceisseenasanathematoourown,Otherswhoareinessencelivingdeath.Inourtime,whenthissortofunrestrainedracialviolenceisofficiallysuspectbutnonethelessunofficially

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stillafoundationforthebasicoperationoftechnologicalcivilization,zombienarrativesserveasthemotivatinglicenseforconfrontationwiththesesortsofgenocidaltechnologiesandpowerfantasies. WherezombiesmightbesaidtosignificantlycomplicatethetemporalityofWaroftheWorlds-styletotalviolenceisthroughtheirembodimentofmultipletemporalitiesatonce.Ratherthaninvadingfromthefuture,asWells’saliensdid,zombiesmightbesaidtoinvadefromthepast:eruptingfromthegravesof

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ourdecomposinglovedonestoestablishtheirapocalypticecologyofuniversaldeath.Butthisturnsout,dialectically,tobeouronlypossiblefutureallalong;thezombie’sremorseless,infectivehungerisabarelysublimatedfigurationoftheentropiclurchoftimeandtheinevitabledegenerationofourownbodiestowardsdeath,ahorrorwhichtechnologicalandsocialprogressmaydelaybutcannothopetoavert. Bothpastandfuture,then,zombiesturnoutinthiswaytobecoextensivewiththepresent—theyarethecorpsesofourfriendsandco-workerslurchingaimlesslythroughthesterileenvironmentsweallonceshared.TherottingzombiecorpseinevitablysuggeststhepsychologicalhorrorJuliaKristevacalled“abjec-tion,”thedisturbingoftheboundarybetweenobjectandsubject.AsRickGrimesexclaimsinhorrorneartheendofonetradepaperback,itiswe,notthey,whoare“thewalkingdead.”Intheend,nomatterwhatwedoorhowwelive,wetoomustdieandcomebackandbejustlikethem.Zombiesareouronlypossiblefuture,ouralreadyactualpresent;zombiesinherittheearth.

Zombies and Empire

IfEmpire,especiallyintheageofnever-endingWaronTerror,isessentiallyanattempttoregulateHistory,tomakethepresentextendforeverinbothspaceandtime,thenzombienarrativeisitsdarkreflection;aszombiesflattentimetheyobliteratethepresentalongsidethepastandthefuture,onlyagainst“us,”notfor“us.”InAgambenianterms,zombiesactivatethe“stateofexception,”thesuspensionofalljuridicalrestraintormoralnorminthefaceofaperceivedexistentialthreat:

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...moderntotalitarianismcanbedefinedastheestablishment,bymeansofthestateofexception,ofalegalcivilwarthatallowsforthephysicaleliminationnotonlyofpoliticaladversariesbutofentirecategoriesofcitizenswhoforsomereasoncannotbeintegratedintothepoliticalsystem.Since[theThirdReich],thevoluntarycreationofapermanentstateofemergency(thoughperhapsnotdeclaredinthetechnicalsense)hasbecomeoneoftheessentialpracticesofcontemporarystates,includingso-calleddemocraticones.(2)

Facedwiththeunstoppableprogressionofwhathasbeencalleda“globalcivilwar,”thestateofexceptiontendsincreasinglytoappearasthedominantparadigmofgovernmentincontemporarypolitics(2). Hereagainwefindthezombiesallegorizingtheracialformsofexclusionandexterminationthatalreadysurroundus.Zombienarrativesareultimatelyaboutthemotivationforandunleashingoftotalviolence;whatseparates“us”from“them” inzombienarrative isalwaysonly the typeofviolenceused.Theyattackus(like“animals,”“savages,”or“cannibals”)withtheirarmsandmouths;weattackthembackwithhorses,tanks,andguns. InTheWalkingDead—asinanyzombienarrative—thetoolsandtechnolo-giesofempirearecontinuallyborrowedforthepurposeofprimingpreciselythis sort of violent colonialist fantasy. Swords and guns, tanks and trucks,repeatedreferencestothebrutalphysicalandsexualviolenceofslaveryandtothecowboyor“frontier”imaginary(especiallythroughtheubiquitousrid-ingofhorsesandCarl’scowboyoutfitandmannerisms)areallemployedinabizarrepostmodernpasticheofthehistoryofU.S.imperialism,asdifferentmomentsofitsempirecollideintoasinglesimultaneousinstantinthefaceofanessentiallyinimicalandtotallyimplacableracializedthreat.Therearefewmoments in theseries thatsuggest thispasticheaswellas thesplashpanelattheendofissue12,whenRickandhisgroupdiscovertheabandonedjailinwhichtheywillmaketheirhomethroughthebulkoftheseries.Thejailisdrawnsoastovisuallydoubleafrontierfort(and,forthatmatter,amodernmilitarybase);theselocationscollapseintoasinglespatialimaginary,withonlythepolarityof“inside”and“outside”reversed. LaterissueshavemadetherelationshipbetweenRick’sstoryanddeclinistanxietiesaboutthebreakdownofAmericanempireevenmoreexplicit:fol-lowingthefinalbreachofthejail’swalls—atthehandsnotofzombiesbutoftheirfellowcountrymenoperatingundertheordersofabrutallycorruptandimpossiblydecadentleaderknownonlyastheGovernor—RickandCarleven-tuallyfallinwithagroupclaimingtobecarryingacurethattheyarebringingtoWashington,D.C.,undertheauspicesoftheU.S.military.Whilethis(ofcourse)turnsouttobealie,theirjourneytoD.C.doesfindthemanewhometoreplacethejail,thatotherwalled-inspaceforwhitenesscharacteristicof

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lateAmericanempire:thegatedcommunity.Inissue73,themostrecentissueasofmywriting,they’vejustmovedin,andarelookingtotakeover. Weshouldseeherehowthesolidaritycreatedamongsurvivorsinzombienarrativeisalwaysmuchmoreunstablethaninthetypicalalieninvasionstory.Countrymendonotbandtogether in thezombiecrisis,andthenationdoesnothaveitsfinesthour;instead,allegiancesfragmentintofamilialbandsandpatriarchaltribes,thenfragmentfurtherfromthere.WecanseethisbreakdowneverywhereinTheWalkingDead:Shane,Rick’sbestfriend,mustbekillednotonlybecausehehasbecomedangerous,butbecausehecovetsRick’swife.Later,Carlsecretlymurdersanotheryoungboywhoisbehavingsociopathi-callyonthegroundsthathetooisathreattothegroup;weareledtobelievethiswasthe“rightthing”todo,“becauseitneededtobedoneandnooneelsewould”(#677).Thefourprisoners(twoofwhomareAfrican-American)whohavebeensafely inhabitingasealed-offwingof the jailduringthezombieapocalypsemustbedisplacedinordertomakeroomforRick’sgrouptomovein:oneofthewhiteprisonersturnsouttobeaserialkillerofyoungwomenandiseventuallyhung,andassoonasthetwoblackprisonersacquiregunsashootoutensuesinwhichoneiskilledandtheotherisrunoff—whichinthecontextof theseotherexamplessuggests theage-old trope thatwomencannotbesafearoundunknownmen,particularlyblackmen.TheGovernor,

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asalreadymentioned,finallydestroysthejail’susefulnessasafortificationinhisdoomedeffortstoseizeitforhisownpeople,killingRick’swifeanddaughterintheprocess;theGovernorhadalreadyprovenhimselftobeutterlyreprehensiblethroughbothhisrepeatedrapesofablackfemaleprotagonisthekeepsinchainsandasexualizedrelationshipwithazombifiedyounggirlheclaimswasoncehisdaughter.Andintheirflightfromtheruinedjail,aftertheGovernorisdead,Rick’sbandencounterstheHunters,humanswhohaveembracedzombie-stylecannibalisminordertosatetheirhunger;theHuntersbeganwitheatingtheirownchildren. Somethingimportantemergesoutoftheseexamples.WhateverelsemightbesaidaboutTheWalkingDead,oraboutzombienarrativeingeneral,itsuncriticalrelationshiptoaparticularpre-feministnarrativeabouttheneedto“protect”womenandchildrencannotbeglossedover.“Proper”controloverwombs,andanxietythattheywillsomehowbecaptured,polluted,orcompromised,isakindofUr-mythfortheapocalypticgenreingeneralandthezombiesub-genreinparticular; speakingbroadly, the functionofwomen inmostapocalypticnarrativesistocodetheendingas“happy”or“sad”basedontheircontinuedavailabilitytobearthemaleprotagonist’schildrenwhenthestoryisover.Thisthemeissocommoninthezombiesubgenreastoconstituteoneofitsmostubiquitous andmost central ethical clichés: thequestionofwhetherornotoneshoulddecideto“bringachildinto”azombie-riddenworldatall—and,asiscommoninmanysuchapocalypticstories(asin,forinstance,CormacMcCarthy’s2009novelTheRoad),thedeathofRick’swifeanddaughter,themomentthecircuitofreproductivefuturityiscut,isthemomentthatbasicallyallhopeislostinTheWalkingDead.5 RobinWoodmakestherelationshipbetweencannibalismandthebreakdownofthepatriarchalfamilycentraltohisanalysisofzombiehorror,whichinourcontextsuggestspreciselythesortofmultivalentretemporalizationatworkinzombienarrative:“Itisnoaccident,”hewrites,“thatthefourmostintensehorrorfilmsofthe70satexploitationlevel...allcenteredoncannibalism,andonthespecificnotionofpresentandfuture(theyoungergeneration)beingdevouredbythepast”(82).Likewise,AlysEveWeinbaumandAmyKaplanamongothershaveshownhowthissortofanxietyoverreproductivefuturityisessentialtotheculturalimaginationofrace,nation,andempire,whicharealwaysdefinedbythequestionofwhoisallowedtoreproduce,andwithwhom.

Zombie Ethics

Sowhileinzombienarrativethe“enemy”whoiskilledisalwaysfirstthezombie—whoisunthinkingandunfeeling,andcanbekilledwithoutregret—asthestoryproceedstheviolenceinevitablyspreadstoother,still-alivehumans

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aswell.Anyoneoutsidethewhitepatriarchalcommunity,anyonewhoisnotalreadyoneof“us,”isapotentialthreattothefuturewhomustbeinterrogatedintensely,ifnotkeptoutaltogether.Eventhoseinsidethecommunityhavetobesurveilledatalltimesforsignsoftreachery,weakness,orgrowing“infection.”6

Thisisthesecondwayinwhichthezombieinfectsus,besidestheobvious;theyinfectuswiththeirvulnerability,theirkillabilitymakeus“killable”too.One’sposition in thestateofexception is,afterall,neversecure; theclassofdangerousanti-citizens,boundforthecamps,tendsonlytogrow.Inthiswayzombienarrativesmakethelatentnecropoliticaldimensionsboundupinboth“survival”andmoderncitizenshipexplicit;theyexpose,intheraw,whatAchilleMbembeshowedin“Necropolitics,”thattosurviveisalsotokill:

...thesurvivoristheonewho,havingstoodinthepathofdeath,knowingofmanydeathsandstandinginthemidstofthefallen,isstillalive.Or,moreprecisely,thesurvivoristheonewhohastakenonawholepackofenemiesandmanagednotonlytoescapealive,buttokillhisorherattackers.Thisiswhy,toalargeextent,thelowestformofsurvivaliskilling.Canettipointsoutthatinthelogicofsurvival,“eachmanistheenemyofeveryother.”Evenmoreradically,inthelogicofsurvivalone’shorroratthesightofdeathturnsintosatisfactionthatitissomeoneelsewhoisdead.Itisthedeathoftheother,hisorherphysicalpresenceasacorpse,thatmakes thesurvivor feelunique.Andeachenemykilledmakes thesurvivor feelmoresecure.(36)

Inthiswaythezombienarrativealwaysbecomes,intheend,akindofethicalminefield,inwhichotherhumans“must”befought,betrayed,abandoned,anddestroyedsothat theprotagonists,ourheroes,mightsurvive.Andeventhepulseofthat“might”isveryweak:somuchofthepleasureofzombienarra-tiveinbothcinemaandotherformsoriginatesintheaudience’sknowledgethattheheroes’preparationsandfortificationswillneverbesufficient,thatnomatterwhathappensintheendthezombieswillbreakthroughandkillnearlyeveryonebecausethisiswhatzombiesdo.Inasense,thezombiesarealwaystherealprotagonistsofthezombienarrative;nomatterhowlongtheyhavebeengonefromtheaction,wearealwaysawaitingtheireventual,inevitablereturn.Thetelosofthefortress,likethetelosofempire,isalways,intheend,tofall. Writingin1974ofpotentialnegativeconsequencesfromU.S.foreignaid,GarrettHardincalledthesortofethicalcalculusatworkinthesezombienar-ratives“lifeboatethics,”celebratingpitilessself-interestasanecessaryandrationalMalthusian pragmatism. I call his “case against helping the poor”zombieethics.AndwhilewemightbetemptedtoreturnalreadytoShaviroand the sortofzombicuniversal classconsciousnesshe suggests,wemustfirstfollowthisethicaltrajectoryallthewaytoitsend andexploretheperni-

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ciouswaysinwhichzombieethicsinevitably“infect”ouractuallyexisting,pre-apocalypticpolitics.The“disposability”ofthezombieinzombienarrativehasastill-ongoinghistorythatsimplycannotbeignored.TheracialmythofinimicalOthernessthezombienarrativereplicates,andtheforcedchoicesitfoistsonus,isnotjustsomedeceasedartifactofthe“badpast”;itisaliveandwell,orifyoulikeundead,andcontinuestohavereal-worldconsequences. FueledbyhyperbolicmediareportingduringtheHurricaneKatrinadisas-ter,doctorsandnursesatMemorialMedicalCenterinNewOrleanscametobelievetheywereinazombiestory—thatnohelpwouldeverreachthemintime,andthatoutsidethewallsoftheirhospitalthereroamedmonsters.TheNewYorkTimesMagazinedescribedthescenethisway:

Thieledidn’tknow[Dr.Anna]Poubyname,butshelookedtohimlikethephysi-cianinchargeonthesecondfloor.HetoldmethatPoutoldhimthattheCategory3patientswerenotgoingtobemoved.Hesaidhethoughttheyappearedclosetodeathandwouldnothavesurvivedanevacuation.Hewasterrified,hesaid,ofwhatwouldhappentothemiftheywereleftbehind.HeexpectedthatthepeoplefiringgunsintothechaosofNewOrleans—“theanimals,”hecalledthem—wouldstormthehospital,lookingfordrugsaftereveryoneelsewasgone.“Ifigured,Whatwouldtheydo,thesecrazyblackpeoplewhothinkthey’vebeenoppressedforalltheseyearsbywhitepeople?Imeanifthey’recapableofshootingatsomebody,whyaretheynotcapableofrapingthemor,or,youknow,dismemberingthem?What’stopreventthemfromdoingthingslikethat?” Thelawsofmanhadbrokendown,Thieleconcluded,andonlythelawsofGodapplied.

Havingheardthenewsreportsproclaimingwidespreadchaosandmindlessvio-lenceoutside—manyifnotnearlyallofwhichturnedouttobepoorlysourcedanduntrue—andoperatingin“survival”mode,inaself-declaredstateofexcep-tion,staffatMemorialMedicalbeganrefusingtreatmenttoselectpatients,andintheendareallegedtohavedeliberatelyeuthanizedasmanyas24people.7

Justacrosstown,duringthesamedisaster,themostlywhitesuburbGretna,Louisiana,useditspoliceforcetoblockadethebridgethatledfromNewOrleansintothetown:

PaulRibaul,37,aNewOrleansTV-stationengineerfromGretna,saidNewOrleansandthesuburbshaveacomplicatedrelationship. “Wesaywe’refromNewOrleans,butwe’reasuburb,”hesaid.“Thereasonwedon’tlivethereiswedon’tlikethecrime,thepolitics.” RibaulwasamongGretnaresidentswhopraisedthedecisiontoclosethebridge.“Itmakesyoufeelsafetoliveinacitylikethat,”hesaid.

...

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[MayorRonnie]HarrissaidThursdaythatclosingthebridgewasatoughdecisionbutthathefeltitwasright. “Wedidn’tevenhaveenoughfoodheretofeedourownresidents,”Harrissaid. “Wetookcareofourfolks.It’ssomethingwehadtodo.”

AtstillanotherbridgeinNewOrleans,DanzigerBridge,twoAfrican-Americanfamilies searching for food,water, and helpwere gunned down by sevenheavilyarmed,out-of-uniformpoliceofficersforreasonsthatremainunclear.ThestateofLousiana’schargesagainsttheofficerswereeventuallydismissedduetoprosecutorialmisconduct,thoughlocalinvestigationintodepartmentalobstructionofjusticeisstillongoing.OnJuly14,2010,fouroftheofficersinvolvedintheDanzigerBridgeincidentwerefederallyindictedfordepriva-tionofrightsundercoloroflawanduseofaweaponduringthecommissionofacrime,chargesthatcouldcarrythedeathpenaltyiftheyareconvicted;thatprosecutionisongoing. WhenHaiti—ofcourse,theancestralhomeofthezombi,wherethishybrid-izedpostcolonialfigurefirstemergedasthenightmarishfigurationofaslaverythatwouldcontinueevenafterdeath—wasstruckbyitsdevastatingearthquakeinJanuary2010,thesamestoriesweretold:rumorsofwidespreadrapesandmurders reportedbreathlessly by themediaas inevitable andobvious fact,baseless(and,incontext,oftennonsensical)accusationsof“looting”hurledat poverty-stricken people of color just trying to survive in the face of anincomprehensibledisaster.InherPrecariousLife:ThePowersofMourningandViolence(2004),JudithButlerwritespersuasivelyofthewaytheinevitabilityofgriefinhumanlifemightbeemployedasagroundforanLevinasianethicsofmutualvulnerabilityandsharedprecariousness,ifnotforthewayideologypersistentlycodescertainlivesas“mournable”andothersnot.ThinkingbothofthewarinIraqandtheoccupationofPalestine,shewrites:

IsaMuslimlifeasvaluableaslegiblyFirstWorldlives?ArethePalestiniansyetaccordedthestatusof“human”inUSpolicyandpresscoverage?Willthosehundredsofthousandsofliveslostinthelastdecadesofstrifeeverreceivetheequivalenttotheparagraph-longobituariesintheNewYorkTimesthatseektohumanize—oftenthroughnationalistandfamilialframingdevices—thoseAmericanswhohavebeenviolentlykilled?IsourcapacitytomourninglobaldimensionsforeclosedpreciselybythefailuretoconceiveofMuslimandArablivesaslives?(12)

Inpost-earthquakeHaiti,asinpost-KatrinaNewOrleans,asinIraqandPal-estine,wefindthemoraldemandmadebysharedprecariousnessonceagainshort-circuitedinfavorofaprophylacticOthering.SufferingHaitianswerequicklyrecodedasbarelife—zombielife—andtherebyrenderedunworthyof

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properaidandprotection.Haitianscouldn’tbetrusted,weweretold,eventoacceptourhelp. AninterviewatCampusProgresswithDr.KathleenTierneyoftheNaturalHazardCenterattheUniversityofColoradoatBouldermemorablycalledthisphenomenonthe“lootinglie.”Misledbythisracistimaginary,theinternationalaidresponse—coordinated,towidespreadcriticism,bythatimperialagencyparexcellence,theUnitedStatesmilitary—focusedonsecurityoversupport,landingthousandsoftroopsontheislandwhiledivertinginternationalaidflightsandbeforeallowingasinglefooddropfromtheair.Fearofthepoor,journalistLindaPolmanarguedintheGuardian,hurtrescueefforts:“CNNwon’tstoptellingaidworkersandtheoutsideworldaboutpillaging(theincidenceofwhichforthefirstfourfrustratingdaysatleast—didnotcomparewithwhathappenedafterHurricaneKatrina)andabouthowdangerousitwouldbetodistributefood,becauseofthelikelihoodof‘stampedes.’”8InBenEhrenreich’sreportonHaitianrescueeffortsatSlate.comwefindthisreportoftheinitialdaysofthedisaster:

“Commandandcontrol”turnedouttobethekeywords.TheU.S.militarydidwhattheU.S.militarydoes.Likeaslow-witted,fearfulgiant,itbuiltawallarounditself,commandeeringthePort-au-Princeairportandconstructingamini-GreenZone.Asthousandsoftonsofdesperatelyneededfood,water,andmedicalsuppliespiledupbehindtheairportfences—andthousandsofcorpsespiledupoutsidethem—DefenseSecretaryRobertGatesruledoutthepossibilityofusingAmericanaircrafttoairdropsupplies:“Anairdropissimplygoingtoleadtoriots,”hesaid.Themilitary’sfirstprioritywastobuilda“structurefordistribution”and“toprovidesecurity.”(Fourdaysandmanydeathslater,theUnitedStatesbeganairdroppingaid.)

Thisiswhatwedo,wheneverzombiesstrike:webuildfortifications,wehoardsupplies,we“circlethewagons”andpointourgunsoutward.Andwedothiseven,andmosttragically,whenthezombiesdon’texist,whenoutsidethewallsthereareonlyotherpeoplejustlikeus.

Zombie Gaze, Zombie Embrace

LateinthejailperiodofTheWalkingDeadthereisabriefpanelsequenceofCarlandhisfriend,Sophie,staringoutthroughthegatesat thezombiesoutside.Weseefirst thezombieson thechain-link fence,particularly theirdarkuncomprehendingeyes,theirgraspinghands,theirgapingmouths.Thesecondpanelpullsback,camera-like, to seeCarl andSophie frombehind,holdinghands,lookingoutward;thewhiteAmericancowboyman-childandhisprospectiveloveinterest—whobecomeourlasthopefortheresuscitationof reproductive futurity—stareat thestarvingmassesbehind the fence.Onthenextpagetheytalkaboutwhattheysee.Carlasksifsheisstillscaredof

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thezombies,andshesaysno:“MostlyIjustfeelsorryforthem....Becausetheylooksosad.Don’ttheylooksadtoyou?” ThesuggestionhereisofashiftfromterroroftheOthertopityfortheOther—whichisprogress,Isuppose,ofatype.Butthissortofsympathymerelyrecapitulatesthecolonialgazebyrecodingit intoanew,lessobjectionableform.We,theprivileged,stilldothelooking;they,ourobjects,arestilllookedat.ThereallyradicalmoveforpoorSophie,ofcourse,wouldbenottofeelpitybuttothrowopenthegates:toerasethesubject-objectdivisionaltogetherandabandonthezombiegaze.Thereallyradicalmove,thatis,wouldbetorefuse

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thedemarcationbetweenlifeandanti-lifealtogether,asSophie’smotherCaroldoesinalaterissuewhenshedeliberatelyturnsherselfovertothezombiestobeconsumedandturned.“Ohgood,”shesaysasthezombietearsintoherthroatinaperverselovers’embrace,“youdolikeme.” Within the fictional space of the zombie narrative, of course, amovelikeCarol’smakesnosense:thisissuicide!Butdespitetheprotestationsofbiopoliticalstateracism,despitetheendlessblaringdeclarationsofnationalemergenciesandstatesofexception,wedon’tliveinsideazombienarrative;weliveintherealworld,azombielessworld,wheretheonlyzombiestobefoundaretheonesweourselveshavemadeoutoftheexcluded,theforgotten,thecast-out,andthewalled-off.Tobecomeazombiewouldbetoobliteratethelinedividing“us”from“them”byallowingourselvestobefullyandfinallydevouredbyalterity.Tobecomeazombieisinthiswaytoriskbecoming“dis-posable”ourselves;todoitwouldmeanforsakingthezombiegazeinfavorofthezombieembrace.Thisiswhyuniversalism—ineitheritshumanistorzombicguises—shouldneverbenamedassomethingeasytoachieve,muchlesssomethingwehavealreadyaccomplished.Itisratheralwaysastruggleofself-decenteringandself-deprivileging,ofself-renunciation—somethingeasiertosaythando,butatthesametimethenecessarypreconditionforafinalendtoourcollectivezombienightmare,thenightmarecalledhistoryitself.

Notes

1. AsShavirohimselfnotesneartheendofhisessay,evenasthezombieslipsbackandforth“betweenFirstWorldandThird,”itremainssloughedoffalwaysonotherbodies,whichhesuggestsisanaptmetaphorizationoftheinvisibilityofproduc-tivelabor(288–89).ThisisespeciallyimportantinthecontextoftheoriginsofthezombiincolonialHaiti,whichasLauryandEmbroshowwasafigurebothoftheresistingslaveandofanightmareofslaverywhichcontinuesevenafterdeath(97–98);thezombieofcontemporarymassculture,Shavirosays,insteadalternatesbetweenfiguringinvisible/immateriallaborintheThirdWorldandanti-productiveconsumptionintheFirst—bothofwhicharefocalizedinotherpeoplenotourselves.

2. ThefullquotefromDeleuzeandGuattarireads:“Aboveall,theStateapparatusmakesthemutilation,andevendeath,comefirst.Itneedsthempreaccomplished,forpeopletobebornthatway,crippledandzombielike.Themythofthezombie,ofthelivingdead,isaworkmythandnotawarmyth.Mutilationisaconsequenceofwar,butitisanecessarycondition,apresuppositionoftheStateapparatusandtheorganizationofwork...”(425).

3. DaleKnickerbocker has brought tomy attention thatAtlanta is a particularlyinterestingcityforRicktojourneytowards,giventheapocalypticdevastationofSherman’sMarchandtheboundlesssuburbansprawlofthecity’srecenthistory.

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HealsosuggestsShaneasareferencetoGeorgeStevens’s1953WesternShane,whichthecharacterechoesinbothplotandtheme;thedifferencehereisthatthechildisnotShane’smournerbuthisexecutioner.

4. ThesetermsaredefinedonthefirstpageofAgamben’sHomoSacerasfollows:“zoë,which expressed the simple fact of living common to all living beings(animal,men,orgods),andbios,whichindicatedtheformoflivingpropertoanindividualorgroup”(1).Thisistosaythatzoëisbare(asinmere)life,whilebiosiscitizenship,politicallife.MuchofAgamben’sworkfocusesonthebiopoliticalconsequencesresultingfromtheexclusionofcertaintypesofbodiesfrombios.

5. Wemightlikewisethinkoftheinfamous“zombiebaby”momentneartheendthe2004remakeofDawnoftheDead.

6. PriscillaWaldexploreszombiismasascience-fictionalfigureforreal-worlddiseaseinherbook-lengthstudyofsuch“epidemiologicalhorrors,”Contagious:Cultures,Carriers,andtheOutbreakNarrative (2008),particularly thewaysuchstoriestypicallyemploynarrativeslikethe“PatientZero”originmythsocommonlyfoundinpopularaccountsofpublic-healthcriseslikeSARSandHIV/AIDS.

7. ItshouldbenotedthatagrandjurychosenottoindictDr.Pouortwoothernursesforthechargesbroughtagainstthem;thesechargeshavenowbeenexpungedandthestateofLouisianahasagreedtopayPou’slegalfees.

8. Itshouldperhapsbenotedthat“stampede”ispreciselywhatthezombiesdoinissues59–60ofTheWalkingDead;unthinking,operatingonautomaticinstinctinsearchoffood,theynetworktogetherintoafierce“herd”andverynearlyrunourheroesdown.

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