2008 Woodie Awards
Dead men walking
Zombies invade I-Drive
Amanda Moore
Issue date: 10/22/07 Section: News
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Ed Mercado, 38, sat in the air-conditioned restaurant lobby with his daughter Sabrina, 13.
For the afternoon, Mercado was a zombie fisherman. He carried a fishing rod and wore a hat accentuated with lures.
"I'm just showing that anybody can be a zombie," Mercado said. "I'd like to see an astronaut zombie."
Several zombie hunters also made an appearance, perhaps to keep the undead in line.
"I got a couple of magazines. When you go down, go down swinging," said Charles Bushwitz, a former Marine Corps ROTC cadet, as he gestured to his Marksman Rifle and Colt .45 props. "I'll be 20 in January … but only if I survive."
UCF sophomore forensic science major Lorena Cottrell came to the event with her boyfriend and co-worker Erik Anderson, 17. Cottrell said it was her first walk but not her first zombie-themed event, noting Zombie Emergency Defense hosted by A Comic Shop.
Mike Pandel, A Comic Shop employee, said Z.E.D. holds monthly events such as live fire exercises at the East Orange Shooting range and combat training at Hard Knocks "to prepare for the eventual zombie apocalypse."
UCF film major Nick "Jade" Martinolich considers himself an auxiliary member of Z.E.D.
"This is all friends today, but one day this is gonna be for real," Martinolich said. "People do cancer walks … but we do zombie walks. We want people to plan ahead."
There was a serious side to all the fun.
Black ribbons were handed out in front of the restaurant entrance to commemorate Karl Hardman, who passed away in September after a battle with cancer. Hardman was best known for his work in the 1968 zombie classic, Night of the Living Dead.
Before the walk began, Sanders asked for a moment of silence from the crowd.
"We all knew his family," Sanders said. "We all have met him."
Compassionate zombies donated blood to Florida's Blood Centers, which parked a mobile unit near T.G.I. Friday's for three hours.
Donovan McCoy, team leader and donor service specialist said, "We need zombie blood, too."
Bill Hinzman, known for his role as the cemetery zombie in Night of the Living Dead, arrived in a torn, dirty black suit and mottled false teeth.
"Looking good," Hinzman said as he patted the shoulder of one fan holding a deformed baby doll. Hinzman said he is currently working in Michigan as director of photography on a music video.
Tom Savini - the "king of zombies," said one fan - also made an appearance. Savini has both appeared in and contributed special effects to numerous popular horror flicks such as Dawn of the Dead (1978), Friday the 13th (1980) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986).
For more photos of I-Drive zombie invasion please see..
www.CentralFloridaFuture.com/galleries
For the afternoon, Mercado was a zombie fisherman. He carried a fishing rod and wore a hat accentuated with lures.
"I'm just showing that anybody can be a zombie," Mercado said. "I'd like to see an astronaut zombie."
Several zombie hunters also made an appearance, perhaps to keep the undead in line.
"I got a couple of magazines. When you go down, go down swinging," said Charles Bushwitz, a former Marine Corps ROTC cadet, as he gestured to his Marksman Rifle and Colt .45 props. "I'll be 20 in January … but only if I survive."
UCF sophomore forensic science major Lorena Cottrell came to the event with her boyfriend and co-worker Erik Anderson, 17. Cottrell said it was her first walk but not her first zombie-themed event, noting Zombie Emergency Defense hosted by A Comic Shop.
Mike Pandel, A Comic Shop employee, said Z.E.D. holds monthly events such as live fire exercises at the East Orange Shooting range and combat training at Hard Knocks "to prepare for the eventual zombie apocalypse."
UCF film major Nick "Jade" Martinolich considers himself an auxiliary member of Z.E.D.
"This is all friends today, but one day this is gonna be for real," Martinolich said. "People do cancer walks … but we do zombie walks. We want people to plan ahead."
There was a serious side to all the fun.
Black ribbons were handed out in front of the restaurant entrance to commemorate Karl Hardman, who passed away in September after a battle with cancer. Hardman was best known for his work in the 1968 zombie classic, Night of the Living Dead.
Before the walk began, Sanders asked for a moment of silence from the crowd.
"We all knew his family," Sanders said. "We all have met him."
Compassionate zombies donated blood to Florida's Blood Centers, which parked a mobile unit near T.G.I. Friday's for three hours.
Donovan McCoy, team leader and donor service specialist said, "We need zombie blood, too."
Bill Hinzman, known for his role as the cemetery zombie in Night of the Living Dead, arrived in a torn, dirty black suit and mottled false teeth.
"Looking good," Hinzman said as he patted the shoulder of one fan holding a deformed baby doll. Hinzman said he is currently working in Michigan as director of photography on a music video.
Tom Savini - the "king of zombies," said one fan - also made an appearance. Savini has both appeared in and contributed special effects to numerous popular horror flicks such as Dawn of the Dead (1978), Friday the 13th (1980) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986).
For more photos of I-Drive zombie invasion please see..
www.CentralFloridaFuture.com/galleries