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Talking To Max Brooks About Extinction Parade

Published Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:00:15 -0500

Bleeding Cool's Jim Kuhoric Q&As Max Brooks, in the light of Avatar's upcoming adaptation of the World War Z writer's short story Extinction Parade.

Jim: When the Zombie Survival Guide and World War Z were first released, you were very influential in developing the forthcoming zombie phenomena. In Extinction Parade you introduce the much traveled vampire species into the mix. What did you set out to do with vampires that hasn't been done before? And are you envisioning a similar rise in vampire fiction following this project?

Max: It's not that I've set out to do anything new. As you said, Vampires are pretty well traveled and by now, so are zombies. I'm sure there are other zombie-vampire mash-ups out there, but maybe they haven't looked at this conflict the same way I have. I wanted this to be a story about privilege, about what happens to those at the top of the food chain when that suddenly begins to snap beneath them.

Jim: You're an Emmy Award winning writer and a New York Times Bestseller, what is it about comics that made you decide to do your next big project in the sequential art medium?

Max: Some stories are meant to be visual and unlike movies or TV, there are no budget restrictions. Anything is possible in comics. You can really let your imagination run wild.

Jim: Some have referred to you as the "Studs Terkel of zombie journalism." Terkel is often best remembered for his oral histories of the everyman. Do you feel the oral history facet of your fictional works, which are also showcased in your fan presentations across the country, is something that will transcend current zombie interest and become a part of our modern shared folklore?

Max: You'd have to ask someone more in touch with the national zeitgeist than me. I have no idea what' s going to be hot or not. If I did, I never would have written "The Zombie Survival Guide".

Jim: Is there one thing about Extinction Parade that you want your diehard zombie fans to know? Anything that can prepare them for being in the middle of this war of the species?

Max: Only this, that sometimes perceived strength can really be a fatal weakness.

Extinction Parade #1 is out in July from Avatar Press.