Robot 6
Robert Kirkman and Hyundai devise zombie-proof car for apocalypse
As part of The Walking Dead‘s 100th-issue celebration, Robert Kirkman’s Skybound imprint has teamed with Hyundai for an Elentra GT sweepstakes that’s being marketed with a four minute-plus video interview in which the writer discusses surviving a zombie plague and (of course) designing a car for life after the apocalypse.
“I’m generally a good person, but I would not want to be eaten by zombies,” Kirkman confesses, “and I would probably do next to anything to keep that from happening – and I have next to no skills. I mean, in the apocalypse I’d be going from group to group going, ’Do you need anyone to write comic books for you?’”
It’s an interesting, if somewhat odd, bit of promotion that does double duty as a nice showcase for the writer, who while devising a Road Warrior-style modified Elantra GT fit for the bleak world of The Walking Dead, praises George Romero, sorts through art in his office, and offers insight into post-apocalyptic living.
The car depicted in comic form in the video, and in the screen shots below, will be on display next month at the Hyundai Undead Future US booth at Comic-Con International in San Diego.
19 Comments
Rocketpig
June 12, 2012 at 11:04 am
Why would you want spikes on the front of a zombie car? You want to push them out of the way, not stab them in the legs and give them a ride on the hood of your car.
Earth-2 Chad
June 12, 2012 at 11:28 am
Rocketpig, that’s exactly the kind of clear-eyed thinking any zombie-survival group needs.
mdk
June 12, 2012 at 11:31 am
The selling out begins.
ThatMan
June 12, 2012 at 11:51 am
Yes, the selling out… The creating an income for yourself and your family by taking businesses up on offers to give you money to create something they could just find someone else to help out with anyway.
How does selling out hurt his brand? Are his stories going to get any worse by endorsing a car?
Doesn’t Stephen King write a column for Entertainment Weekly? Give Kirkman some credit. He still writes his book consistently, assists with the TV show, and made sure they didn’t screw up the video game. What more can you ask for?
Give me a frickin’ break…
Phantom309
June 12, 2012 at 11:51 am
Begins? Let me check my Walking Dead wrist watch after I pause my Walking Dead video game. Damn all these Walking Dead toys in the way!
Don’t get me wrong, I would sell out and commercialize the hell out of a comic. This gravy train ain’t going to last forever and like a zombie apocalypse you have to be smart and get while the getting is good.
steven
June 12, 2012 at 11:53 am
@mdk Damn… he’s selling out you say? So.. I guess the tv series, video game, action figures don’t count then?
df1chicago
June 12, 2012 at 12:04 pm
ok… WHY?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
julio
June 12, 2012 at 12:37 pm
now THIS is when i go hybrid!!!
John Smith
June 12, 2012 at 1:13 pm
I’ve always associated selling out with doing what goes against your principles, doing what you can’t stand simply for the money. If Robert Kirkman doesn’t think that endorsing a car fits this, all the more power to him.
When it comes to music, I can sympathize with criticisms of selling out – John Densmore from the Doors talked about the crassness of taking a song that has helped someone through a crisis in their life (like being suicidal, for example) and suddenly it’s used to sell a car.
Lufio
June 12, 2012 at 1:13 pm
Pretty sure a zombieproof car would either have to run on solar or on the bodies of zombies that you ran over. This is a major oversight. Also, product placement just seems like a more crass form of commercialism, but given Hyundai’s presence in the television series since the very beginning, I’d say that that ship sailed long ago.
EPrest0-
June 12, 2012 at 2:03 pm
Sorry, I wouldn’t trust my life or the lives of my loved ones in a Hyundai on a regular day, let alone a zombie infested day
Brandon Morgan
June 12, 2012 at 3:41 pm
Cash in, Kirkman. Cash in.
CapCanuck
June 12, 2012 at 7:51 pm
Sigh.
I bought a Hyundai after good reviews and positive test drives. Decided to take a chance. 6 months later, the issues started. Now I know why the WARRANTY is so good. NO WAY could Hyundai build a ‘zombie proof’ car. I would have thought they would have at least converted a SUV into a zombie proof car, not their Elantra sedan…
I also agree, spikes on the front would impale and only impede steering ability and possibly visibility. Also not sure about the sun roof, sure you can pop out and use a shotgun or something, but it is also another entry point for the fiendish undead.
As for Kirkman and Hyundai, more power to him. Is it tacky? Sure. Does it help to line his pockets? Yep, so I say go for it. I mean you can’t fault a guy for making some ‘mad’ cash for him and the future of his family. Hell, too bad he didn’t keep an extra few hundred of TWD #1 for himself to sell on eBay…
Guillermo
June 12, 2012 at 9:25 pm
I think the spikes on the bumper would prevent zombies from bouncing off and hitting the windshield and making a mess, It would be helpful for the spikes to spin so zombie clutter can be cleared out without getting your hands dirty.
Paul Garcia
June 12, 2012 at 9:39 pm
Cool! Much wicked if guns and other armaments are installed!
Влад
June 13, 2012 at 3:04 am
why walking dead in color, I that passed that? please write what s number comics with that car?
Jim Deal
June 13, 2012 at 4:26 pm
To the guy who posted directly above my post: Whaaaaaaat?
Dean
June 13, 2012 at 5:44 pm
I bought a Hyundai after good reviews and positive test drives. Decided to take a chance. 6 months later, the issues started. Now I know why the WARRANTY is so good. NO WAY could Hyundai build a ‘zombie proof’ car. I would have thought they would have at least converted a SUV into a zombie proof car, not their Elantra sedan…
An SUV is a fuel hog, you need good mileage when you’re scavenging fuel after a zombie apocalypse. Which leaves aside the issue of engine noise attracting zombies. Travel on foot might be safer…
And I’ve driven a Hyundai for nearly 2 years now. Never had a moment’s trouble.
Tom
June 14, 2012 at 6:47 am
Vlad, I suggest you use google translate to better understand this page.
http://translate.google.com/
http://tinyurl.com/cb225kq