Zombie Identification By Visual Cues

By Jarrod Frankenfield

Purpose

• Help survivors learn to identify zombies with visual cues by use of photographs of various subjects so they might be able to avoid becoming like this

Just do not ask how I got close enough to the subjects for the photographs

General Note

• Some of this information may seem obvious but this presentation is meant to show some basic visual clues for zombie identification

• Feel free to skip any parts you feel are so obvious that it is not worth your time to read but know that they only exist to aid in your survival

Physical Form• Max Brooks tells us in The Zombie Survival Guide that someone can become a zombie in one

way only: fluid transfer. This means that most if not all the infected will have a bite somewhere on their bodies (most likely on the arms or legs). Several hours after initial exposure, the bite will turn to a purple-brownish color making identification of the infected easier

• Another physical attribute that the undead seems to share is cloudy/milky eyes. This is somewhat constant throughout all forms of zombie media. 28 Days Later zombies have blood clouding their eyes. Dead Rising Zombies have glowing red eyes.

Bite Mark

Cloudy Eyes

Physical Form Continued• Some of the people who have become zombies were subjected to more than just a

bite. Being attacked by hordes of the undead, these people may end up losing more than just a piece of skin. That is why many zombie media show the zombies with various missing body parts, making identification in any zombie world easier.

Obviously a Zombie

Signs of dispatch • Many survivors will be experienced in identification of the undead already

and will have tried to destroy the walking corpses to save their own lives. • If you see someone shuffling around with a knife sticking out of their back

or filled with bullet holes, its safe to assume that they are not human anymore.

No human can take this many shots to the chest and still be alive

Blood• Caution: All previous subjects have in some part, blood present on their bodies.

This is not a characteristic unique to only zombies however. In an undead world where people are being torn apart on the streets, you should expect to see blood…everywhere.

• Survivors may not be particularly concerned (or able) to wash off every drop of blood that gets on them. The fact that someone has blood on them does not mean that they are a zombie.

But when they have a human forearm in their mouth, it’s a pretty safe bet that they are a zombie

Movement and Posture• If you manage to find a person without blood present, any visible bite marks/missing chunks of skin, no

signs of dispatch and are still curious to whether or not they are human without getting close enough to see their eyes, try looking at their movement

• Zombies are literally walking corpses. Being dead, they are subject to rigor mortis, poor muscle control and even muscle decay

• This affects the movements of zombies accordingly; their movements will most likely appear stiff, limbs may hang limp, they may shuffle instead of walk

• Note: This is not necessarily true for “fresh” zombies. Rates of rigor mortis and muscle decay vary across subjects

Limp arms

Shuffling Walk

Rigid Spine

Final Notes

• Remember, the previous hints are for visual cues for zombie identification

• Use other senses if necessary• Zombies do not respond to questions or conversations.

Call out to them for an attempt at quick identification• Listen for their signature moan• They are dead and do not feel pain. If necessary throw

a rock at the suspected zombie and wait for either a moan or a slurry of profanity

• Aim for the head!

Bibliography

• Heavily decayed zombie picture courtesy of The Walking Dead tv show

• Max Brook’s The Zombie Survival Guide for information on spotting the undead

• Thanks to subjects willing to undergo zombiefication (via Gimp 2.0) for this presentation

. Yuan Tao Shao, Ashton Eby, Jorden Frankenfield, Jan Frankenfield, and Jarrod

Frankenfield