Zombie calendar shoot a ghastly sight


Hamilton Zombie Walk

  • When: 8:30 to 11 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 17
  • Where: Parking lot across from McDonald's at the intersection of Martin Luther King Boulevard and High Street
  • Cost: Free
  • More Information: (513) 834-0945 or perfectpint@yahoo.com

HAMILTON — Tim Couch wonders what the Hamilton police officer must have thought when he came upon the zombie calendar photo shoot this week in Millikin Woods.

While arranging four ghastly looking models, one eating a fake brain, another gnawing a fake arm on Monday, Oct. 12, Couch, a 30-year-old amateur photographer, said the officer told him to clean up the fake blood graffiti and move along.

While some may find it hard to stomach, zombie aficionados like Couch are finding ways to congregate around music, zombie-movie premieres and other events.

The popularity can be seen on Youtube.com and on MySpace, where nearly 3,000 people signed up for World Zombie Day, Oct. 11. On that day, more than 50 cities across the globe participated in “zombie walks,” many supported local charities, according to theitsaliveshow.com.

So what’s the appeal?

“Zombies have a purpose. They try to survive just like the rest of us,” said Couch, a photo technician at Walgreens in West Chester Twp.

It also can be a lot of fun to dress up as a ghoul and make a scene.

Quentin Judd, 32, of Hanover Twp., teamed up with Couch to organize a Saturday night zombie walk through downtown Hamilton.

Judd said he’s been preparing his undead-construction-worker costume for two weeks, adding a red smear here, a rip there. To look the part, he said it might take five or six hours to apply makeup.

“I don’t know what attracts people to zombies. ... It gives adults a chance to get away from the everyday normal,” he said. “You can never be a kid again, but you can dress up and have fun.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2122 or rwilson@coxohio.com.

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