#SDCC14: The Walking Dead Hauls Ass After Dread Central Staff
On the outskirts of Comic-Con, there lurks something far scarier than Browncoat cosplayers. Across the street, the Petco Park Stadium has been turned into a militarized zone where the army has deployed troops around the area.
Officials carry bullhorns and warn everyone to stay away from the outbreak. Come any closer and you risk infection.
Welcome to The Walking Dead: Escape, an interactive zombie obstacle course based on Robert Kirkman’s graphic novels.
Dread Central was invited to be among the first people inside after the stadium had been turned into an apocalyptic landscape.
Attendees could opt for one of three spots:
Since we’re hardcore zombie enthusiasts, we decide to run the course as Survivors. All those George A. Romero movies were bound to teach us something about the apocalypse. We gear up for the run by drinking a ton of water and applying a tube of Fresh Balls™.
We are put into a small group where the military briefs us on the quarantine zone we are about to enter. Standard zombie movie procedure: Avoid the infected. Get from point A to point B. There is no time limit. Just survive.
And with that, the gates fly open and we haul ass into the apocalypse.
The walkers themselves have been made up by the KNB FX Group, adding an extra layer of authenticity. And with hundreds of undead shambling through the course, it’s virtually impossible to get through the entire experience without getting grabbed at least once. Along the way we encounter military officials and eccentric survivalists who give us a chance to catch our breath. But most of the 45-minute experience is spent running for our lives through the stadium, vaulting over bleachers, sliding under tables and jumping on cars to avoid the hordes.
We won’t dare spoil all the surprises that lurk inside, but needless to say we emerge exhausted with sweat pouring out of every gland except for our nethers (thanks, Fresh Balls™). If there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that all critics of slow-moving zombies need to shut the fuck up. Navigating a zombie apocalypse is even harder than it looks.
The Walking Dead: Escape is currently touring the country and well worth experiencing if you’re a zombie enthusiast. Tickets can be purchased via The Walking Dead Escape website or on Tickets.com as part of a marketing partnership with Tickets.com.
PHOTO CREDIT: Eric Charbonneau
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