This could be my worst idea ever...

smsarber · Apr 11, 2007

Or it could be really good...
I'm asking this question in this, and the western forum.
Would it be a terrible idea to have a story about zombie gunslingers and cowboys? A kind of undead town.

It was one of those 'about to fall asleep, pop you awake kind of ideas. I thought I would get some feedback before I even consider trying it.

Braydie · Apr 11, 2007

smsarber,

If you're just wondering whether or not your idea might work, IMHO -it's a great idea. You know how a lot of stories and movies have similar themes - well, your idea sounds plausible.

Have you ever seen the movie "Purgatory" with Peter Coyote? It might not be exactly what you're talking about, but it's a similar concept. An outlaw gang rides into a sleepy little town, decides to lie low, and eventually rob the townspeople. Too bad for the gang members - among the town's residents are some deceased gunslingers - Wild Bill Hickok, Jesse James, and Billie the Kid. Neat movie.

Good luck with your idea.

Soccer Mom · Apr 11, 2007

:sits up: I'd totally read zombie gunslingers (and I adore the movie Purgatory.)

I want your brains! Pow! Pow! Eat lead....and brains.

louisgodwin · Apr 11, 2007

Have you ever seen the tv show Firefly or the movie Serenity (based on the show)? It's a blend of the Sci-Fi and Western genres and it works wonderfully. If it's a truly inspired idea, I think a Horror/Western could work just as well.

dpaterso · Apr 11, 2007

I'm gonna move this thread into Horror discussion forum (where a bigger audience may see it), leaving a redirect in SYW Horror so readers can easily follow it there.

Just FYI if anyone's interested there's a similar "This may be my worst idea ever..." thread in Western discussion forum,
http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61200

-Derek

tourdeforce · Apr 12, 2007

Sounds promising if well executed.

A refreshing new setting.

Bmwhtly · Apr 12, 2007

I may be nuts (it's a popular theory), but I seem to remember hear about a film with this very setting being made. Zombie's in the west. The name escapes me, but... maybe... Zombie Farm?

J. Weiland · Apr 12, 2007

If it's well written, I'd read it. Sounds like fun.

triceretops · Apr 12, 2007

Dead in the West
by Joe R. Lansdale Death is common in the frontier town of Mud Creek, and usually final. After an Indian medicine man is lynched, however, bodies begin showing up the likes of which Doc and Undertaker Mertz have never seen. Nor has the Reverend Jebidiah Mercer, an itinerant gunslinging evangelist who challenges the demon behind the madness. Only by abandoning their hard-won homes can the townsfolk hope to survive a night of terror...but is it already too late?

Steve, thought you might like to see this. I haven't read the book, and it is an old one from Space and Time Books back in 1986. But I do believe it has zombie gunslingers in it.

Tri

small axe · Apr 12, 2007

Sounds cool. And I like the idea about the lynched Indian medicine man. I cannot think of the movie title right now, but I recall a movie poster with a skeleton or a corpse dressed up like a gunslinger at High Noon, waiting for a gunfight etc ... maybe that's similar? But all I can recall is the poster for now ...

GhostAuthor · Apr 12, 2007

I'm an editor for The Magazine of Unbelievable Stories - it's a pulp fiction pub. Anyway, one of my story lines - Warriors of the Sun - it a post apocalyptic, wild west with zombies. It is an ongoing storyline. We've had decent interest (as in submissions) as well as purchases.
You may wish to check it out. http://www.quill-pen.net

And yes, your idea is very viable.

zahra · Apr 12, 2007

small axe said:
Sounds cool. And I like the idea about the lynched Indian medicine man. I cannot think of the movie title right now, but I recall a movie poster with a skeleton or a corpse dressed up like a gunslinger at High Noon, waiting for a gunfight etc ... maybe that's similar? But all I can recall is the poster for now ...

Yes, there's a horror movie about a class of debators who get stuck in a western 'ghost town', where a fugitive drug dealer also turns up. The town's populated by zombies, and each time one of the interlopers dies, the sign with the tot-up of popluation says one more. Fantastic. I, in common with everybody else, can't remember what it's called, though it's in my DVD collection.

But you should do it! I'd love to see something like this if it's done well, and I'm quite fond of the one I quote even though some of it is done pretty appallingly. Good luck, keep us posted. I'm excited.

smsarber · Apr 12, 2007

Wow, with all the responses I am convinced. I'm gonna do it. I am going to put out the same offer I put in the western forum: I am open to doing a full length novel of this idea with a co-author, or creative partner. If anyone is interested, e-mail me (go to my profile for a link) or PM me.

zahra · Apr 12, 2007

Yayyyy! Go zombies! I hope you get the writing partner you need (not me, because I never learned the meaning of team-work - comes of hiding behind the bikesheds reading 'Vogue' when I should've been doing netball) and get the story you want. I'm on the side of all who would give us more zombies.

Braydie · Apr 12, 2007

Good for you! It's nice to know we helped you make such an "informed" decision.

Good luck - and keep us posted. I'm sure we're all interested in what's going to happen with this idea!

Shara · Apr 12, 2007

I hope you do write it, smsarber, because I now want to read a story about zombie gunslingers!

In my writing group weird challenges often come about (usually on the message board, when a couple of people are having really boring days at work) where the oddest genre imaginable is thought up and someone goes off to write a story to fit.

So we ended up once workshopping a story about drag queen zombies and walrus porn.

It worked much better than you'd imagine! Though I'm not sure if the writer's sold the story yet...

Shara

mdin · Apr 12, 2007

I know it's been said a million times, but I'll say it again. Most ideas have already been done, but they haven't been done your way.

I had an idea of zombies on an airplane (You know, Snakes on a Plane, but the snakes are freakin' ZOMBIES), and I thought it was the best idea evah, then I saw a preview for the movie Plane Dead.

Of course it's been done. But it hasn't been done your way. Do it your way.

Braydie · Apr 12, 2007

XThe NavigatorX said:
I know it's been said a million times, but I'll say it again. Most ideas have already been done, but they haven't been done your way.

Of course it's been done. But it hasn't been done your way. Do it your way.

I agree with this. Most faces have two eyes, one nose, and two lips, but they don't all look alike. I think story ideas are sort of like that. They have characters and places, beginnings, middles, and ends, but they aren't all alike.

When two or three people share an experience and later give their renditions of what happened, their interpretations nearly always vary.

smsarber, You surely will put your own spin on the zombie gunslingers and cowboys story.

smsarber · Apr 12, 2007

I'm sorry to go off topic for a sec, but I saw a CSI once that had a pretty blonde specialist making an age progressed mold of a face out of clay, and she said that both sides of the face are not equal, as they appear. Braydie's post made me think of it.

I may not be posting much in the next few days, we're moving, and I don't know when I'll be set up with internet, but I will try to drop by my Mom's and check on things.

Anthony Ravenscroft · Apr 13, 2007

I like the idea. But don't forget that most stuff has been done, somewhere. Been awhile, but you might want to look up Billy the Kid vs. Dracula (though others might prefer Jesse James Meets Frankenstein's Daughter). Two quotes pop into my head that I'm kinda sorta certain come from that film:

"There ain't nothin' more peaceful than a dead man."

"The walking dead ain't very impressive with no kneecaps."

JimmyD1318 · Apr 14, 2007

Well.. I like it. Write down a rough draft chapter and take it from there!

Flapdoodle · Apr 15, 2007

smsarber said:
Or it could be really good...
I'm asking this question in this, and the western forum.
Would it be a terrible idea to have a story about zombie gunslingers and cowboys? A kind of undead town.

It was one of those 'about to fall asleep, pop you awake kind of ideas. I thought I would get some feedback before I even consider trying it.

I'm sure this has been done already - I'm certain I've seen a horror film about dead gunslingers and stuff.

The Scip · Apr 16, 2007

I think its a great idea. I have a zombie story that I have been rolling around in my head for a while, I just can't seem to get the setting right, although I don't think I could write a western. I think a western Zombie story would be interesting, I'd certainly read it.

Anthony Ravenscroft · Apr 16, 2007

Maybe you could get a novelization tie-in deal with Cheap-Ass Games? One of their more hilarious entries is "The Great Brain Robbery," where a bunch of Old West zombies (a la Romero) are racing (shambling?) through a train to get the brains.

smsarber · Apr 17, 2007

Anthony Ravenscroft said:
Maybe you could get a novelization tie-in deal with Cheap-Ass Games? One of their more hilarious entries is "The Great Brain Robbery," where a bunch of Old West zombies (a la Romero) are racing (shambling?) through a train to get the brains.

An idea. How would I go about it? Unfortunately I don't have any video games.

This could be my worst idea ever...

Coming soon to a nightmare near you

Crypto-fascist

Back from the dead

Patent pending

Yes, I'm back.

Lurker

memento mori

She who should be writing

Was Zahra; lost profile - REBORN!

Coming soon to a nightmare near you

Was Zahra; lost profile - REBORN!

Fix it in the Rewrite

The late, the great XThe NavigatorX

Coming soon to a nightmare near you

Scribble, scribble, scribble

THE POPCORN MONSTER!

...walks this way.

Scribble, scribble, scribble

Coming soon to a nightmare near you