Zombie Animals? Kirkman Explains Why There Aren’t Any
Have you ever wondered why there aren’t any zombie animals on The Walking Dead? I know we have. In fact we have a few threads about that very same subject. Simpy searching the forum you can find probably a half dozen topics relating to that very thing, and quite frankly, I have wondered it as well.
Zombie Animals
Zombie Animals. More terrifying?
Well on Thursday night, Robert Kirkman appeared on the Conan Show and he was faced with that very question, why aren’t there any zombie animals on the television show? Kirkman explained the following.
“The artist that draws the comic book loves drawing people, loves drawing zombies, does not enjoy drawing animals so much.”
There you have it folks! The reason why we don’t have any cool zombie animals walking around is because Charlie Adlard doesn’t like to draw them. Maybe we should email, or tweet, or whatever at Charlie, to see if he could possibly change his mind.
I don’t know about you, but it would be pretty wild to see some zombie animals roaming around. I mean just think of the zoo? You can have zombie bears, lions, elephants, and all sorts of craziness going on. While it probably won’t happen, it would be really cool to have some.
Victor Tookes
03/10/2013 @ 11:48 am
If you have zombie animals, the ability to survive goes to zero. Almost every animal on the planet can outrun a human, zombie squirrels dropping from trees, zombie dogs roaming in packs. And, if it infects animals, then would you have zombie bugs? If the zombie virus is transmitted by mosquitos, the human race would survive for about four minutes.
Bloodfire
03/25/2013 @ 6:12 pm
That makes no sense at all. How many human zombies do you see running or sprinting in the show? None, that’s how many because the zombies only have the very basic motor functions and are incapable of running. So it stands to reason animals would be the same. A zombie dog for example could walk faster than a zombie human but not run faster than a living a human. Human zombies don’t have the motor functions or brain power to climb, therefore it stands to reason that climbing animals couldn’t either or if they could, it would be slow awkward movements, certainly not jumping or falling out of trees. As for infected bugs/insects, it also stands to reason that the virus could possible kill a bug outright as soon as it got affected, just to make the storyline interesting though of course. But still very possible.
Truxton Spangler
03/29/2013 @ 1:15 am
It does make sense actually, because TWD has shown no consistency at all since the second season began. So anything is possible. As for running zombies, the series started off with shambling walkers, but lately not only are they really fast, but super aggressive and super sneaky. The new walkers show up out on nowhere and while they do not run yet, they shamble really fast, almost like speed shambling. Only a matter of time before they show walkers sprinting after chatty Rick and his retarded chatty friends.
TheGravCaptain
03/29/2013 @ 8:55 pm
What the hell does “Chatty Rick” and “retarded chatty friends” mean? Not one person in his group is retarded, they’ve managed to survive this long haven’t they?
Marie
04/07/2013 @ 2:29 am
You’ve never really thought of the possibility that zombies might evolve? i dunno if that’s possible or not, but it could happen. After all, it’s all fiction.
Terry Clark
04/01/2013 @ 10:44 pm
Seen resident evil?, those dogs aren’t slow by any means 😉
Darling
04/05/2013 @ 12:12 pm
No sense of having zombie animals, but its kinda puzzling coz on the series, there were birds and dogs seen eating dead people.. :p
Rory David
04/07/2013 @ 5:34 pm
I think the dogs and birds are eating people because there are no more people looking after them, not because of zomie-ness.
Steve C.
03/11/2013 @ 3:40 pm
The series is about survivors and what they do to each other. The zombies exist, but they really don’t play an important role in the whole series. I’ve always pictured the Walking Dead as an accurate depiction of humanity if such an event were to actually happen. Survival is the name of the game. Stumble into a den of kids who survived who have supplies and you don’t but you’re the only one who’s armed and see just how strong the will to survive is.
It’s our base instinct. Do you leave the kids be and starve to death? hoping that maybe there might be food somewhere else close? do you see if they’re willing to share? or do you take it from them by force? some people aren’t troubled by these questions. They’d shoot first and take the supplies.
Morality goes out the window when there is no civilization to enforce it. The will to survive is everything. Having zombie animals in the show would drastically limit that ability to survive. I don’t think many people realize that in a world such as ours there is 5 thousand zombies for every 1 survivor. Take that in a bit and realize how having zombie animals would ensure our extinction.
toenailsinagumballmachine
03/21/2013 @ 9:23 am
if something like this would happen for real, there would be no surviving, it would only become “how long can i hold out?” situation. in general people are weak and fearful.. and living off the land is a dying art.
Laughingguy88
03/11/2013 @ 5:13 pm
Yeah but how sick would it be to see a zombie shark
Cedric Wilson
03/11/2013 @ 5:25 pm
Well perhaps the virus affects people and Simians? Zombie Chimpanzees anyone? With the story being set in the Southern US we don’t seek Chimps in the wild out here, and it’s safe to assume that any in the zoo’s would be locked in any way, and the few not in zoo would such a small number that it wouldn’t register most places
Faegoat
03/12/2013 @ 1:37 am
Littered with spelling, grammar and other syntax errors. GTFO of my internet until you learn to review properly.
dave
03/15/2013 @ 9:21 pm
I want to know who mows the lawns
Zombie Lover
03/21/2013 @ 3:59 am
The Walking Dead goes by a silent nod to old school zombies. “When there is no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth” kind of thing, So other then the Laziness of not liking drawing animals, if you go by most religions Animals have no souls. So they wouldn’t turn into a zombie at death.
At least that is my opinion on a more deeper meaning. I think they sometimes give bull shit answers because explaining the real reasons they don’t do something takes less time/effort/ and backlash. Understandable? Yeah. Lazy as shit? Welcome to humanity.
toenailsinagumballmachine
03/21/2013 @ 9:18 am
obviously zombie goats that are extremely agoraphobic and camera shy keep the grass trimmed.
Seth
03/21/2013 @ 4:28 pm
Why would the animals get infected??? When you have the flu and your sneeze on your cat, does it get the flu too? Different diseases are specific to different species, so why would it be so unbelievable that this one is too?
Doug Curtis
03/22/2013 @ 1:37 pm
I never cared much for Adlard’s art when he took over. I liked Moore’s better.
I wonder about the lack of flies, so I wonder if the virus doesn’t affect them. I mean, we do see one now and again, but they should be like clouds in this zombie-infested world! I would like to see some maggots dripping out of eyeballs at some point.
Christina Williams
05/09/2013 @ 3:06 pm
yeah it would be blue bottle paradise, think i’d prefer the zombies over them.
Jerry
03/22/2013 @ 10:43 pm
I think zombie chimpanzees would be a great idea. They’re close enough to humans that they are afflicted by most of the same diseases so it wouldn’t be that big of a stretch. Could be a one off thing in an episode, and they’d be no more agile or faster than a walker is compared to a live human.
veggiedude
04/03/2013 @ 7:48 pm
Chimpanzees can’t get AIDS. They are immune to HIV.
Jerry
04/05/2013 @ 10:30 pm
Actually chimpanzees have a similar disease SIV Simian Immunodeficiency vVrus.
They can be infected withe the human HIV virus, they don’t get the disease but they become carriers and must be kept from human contact .
They can get many of our diseases like Polio, Tuberculossis and the like, the common cold we get is almost always fatal to wild chimps who have no resistance to it.
Tmh
04/08/2013 @ 4:35 pm
zombie dolphins? As they are almost as smart as humans? Probably the second smartest being on this planet!
Ankit Malasi
06/14/2013 @ 5:20 pm
Doesn’t matter how smart they are when alive. Zombies are dumber than a rat.
awd
03/24/2013 @ 4:57 am
It doesn’t even matter, the whole show doesn’t make sense at it’s core. The only way people ever get bitten is by wearing triple headphones with hard rock on and running around blindfolded. Come to think of it, it’s pretty cheap and pathetic how they manage to sneak a zombie behind someone all the time.
ROBERT
03/30/2013 @ 8:25 pm
I believe it was back in Season 1, when the group was staying in the CDC underground bunker, as you may recall, the CDC scientist told Rick that it doesn’t matter because the virus is airborne and every human being is already infected. A more recent episode (from Season 2), when Shane was stabbed confirmed that even the living (humans) already have the virus; that is, a bite from a Zombie is NOT required for a character “to turn.” Indeed, I believe the series title, “The Walking Dead” refers to the group (of living characters) rather than the zombies they seek to avoid.
veggiedude
04/03/2013 @ 7:52 pm
We also learnt that the virus was worldwide, and France was mentioned in particular. However, I believe the British Isles were unaffected. Well, not quite, many people died – but the zombie virus mutated and thus that explains why there were no walkers in the BBC Series ‘Survivors’ (2008-2010). If you’ve never seen the two seasons of it, it makes great filler material until season 4 of TWD. Netfix has it.
katie
03/25/2013 @ 9:20 pm
If you’ve read The Zombie Survival guide by Maxx Brooks. It explains that the zombie virus can’t spread through animals, but I am aware of the fact that the comics are based on a world that’s never heard of the zombie virus
str8 facts
08/21/2013 @ 9:02 pm
It makes absolutely no sense that a Chimpanzee wouldn’t turn into a zombie after coming into contact with a infected human.
Wesley Edward Williams Sr.
03/30/2013 @ 1:36 am
In the zombie genre, animals are never infected. The only nuance is whether
the zombies eat animals. That has only been a recent (last 10 years)
phenomenon.
Ankit Malasi
06/14/2013 @ 5:17 pm
Pet Sematary? Resident Evil? I’m Legend?(Yes, they were actually vampires, but they looked like zombies to me)
David Urban
03/31/2013 @ 5:08 am
Where’s the zombie babies?
Anthony
04/01/2013 @ 2:37 am
“Where are the zombie babies?”, not “Where is the zombie babies?”.
Tmh
04/08/2013 @ 4:31 pm
grammar zombie?!
dingo jonezzz
05/08/2013 @ 10:00 pm
So, the question remains-where’s the zombie babies?
Ankit Malasi
06/14/2013 @ 5:14 pm
In BrainDead/ Dead Alive.
Tim Gavin
04/01/2013 @ 5:56 am
Generally speaking, if a so-called artist says he doesn’t like to draw something, it means they’re no good at it, ergo, not a real artist.
Bleh
04/07/2013 @ 2:31 am
Wow, aren’t we stupid…
A real artist doesn’t need to draw EVERYTHING, you idiot. But i suppose that your arrogance won’t let you see that…
TMaster
07/26/2013 @ 7:24 pm
Im so very confused, I watched the tv show and I did think it was animated at all… well no the horse from the start may have been… JK
Rory David
04/07/2013 @ 5:37 pm
Are you serious?
Ankit Malasi
06/14/2013 @ 5:13 pm
An artist takes several years to master the human form. If he is to draw animals, he has to waste several more years studying for something that is little in demand, because he not only has to learn the anatomy of each animal species (there are 100s and 1000s of them), but also learn how to make each animal of the same species look noticeably different from each other. That’s a lot of hard work for hardly any increase in returns.
In other words, he’s not a bad artist, just a smart one.
trisha
04/06/2013 @ 11:37 am
Animals would have to be seen murdered and humans feel more compasion towards animal cruelty rather than onto other humans. Even if its a zombie dog creeping up on them it would be hard for the actors and audience alike to see them stab animals all over the place. It’s a weird truth just as how Most (not all) but 90% of people are able to sit and watch those “help the starving children” commericals….but can’t even bare to hear the voice over on the “help the abused animals” commercials and quickly fumble for the remote to change the channel. I think its very smart of them not to do so.
Christina Williams
05/09/2013 @ 3:04 pm
That’s a interesting point, I suppose if the show had tons of violence against animals (even zombie ones) it would probably start to feel too unpleasant. Also, I wouldn’t it it past some people to copy what they see on tv on a real animal for laughs.
Ankit Malasi
06/14/2013 @ 5:06 pm
No. People feel more compassion towards humans than animals. It’s just that, thanks to violent movies we have been desensitized to human violence. But, we still feel more compassion towards human victims of real violence, than animal victims.
Roronoa Zoro
09/04/2013 @ 1:15 pm
This isnt about just the tv show. There isnt any zombie animals in the comics either.
D2Kvirus
04/08/2013 @ 7:14 am
Zombie animals? That’s…just…DUMB.
str8 facts
08/21/2013 @ 8:54 pm
And a virus that brings the dead back to life isn’t????? Like how is that even possible????
whitewerewolf13
01/18/2014 @ 3:12 pm
it is possible because sense frankinstein’s monster .. humans have been sure it could be done and fear it .. so a good horror story is that all the figures and guesses and theories finally make it happen ,. especially in our time of bio weapons
sman
04/17/2013 @ 5:31 pm
Maybe the virus only affects human no other species.
queentoqueenslevel3
04/25/2013 @ 8:02 am
Dumb answer from someone I would expect a better answer from. First off, in zombie lore, animals are not affected by the reanimation virus. Outside of Stephen Kings “Pet Cemetery”, I can’t recall seeing animals become zombies in the history of the genre, especially on film.
Reversons
05/02/2013 @ 9:26 pm
Resident Evil had zombie dogs
Ankit Malasi
06/14/2013 @ 5:03 pm
That’s the first thing that think of when I think of zombie animals. Although, Resident Evil 3 is the only game of the franchise that I have played. I tried RE5, but it looked more like a action game than a horror game.
Ankit Malasi
06/14/2013 @ 5:01 pm
It was an honest answer.
You prefer a lie that sounds good, than the truth?
A.More
09/15/2013 @ 5:57 pm
Because all movies share the same universe and the same rules, right? Considering this is based on the comics, which in turn are based on Romero lore, which never gives a reason for why there are Zombies in the first place (no Virus), which in turn is also NOT done in the comics (again, no Virus, or at least not yet) why would you assume other lore (especially when so much of that lore is conflicting with itself) is applicable?
Also watch more movies!
alice
10/07/2013 @ 3:39 am
Resident Evil (3, Extinction, I think) had zombie infected crows because they ate off people who were infected.
g
11/25/2013 @ 1:28 am
dogs had the T-virus in the first installment as well
whitewerewolf13
01/18/2014 @ 3:07 pm
even the resident evil game suggested zombie sharks cause they don’t die after there is no water .. and the alligator and the snakes and spiders in resident evil .. but this virus was made to seek dna to make it stronger and adapt to it’s surroundings
gh
04/25/2013 @ 2:33 pm
my dads a walkin dead fan no animals zombies
John D. O'Brien
05/02/2013 @ 9:13 pm
Zombie Kitteh iz waiting for better offer from agent….
Jeva Singh
05/02/2013 @ 9:26 pm
How about a zombie Chihuahua?
ShadowRam
05/08/2013 @ 8:36 pm
no….
no no no
Chihuahuas are annoying enough without being zombies
Ankit Malasi
06/14/2013 @ 4:59 pm
Zombies aren’t supposed to be lovable creatures.
I say, bring on the zombie chihuahuas!
Walker Nick
05/05/2013 @ 9:57 am
Couldn’t this be answered less honestly, and to a greater sense of satisfaction? Perhaps this iteration of generic zombie virus doesn’t affect other species? Plenty of that in the real world guys. I can’t give a cold to a dog, as far as I know.
Much better than “Our artist is a cunt”.
Mike-Si
05/06/2013 @ 7:17 pm
LOL
A.More
09/15/2013 @ 6:00 pm
The explanation given by Kirkman on Conan is a long running inside joke from the comic. Adlard is not really too lazy, it is just that there are no Zombie animals in the Walking Dead lore, because Kirkman does not want there to be any. Same as for the origin of the plague. There is no Virus. It just happens. Kirkman sometimes enjoys stringing along people with outrageous theories when it is clear he will never answer these questions, simply because that is the way he wants it to be. Romero never had an explanation and neither will the Walking Dead ever have a definitive one. Sure the characters will speculate, but that is beside the point anyway.
whitewerewolf13
01/18/2014 @ 3:02 pm
kirkman did not say that remotely about the artist and was not needed to be said here .. & some animals to get colds and athsma and that type stuff just humans .. allergies and all that like us .. animals can carry it and sometimes don’t show the same affects as us .. these are all different diseases and virus variations but based on studies .. not all proven but some suggest and some proven
teo
05/09/2013 @ 4:28 am
THERE ARE ZOMBIE ANIMALS AT HERSHEL’S FARM 2 COWS :P:*
James Lightfoot
05/10/2013 @ 10:31 pm
If animals could carry and transmit the Zombie plague there would be absolutely no chance for humans. Imagine Zombie mosquitoes biting all the time. It would be instant game over.
TMaster
07/26/2013 @ 7:19 pm
Well that would make no sense to be honest since mosquitoes find you by body heat and carbon dioxide so they wouldnt even know that the zombies exist.
str8 facts
08/21/2013 @ 8:53 pm
Also I have NEVER HEARD OF insects getting infected by Humans or Animals pathogens. They can carry Human germs but won’t be affected by it.
Andrew Thompson
06/13/2013 @ 9:25 am
Maybe Because The zombies Ate Almost All The Freaking Animals! When They Cant Find any Humans To Eat…..
i get kirkman
07/05/2013 @ 3:45 am
don’t tell the artist what to do.
respect his creative freedom.
if you want zombie animals, then create your own zombie comic book.
Leah Lee
10/11/2013 @ 12:35 am
Totally agree. And this comic has been going on for so long, he shouldn’t have to change it now that TWD has gone mainstream. Leave a brilliant, perfect thing alone.
Kenda Willie
07/26/2013 @ 12:26 pm
At least Kirkman was totally honest rather than spouting off some wild tale to explain the lack of zombie animals. We fans also can’t get super mad at Adlard because of his lack of animal drawing desire – he has given us a few animals in the comics here and there. Besides, I think zombie animals are a bit much with such a…full (?) storyline as it is. And a few of the other commenters have a point – zombie animals means that human survival is dropped to barely anything. In my opinion, I think animals would have a better response to zombies than humans at any rate. The whole flight-or-fight response. The humans in the comic at times have issues killing off certain zombies – or in some cases, any zombies – because they are still believing that the undead are their friends and family. That human compassion is often their downfall (For example, the incident at Hershel’s farm…). Animals on the other hand would have no qualms about running away (or possibly fighting) when faced with the undead.
TMaster
07/26/2013 @ 7:16 pm
Atleast he was honest… But they didn’t draw the zombies in the tv show, I know animation when I see it so this is just an excuse and not a reason.
Mine aswell said he had a puppy who died so he couldnt do it
nabeel
08/01/2013 @ 5:08 pm
Bringing ZombieAnimals would make a might good story and a new challenge!
Moviemaster
08/18/2013 @ 11:17 pm
Yes, and zombie insects like mosquito’s which would make survival impossible
PlayerHater_of_the_Year
08/23/2013 @ 2:12 pm
What would be the point of a Zombie Bear? The Grizzly Bear is already a killing machine. Making it a zombie is just taking away its senses and motivation. I’d rather fight a zombie grizzly than a real live angry one.
Curt
08/31/2013 @ 6:24 pm
Zombies are slow as fuck , so you want a slow as fuck dog or cat or bear lol ? Or all of a sudden the virus doesn’t effect motor skills of animals and they still run fast and such? It would be stupid to have zombie animals.
Ethan Baker
09/03/2013 @ 4:56 am
No. What’s stupid is for the zombie virus to only affect humans. Completely illogical.
Roronoa Zoro
09/04/2013 @ 1:08 pm
No. It’s completely illogical to think that every single living organism would be affected by the zombie virus.
ChiefR96
09/07/2013 @ 7:55 pm
That’s like saying a dog contracting chicken pox is logical, and a person would get mange after touching a hairless dog, and that it’s illogical for certain diseases to not affect different species. Certain diseases could be the result of a genetic mutation in the cell structure of a specific creature, so it would make sense if that disease only spread among those creatures.
Don
11/02/2013 @ 2:22 pm
Ethan, even though it iis impossible to reanimate the dead and even then it is unlikely they would crave human flesh, real science typically demonstrates viruses that do not jump species so your argument doesnt hold water.
whitewerewolf13
01/18/2014 @ 2:51 pm
exactly we are assuming the virus only craves meat .. eventually could mutate but would mostly seek hosts that would be most easily to convince to seek the virus’s food of choice 1st .. then oly mutate when those are not available but then .. lions and tigers and dogs and cats should have been infected 1st but if it was suppose to be a man made virus engineered for humans it would take a while for it to mutate .. but if it is like the flu virus it almost changes over night .. that is why there are always more and more strains
Captain Scorpio
09/08/2013 @ 6:59 pm
In David Wellington’s zombie novels pretty much anything with a spinal cord becomes a zombie when it dies. The worst were the pigeons, but I think the mice would have taken us out.
Sebastian Fudali
09/14/2013 @ 1:04 pm
In most of zombie films this is a human only virus, like HIV, so it cannot live in an animal.
whitewerewolf13
01/18/2014 @ 2:45 pm
wait then that means animal dna is possibly the cure for hiv
Sebastian Fudali
01/18/2014 @ 5:32 pm
Yup, just turn back the evolution and let’s become monkeys again.
Ashley Young
01/25/2014 @ 1:17 pm
hiv and aids started in monkeys….
Sebastian Fudali
01/26/2014 @ 6:05 am
It’s the most possible theory.
It mutated and adapted to humans.
Maybe this virus/bacteria/fungus could mutate to adapt to animals?
But I don’t think it would fork for herbivores, only for carnivores, as their natural food is meat and they have instincts to huntfor meat.
In resident evil there were zombie dogs.
Ashley Young
01/31/2014 @ 8:58 pm
yea no im not a fan of the “zombie animal” idea i was just sayin about monkeys haha
Thomas Kritzer
10/11/2013 @ 12:36 am
If you start turning animals, especially birds you get an no-win scenario, like in resident evil. No humans survive unless they can become hybrids. Of course walking dead has no real consistency issues because it has no realism at all. Like season 1, virus, bacteria, virus, curse from god? We don’t know BUT we have a test for it and you’re all positive.
winzentween
10/17/2013 @ 6:26 pm
i think it quickly get silly as u would have zombie rats and the even fleas and then its all over in a weekend so stick to humans as if its a virus then for it to mutate would be highly unusual as people forget that virus’ r ;iving creatures too and dont just transform overnight.
whitewerewolf13
01/18/2014 @ 2:45 pm
agree
rigelation
10/22/2013 @ 1:30 am
So you’re saying that the zombie virus can turn a plant-eating deer into a carnivore? Come on, how silly is that. I think its logical that the virus could affect humans only.
Dawn Hittner
11/09/2013 @ 9:27 am
HUMAN VIRUS AND ANIMAL VIRUS’ DONT ALWAYS CROSS. I THINK THE SHOW IS FINE THE WAY IT IS. I THINK THE ANIMAL THING WOULD GO TO FAR.
nightgaunt
11/18/2013 @ 12:21 am
I’d love it and considering that the zombie virus probably came from an animal. I think it is just too hard for them to do it. Expensive. An occasional one would be nice.
Matthew Harris
12/08/2013 @ 12:37 am
How many deer have you seen with AIDS? Or squirrels with the flu? Yeah, not all diseases jump from species to species.
Ashley Young
01/25/2014 @ 1:15 pm
on that note although not deer or aquirrels… monkeys can have aids and hiv and birds and pigs can get the flu lol but i do get your point
toni
12/13/2013 @ 12:32 am
i think the probability of it actually crossing is a fifty fifty,..that being said yes it could possibly happen but another reason it might not is because not only is it really expensive but think about it,…yeah it would take away from the human drama as well,..it would just be too much to have to deal with for the series. think about yeah they are running from a human zombie only to get bit by mr. zombie rat ten seconds later,..too many people to role over in a never ending cast and not enough time for us to truly understand any of the real characters because they were killed off too fast by the zombie animals or better yet zombie bugs..unfortunately there has to be a small limit for us to understand the plot thus the zombie animals should not be created…..just food for thought
The Walking Cuban
12/15/2013 @ 6:40 pm
Such a simple answer.
Ashlee Tac
12/23/2013 @ 4:49 am
If you read the comics, they explained it. The king said the virus doesn’t affect animals.
Ashley Young
01/31/2014 @ 9:00 pm
i just got to that lol when i first read your comment i was like the king? haha
Zachery Rankin
12/30/2013 @ 10:37 pm
ive wondered the same thing, but also, what about zombie children, i know that little girl at the start of season 1 , and sophia in season 2 but what about some crawlers??, i mean like babies abandoned or bit crawling around the streets, who knows, maybe judith?!
JasonShankel
01/06/2014 @ 2:21 am
Also it’s a human virus. Same reason animals don’t get ebola.