Ink

Curtis Smith doesn’t think you should be worried about H1N1. What you should be worried about is the zombie revolution.

“People will go to extraordinary lengths to protect themselves from the flu,” said Smith, vice president of the Kansas City Horror Club. “But knowing about frequent hand washing doesn’t have the same coolness factor as knowing that a shovel is more useful than a shotgun when facing the odd zombie.”

Smith isn’t alone in his fascination with the undead. They’ve become a recent staple in pop culture, infesting film, books, theater, music and even charity events.

“Zombieland,” starring Woody Harrelson, hit No. 1 at the box office its opening weekend, and on Saturday, models splattered with blood walked the runway for the Adorn of the Dead fashion show at the Replay Lounge in Lawrence.

In the next few weeks, Kansas City will host a zombie-prom-themed art show, zombie walks and a new zombie play.

Why the obsession? Maybe it’s because anyone is just a bite and a 23-hour transformation away from going after human flesh
“Zombies are people … normal, average, everyday people who could come from any walk of life, any culture, any background imaginable and are transformed into monsters,” Kansas City Horror Club member Emily Neill said.

When it comes to costumes, few things are easier. Torn clothes, a little fake blood, a good shuffle walk and low moan and you’re set.
“It’s your clothes, it’s your everyday life,” said Ron Megee, director of the Coterie Theatre’s upcoming “Maul of the Dead.”

That show, based on the George Romero film “Dawn of the Dead,” marks the third year of the theater’s zombie-themed performances. This year, Megee guided more than 40 young actors through Zombie 101, preparing them to be extras in the show.

Megee has noticed an increase in interest in zombies, both in his performers and in the audience. Last year’s performances sold out, and participation in the class has more than doubled since 2007.

“I think it’s going to keep growing for a while,” Megee said. “I think it’s escapism. If you can survive a zombie attack, you can survive anything … and there’s a weird hope in that.”

Do the Zombie shuffle at these 5 events

1. Monsters for a cause
Zombies invade the Plaza  Saturday to raise money for KC’s Uplift Organization Inc., which provides food and supplies to the homeless. Bring five nonperishable food items to the J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain at 2 p.m. And, of course, dress the part.

2. Dance with the undead
“Zombie Prom of the Dead”  Saturday at the Alcott Arts Center, 180 S. 18th St. in KCK, includes independent film screenings, an art show and the crowning of the zombie-prom king and queen at 10 p.m. Admission is a suggested donation to the arts center.

3. Zombies, live
The show starts before you even make it into the theater, as zombies attack the Crown Center ticket lines during “Maul of the Dead” at the Coterie Theatre, 2450 Grand Blvd. The locally written show is a tribute to ’70s horror films and tells the story of a group of strangers trapped in a shopping mall during a zombie attack. Performances begin Oct. 16 and run through Halloween. Tickets are $12. Go to coterietheatre.org.

4. Join the mob
Zombie enthusiasts invade Lawrence at 8 p.m. Sunday. Meet at the South Park Gazebo, 1141 Massachusetts St., and shuffle north for the third annual zombie walk. Details at lawrencezombiewalk.com.

5. A zombie by any other name …
Catch musician and horror-film director Rob Zombie as he performs with Nekromantix and Captain Clegg and the Night Creatures on Nov. 14 at the Uptown Theater. Sure, it’s only a stage name. But Robert Cummings just doesn’t have the same feel. The all-ages show starts at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $35.