Disc jockey Samantha is surrounded by zombies, but rather than panic, she's found a way to co-exist with her drooling companions in Remote #3, one of ten new Ultimate Night of the Living Dead comic book issues hitting shelves tomorrow from Double Take. For our latest Q&A feature, we caught up with Remote writer Gabe Yocum, who discussed Samantha's versatility, the unique nature of radio station zombies, and more.
Thanks for taking the time to answer questions for us, Gabe. What has it been like to take the reigns on the writing duties for Remote? Was it easy to continue the story with the same style and rhythm?
Gabe Yocum: My pleasure. Remote has been a joy to pick up and run with. This is my first comic and I’ve had lots of help from our editorial staff. It's definitely not easy, but there is an intuitive nature to the writing process, as in a past life I worked in small market radio for over seven years.
One of the things I love about Double Take’s Ultimate Night of the Living Dead universe is its eclectic cast of characters. Featuring a resourceful DJ by the name of Samantha, Remote is no exception. What has it been like to write such a strong and funny character like Samantha?
Gabe Yocum: Samantha is a joy to write for. The entire team thinks so. She’s unflappable under pressure, funny, and great at her job. A lot of that comes from her sense of duty as a broadcaster, which, while it sounds odd, is a real thing us broadcasters have.
Ultimate Night of the Living Dead expands upon George A. Romero’s classic Night of the Living Dead film. Were you a big fan of Romero’s masterpiece growing up? Can you tell us a bit about your first experience watching the movie?
Gabe Yocum: The film is a master class in low-budget film production, and the spirit in our office mirrors the spirit of the original creators. It really is “all hands on deck” and a real team effort to get these stories out and with exceptional quality. It’s what I’ve appreciated most about the film as an adult. As a kid, it was the first horror film I ever saw. “Longface” still haunts my dreams.
The zombies in Ultimate Night of the Living Dead can do more than moan—they can talk. What has it been like to give a voice to the living dead, and have any past zombies from pop culture influenced the way zombies are portrayed in Remote?
Gabe Yocum: Our “virtual army of unknown assailants” are so fun to write for. What’s really nice, from my perspective, is that the ghouls that Sam deals with in the station are relatively tame. It’s almost as if that has something to do with how they are treated.
While many other characters are with other living people during the zombie uprising, Samantha finds herself surrounded by zombies and can only communicate with other humans over the phone and through the airwaves. Do you think Samantha’s sanity is at risk in her somewhat isolated state?
Gabe Yocum: Samantha is definitely at risk. I will say that much. She’s far too mentally tough to break, though. And, as we have seen, the undead pose little risk to her. The real danger for Sam is yet to come.
What was the most challenging scene to write for Remote #3?
Gabe Yocum: There is a scene between Ed Grubler and a few competing DJs still on the air in Pennsylvania that allowed us to really play with new, interesting personalities to round out the Live Vs. Undead ratio. Lots of fun stuff there.
Is there anything that was planned for Remote #3 that didn’t make it into the final draft?
Gabe Yocum: Yes, lots. Luckily we will get to include those ideas in subsequent issues. :)
There’s definitely more to explore in the storyline of Remote beyond issue #3. Do you plan on writing future issues and can you give our readers a tease of what’s to come?
Gabe Yocum: I’ll be the writer on Remote for as long as they’ll have me. That said, this book is really a team effort. The editorial staff—specifically Michael Coast and Charlotte Greenbaum—and the greatest comic book artist on planet Earth (or any other planet), Young Heller, are incredibly talented humans. As I alluded to before, Remote is going to explore very closely where the real threat lies in this “invasion.” Prepare for some really giant action.
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Remote #3 will be available on February 24th. To learn more about Double Take's Ultimate Night of the Living Dead comic book series, visit:
Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.
When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.
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