Link, courtesy of Boing Boing.

I’m talking about an incredible new zombie roleplaying game I’ve almost finished! Dust off that copy of the Ultimate Zombie Survival Handbook, ’cause you’re gonna need it. You play the part of a survivor in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, fighting to stay alive. Grisly, walking corpses wander the streets, society crumbles and collapses, and a few heroes rise to the occasion to make sure that humanity survives the undead holocaust.

So far, I’ve created over fifty original illustrations for the book. This will be a standalone book, including everything you need to play the game (except for dice, paper, pencil, and braaaaiiiiins). The mechanics are based on the d20 Modern system, with notable modifications.

Of course, we wouldn’t send you out against armies of the undead unarmed. You’ll be able to scavenge weapons, equipment, and other useful bits of refuse from the wreckage of civilization. You’ll also learn new skills, tricks, and abilities to make you more than a match for the average mindless zombie. Too bad that’s not all you’ll be up against…..

I’m going to add in some additional design elements that have changed from the pencils to the ink stage (like the “Schwing” logo, and the title on the “Ritual Sacrifice for Dummies” book) in the coloring process. Let me know what you think of the piece so far! Any suggestions as to the colors for the final? I should hand this drawing out on paper with a box of crayons and see what everyone comes up with.

Would anyone who’s getting a print when I’m finished be interested in getting a black and white version to color themselves? I should put together a coloring book someday. Of course, you’d never give it to your kids…

And our adjective-adjective-noun combinations, for your enjoyment: Hindu Plumbing God, Giant Silver Squid, Cthulhu’s Sushi Emporium, Cthulhu’s Last Supper, Ethereal Moonlit Pedalwheeler, Mysterious Wide-eyed Hierophant, Bicycling Cumming Nuns, and Deliriously Cthonic Baccante. How many can you find? (It shouldn’t be too hard!)

I’ve finished up the pencils for the entire drawing, and I wanted to share with you! It looks pretty fantastic. Make sure to get a good look at it - there are lots of neat little details all over the place. Hopefully more will be added along the way, but we’ve got a great start on it! Can you all see where your contributions are? Hopefully it’s obvious at this point, but let me know if you need a hint on any of them.

All the Fundable Contributors got a full list of the 3-word phrases…. Does anyone who’s *not* involved out there care to take a guess as to what some of them are? I can’t imagine you’ll get any of them exactly right, but it ought to be entertaining to see what gets bandied around. Heh!

So tell me what you think of it so far, and we’ll keep moving forward! I’ll keep you updated on the progress of the inking.

I am perfectly happy to draw this commission any damn way I please. However, I would like to remind some of you who donated that you are not properly abusing your privileges by berating me constantly and undermining my sense of self-worth. I have not been abused nearly enough since this project began. Do you know how many times I’ve cried while working on it? None. By now I expected to be a broken shell of a man, living only to draw a picture under the leering eye of the unwashed masses; but my dignity remains intact. I hold my head up high. While I appreciate the feedback I’ve gotten via e-mail, and from those of you who’ve seen the drawing in person, I demand more abuse. Thank you sir, may I have another?!

Hurts so good.