Back in February during Toy Fair 2011, I scouted out the best new plush toys at the show. I seemed to have missed one, although I think I know why. Plush animals are supposed to be cute and cuddly. They're not supposed to want to eat your brains, right? Well there's no time like the present, where zombie mania is at its peak, to challenge such notions and instill a love for all things undead with your little ones.
Fresh from the mind of children's book author/illustrator Neecy Twinem, ZombieZoo includes a full cast of characters complete their own back story and setting. There's Boo the cat, Muck the monkey, Rob the rabbit, Stich the pig and Toxic the snake.
Each animal is between 12-15" high and is made in the signature ZombieZoo style: an oversized head, one missing eye, and "Frankenstein"-style stitching. The folks at ZombieZoo were kind enough to send over a few of the critters so I could get a hands-on look, so I can attest that they really do have a perfect blend of cuteness and creepiness. The animals are tall yet thin, making them good bedtime companions. I suppose they'd also do a great job warding away monsters.
You probably have not heard of ZombieZoo prior to this post, but I'm fairly certain this won't be the last time you hear the name. ZombieZoo has the look of a property with franchise potential. I can see the cartoons, books, games and toys already. For the moment though, this is a plush animal line that is just a few months old, with no announced plans to push the brand further. We'll have to wait and see where these creepily adorable creatures go from here, but you heard about them first on GeekDad!
Remember, you can't force your children to be anything they don't want to be. But when they grow up with an attachment to zombie animal friends? Well, let's just say it helps pave the road to geek-dom. To help children get used to this unconventional world of ZombieZoo, each of the animals comes with a personality tag and the original DVD storybook "Where Does Boo Go?"
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