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Evolution of Zombies

  • 17th Century

    17th Century
    West African slaves are brought to Haiti, to work in Haitian sugar cane plantations.
  • 1819

    1819
    African slaves were tortured and injected with toxins to prevent them from sleeping and being paid—the English word "zombie" is rooted in the African language related to gods, ghosts, and souls.
  • 1920's

    1920's
    W.B. Seabrook goes to Haiti and documents his experience.
  • 1929

    1929
    W.B. Seabrook releases his book, "The Magic Island," exposing Western culture to the concept of 'voodoo zombies.'
  • 1932

    1932
    Victor Halperin released the first zombie film, "White Zombie," which was influenced by voodoo zombies. Backlash was received.
  • 1954

    1954
    Richard Matheson released his book, "I am Legend," which is the first to bring the idea of infection through a pathogen and science, later evolving zombies to spread infection through pathogens in films like 28 Days Later.
  • 1968

    1968
    George A. Romero released his film, "Night of the Living Dead," popularizing modern zombie tropes. Zombies are slow, but strong and hungry for flesh.
  • 1978

    1978
    George A. Romero begins his "Dead Series," with his second film, "Dawn of the Dead."
  • 1985

    1985
    George A. Romero introduces the concept of brain-eating zombies in the film, "The Return of the Living Dead."
  • 1986

    1986
    Wade Davis released his book, "The Serpent and the Rainbow," bringing attention to Haitian slavery, their cultures, and a hypothetical explanation for "voodoo zombies."
  • 1996

    1996
    Viral zombies have begun to become popular in video games, such as Resident Evil.
  • 2002

    2002
    The rise of "fast zombies" became popular in films, such as "28 Days later." They're fast and their blood is infectious, officially introducing humans becoming infected through pathogens.
  • 2007

    2007
    George A. Romero introduces a new zombie trope, the "Found Footage" film.
  • 2008

    2008
    Introduces zombie mutations becoming more vicious, powerful, and intelligent in games, such as Left 4 Dead.
  • 2010

    2010
    Introduces biters in the TV show, "The Walking Dead." Everyone is infected, you turn when you die or when you're bitten. Zombies recognize each other through scent and you can walk through hoards of infected if you cover yourself in their guts.
  • 2013

    2013
    The "World War Z" film popularizes the apocalypse narrative. The "z zombies," emit chattering noises with their teeth, ignore people who are terminally ill, are attracted to noise, and only die when they are burnt.
  • 2015

    2015
    Dying Light is a game that brings zombies to a parkour playground. They introduce more terrifying mutations such as demolishers and the volatile, who only hunts at night, is extremely agile and strong, dangerous, can climb and jump, and is vulnerable to UV light.