5 Questions with a Horror Comic By Cody Klyne, Arts Editor Cire and horror go together like cheap latex prosthetics and a gallon of fake blood. They’re just meant to be. With that in mind, and with Halloween just around the corner, I was fortunate enough to sit down for a session of “5 Questions” — even though I asked more than five questions— with local horror comic Gerald Gerald Geraldson (GGG). Set to perform a back-to-back night of shows, HELLGIG on October 29" & 30" at The Improv Centre on Granville Island, Geraldson’s devilishly wry and playfully macabre style might be just the thing to entertain you and yours this All Hallows’ Eve weekend. **Be warned, the following material may not be suitable for those faint of heart (or those lacking an appreciation for somewhat dark humour). Q: Who are you, Gerald Gerald Geraldson? GGG: I’m a stand-up comedian who grew up in a slaughter house in Texas and who suffers with a rare genetic disorder called Creepatitis. Often times I’m mistaken for a Zombie with good motor skills. Q: What made you decide to get into comedy? GGG: As a child I spent a lot of time in my makeshift slaughterhouse stall/ bedroom hiding from cows who were very angry at me and who wanted me dead. It was there that I discovered the only TV program that really helped me escape the horrors of everyday life. That show was, “Here’s Johnny!”, The Tonight Show. Q: Any words of advice for aspiring comics? GGG: Just try to find what’s terrifyingly funny in you and don’t be afraid to joke about murder. Just because the people you killed didn’t think it was funny, doesn’t mean it wasn’t funny. Q: Would you cite anyone (or thing) as being an “inspiration” to you? GGG: Pitchforks are pretty cool. Q: Assuming you’re a fan, what’s your favourite thing about Halloween? GGG: I love Halloween because it reminds me of all the amazing costumes I wore growing up. Back in those days there wasn’t much money in slaughter, so Dad made most of my costumes for me. My favourite one was when he beat me with a fence post until I was badly bruised and sent me out into the cold as a Dalmatian. Yeah, we loved Halloween so much that when Christmas came around we’d just celebrate Halloween again. Q: What are you dressing up as this year? GGG: I'll be wearing a combination of my victims. Coincidently, one of them was also a Dalmatian. Q: What is HELLGIG? GGG: HELLGIG is collaboration between me and Ian Boothby, a talented improviser and also the head writer for the Simpson’s and Futurama Bongo comic book series. I say collaboration because Ian came up with the entire story and I came up with the entire idea to lock him in my cellar until he came up with a story. Basically it’s a cross between The Evil Dead, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus. There will actually be no Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus on stage, however they will be there in spirit as I am a really big fan and can’t get them out of my head. Q: What can people expect to witness at HELLGIG? GGG: Firstly they can expect to be called as a witness. Secondly, they will see some of Vancouver’s best comedians, Graham Clark, Jane Stanton, and Darcy Michael tell some hilariously funny jokes, which will make them laugh really hard. Then they can expect them to all get killed off in hilariously creative ways, which will make me laugh really hard. For more of Gerald, check him out online at www.thehorrorcomic. com and don’t miss HELLGIG this weekend at The Improv Centre on Granville Island. Tickets are $13 at the ya, door. From all aoe of us at The ae Other Press, ie have a safe and happy Halloween! Pwd. Gambling, zombies, and pink tricycles collide in Dead Rising 2 Capcom’s latest hit confirms the myth that duct-tape is the solution to everything By TK Kwon apcom’s sequel to the well received Dead Rising employs a similar formula to deliver another chop-‘til-you- drop zombie title. The story starts off with the protagonist Chuck Greene, who participates in a reality show called “Terror Is Reality”, where contestants ride dirt bikes modified with chainsaws in a race to see who can mow down the most zombies. Although he is morally against the unethical treatment of the zombies for pure entertainment, he has no choice but to participate in order to earn enough money to buy his daughter a special medicine called “Zombrex” in order to stop her from turning into a zombie after she was bitten by her mother during the initial outbreak. After a series of events, Fortune City, an entertainment resort located somewhere in Nevada, becomes overrun with the infected and Chuck is made the prime suspect through a suspicious security video. The player must then complete objectives to unravel the mystery and figure out who is trying to frame him. The game play is simple; use anything, and everything, to annihilate the massive hoards of zombies obstructing your journey from objective to objective. The levels are littered with items that can be used to dismember or discombobulate your assailants from rest benches to a hand full of diamond necklaces. Players collect experience as they take out zombies, complete objectives, or save civilians, and as players level up they will gain access to new abilities and combo-cards. The new abilities, ranging from backdrops to jump kicks, will aid players from getting surrounded and wounded. Combo- cards will let players take different items to amalgamate them into stronger, more resilient weapons, such as a chainsaw paddle, that reward extra experience per kill. However, if you find the idea of zombie slaying by yourself boring, never fear, for the game’s co-op system will have you celebrating. Any friends, or even random online players, that have the game can join your game with your permission to help you get through those hard cases that require the finesse of teamwork. Co-op campaign game- play is limited to a two player cap, but you can invite up to 3 other friends for a friendly match of “Terror Is Reality” game-show, because nothing is as fun as fighting your friends in a giant hamster ball of death. Overall, Dead Rising 2 offers a decent storyline with characters that help players immerse themselves in the game’s world. Nevertheless, the game suffers from a tired soundtrack, slightly clunky controls, and out- dated graphics. Although, it doesn’t hurt the overall presentation, a four- player campaign co-op would have greatly extended the playtime of the title. So, if you’re looking for a Halloween weekend of zombies and gambling with your best friend over a six-pack of Heineken, Dead Rising 2 might just be up your alley. The game is available in two variations for the XBOX 360 and PlayStation 3, standard ($59.99) and the Zombrex Edition ($79.99), and is only available for the PC though digital distribution ($39.99). So if you’ ll excuse me, I have to suit up and teach some zombies a lesson using this long purple dild... err... “massager.” Rating: 3.5/5