Zombies vs Villagers chess set

Theeviljeremy sez, "My friend Damien-- one of those bafflingly creative types-- created this hand carved chess set. I had a chance to see the figures in person the other day, and the level of detail is really incredible. I particularly like the queen of the village, with a chainsaw at her side and a shotgun hidden behind her back, but there are a lot of standouts on both sides of the board."

Zombies vs Villagers chess set (Thanks, Theeviljeremy!)

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

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buddy66

I really hate post-Romero zombies, but this is…

really quite wonderful!
gabrielm

Not to nitpick, but only the pawns are Zombies vs Villagers: http://marchingdog.com/Pawns1.htm

The set, in it’s entirety, is titled MONSTER VS. HUNTER with vampires, gargoyles and other nasties. Very good work.
Anonymous

Smoobly,

May I direct your attention to:
http://marchingdog.com/Bishops1.htm
**vampires, but I figured I would provide a link.

The king for the good side is Van Helsing… I think that also explains its self.
blueelm

Yeah but all those particular monsters seem to be European and therefore usually pitted against Christian heros. To me it looks like some kind of wizard and druid priestess type as the king and queen which I guess you’d have a different view of if you were of one of those religions. But that’s really quibbling to me because this is fitting into one type of archetype. I’m not sure what the dark bishop is, I took him for a vampire. Then there seems to be some sort of troll, a dark castle, and a stock evil hunchback. Discrimination against deformed people, anyone? Really though coming out of the body of mythology heavily filtered through Christian eyes you come up with all sorts of evil sorts who have sold their soul or lost their soul and are therefore the enemies of the goodies who wear crosses? Biased. Sure, what big archetypal cliche isn’t? I don’t see any hungry ghosts or Asuras to be offended. Lucky for those cross bearing heros.
blueelm

Please forgive my use of pre-emptive question marks there.
danlalan

hecura spirits, I am offended that there are no hecura spirits…on both sides.

Seriously tho, this is way cool.
Smoobly

So how come the bases of all the “good” pieces show crosses? There are paths to goodness other than Christianity. History shows that some of them are better at it.
TJIC

@3: So how come the bases of all the “good” pieces show crosses? There are paths to goodness other than Christianity. History shows that some of them are better at it.

Because Werewolves, Vampires, Frankenstein’s Monster, etc., are European folklore, and exist in a cultural matrix where they are opposed by the dominant religion in that area and time.

If you’re looking for artifacts of other cultures, you can find them.

Personally, I don’t get upset when European / American vampire fiction references crosses, and I don’t get upset when Japanese manga references archetypes from that culture.

“Oh noz! Calcifer in Howl’s Moving Castle doesn’t make sense in my Christian worldview – someone has to change it to make it compatible with ** my ** concept of demons!”
Anonymous

@#3 You went and started a flame war.
I, for one, take offense.
stuhfoo

Brilliant work

a bit harsh TJIC :(
Xopher

It’s all horror-movie cliches, Smoobly. Think of it as White Hats vs. Black Hats.

I want one of these. I don’t have anywhere to put it, and I don’t play chess, but I still want one. Maybe I’ll get one and give it as a gift to someone who would like it even more.

I’m just waiting for a Twilight fan to come here and whine “How come the vampires are on the BAD side?”
Anonymous

I made a flowchart about zombies. Enjoy: http://s221355812.onlinehome.us/silly/ERIC.jpg
Anonymous

Fictional Christian heroes, fictional monster villains.

It’s OK people, nobody’s FORCING you to read this, or to buy this chess set.

Google would be happy to help you find something else :-P

http://pics.novica.com/pictures/10/p56170_2.jpg
blueelm

Wow. These are nice. That must have taken forever to carve!
Daneel

@TJIC

Isn’t Howl’s Moving Castle originally Welsh in origin, not Japanese?
Smoobly

So then, Xopher, we define good as “un-bad”? Or “non-evil”?

Likely, part of the problem is labelling. The Boing-Boing post has them as Zombies and Villagers (do crosses repel zombies?), but the original site has them as Monsters vs. Hunters (do crosses repels monsters, as well?). And the line-up of pieces is labeled simply Good vs. Evil.

Vampires are not mentioned, nor do any of the rogues gallery appear to be vampires. All of their bases are adorned with skulls, in opposition to the crosses on the bases of the good guys. Again, can’t escape the conclusion: evil is death, good is Christianity.

On the other hand, the set is cooler than hell. I’d love one.
eustace

I recognize the black king! That’s Technoviking!