Why do zombies fascinate us? At its core it's probably the realism of the topic. No, despite the occasional face-eating news story or the Center for Disease Control putting out tongue-in-cheek zombie preparedness info, they aren't really likely to attack us.

Zombies represent a twisted version of ourselves and our own mortality. You can either fear the idea, or have some fun with it. In recent years, fun has been the focus of the undead craze, with events like zombie walks, books, countless novelty items and Des Moines' very own Zombie Burger.So don't be freaked out by the walking corpses, embrace them! Although it probably wouldn't hurt to keep a copy of the "Zombie Survival Guide" on hand. -Joe Lawler