Humanity has come a long way in a short time. Yet, we still wrestle with some of life’s biggest mysteries:

• Are we alone in the universe?
• What really happens after we die?
• How will AI shape the future of human existence?

These are fascinating questions—but let’s focus on something truly important.

Do zombies walk, or do they run?

In my Shotgun Grandma universe, zombies run. When I started writing the series, I was inspired by 28 Days Later, Zombieland, and Left 4 Dead. I wanted my zombies to be more than just shambling corpses—I wanted them to be apex predators. If you can simply outrun the undead, the fear factor drops. Humans have always survived by outsmarting threats, and I wanted to make sure my world reflected that.

That said, slow zombies still dominate pop culture. From Night of the Living Dead to Shaun of the Dead to the reigning champion, The Walking Dead—walkers are still king. But why? Preference? Tradition? Or is there something deeper?

The modern zombie as we know it was popularized by Night of the Living Dead, where the terror wasn’t speed—it was the unsettling idea of mindless, soulless creatures wearing human skin reanimated to devour us. There’s a primal fear there. The dead outnumber the living, and you can never outrun death.

There’s also the fact that they are indeed dead (reanimated anyway). With death, comes decay. And with decay, the human body doesn’t quite perform how it used to. They aren’t quite all-star athletes.

Maybe that’s what differs walkers from runners—how they became zombies. It seems like if the host is infection-based—whether by viruses, fungi, or mutations—they’re off to the races. Unlike in The Walking Dead, where the person has to die to turn into… well, a walker.

For me, it’s not just about speed—I love mutated zombies. A good zombie apocalypse needs more than just generic biters. Give me a hulking brute, a spindly wall-climber, or a genetically enhanced killing machine, and I’m hooked. That’s exactly what I wanted for Shotgun Grandma. What better contrast than an elderly woman facing down hyper-aggressive undead monsters?

So, what about you? Do you prefer slow, relentless zombies or fast, feral ones? Let me know on X @EvanGrantAuthor.