Thread "DO NOT SUPPORT "iZOMBIE"!!!" in forum "Comic Talk and General Discussion *"

Posted at 2:03PM, Mar. 27, 2015

Guys, listen. Please don't support the new CW show "iZombie". The creator who "adapted" it actually stole it. He acquired the comic series "iZombie", gutted it completely, kept the title, and then stole the premise from author Diana Rowland's "I was a white trash zombie" (girl gets job at morgue and joins forces with medical examiner and police detective to solve crimes while coming to terms with her new "life" as a living zombie. Sound familiar?) book series top to bottom without paying her a dime.
This guy is a dick and his show (which I liked until I found all this out about it) doesn't deserve our support.
Dee

Posted at 2:03PM, Mar. 27, 2015

Any sources or evidence you can cite on this? Just did a quick google search and didn't see anyone else making similar accusations.

Posted at 3:03PM, Mar. 27, 2015

Well, to be honest i don't exactly see it. if you have a zombie protagonist a morgue is an ideal place to work. for a procedural type show the rest fits too. all very obvious and generic, so doesn't strike me as a blatant rip off.

Posted at 4:03PM, Mar. 27, 2015

Ha, this could backfire, DeeMan - I hadn't given iZombie much thought, now I'm sorta interested lol!
.
I did some looking around and it does seem lots of folks agree it is a ripoff… Checkout the comments in this article

Posted at 7:03PM, Mar. 27, 2015

Genejoke wrote:
"Well, to be honest i don't exactly see it. if you have a zombie protagonist a morgue is an ideal place to work. for a procedural type show the rest fits too. all very obvious and generic, so doesn't strike me as a blatant rip off."
But everything you mention (working in a morgue, etc) isn't in the "iZombie" comics it's ripped off from the "I was a white trash zombie" books.
Dee

Posted at 7:03PM, Mar. 27, 2015

HippieVan wrote:
"Any sources or evidence you can cite on this? Just did a quick google search and didn't see anyone else making similar accusations."
There isn't any review of the show that states that it's a rip off, mostly because they aren't comicbook folks or zombie fans. The comparisons come from the fans who comment on the articles who know and have read the "I was a white trash zombie" books and the "iZombie" comics.
Dee

Posted at 7:03PM, Mar. 27, 2015

Here's a youtube video by comicbook/movie reviewer Comicbookgirl 19 that talks all about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdiVzqfQxlg

Posted at 8:03PM, Mar. 27, 2015

Interesting discussion.

White Trash Zombie #1 description from Goodreads …
… she wakes up in the ER after overdosing on painkillers. Angel remembers
being in an horrible car crash, but she doesn't have a mark on her. To
add to the weirdness, she receives an anonymous letter telling her
there's a job waiting for her at the parish morgue—and that it's an
offer she doesn't dare refuse.
…. Plus, her morgue is filling up with
the victims of a serial killer who decapitates his prey

iZombie plot summary from Wikipedia

… her whole life went downhill at a party, at which
she was turned into a zombie. Now she only hungers for brains. She quit
her job at which she had a promising career, and started to work at the
Seattle PD morgue, not only to satisfy her urge for brains, but to help
the Police Department at solving crimes as a "psychic" consultant.

So some similarities. Many reviewers and commentators have said the show is more like Veronica Mars (or Buffy the Vampire Slayer) than its source material.
Diana Rowland (and/or her lawyers) hasn't said anything on the subject yet, at least not that I could find. Also, some of the commentators on the web appear to have made their claims based on viewing the trailer, rather than actal episodes.
I want to like the show, simply because the lead actress is a New Zealander, but perhaps I'll hold off a while and see how this plays out?

Posted at 10:03PM, Mar. 27, 2015

The "iZombie" description you quote is from the tv show not the comic. From "iZombie" wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IZOMBIE That's nothing like this show. Instead she's a living zombie who gets a job with a coroner working with a medical examiner and police detective to solve crimes while coming to terms with her new life as a zombie. That's the plot of "I was a white trash zombie" plain and simple. Rob Thomas scrubbed the comic "iZombie" clean of it's entire plotline, stole the plot from "white trash zombie", and he's gonna get away with it by continuing to say, "Oh it's like Veronica Mars". Expect it's MORE like "I was a white trash zombie".
Dee

Posted at 10:03PM, Mar. 27, 2015

Yes, the iZombie quote is the TV series. Isn't that what we are talking about?

Posted at 11:03PM, Mar. 27, 2015

Yeah, we're talking about not supporting/watching the "iZombie" tv show because it rips off the plot of the "I was a white trash zombie" book series without paying that author for use of her intellectual property. Dee

Posted at 12:03AM, Mar. 28, 2015

I am going to have to agree with KimLuster as a person who is susceptible to doing the exact opposite of the advice I am given. The CW is not one of the main networks I frequently watch and I had no clue that iZombie or I Was a White Trash Zombie even existed. Now after the information provided in this discussion, both have entered my conscious mind.

Originally, I was not planning to support any Zombie related TV show, but this thread has indirectly given iZombie a load of free advertising and has piqued my interest. This is a good lesson for anyone in advertising. I am sure the executives at CW's iZombie would love to know their show is getting free, albeit negative, publicity.

Posted at 1:03AM, Mar. 28, 2015

kawaiidaigakusei wrote:
"I am going to have to agree with KimLuster as a person who is susceptible to doing the exact opposite of the advice I am given. The CW is not one of the main networks I frequently watch and I had no clue that iZombie or I Was a White Trash Zombie even existed. Now after the information provided in this discussion, both have entered my conscious mind.

Originally, I was not planning to support any Zombie related TV show, but this thread has indirectly given iZombie a load of free advertising and has piqued my interest. This is a good lesson for anyone in advertising. I am sure the executives at CW's iZombie would love to know their show is getting free, albeit negative, publicity."

Sigh. In that case I've failed because "iZombie" is a good show. So watch it if you choose to. But be aware that every time you do watch it a fellow creator is getting fucked over and one day that could be you and your comic/book/project being fucked over. Dee

Posted at 12:03PM, Mar. 28, 2015

TheDeeMan wrote:

Genejoke wrote:
"Well, to be honest i don't exactly see it. if you have a zombie protagonist a morgue is an ideal place to work. for a procedural type show the rest fits too. all very obvious and generic, so doesn't strike me as a blatant rip off."
But everything you mention (working in a morgue, etc) isn't in the "iZombie" comics it's ripped off from the "I was a white trash zombie" books.
Dee

but is it? I don't think any of those ideas are so uniqe they couldn't have been come up with seperately. izombie is an okay show so far and who knows, the author may even get more notice for it, even if it isn't an intentional rip off.

Posted at 8:03PM, Mar. 28, 2015

Genejoke wrote:
TheDeeMan wrote:
Genejoke wrote:
"Well, to be honest i don't exactly see it. if you have a zombie protagonist a morgue is an ideal place to work. for a procedural type show the rest fits too. all very obvious and generic, so doesn't strike me as a blatant rip off."
But everything you mention (working in a morgue, etc) isn't in the "iZombie" comics it's ripped off from the "I was a white trash zombie" books.
Dee
but is it? I don't think any of those ideas are so uniqe they couldn't have been come up with seperately. izombie is an okay show so far and who knows, the author may even get more notice for it, even if it isn't an intentional rip off.
We'll see. I just read online that "White trash Zombie" writer Diana Rowland is going to sue "iZombie". So it'll be settled in court.
Dee

Posted at 3:03AM, Mar. 29, 2015

Don't support it so the zombie trend can die

Posted at 6:03AM, Mar. 29, 2015

Skullbie wrote:
Don't support it so the zombie trend can die

That too. ;)

Dee

Posted at 2:03PM, Mar. 29, 2015

Yeah, the court is the place to handle this…! Ya know, if someone did ripoff your idea, it might be good that they were a bit successful! Then when you sue them you get more money :D

Posted at 9:03PM, Mar. 29, 2015

TheDeeMan wrote:
We'll see. I just read online that "White trash Zombie" writer Diana Rowland is going to sue "iZombie". So it'll be settled in court.
Dee

Could you post a link to that? I can't find any news article on the web confirming that.

Posted at 9:03PM, Mar. 29, 2015

Hahaha, it's a DD Quotefail apocalypse :D

Posted at 11:03PM, Mar. 29, 2015

ozoneocean wrote:
Hahaha, it's a DD Quotefail apocalypse :D

Zombies ate my quote

Posted at 12:03PM, Mar. 30, 2015

Gunwallace wrote:
TheDeeMan wrote:
We'll see. I just read online that "White trash Zombie" writer Diana Rowland is going to sue "iZombie". So it'll be settled in court.
Dee
Could you post a link to that? I can't find any news article on the web confirming that.
It's from a post on her Facebook page. I read it in an article noting just what this thread is sorta about–How no one in hollywood who've reviewed the "iZombie" tv show has mentioned anyone about the controversy swirling around it with "White trash Zombie".
Dee

Posted at 1:03PM, Mar. 30, 2015

I cannot find anything on Diana Rowland's website or facebook page that suggests any legal action. In fact, I can't find any mention of iZombie in her online tweets, posts or news, or in the news about her. Just what she has been doing, eating, and attending for the last three years.

Posted at 2:03PM, Mar. 30, 2015

There's more about the situation and about the uphill battle Diana Rowland is going to have here: http://calicowrites.com/

I'm with you, David. I want Rowland to scream this shit from the roof tops. Otherwise other tv/movie producers will try and get away with stuff like this.

Dee

Posted at 6:03PM, Mar. 30, 2015

But again, no link to an actual post where Diana Rowland says anything about iZombie. Her facebook page, going back to 2011 contains no mention of iZombie. It is silent on the matter. As is her twitter account and otehr media. No mention os this issue appears to have been made at her latest convention appearence. I guess I have several questions about all this …

Was Diana Rowland paid in any way by the iZombie people? I have seen plenty of people saying she hasn't, but they all just seem to be making that 'fact' up. I can find no evidence either way.
Is Diana Rowland taking legal action against CW and iZombie? I have seen a number of people say she is, but never a link to any actual statement or news item by anyone.
Does Diana Rowland even consider iZombie a rip-off of her work? Again, lots of people making noise "on her behalf", but total silence on all her media feeds and nothing in the news
There seem to be a number of people who are stirring up hate against iZombie in comments on articles about the program (enough to put me off watching it) but as far as I can tell not a one has any legitimate status in this matter. I worry this is an attack on iZombie that may come from good intentions but has little to do with the reality of the situation.