A Horror World Conversation with Roger Ma
By Blu Gilliand

When there’s no more room in Hell and the dead walk the Earth, I want Roger Ma on my side. Roger is the author of The Zombie Combat Manual and the founder of The Zombie Combat Club, both of which are dedicated to the fine art of kicking undead ass. Roger was kind enough to take a few moments on the eve of his new book’s release to talk zombies and personal protection with Horrorworld.

Tell us a little about yourself, and what you do when you're not preparing for the zombie apocalypse.

I’m a writer, father, and founder of The Zombie Combat Club (http://zombiecombatclub.com/). I live a fairly normal life when I’m not preparing the world for the time when dead rise to eat the living.

The Zombie Combat Club website launched back in 2008 - at the time, did you foresee it leading to a book?

I created the concept of the Club and The Zombie Combat Manual around the same time, and I always envisioned it as a book. My intention with the website was to help structure my thinking around the topics I wanted to cover in the book, and if it never materialized, that the content could exist on the site. I also liked the idea of creating an evolving organization that focuses on hand-to-hand combat with the undead, and that it was a club, where everybody can contribute.

What got you interested in zombies? What are your favorite living dead books/stories/movies?

Zombies have been and always will be my favorite horror genre. At my request, my dad took my brother and me to see the theatrical release of Dawn of the Dead in the ‘70s, when we were probably way too young to experience such a film. I’ve been affected by them ever since, and that movie remains my favorite of all zombie films.

Do you prefer slow, shambling zombies, or the kind that can chase you down?

I’m more of a traditionalist, so I prefer the slow, shambling type, which is how they are portrayed in the book. There’s been plenty written already from supporters of both types, so I won’t go into that too deeply, but I just feel that sense of impending, unrelenting doom is much more visceral and intense. That said, I do understand why some people like the running zombie – it feels like much more of a serious, untenable threat when a mob of flesh-eating cadavers is sprinting at you. I’ve developed some slight variations to the standard undead canon in the book that I hope make the zombie feel like a much more dangerous opponent.

How did The Zombie Combat Manual come about? Did you approach publishers with the idea, or did someone approach you?

The idea first came to me around 2007. I am, as I mentioned, a voracious zombie fan. I’m also a fan of martial arts and weaponry. I thought it would be a great way to combine three of my interests by creating a book that addresses the issue of dealing with the living dead for those people who either don’t have or cannot use a firearm. I wrote for probably a year and a half before I started reaching out to agents and publishers. I signed with my agent, Matt Wagner, who really understood what I was going for with the book. A few months later Berkley Publishing made an offer.

Was there any fear that the zombie craze would be played out before you could get the book out there?

Not at all. As a fan myself, I know how we are. For us, there is no “zombie craze.” True fans are constantly on the lookout for works that respect and elevate the genre; hopefully mine does both. The audience I hope to please the most is the die-hard zombie fan. That being said, I had no idea the genre would explode like it has recently. I certainly hope that means more fans will be out there supporting all kinds of undead work.

How much of the fighting technique used in the book is grounded in actual combat methods?

I would like to think all the techniques are grounded in solid combat methodology. I worked with several individuals who have military, law enforcement, and close-combat backgrounds to ensure that the techniques were accurate while still allowing for some embellishment given the nature of the opponent. It was very important for me to be authentic, even though the adversary is a walking corpse. For example, two of the unarmed take-down techniques are very similar to their martial arts counterparts.

How did you research the book? Do you have a background in fighting or self defense?

When I began writing the book, I crafted a wish list of consultants that I wanted to work with to help validate my research: physicians, soldiers, physical trainers, and close combat experts. I was very lucky in that nearly all of those on my original list agreed to help. 

As far as my self-defense background, I do currently train in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and have experience in other art forms; but I want to be clear that I am by no means an expert. That’s also part of the theory behind the techniques: you don’t have to be a black belt or professional soldier to successfully battle the undead. You can become proficient in the techniques very quickly. I also relied on my consultants to keep me honest. Michael Janich, my primary close-combat consultant, is just amazing. To coin a phrase, he has forgotten more about hand-to-hand combat than I will ever know in my lifetime, and that’s just one arrow in his quiver.

Tell us about your role as "Team Chief" of New York City's Community Emergency Response Team.

The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is an organization trained by the Office of Emergency Management to assist first responders in the event of a public emergency, which can be a natural or man-made disaster. There are CERT teams nationwide, and I lead one of the NYC teams in Brooklyn. I encourage anyone who wants to help their community when disaster strikes to look into the local chapter in your neighborhood.  It’s a great way for people who want to contribute during an emergency to get involved.

According to your website, there are some TZCM-related lectures and signings going on. Tell us a little about what's involved there, and what kind of response you've received so far.

I conduct lectures on the basics of zombie combat that covers the fundamentals of undead anatomy, vulnerable targets, weapons, and techniques. It’s a lot of fun, and depending on the time I have, I can go into greater detail and invite participants to try the techniques out on a training dummy that I bring with me. The next one I’ll be conducting will be at the Park Slope, Brooklyn book signing on April 9th. The response has been terrific, and there’s a video of one of the lectures online for those who want to see it but cannot attend.

How did your work as a marketing executive aid you in promoting the book?

I think my marketing background helped deepen the promotion for the book. I knew that the publisher’s marketing and publicity team would be able to reach channels with which I would have difficulty, like the mainstream media, and they’ve done an awesome job. Where I thought I could help was with the more niche websites, blogs, and forums because I understood the type of person who would really enjoy the subject matter.

How important a role has Twitter and Facebook played in promoting the site and the book?

Both have played a part in driving awareness, but for me, those social media channels have also been about finding other people who have common interests in zombies. I really enjoy getting to know other fans of the genre.

What's next for the Zombie Combat Club, and for Roger Ma?

I have a few other projects in the hopper, both zombie and non-zombie related. I’m hoping word spreads about the book and the Club. I can’t wait for the day when I pass someone in the street wearing the ZCC logo.

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