cross-posted from http://roguevalleymessenger.com/art-culture/spring-arts-preview-medford-artist-launching-irish-language-zombie-comic-book#.VPNcyPnF-Gx
– Published February 17 2015
SPRING ARTS PREVIEW: Medford Artist Launching Irish-language Zombie Comic Book
Theyre coming to get you, Barbara! the classic line from George Romeros Night of the Living Dead would have read a little differently had the film been written by Medford-based zombie fans, Tj and Linda OConnorsomething more like, Tá siad ag teacht a fháil duit, Barbara! which might read like zombie speak if your Irish Gaelic is a little rusty.
The third-generation Irish-American couple has fused their seemingly unrelated passions for their family tongue and the zombies who want to eat that tongue (along with everything attached to it) into an Irish language zombie comic series, Tá na Mairbh ag Filleadh (roughly translated, The Returning Dead). In the spirit of sharing their love for the brain-eating shenanigans of the celtic undead, the OConnors are raising the funds to publish their web comic as a graphic novel.
Reading Irish children’s books to their two-year-old daughter inspired them to add to the cannon. There are [Irish language] books out there, but theres not that many comic books, says Tj OConnor, So I wanted to do a zombie comic book in Irish because its kind of something that doesnt really exist.
The couple is bringing up their children as bilingual Irish and English speakers. We both growing up had family members who spoke Irish, says Tj, Thats how we both started learning it when we were children. So I always speak Irish to my kids.
The OConnors are hoping to fund the printing of the graphic novel through a Kickstarter campaign closing in early March. If the project is funded, the OConnors hope to finish the book shortly thereafter, so the ginger zombies may be coming for your kids by summer. You can get updates on the project through Kickstarter and read some of the comics (English translations are available) at occomix.com(link is external).