Peril Unlimited Begins the Zombie Army Builder Program

Interview with president and founder Michael Jones and more...

There are two sides to Michael Jones, founder and president of Peril Unlimited (right): the action figure fan and the reserve firefighter/survivalist waiting for an imminent zombie attack (it could happen any time!).

So what happens when these two sides join forces?

"The shear size of 1/6 scale has always impressed me," Jones reflects. "I've always enjoyed building dioramas and found that 1/6 scale worked best for detail. I could detail things in ways I never could with 3 3/4" scale."

Jones is also quick to elaborate on his love of zombies and their role as cultural and film mainstays. "Zombies are one of the few movie monsters that run around in broad daylight and still scare - and thrill - audiences every time they 'die.' Audiences feel empowered because we're stronger than these creatures that represents our real-life fears. Fears like death, mutilation, loss of self and even poverty... After all, zombies own nothing but a gut full of chewed up cops," says Jones, smiling but serious.

"I think when people are young, they love zombies - and zombie movies - because they're a bunch of gooey dead guys chasing people through malls and getting there heads chopped off with shovels and helicopter blades," explains Jones. "As adults, I think people love zombies because they cease to be dead gooey guys and become these physical representations of things we fear."

Jones says he believes in the reality of the everyday hero. "When I sit around with friends and we think about zombies, we never describe the day we - with tears in our eyes - get eaten; we instead always describe how we plan to survive and kick some ass doing it."

Using this near endless store of zombie information and his love for the 1/6th scale, Jones created Peril Unlimited.

Jones' company gains its name from its purpose. "I thought about what I wanted my company to do. I want to create 'peril' in the form of zombie (figures) and other nasty things. Beyond that, I also want to make board games, role playing games, a comic book and, of course, expand my action figure line. I don't want to be limited, hence the 'unlimited'."

With this in mind, Jones created The Zombie Army Builder Program.

"The Zombie Army Builder Program was created to address a dire need within the 1/6th community as well as the free world: a lack of really cool, really gory zombies," says Jones. "Sideshow has put out three zombie figures in as many years, customizers make (zombies) one at a time and some companies offer zombie figures in smaller scales. I set out to make lots of zombies at an affordable price; so people could buy a lot of them."

Thus was born what could easily be one of the coolest action figures of 2007: Ash the Zombie.

With two versions of Ash available, one "bloody" (above) and one "clean," Jones asks one simple question: "What's cooler than 20 or more zombies sitting on your display shelf with arms outstretched, chasing around your 12" G.I. Joes?" His reason for offering two different versions is simple: variety and price. "The two different zombies offer people a chance to build their army. If you have $40 (for the "bloody" version), great. I detail the zombie myself. However, if you have $30, you can still get a fully clothed 12" zombie figure and 'gore' him up, kit bash him and build your zombie army!"

With what has my vote for "Best Packaging of 2007" (even if it is only late April!), Ash comes packaged in a very appropriate and simple black plastic "body bag" which reads "YOLO COUNTY CORONERS OFFICE" in white block letters. There's no figure name, no series' name and no photography. And, upon first glance, no idea exactly what's inside either...

Though this might frustrate mint-in-box collectors, these zombies aren't meant to stay dead (or packaged). We suggest you tear into this brilliant packaging and let Ash loose; before he tears loose himself!

Featuring a fierce head sculpt (below) and a fully-articulated 12" body, Ash can be posed in numerous realistic - and unrealistic - ways. Both hands are made of hard plastic and easily hold a bat, gun, stick or other 1/6th accessory (not included) and the figure is outfitted in a simple gray sweatshirt, jeans and shoes.

The "bloody" version features a paint application which gives the figure a "I'm hungry and back for more" look while the regular version comes unbloodied and ready to feed. The holes in the shirt and jeans give the figure just enough damage to look realistic without looking fake and it becomes obvious Jones, a film and pop culture buff, spent time thoroughly contemplating the look of the figure before manufacturing.

It's hard to find a fully clothed 12" high-quality figure for less than $40 nowadays. Considering this is a fully clothed 12" high-quality ZOMBIE figure with an amazing head sculpt and a paint application that says "I just ate your mom and sister!" which retails for $40, what's not to love? And the "clean" version is only $30, an even better deal for customizers.

There's little doubt Ash, limited to only 500 units, won't last long at retail.

With plans already in motion to add a second zombie to the line soon, Jones says he doesn't know how he'll top Ash. "I'll figure out a way," he says with confidence.

We're sure he will...

And we - and other zombie and 1/6th figure fans - will be waiting...

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Discuss Peril Unlimited's Zombie Army Builder Program and Ash the Zombie figure with Jones and other 1/6th scale fans at OneSixthWarriors.com, the internet's largest and most popular 1/6th scale forums.