Heaven's Hellraisers: Origins of Bad Angels in Syfy's 'Dominion' & Pop Culture

Tom Wisdom as archangel Michael in 'Dominion.' Photo courtesy Syfy

BY AARON SAGERS

Heaven can't wait to raise a little hell. That seems to be the goal of the angels in Syfy's new series Dominion, premiering June 19 at 9 p.m.. Spun off from the 2010 film Legion, the series picks up 25 years after a war began between some irritable angelic forces and mankind.

In the post-apocalyptic show, God has taken an extended vacay, and the archangel Gabriel (Carl Beukes) is commanding a force of lower angels to tear up Earth. Now entrenched in fortified cities, humans fight with the heavenly kind, and with one another. Meanwhile, "good" archangel Michael (Tom Wisdom) tries to protect a soldier, who is "The Chosen One" (Christopher Egan).

But aren't angels supposed to rock a halo and wings, and are dedicated to looking out for God's favorite creation: Mankind?

You'd like to think that, but author Rosemary Ellen Guiley said angels are more complicated than the robed figures from Hollywood that like to play a harp and make an entrance through beams of light. And she would know; in addition to other paranormal topics, Guiley is an expert researcher on angels and has published six books on them, including The Encyclopedia of Angels and Ask the Angels.

Astronomers Predicting Zombies in Space

Image Courtesy Drinkin'&Drive-In

The debate over whether or not there is life outside of our own solar system is long and unending. However, astronomers Stephen Kane and Franck Zelziz are taking another approach to the theory of intelligent life in space, by exploring the idea of zombies inhabiting other planets.

According to io9, the astronomical duo recently published a study that suggests there are over 2,500 planets overrun with zombies within 100 parsecs, or 326 lightyears, of our own solar system. Seem outlandish? Well, they've got some evidence to back up their predictions. To break it down, they state that considering the high likelihood of non-human life in the universe, that it is equally plausible that these other life forms have also been affected by the same disastrous earth pandemics, such as the plague, smallpox, and Spontaneous Necro-Animation Psychosis, or SNAP, which is also known as "Zombie-ism." On SNAP and the possibility of extraterrestrial undead, they state:

"The projected frequency of SNAP planets explains a contradiction which has long troubled the proposition that intelligent life is common: the Fermi Paradox. This premise of the paradox is that the timescale for extraterrestrial civilizations to spread throughout the galaxy is small compared with stellar lifetimes and so we should have encountered our neighbors by now. Our work here shows the resolution of the paradox to be quite simple. The desolation of a civilization requires only that they encounter a case of SNAP during their exploration phase and their entire civilization will collapse. Let us not repeat history by rushing in to where our predecessors ought to have feared to tread."

So, following this train of thought, they believe that it is entirely possible that we haven't been able to communicate with other beings due to their destruction at the hands of a "zombie" apocalypse! While it seems unlikely, it is an extremely interesting theory. I know that I would personally be ok with never coming face to face with a space zombie. If you're curious, read the study and let us know your thoughts!

-Nowal Massari

Take a Peek Into George Romero's 'Empire of the Dead #3'

If you haven't checked out George Romero's "Empire of the Dead" comics yet, you should definitely get on it. The grisly tales of post apocalyptic New York being overtaken by zombies and vampires is brought to life by artist Alex Maleev.

The third installment will be hitting shops on March 23, so don't forget to shuffle to your local store and pick it up! While you wait, here's a preview of the next issue:

"This March, the pulse-pounding horror epic continues in 'Empire of the Dead #3' – from the mind of Zombie Godfather George Romero and drawn by critically acclaimed artist Alex Maleev! Zombies roam the streets of a plague-ridden Manhattan by day. And Vampires feast on humans by night! Something is rotten in the big apple. Someone moves to strike against the mayor from the shadows. Who is the firecracker known as Dixie Peach? And as whispers of a full-scale zombie uprising stir – where does that leave the last remaining humans? Find out when George Romero's 'Empire of the Dead #3' shambles its way into comic shops this March!"

-Nowal Massari

TNT to launch apocalyptic series 'The Last Ship'

Cover of Brinkley's novel

TNT clearly knows what viewers have a craving for these days: The apocalypse. Starring Eric Dane (Grey’s Anatomy's McSteamy) and executive-produced by Michael Bay (Transformers, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles-2014), TNT’s newest drama venture, The Last Ship is based on the 1988 William Brinkley novel of the same name.

Due to launch in the summer of 2014, TNT has ordered 10 episodes of the action-packed series that opens with a global catastrophe that wipes out much of the Earth’s population. The fortunate (or unfortunate) position of the naval destroyer, U.S.S. Nathan James, leaves its crew to deal with the fact that the world as they know it, has ended.

According to a press release, Captain Tom Chandler (Dane) is a “career Navy man who is authoritative and decisive, but also fair and courageous. A born leader and a loving father and husband, Chandler is respected and loved by the men and women under his command.”