Michael Jackson knew long ago that zombies, at the top of many minds in pop culture these days, could be good for business.
Moviemakers have long squeezed millions out of the flesh-eating walking dead.
Now the zombie phenomena, which The Wall Street Journal said generates $5 billion annually, has been getting more attention in the wake of the MacArthur Causeway face-eating attack. The Miami crime scene has even become somewhat of a tourist attraction for visitors who want to pose for pictures on the pedestrian bridge.
“We’ve had a few customers come in and talk about [the incident] and it is mostly shock and ‘Can you believe this happened?’” said Manuel Martino, who works at Mac’s Comics in west Miami-Dade.
The shop is filled with all things zombie, including a Spiderman zombie action figure and "The Walking Dead" comic book series.
“What was a bestselling book is now a bestselling TV show, and the book has become more popular because of it,” Martino said.
South Florida comic book stores have noted an uptick in business since the horror on the causeway, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported.
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Martino said he doesn’t know who dreams up the big screen ideas.
“I have no idea, and I don't know if I want to meet them," he said.
Antonio Johnson doesn’t buy the zombie items, but he's aware of the moneymaking industry.
"Yeah, Batman has that whole zombie thing going on,” he said.
