EVERY GENERATION needs its baddies. In the 1940s and 50s, it was Red Indians. In the 60s, it was Nazis. In the 70s and 80s, it was aliens. And in the 21st century, it’s zombies.

Why do we need them? Because every generation needs an enemy that can be slaughtered in huge numbers with impunity, without feeling any remorse or attacks of conscience. The days of John Wayne massacring hordes of rampaging Sioux are long gone, as is the era when stiff upper-lipped Englishmen despatching German soldiers by the dozen was seen as a jolly good thing.

But the beauty of zombies is – well, they’re already dead. So killing them by destroying their brains is really doing them a favour. So go ahead: mow them down. They’ll thank you for it.