The Walking Dead, Zombieland, World War Z…a spate of zombie-related entertainment has trudged onto the American landscape in recent years with a relentless pursuit of viewers, who have devoured the genre and licked their chops for more.

Some people wonder why zombie TV shows, movies and graphic novels have become so popular in recent years. Harvard graduate Allen Baler, who started emergency preparedness company Reboot Marketing LLC in 2008, believes he knows the answer.

“Zombies are hot right now, there’s no question about that,” said Baler. “Zombie TV shows like The Walking Dead are popular because they’re action-based and people like to be scared and entertained at the same time.

“But I believe there’s much more to this popularity. People keep seeing and experiencing more and more crazy things in real life that they never thought they would encounter, such as weather catastrophes, lengthy power outages, drug-resistant viruses and government intrusions on personal liberties. As they look toward a very uncertain future, a zombie apocalypse doesn’t seem so far-fetched anymore.

“Now, we don’t try to make people think that a zombie apocalypse is lurking around the corner, but we do strongly suggest that they prepare for situations in which the basic necessities of life are suddenly not available, such as food and water. These are not wild, end-of-the-world scenarios in comic books; they’re real life. Just ask the people who found themselves without food and clean drinking water after Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy struck.”