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Attention, everyone who is buying Left 4 Dead: I have dibs on Louis

4:21 PM on 11.18.2008, Jim Sterling 73 comments

Attention, everyone who is buying Left 4 Dead: I have dibs on Louis photo
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Left 4 Dead is out on Steam today, and has been stirring the loins of gamers all across the world. Four-player zombie shooting co-op is enough to wet anybody's whistle, and the Destructoid staff room is absolutely drenched.

In preparation for the zombie apocalypse, Reverend Anthony Burch yesterday pipped everyone to the post by calling dibs on Bill. His reasons for wanting to play as Bill were certainly very convincing, but ultimately do not affect me. That is because he's welcome to Bill.

I've called dibs on Louis.

Neither Bill, Zoey nor Francis faze me. Go ahead and take those characters, but leave Louis for me. Defy me and there will be trouble. You cannot break the bond of the dib.

You want reasons for this dibbing? Hit the jump, son.

Louis is the most culturally relevant character

In these times of CHANGE, there is no character in the L4D cast more socially important than Louis. As we look at the changing roles of black people in American society, we see how crucial Louis is to Left 4 Dead. America will soon welcome its first black president into the White House. I welcome the first black four-player co-op zombie FPS character into my house. 

He bucks horror stereotypes

When you look at the Left 4 Dead cast, what do you see? First of all, we have Bill -- a grizzled old geezer with military pretensions. Then there's Francis, your tattooed, leather-clad badass. Zoey is your token woman, who seems devoid of anything other than titties.

Louis, by contrast, has risen above the typical horror stereotype of the black man. Just look at the way he's dressed. From the look of his white shirt and tie, it is very obvious that he had a decent job before the zombie apocalypse -- a job far better, it seems, than any of his fellow survivors.

Also, a black character that survives? I'll have the power to make it happen! 

Louis has turned racial stereotyping on its head. I want a piece of that revolution.

Shaun of the Dead reference FTW

On the subject of Louis' dress sense, take another glimpse at his choice of clothing. Black trousers, white shirt, red tie? It's either a very clever Shaun of the Dead reference, or an awesome coincidence. Either way, that connection to an excellent British movie is now mine and mine alone to enjoy.

Louis is clearly more organized

Sure, Bill answers the question with the badass "BOTH," but it's Louis that asks "Run or shoot?" Run or shoot is possibly the best system I have ever heard for dealing with a zombie apocalypse, and it is clearly Louis' organizational skills that have seen it put to rigorous use and, by extension, kept the team alive.

It is also Louis' idea to use the stairs and get to the roof. He wins at being clever about zombies.

He is more aerodynamic

The other characters all have hair. Louis is bald. This reduces wind resistance, making it easier for him to outrun zombies.

He isn't Francis

I have to agree with Reverend Anthony on that one. Francis is basically Marcus Fenix, if he retired from the COG and instead decided to fight zombies. And somehow found a way to get even dumber.

I also reckon that Francis is a racist. He and Louis barely interact throughout the whole thing, and I have decided it's because Francis hates black people. Look at how Louis laughs when Bill wipes the green goo on Francis ... clearly there is animosity. Francis also looks like some sort of Neo Nazi fuckpickle, and I'll not be having any part of it.

Dibbing Louis automatically proves that I am not a racist as well, by the way.

Why dibs?

I get dibs because I said I get dibs. A few of you readers saw Anthony's article last night and thought you'd get the jump on the Destructoid staff by posting community blogs, claiming dibs on the rest of the cast. No. Dibs does not work like that.

The dib system works thusly:

If Jim Sterling called dibs, Jim Sterling gets fucking dibs!

As Anthony points out, the strength of the dib factors into the power of the dib, far more than the speed of said dib. It's a system that works similar to Digg, which sounds similar as well. The Digg and the dib system are both incredibly difficult to understand, seem completely arbitrary and have been randomly decided by people who don't matter.

That's why I get dibs on Louis. Because Digg said so. Probably.


Next page: More Left 4 Dead stories




mix's Avatar
mix at 11/18/2008 16:23
Louis is my fav character as well, we should hang out sometime.

Jim Sterling's Avatar
Jim Sterling at 11/18/2008 16:24
All CBlogger dibs on Louis have been nulled by my dibs. These are the RULES!
Freefall's Avatar
Freefall at 11/18/2008 16:26
Dibs on ZOEY!!! the correct speech to text reason is... Titaaaaaays! And its fun to make her say 'Francis? Francis? Francis!'

Also... a girl alive in the zombie apocalypse? She must be good!
Puppy Licks's Avatar
Puppy Licks at 11/18/2008 16:31
You had me at Aerodynamic, Jim.
You had me at Aerodynamic.
liam2015's Avatar
liam2015 at 11/18/2008 16:38
The other characters all have hair. Louis is bald. This reduces wind resistance, making it easier for him to outrun zombies.

You can have him! hahahahaha
Christiangamer's Avatar
Christiangamer at 11/18/2008 16:39
Nope, I remember stating in Anthony's post that I called dibs on "black shaun of the dead". Sorry!
Big Z's Avatar
Big Z at 11/18/2008 16:39
"He isn't Francis"

But... but I like Francis :|
Mozgus's Avatar
Mozgus at 11/18/2008 16:40
Jim's only calling dibs on Louis in further attempt to invalidate all claims of racism he receives.
Naim Master's Avatar
Naim Master at 11/18/2008 16:41
I call Dibs on Francis cause he looks like Billy Coen ....
Mozgus's Avatar
Mozgus at 11/18/2008 16:41
Oh god damnit, Jim already said that. >_<
Tubatic's Avatar
Tubatic at 11/18/2008 16:41
Somehow this absolves you of anything you've ever said about Resident Evil 4.

Welcome Home Jim.

I love you.
superezekiel's Avatar
superezekiel at 11/18/2008 16:42
Oh yeah?

Fuck you, he's mine.
Count Grishnack's Avatar
Count Grishnack at 11/18/2008 16:42
All this Francis hate makes me sad.

Odds that there are two more Dtoid articles like this? [Off the board]
Cartman's Avatar
Cartman at 11/18/2008 16:45
Theres not gonna be 2 more of these are there? Cos I dont think we need to go through why people are going to choose zoey.
TheBigFeel's Avatar
TheBigFeel at 11/18/2008 16:45
@ Big Z:

racist!!!
Tubatic's Avatar
Tubatic at 11/18/2008 16:45
. . . RE5 too . . .
CelicaCrazed's Avatar
CelicaCrazed at 11/18/2008 16:47
I was going to download the demo last night (yeah I'm sloow) but realized my laptop couldn't handle it. I've been crying ever since...
vrplumber's Avatar
vrplumber at 11/18/2008 16:47
I call dibs on a Jim and Anthony-free server where there will be less restrictions on character selection ;P
DibbityDan's Avatar
DibbityDan at 11/18/2008 16:47
Rolo Tony up there with his dibs... I call dibs on francis because everyone hates him, and therefore he is the underdog. Plus, bikers are badass, and anyone who says otherwise is a balls-butt.
Palidi's Avatar
Palidi at 11/18/2008 16:53
I call dibs on random. Seriously, he's da cooless!
The-Excel's Avatar
The-Excel at 11/18/2008 16:57
Oh nuh uh.
The-Excel's Avatar
The-Excel at 11/18/2008 17:01
@mix:
I called dibs on that picture first, you loon.
Danmartigan's Avatar
Danmartigan at 11/18/2008 17:02
I got dibbs on the Cole Train. woooooo
Scary Womanizing Pig Mask's Avatar
Scary Womanizing Pig Mask at 11/18/2008 17:09
I got dibs on the engie.
Conrad Zimmerman's Avatar
Conrad Zimmerman at 11/18/2008 17:13
I have to disagree with you on Louis bucking horror stereotypes, particularly within the zombie genre. In fact, Louis is almost a carbon copy of Ben from Night of the Living Dead.

Professor Pew's Avatar
Professor Pew at 11/18/2008 17:15
And now everyone can sing to you while you play: Brother Louis Louis Louis!

No, I do not care that it's actually Louie.
The Incredible Edible Egg's Avatar
The Incredible Edible Egg at 11/18/2008 17:19
Zoey has more finess, and finess = more zombie killing, or at least awesomer takedowns.
glipe's Avatar
glipe at 11/18/2008 17:25
I reckon that calling dibs on Louis is just like a homophobe saying "I've know lots of gay people". It's a smokescreen, distracting you from the racism!

Damn you, racist Jiminy! DAMN YOU TO HELL!

Also, SotD FTW. That is all.
PappaDukes's Avatar
PappaDukes at 11/18/2008 17:26
Hilarious; I chortled several times. You've trumped my dib as well as my heart!
The Young Scot's Avatar
The Young Scot at 11/18/2008 17:31
I have video and audio evidence that Bill infact called "dibs" on Lewis.

Sweet unconsensual dibs...
4knuckleshuffle's Avatar
4knuckleshuffle at 11/18/2008 17:31
Dibs on the NMH 2 Alpha that just came through my mailbox! BEAT THAT MR. STERLING!
Sharpless's Avatar
Sharpless at 11/18/2008 17:38
I CALLED DIBS ON FRANCIS BEFORE ANY OF YOU WERE BORN, SO LET'S STOP THIS NONSENSE.
Dexter345's Avatar
Dexter345 at 11/18/2008 17:47
Great, Zoey is still up for grabs, then.
Electro Lemon's Avatar
Electro Lemon at 11/18/2008 17:54
Attention, everyone who is buying Left 4 Dead: I have Dibs™.
Jack8274's Avatar
Jack8274 at 11/18/2008 17:57
I always like climbing ladders right after Zoey, oh yeah that ass is tight!
mix's Avatar
mix at 11/18/2008 17:59
@The-Excel

Funny you mention loon seeing as how I am a Canadian and all. Touche.

Plus, fuck you Dibs are MINE, tastie little buggers! Vannila ones suck, Rolo is the way to go :)
Stephen57's Avatar
Stephen57 at 11/18/2008 18:00
Dibs on random. That character sounds like a real card.
(badum tish!)
Tet's Avatar
Tet at 11/18/2008 18:03
Like I said in my game yesterday, remember that horror movie where only the black guy survived? Exactly.

Yay Zoey
Cube's Avatar
Cube at 11/18/2008 18:11
Then somebody will have to mod the game and put more characters in.
Walrus's Avatar
Walrus at 11/18/2008 18:12
I like being Francis, because that's my name, and I always find it funny when the other characters say "Francis..." in that annoying voice, or some other phrase in which they say Francis.
grafkhun's Avatar
grafkhun at 11/18/2008 18:22
The best reason is the aerodynamic one, being bald does have its benefits afterall.

anyways, I call dibs on Shanoa when RE5 comes out, that way I'm not a racist either!
Solgrim's Avatar
Solgrim at 11/18/2008 18:26
Shaun of the Dead, despite it being a comedy, is one of the best zombie movies ever.
RAB's Avatar
RAB at 11/18/2008 18:44
Like I said yesterday, DIBS ON ANYONE BESIDES ZOEY.

If only for the sole reason that if I'm Zoey, I can't look at my own ass.
TheHunter234's Avatar
TheHunter234 at 11/18/2008 18:50
Ever since some racist on Xbox Live kept calling me Barack Obama, I've decided I'm going to try and pick Louis every time. That and the Shawn of the Dead reference.
Rosseh's Avatar
Rosseh at 11/18/2008 18:57
I'm glad because AI controlled louis is an absolute idiot. I think they may have programmed him specifically to adhere to the stereotype. The amount of times he runs off, walks in the way of my shots and generally does stupid shit is unbelievable.

I look forward to puking on you and quoting movie lines along side you.

"Chooooke on eemm! Choooooke on emmmm!"
Muddy Waterz's Avatar
Muddy Waterz at 11/18/2008 19:03
So far hes been called

Kobe Bryant
Barack Obama
The all state guy "Your in good hands"

Funny that they don't know a black guy is actually playing him in real life haha.
Mxyzptlk's Avatar
Mxyzptlk at 11/18/2008 19:23
Conrad Zimmerman beat me to the Ben from NotLD comment.
Zerozaki Ishiki's Avatar
Zerozaki Ishiki at 11/18/2008 19:38
I definitely like playing as Mos Def.
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