When Plants vs. Zombies launched more than a month before the death of pop artist Michael Jackson’s death, the game included a high-level enemy that appeared to be an homage to Thriller-era Jackson. As of today, that zombie is no longer going to be in PvZ.

What follows is a discussion between GamePro editors about whether or not to run the story about Jackson’s zombie being phased out of the game. Normally, we leave this stuff in Stale Bread posts — but it was a damned interesting topic, so it gets its own section of bread in a different post.

Undead Bread: Why Jackson zombie should or shouldn't get yanked

Michael Jackson Estate Forces ‘Plants vs. Zombies’ Update

AJ: Hang on — I want to talk to a lawyer and to PopCap before we run that. I’m so sure Jackson zombie is protected by parody law. Besides, you can’t libel the dead, so how does a video game character pose any sort of threat?

Will: Libel… Of The Dead.

John: I’ve got to think the parody thing will stand…and the link is tenuous at best. There’s no music – it’s a quick dance move and the fact that it’s a zombie in a red leather jacket, right?

AJ: Yeah. The story is the estate asked PopCap to get rid of it and from what I can tell, PopCap didn’t put up a fight. Which bugs me. I mean, if they capitulate to a body that doesn’t have a legal leg to stand on, it sets a bad example to other developers who want to try parody.

Tae: Michael Jackson Thriller zombie was the second best unit in that game, too. Zamboni Zombie being #1.

Dave: Not to play zombie’s advocate, but didn’t they introduce this zombie MJ right after he died?

Will: No, he was in the game at launch, which was right before Jackson died.

Dave: POPCAP KILLED MJ!

AJ: Dave… remember what I said about libel? PopCap is technically alive… so that’s libel.

AJ: Here’s PopCap’s official statement hot from my inbox…

The Estate of Michael Jackson objected to our use of the “dancing zombie” in PLANTS VS ZOMBIES based on its view that the zombie too closely resembled Michael Jackson. After receiving this objection, PopCap made a business decision to retire the original “dancing zombie” and replace it with a different “dancing zombie” character for future builds of PLANTS VS ZOMBIES on all platforms. The phase-out and replacement process is underway.

AJ: And I just got off the phone with a lawyer. Lawyer says that parody law is too mushy to save Jackson zombie in a legal battle and PopCap couldn’t afford to go to court with the estate anyway. And you just know Jackson’s estate would’ve taken it to court — they’re almost as litigious as Nintendo.

Tae: Jackson zombie is dead. Long live Jackson zombie.