Walking Dead

[Vanderbilt]

I picked up the hardcover collection on Ebay (Issues 1-24) and read it cover to cover in a few hours. I'm just wondering what people think about this title. I'm a relative newcomer to the WD story, but I've been hooked from the first issue I picked up (#24, I believe).

I admit, I was hesitant to check it out at first, mostly because it was a zombie title. I figured if you've seen the Romero films and 28 Days Later then you've pretty much seen everything the genre has to offer. (Yes, I know that they weren't technically zombies in 28DL but it still fits the archtype.)

Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was more than a simple zombie tale. Naturally, there's gore a plenty, but at the core it's a tale about ordinary people coping with extraordinary circumstances.

Anyway, I'll open this to discussion, as I could ramble boringly for several pages. I'd rather hear what other people think.

V

[Juan2.0]

I love it...one of the best stories I've ever read. The way that it unfolds as an ongoing story is what makes it so interesting to me. I just keep wanting to see more to see what's going to happen to these people next.

[DJ Kenobi]

Hi Vanderbilt, welcome to Comics Analysis. Could you write a bit more of an in-depth review? We're trying to keep Comics Analysis to just that, the analysis of comics, and therefore want more of a look into what made the comic work? what didn't? how was the pacing? how did the visual storytelling work for you? etc. The Break Room is the place for just open discussion, Comics Analysis is for really getting into the meat of the book and discussing how it ticks.

Thanks,

DJ

[JPJ]

I love this book. I'm a huge fan of zombies. I love the original Romero "Dead" flicks, 28 Days Later, and I REALLY love the Dawn of the Dead remake.

After Evil Ernie was over and done with when the original Chaos! Universe went under, I thought I'd never love another zombie comic again. Robert Kirkman roped me in nice and deep like.

I wish Tony Moore was still drawing the book. His art was very clean and cinematic. Adlard is just as good and brought more darkness and mood to it and I love his art to death, I'm just more of a fan of Moore's work.

I really think that this title would work well as a TV series. Something with a mix of the popcorn zombie movies and Lost. Flashbacks and all into the "life before things went dead" if you will.

I like how the title refers to not the zombies as the walking dead but the people left alive. The whole "We are the walking dead!" line is all sorts of true.

I like that the humans are settled but I'd like to see it stirred up again. My favorite moments of the series are when the survivors are "on the road again". We see more of the world and less of the "rebuilding our lives" story. I think we've seen plenty of that. The "stuck in the mall/house/military compound" stories. The recent storyline with meeting the new town has given me that but I want to see more. (I'm impatient, I know.)

The only things I'm wondering are:

1. Are the zombies in this book the slow moving kind or the running after you kind? They seem to be the slow movers but I always thought the idea of zombies moving at the speed of a crawl and decaying really had no chance of taking over the world.

2. Think we'll ever find out if this "epidemic" has gone world wide or no? Kirkman did borrow from 28 Days Later with the coma, maybe the US is under quarintine like England?

[ScottEwen]

Kirkman stated in the letters column of the newest issue that the rest of the world is probably infected too, but as the story is only going to follow "our" survivors and they'll probably never venture outside the US, we'll never know how the rest of the world's doing.

SPOILERS BELOW HIGHLIGHT TO REVEAL

I think the very nature of the plague, and the fact that literally everyone is infected (you become a zombie once you die whether you've been bitten or not) means the rest of the world has either probably already got it or will get it soon. Unless it's a localized plague, like something in the water supply. But still, it's going to be very hard to keep this plague in one area.

[ielle77]

i too am really new to the series (my friend just lent me his copy um MONDAY lol) I've read #1 and #2 of the graphic novels. I can't wait to read more... my only thing with it is that i wish they had a better artist, but eh... that's nitpicking, the guy is good enough.

Also i can't believe the amount of dialogue they shove into those panels! Sometimes its a bit much. Not that i mind reading it lol, I do read for a living after all, but still... WOW. I donno how they got that past their editor, but kudos!

Jesse better hurry up with the next book, i'm chomping at the bit and sadly too poor to buy my own lol.

[Chico Blue]

Charlie's art is a little rough when he first joined in, and the sudden jump from Tony's style put me off a bit at first too. Once you get a bit farther into the series you'll see a great improvement as he gets used to drawing the cast.

The book is fantastic, in my opinion. So far I've read volumes 1-4, and at the end of the fourth volume I think that all of the characters are developing nicely.

Volume 5 is supposed to be coming out this month, isn't it?

[ielle77]

dargh,... i looked high and low at barnes and noble today to see if i could find vol 3... of course not. Now i'm DEFINITELY at the mercy of my friend jesse to borrow it. lol... i'm so bad at waiting lol.

watched the new dawn of the dead today and got into a huge discussion with a friend about how the good zombie stories are really about the people and that the lousy zombie films usually focus on the blood and not the characters. It was an interesting talk.

He didn't agree with me, but again and again i was pointing out the ones that are considered the greatest (and this comic) saying that it's about our fears... what would life be like without the world as we know it. No more tv. NO more normality. I think walking dead nails that.

new dawn of the dead... not so much. Yet i still enjoy that film. Just on a zombie eatting you level only lol.

[Logan]

the walking dead is great.

that said, i know i'm going to get my nuts proverbially kicked in for saying this, but at times both kirkman's writing and tony's art got on my case. not that the end product wasn't awesome, it's just that specifically, i got sick of seeing clean cut muscular guys with very symetrical and "handsome" features. it felt like a stock face here and there. i say here and there because i want it to be clear that it wasn't a big deal or even wide spread. i just felt that rick and some of his pals were too chisled at times. much like watching the OC or something where everyone is so clean cut you just want to shoot them with an acne ray.

kirkman's writing gave me the exact same feeling. nothing really came as a suprise, with the notable exception of the old man hooking up with the young girl. other than that.. the plot was (in my opinion) very predictable, and sometimes very cliched.


as for the zombie movies, my favorites are not the remakes. the originals had a lot more going on mentally then any of them. at the end of the day, i'm just more interested in they psychology of the films than the gore factor. the dawn of the dead redo was decent, but falls far short of the glory that was "fly boy." i also really dug 28 days later for the same reason, it focused on the mental anguish of the survivors more than anything.

[ielle77]

logan, i would never kick you in the nuts.

um unless you turn zombie, then all bets are off my dear... sorry, thems the breaks. ;)

Actually i kinda agree with you. 1st though, so no one um whats the girl equiv... hits me in the boob? (yes that does hurt like a SOB)... i want repeat AGAIN, i'm addicted to this series.

BUT you're right the art is well... eh. What i find wierd is that there are pages that it's dead on awesome (i love in the first book this one shot where Rick looks like barney fife reaching for his pistol and looking surprised lol.. great work) and other times it looks like i drew it lol (which gives me hope if i can't find an artist for my work lol)

And again i'll agree with you over the writing. It's a bit predictable but in the world of zombies... what isn't. I mean it's all been done (mostly by romero (sp?) and if not by him then certainly made up for by simon pegg lol). Is it just me or did the opening in the hospital seem like a direct rip from 28 days later (of which i am also a fan and danny boyle can cry and moan that his monsters aren't zombies... whatever, so they aren't dead... blah blah blah... its still the zombie scenario... just with living zombies...so shut it Mr. Boyle (28 days later director in case you don't know).


***warning spoilers (although you've probably all read it)**



Anyway back to the writing, even though we kinda know oh shaun has a thing for rick's wife... yeah haven't seen that before and oh the old man is sleeping with the young chick now... no haven't see that before and oh people are getting testy with one another.. .haven't see that before.... SOMETHING, i donno what, but something about it still pulls me in. God i wish i knew what it was so i could bottle it and make it MINE.

Can't wait to see what happens now that they're about to go into the prison (DON'T TELL ME!!!). Although you know i'm sure if i sat down and thought about it, i probably could figure it out ;)

[Logan]

yeah. it's like despite the cliches, we keep coming back. maybe kirkman's more intelligent than i give him credit for.

[Juan2.0]

They need to make Stephen King's The Cell as a movie. That's a kickass zombie story.

Oh and before I forget...

* kicks Logan in the nuts *

Don't you ever say anything bad about Tony's art again! :mad:

;)

[ielle77]

They need to make Stephen King's The Cell as a movie. That's a kickass zombie story.

Oh and before I forget...

* kicks Logan in the nuts *

Don't you ever say anything bad about Tony's art again! :mad:

;)

HA HA HA!

i don't remember reading that one, which short story collection is that in?

You know i was thinking just today that walking dead would be an easy movie, since it's basically pieces of every other zombie film. Cheap too. But i'm enjoying it as a comic, i guess in the long run i'd rather not see hollywood ruin it.

[Juan2.0]

HA HA HA!

i don't remember reading that one, which short story collection is that in?

You know i was thinking just today that walking dead would be an easy movie, since it's basically pieces of every other zombie film. Cheap too. But i'm enjoying it as a comic, i guess in the long run i'd rather not see hollywood ruin it. It's not a short story, it's his newest novel. It's freaky cool. I recommend it.

I think Walking Dead would be cool as a movie if they kept continuing them with all of the original cast (well, those that actually survive for the time being) so that we get to see what happens to the characters as they dare to live in the new zombie infested world.

[ielle77]

aw nuts. I love his short stories but his books often get... moutheria. He is a great writer in need of a great editor.

But i might give it a shot. It's been a while since i've tackled one of his novels. the stand just about killed me.

[Juan2.0]

The new one's not that long...I finished it in a couple days time. Piece o cake! :D

[Logan]

ow my nuts.

[JPJ]

Just got my Walking Dead #28 in the mail and HOLY HAMBURGESA WITH CHEESE AND A SIDE OF FRIES!


*spoilers*






RICK'S HAND GOT CHOPPED THE FRICK AND FRACK OFF?! Man. I didn't look through my other issues yet but was it his good hand or the ****ed up one? A lot of the other WD readers around here keep saying that Rick's gonna die soon but I dunno. I like watching his gradual transformation from the first story to now. I definately think Glenn is gonna die in the whole zombie gladiator fight. What's happening to Michonne is...well...sick. Man I love this book.

My only problem right now with this series (as well as Invincible) but it seems it's being milked for all its worth with the TPB's. I've bought the regular volume 1, 2, and 3 but THEN the hardcovers come out and THEN the ABSOLUTE hardcover comes out...and...eh. I really wish I'd known about these beforehand before I picked up the regular trades. But then again...I do have, like, 5 different versions of Watchmen.

[Logan]

i'm pretty sure it was his right hand. i dunno, i'm kind of weirded out by it. it just seems so cliche at this point to have the hero's hand cut off. why not his foot or something? i don't know. regardless, cliche or not i'm still hooked so i have to give kirkman that.

[coma]

1. Slow Zombies. Any ROmero fan wouldn't have it any other way.
2. Tony Moore is great. Charlie Dulard (I think thats the artists name) has a biiig problem with eyes. He does some interesting things with the tear ducts, but I often can't tell the characters apart. My GF (whose Japanese) says " this baka (fool, Goof) can't draw eyes at all. Referring to the asian kids eyes, she thinks is awful.and I agree. In the post Moore issues theres a number of times the composition was so bad I couldn't tell what was going on.
3. I like the writing, but I think it's not wordy ENOUGH. I detest that decompress image thing. I am more concerned with the human condition and far less concerned with action and heroics, mostly as a puncuation inbetween the characterization. I like non hero genre books (talk about a genre done to death). I like very much that bad and permanent damage happens to the protaganists, helps to swallow the fantasy elements better. You really can't tell whos going to live or die,
4. I like the ROmero Zombie template because you can place yourself in the situaion easily, particularly when it does not involve Soldiers with Monster Guns. In that world theirs a story for every person.

I think it's the best book out now, by a million miles. Theres a (BAD) comic store a 5 minute walk away and he wont carry it, because it doen't have wolverine. ARRRGGG. Hulk SMASH!

[shoryukenmaster]

why not his foot or something? i don't know. regardless, cliche or not i'm still hooked so i have to give kirkman that.

I would imagine that it would be a little more difficult. Also, it seems strange to chop a guys foot off, ya know? I mean, either you have to bend down and do it or have him laying down. With the hand you just have to hold the arm. I dunno, but that would just seem really odd.

Anywho. I'm hooked on TWD and probably will be until the series ends. I'm just glad that kirkman's bringing back the action. The being stuck in the prison thing, while good, just didn't have the suspense that the book does when zombies could pop up at any moment. Now, it seems like the zombies are going to be a very large threat very soon. Either that or there will be a war between the two camps. Probably both.

[Logan]

yeah it makes more sense now.the whole ease factor.. but i don't know. it's been done a lot in the past, and just doesn't strike me as very original.

[coma]

Other than Evil Dead (self inflicted), where? This isn't any kind of challenge, I just can'y recall seeing that before.

well theres;
"They took My Thumbs Johnny!"
Pope of Greenwhich village

[Logan]

well i'm drawing on all the stories that i've heard in my lifetime, not just comics and i can recall a great many where the hero loses a hand or has a new one made for him. not limiting it to the zombie-genre we've got:

Aquaman
Wolverine (age of apocalypse)
Cable (techno virus, but basically a missing hand)
that guy from Steampunk
Nuadha Silver Hand celtic mythology
Darth Vader
Luke Skywalker
Beren from Tolkien
Ash from Evil Dead
Hellboy
Forge from X-men

i could go on but i think these are enough. there has been so many stories where the hero loses a hand in order to make them more sympathetic or "human" that it just struck me as kind of cliche that's all. nothing more than that.

[shoryukenmaster]

No doubt, having a hand chopped off isn't original. However, I think it should be judged on context more than originality.

And I don't think Kirkman is trying to make rick more "human" or sympathetic, on the contrary it seems that he has been demonizing him for a while now. IMO, kirkman wrote that in to build the character of this new feller - villian (sorry his name eludes me and I'm at work). He's not your sterotypical villian that just talks about what he's going to do, he's actually going to do it and that facing him will have a serious impact.

[Logan]

that's not a bad point really, that maybe kirkman is chopping off rick's hand to show the ruthlessness of the villian. i guess that we'll never know really what the point was of the scene .

but even that has precedents. even more, i'd argue. whenever you create a villian, be it comics, movies or just oral stories it's pretty common to have them just outright kill some one or disfigure them in order to make the audience hate them. that way the good guys and the bad guys are clearly delineated. forgive me for saying so but that's a really, really transparent plot device imo. did it decrease my enjoyment of the book? a little. but in the end it's not a big deal, just something interesting to debate.

[coma]

well i'm drawing on all the stories that i've heard in my lifetime, not just comics and i can recall a great many where the hero loses a hand or has a new one made for him. not limiting it to the zombie-genre we've got:

Aquaman
Wolverine (age of apocalypse)
Cable (techno virus, but basically a missing hand)
that guy from Steampunk
Nuadha Silver Hand celtic mythology
Darth Vader
Luke Skywalker
Beren from Tolkien
Ash from Evil Dead
Hellboy
Forge from X-men

i could go on but i think these are enough. there has been so many stories where the hero loses a hand in order to make them more sympathetic or "human" that it just struck me as kind of cliche that's all. nothing more than that.

Other than Star Wars (forgot about that) and Ash, I'm not familiar with too much of the other stuff. Steampunk? Huh? I haven't more than browsed an X book since John Burne left. Read maybe 2 hellboys, hate aquaman, remeber something from Lord of the Rings I think. I read Batman and occasionally a spidey, but mostly just plain avoid Superhero books> NO Snoobery here, just rarely can get into them, though I'm gay for Batman
(except when Jim Lee does him. Yuck)

The difference bwteen Walking Dead and All that other stuff is that he is a garden variety human, so he doesn;t need to be more human. In that book anyone can die. The tension in that issue is how can he extract himself and how could you possibly survive. 2 issues later hes not going to have a robot hand or some stupid reboot (no hero is going years and years with a JJ arms hook, or a bad leg tendon). Will he get gang grene, theres no antibiotics, doctors etc. If you cut his foot off, he'd die really quick by lack of mobility or it would slow the story momentum to a crawl. Watching some convelese for 6 months is no fun. Also, it's not some heroic battle to the death, it's just sadistic and there will be no pat answer.I guess it's not a cliche to me because If I ain't seen it, it's new to me. I've managed to buy comics for almost 40 years and have rarly followed hero books since 1984. I really think a space virus rotting the hand of a super alien or whatever is worlds different from you neighbor Al getting his hand chooped by a sociopath.

Mu only real critisim of the book is that it takes a million years between issues. At this point it's the only regular series I buy.

I think I 'm a rarity on this, or most message boards about comics in that I (for the most part) have no interest in superheros (excepting old stuff, old as in pre 1980). But I'm also into craft. I tried a couple years ago to draw a heroic type character and I was not succesful (to say the least). For that, and taking a dump on Jim Lee, I hope no one hits me with a 2x4.

[Bruce]

The Walking Dead was THE book for me. I could not wait for the next issue.
Bought all the trades and sold them to pay for the omnivous. One of the best books on my shelf.
I love flipping through it.
The writting and art from both artists is top notch.
You really couldn't ask for anything else from a book.
The characters are deep, setting is rich, and the story has the potential to go on forever and stay interesting.

Then we had the wait for issue 25.
I really don't know what changed in me but 25-28 has some of the most horrible, boring, predictable writing of any book I was picking up. I was really annoyed with everything about it.
I even remember having a discussion with another fan of the book at work and pretty much calling out a lot of what was going to happen in the last 4 issues while waiting for 25 to hit the shelves.
The discussion leaned twards the "I hope he doesn't go this rought"
The only thing that I didn't really call was the Rape. Didn't think Kirkman would sink that low to show how bad the man was.
just seemed cheap.
This book has nothing for me now and I view it as being a pain in the ass because I have already preordered and paid for issues 29,30, and Volume 5.
I really don't know what happened. He had me for every page of the first 24 issues. Every word. Every panel.
:(

P.S. Spandex books suck. At least i agree with you about that Coma.

[blue]

Okay, so far Kirkman has ripped off the title of the comic from an 80's zombie comic, the opening of the comic from 28DL, and the zombie arena from Deadworld and LOTD. He bored me letting the story stagnate in the prison, now he feels the need to devote an entire issue trying to convince me that Phillip is evil even after showing him cut off a guys hand, feed people to zombies, and raping and torturing someone in a previous issue. Good times.

[Popninja]

With me not being a zombie film fanatic, I don't see all of these similarities that are being cited. The stress level has gone up tenfold over the last two issues, and that's a good thing considering that the story was indeed stagnating in the prison.

Now, I have a comic that literally has me on the edge of my seat. That hasn't happened for me with a comic in a long long time. I think Kirkman's doing just fine, and Walking Dead remains one comic that I absolutely must read.

[fatmancomics]

Holy shit! Kirkman is showing the world that he is trully a great writer with this series. It has been said over and over again that the genius of this story is that it's not really about zombies but about the human condition and the glimpse at what people would be like in a situation like this. From the beginning, that's what's made good zombie movies and now that's what makes a good zombie comic. If you take a look at the original Night of the Living Dead, the horror is not that there are zombies running around but that the living, for one night, degraded to the worst that they could possibly be. The same goes for Day of the Dead (I've only seen the remake so please forgive me zombie gods and I promise I'll get around to seeing the original) and even 28 days later.
The characters in this book have taken us, the readers, through so many ordeals and now that the worst has happened I feel as devastated as if it had happened in real life. I hate Kirkman for making me his slave and yet I love him for writing a book that is so good that I am his slave.

[Mase]

I read the latest trade a few weeks ago, and it pretty much ruined my whole day. I can't remember the last time that any media (comic, TV, movie, etc) has affected me so strongly. As fatmancomics mentioned, I definitely have a love/hate relationship with the book and can't wait for the next trade to come out.

[Victor-17]

if youguys are into the zombie thing, you should read World War Z by Max Brooks. Freakin incredible read, which goes into how the world reponds to a Zombie viral outbreak. It's written in the form of a documentary - going back after the event and getting frist hand accounts as to how each person and their nation handled it.

i know, it's a BOOK. but it is a great read and you will be though it in no time. Max Brooks has also written the Zombie Survival Guide, which is kind of like a satyrical Anarchist Cookbook.

[Relaxed Brain]

50 was a let down to me... though in 51 the "next issue" image for 52 made me very happy.

I dig this book, have been picking it up since it started... I've always had some "issues" with the dialogue of the book though. I feel characters expound too much information, especially for the situation they're in... and when they first meet it's almost like "hi, my name is scott, i graduated high schhol in ___ and I lost my viriginity at ___, I once wanted to be a rock star but my mother told me..." you get the idea. It's not *quite* that bad at times... but it was awful at the beginning. A lot of that has dropped since they got to the jail...

that said, it's one of very few books I look forward to.

[dwrite]

Hi, All:

I've never quite understood the fuss over this book. I know Kirkman advertises this as a zombie movie that never ends, but, still, it doesn't seem fresh at all to me. There's been nothing in this series that I haven't seen in any number of zombie movies, especially the newer ones such as 28 Days Later. I read through the first two trades, trying to understand why so many people loved this comic, but this didn't quite click for me.

Thanks,
Dan
http://indycomics.today.com

[Chris Major]

There are SO many zombie comics out there now it's unreal. Walking Dead is one of the good ones because it's not so much about the gore but as it is, as Fatman said, about the human condition.

Kirkman does good work with this. Sometimes he gives conversation and dialogue too much exposure vs action and twists, like on his Ultimate X-Men run, but it definitely works for Walking Dead.

It's definitely one of the stronger titles Image has right now.

[Relaxed Brain]

this and invincible... kirkman never writes another book for the rest of his life, he's still made an impression on many.

[Craig DeBoard]

After #50 I don't believe the book is Rick Grimes story anymore. Kirkman can say whatever he wants but I really believe it's Carl's story. From the first trade when Carl killed Shane, all the way up to #50 when Carl said the haunting word's to Rick 'I don't need you anymore.'

[Chris Piers]

Of COURSE it's Carl's story. I totally believe that.

[fatmancomics]

Agreed.
Funny that someone brought up WWZ because a friend of mine was hyping the book to me a couple of years ago and was all excited about how they finally explain the reason that the zombies reanimate and it was a virus that can survive without oxygen and I laughed in his face because nothing can survive without oxygen. He looked at me like I had just killed his puppy, fed it to his mom and then killed her as well.
Maybe I'll give it a shot, eventually, but not until I find it used for less than a dollar.

[Chris Major]

I laughed in his face because nothing can survive without oxygen. He looked at me like I had just killed his puppy, fed it to his mom and then killed her as well.

Man, don't tell me he believed you. He never heard of anaerobic growth? Tetanus and gangrene are due to anaerobic bacterial infections. Clostridium Difficile is an anaerobic bacteria.

Surely a zombie infestation could be due to something like that, too.

[fatmancomics]

Man, don't tell me he believed you. He never heard of anaerobic growth? Tetanus and gangrene are due to anaerobic bacterial infections. Clostridium Difficile is an anaerobic bacteria.

Surely a zombie infestation could be due to something like that, too.

Well, I'll be. I'm going to go eat some crow and then look for that WWZ book now.

[Mase]

Zombies aren't really science - they should eventually starve to death without an energy source of some type. Is that explained?

[Craig DeBoard]

Zombies aren't really science - they should eventually starve to death without an energy source of some type. Is that explained?

Well they do eat flesh, if that counts. ;)

[Mase]

Yeah, but they never starve to death, or get fat if they overeat (which would be funny).

[Craig DeBoard]

Yeah, but they never starve to death, or get fat if they overeat (which would be funny).

Thats cuz they always have food to eat and their guts are hanging out all over Kirkworld.

Personally I enjoy the fact a reason for their existence isn't revealed (even though Kirkman gave a bunk reason to Jim Valentino to get the book in print in the first place).

[fatmancomics]

Thats cuz they always have food to eat and their guts are hanging out all over Kirkworld.

Personally I enjoy the fact a reason for their existence isn't revealed (even though Kirkman gave a bunk reason to Jim Valentino to get the book in print in the first place).

Oooh! And what was that?

[Craig DeBoard]

Oooh! And what was that?

Some alien space thing, to prepare humans for an upcoming invasion. He talks about it in the letters page of Walking Dead 51. It's all bullshit though. Apparently Valentino wasn't impressed with another zombie story and so Eric Stephenson told Kirkman that he'd have to come up with something more to the story if he wanted Image to pick up Walking Dead. So Kirkman told him about the alien thing and Valentino bought it. After a few issues in, Valentino was wondering about the aliens and Kirkman said that that was all bullshit, just so he could get the book picked up. At that point the sales were so good, that Image opted to keep the book anyways, regardless of Robert's fib.

[Norritt]

Some alien space thing, to prepare humans for an upcoming invasion. He talks about it in the letters page of Walking Dead 51. It's all bullshit though. Apparently Valentino wasn't impressed with another zombie story and so Eric Stephenson told Kirkman that he'd have to come up with something more to the story if he wanted Image to pick up Walking Dead. So Kirkman told him about the alien thing and Valentino bought it. After a few issues in, Valentino was wondering about the aliens and Kirkman said that that was all bullshit, just so he could get the book picked up. At that point the sales were so good, that Image opted to keep the book anyways, regardless of Robert's fib.

that's hilarious! where did you read that from?

[DJ Kenobi]

I believe he answers that in the text you quoted, "in the letters page of Walking Dead 51." I can't vouch for the accuracy of his statement though.

[Set Abominae]

http://heavyink.com/images/covers/AUG08/MAUG082233.JPG


Cover art for #56 if you guys haven't seen it yet, I just glad they're bringing in some new characters.

[swampy19]

I was very saddened almost when i finished reading Vol 8 yesterday man it was a bloodbath Kirkman wasnt lying when he said no one was safe

[Relaxed Brain]

http://heavyink.com/images/covers/AUG08/MAUG082233.JPG


Cover art for #56 if you guys haven't seen it yet, I just glad they're bringing in some new characters.

I'm just thrilled Michonne is back

[attatt]

I didnt read every single post up to this point, but I have to say I like the fact that there isnt much time spent diving into the root of the zombie "infection".
What is interesting about this series is the people, there is no need for me to resolve the hows and whys, just the lives of the characters.

[fatmancomics]

I must say that I'm disappointed in Kirkman now that he's teasing the zombie origins. The new character that is intent on getting to Washington gave a bit of an explanation but it wasn't revealed completely since it's "classified" and that kinda pisses me off because now you have this guy that knows "how it all got started" but won't tell. If you're going to give an origin, give a complete origin. New characters are cool and all but their subplot seems, I don't know, cheap or cheesy. We'll see if it gets any worse in the following issues I suppose.

[Set Abominae]

I believe he answers that in the text you quoted, "in the letters page of Walking Dead 51." I can't vouch for the accuracy of his statement though.

I can!!! :D
http://comics.ign.com/articles/819/819361p1.html

[larq2525]

I loved The Walking Dead at the beginning, then got bored with it after the characters moved into the prison. I felt that the story slowed down too much and nothing interesting was happening for several issues at that point and I nearly dropped the book. It picked up again in a big way when the Governor was introduced, and since then my interest has been unwavering.

[The P.R. Man]

I know I'm late to the party, but I just read trades 5 6 7 8 and 9 last night,

spoilers, hilight

HOLY HELL! Lori and the baby die?!? I figured Lori would just leave Rick or something, or at the very least he makes it out with Carl and Judy. man, having kids has ruined me for sad storylines, I had to turn off the Hills have eyes, reading "Crossed" by Garth Ellis really screwed me up, man. I had no idea how much I had become invested in the charecters, I didn't even really like Lori that much, she was kind of a bitch. and Carl in #9 in the cabin with Rick was tough to read too.

[Spidey]

Gatdammit! I knew I shouldn't have read that. I left it at around issue #35 while they're still in the prison and Lori is still preggers.

[The P.R. Man]

Gatdammit! I knew I shouldn't have read that. I left it at around issue #35 while they're still in the prison and Lori is still preggers.

sorry man, I tried!

the first issue I read was last year or so, when Rick makes his big dramatic "WE are the walking Dead" speech, march I bought the first trade, and got pretty excited about the series, so last week I read about half of the 50 issue omnibus at Barnes and Noble, got way into the storyline, but then had to leave right when rick had his issue with the general and his hand. so all last week I've had the story on my mind, and FINALLY, I get enough time to read a few more, man,

It still blows me away how hard it hit me. guy's one hell of a writer.

[luklum]

Damn I know it's lame but I never was convinced with that comic. Just considered it as a another zombie story.Reading posts in here makes me wanna check it though.
I see that I might miss one great story.

[Selkirk]

the television show is considerably better than the comic-the comic is more than a bit overrated(mediocre art and over talky story) imo.

[VolTaGe24]

the television show is considerably better than the comic-the comic is more than a bit overrated(mediocre art and over talky story) imo.

I hate to disagree Greggy... i find the book a hell of a lot better than the show. I'm actually highly, highly dissapointed with the show. Walking Dead and Invincible are the only books I actually read for the story so i love Walking Dead and i'm highly critical of the show.

The show itself is ok. The book is great. Like I've been ranting about "LOST" lately, sinc I recently just saw the whole "LOST" collection... after seeing a show that great, it's hard liking anything else lol

[Selkirk]

:D...well to disagree just a bit here(i'm finished with the hardcore deadheads on the tv show thread)-i have read in tpb form and otherwise prob about 40 issues of walking dead...why? well to give the damn thing a chance because everyone i know(all three of them :D) rave about the walking dead and invincible(shudder). first off lets address a few issues with the comic-1) the art is frankly embarrassing...crude but not in a stylistic way-crude because the guy can't draw. in walking dead it's hard to figure out who is who about half the time-and the babes well lets just say they all look like flat chested men(which isn't good btw). 2)echoing some of the crits from the show here(and i think the show as melodramatic and predictable as it is manages to avoid at least some of the everpresent blabbing of the main cast in the comic)-the comic is severely limited in scope and outlook, basically talky suburban people who have grown accustomed to the 'strong' leader and have become 'adjusted' to the new 'reality'-zombies taken over the world, civilization/art/culture/thought no longer exist and these people couldn't be happier :D.

the lack of politics in the book is in fact political(a conscious choice)-for instance romero's zombie movies reflected a turbulent time(now how much of this was conscious by romero is unimportant-he was influenced by events of the day)-kirkman during a similar time of social upheaval(wars,recession) manages to issue long paragraphs about 'family' and 'leadership'(basically half of his scripts seem like they are lifted from either zig ziglar or joel osteen ). now most will respond 'ahh shut it selkirk its just a zombie comic', point taken if kirkman didn't take himself and the book so seriously(needless to say fans of walking dead imagine kirkman as a latter day hemingway).

anyway lets just say-no not a walking dead fan :D.

[basil81]

Diff'rent strokes...I like both the show and the books, but I'm easy like that :)

[pigeonmilk]

I love both, consider the book to be one of the greatest zombie comics and the show, well name another zombie tv series.

The art was only good when Tony was doing it.

[Teratophile]

http://www.imagecomics.com/iconline.php?title=walking_dead_001&page=cover&resize=now

so we don't have to open our original 125 dollar copies.

[jdmakescomics]

I'm glad the show is taking the major events and evening out the dialogue...kirkman is a lot better at plotting and longform pacing than he is writing flowing conversation and little things. I'd want the same for an adaptation of invincible...keep all the twists and turns and improve the smaller character stuff.

(I can't agree with the Adlard bashing, though. He's awesome.)

[VolTaGe24]

:D...well to disagree just a bit here(i'm finished with the hardcore deadheads on the tv show thread)-i have read in tpb form and otherwise prob about 40 issues of walking dead...why? well to give the damn thing a chance because everyone i know(all three of them :D) rave about the walking dead and invincible(shudder). first off lets address a few issues with the comic-1) the art is frankly embarrassing...crude but not in a stylistic way-crude because the guy can't draw. in walking dead it's hard to figure out who is who about half the time-and the babes well lets just say they all look like flat chested men(which isn't good btw). 2)echoing some of the crits from the show here(and i think the show as melodramatic and predictable as it is manages to avoid at least some of the everpresent blabbing of the main cast in the comic)-the comic is severely limited in scope and outlook, basically talky suburban people who have grown accustomed to the 'strong' leader and have become 'adjusted' to the new 'reality'-zombies taken over the world, civilization/art/culture/thought no longer exist and these people couldn't be happier :D.

the lack of politics in the book is in fact political(a conscious choice)-for instance romero's zombie movies reflected a turbulent time(now how much of this was conscious by romero is unimportant-he was influenced by events of the day)-kirkman during a similar time of social upheaval(wars,recession) manages to issue long paragraphs about 'family' and 'leadership'(basically half of his scripts seem like they are lifted from either zig ziglar or joel osteen ). now most will respond 'ahh shut it selkirk its just a zombie comic', point taken if kirkman didn't take himself and the book so seriously(needless to say fans of walking dead imagine kirkman as a latter day hemingway).

anyway lets just say-no not a walking dead fan :D.

i love the book. i nearly got a heart attack last episode though. lol "we're gonna change the show a little" my ass!

[Selkirk]

the show has it's charms-mainly when the characters aren't talking :D. my feelings on the comic are pretty well known :D.

[Inkthinker]

So, from the letters column it looks like people are kinda freaking out about Carl. I still figure we're more likely to see Rick die than Carl, but is anyone else upset about it enough to stop reading?

And did anyone else find the double-page spread to be too much? I thought it was entirely suitable for the shock of that moment.

Thoughts on the comics of late?

[Mase]

Just caught up via the latest trade. Carl getting shot was a MAJOR surprise. Not as surprised I was when his wife and daughter were killed, though. Judging from the damage it's a bit of a backpeddle that he's even still alive.
I wouldn't stop reading, but I don't see how Rick's character could go on after that and it seems the series would effectively end itself, Sopranos style.

In other news, Abraham is fast becoming my favorite character.

[fatmancomics]

It was shocking, yes. Literaly the first time that I had to do a double take on a comic book (which meant turning back the page to see in which direction the bald guy was shooting) but it's not going to make me stop reading it. In fact, if he survives, it will be completely unrealistic. In the earlier issues they talked about the severity of an injury in that world when Rick mangled his hand on that guy's face and when that one guy got his teeth knocked out in the Governor's town. To have Carl survive this when they can't even fight off infection would just be too incredible (nevermind the zombies, you know what I mean).

[Inkthinker]

So. I reckon I knew someone was gonna get it, Kirkman's gone full Martin with his willingness to kill main characters. And while I was worried that it would be Rick, I reckon Kirkman's not desperate enough to go there just yet. Honestly, if he kills Rick, that might be it for me. The book starts with Rick, if Rick dies then it's not the same story any more.

Michonne is way too cool.

Carl's already been beaten on at this point, what with the whole hole-through-the-head (curious query, does he have a soft spot in the skull now? 'Cause they didn't seem to be in a place to put a plate in there, unless they got seriously medieval about it).

Andrea was a possibility, but for issue #100 it really needed to be a gut-puncher.

So. Glen.

And when you think about it, all the signs were there. The man's been telegraphing his own demise worse than the soldier who pulls out a picture of his fiancee and talks about how he's only two weeks from going home. He might as well have been wearing a red shirt (maybe he was, comic's in B&W after all). Thinking he'd go to live on the Hilltop with Maggie and the kids, leaving the group behind... that's sailboat retirement talk, that is.

And I must confess, I'm looking forward to Negan getting his now. Oh man, Rick's gonna go corkscrews and bamboo shoots. But it'll be war before it's over, and I expect we'll lose more of the main cast before we're done.

Hell, who's left from the original pack anymore? Maggie, Andrea, Carl, Sophia... and two of those are kids. Though I'm guessing Carl will be more hardcore than ever before (seriously, when are we getting that kid a bad-ass eyepatch?)

TWD and Invincible are about the only comics I'm still reading on a monthly basis (Usagi Yojimbo is on hiatus. Started up Punk Rock Jesus this week, but it's a 6-issue limited). And I expect I'll keep reading The Walking Dead for a while to come, because if nothing else, I want to see someone feed "Lucille" to Negan backwards.

Secondary topic of curiousity: which cover did you get? I went for the Ottley.

[Popninja]

Secondary topic of curiousity: which cover did you get? I went for the Ottley.

I became a collector this week and picked up four covers. Both Adlards, Quitely and Silvestri.

I wasn't shocked by Glenn's death because Kirkman can no longer shock me. Part of the reason I stopped reading TWD is because I no longer wanted to be invested in characters that were at the creator's whim. I just wasn't strong enough to continue reading it. Since I left though, I've gone back for landmark issues - - 50, 75 and now 100. I get a kick out of seeing where things are every two years or so.

I plan to eventually start buying the collected hardcovers. I have the first one, but I want the whole set at some point because I would love to read it after the fact.

[scmarooney]

I Made the pilgrimage to the local (not so local) comic shop today to pick up a copy of this. Got the "standard" Adlard cover as that was the only one they had sitting on the shelf. I have been keeping up with this title in a pretty spotty way. The local library district gets the soft-cover GN's shortly after they are published so I was able to read the storylines after the whole Prison-thing, and mean to go back to purchase them in the future when my finances are looking a bit better. But I had to go and get issue #100.

Got to say I felt pretty gut-punched over the death of Glen in this one, especially the extraordinarily brutal way in which it happened. I can't remember a comic producing an angry and sickened response in me like that in a LONG time.

Some part of me just wanted to wash my hands of the whole thing after reading that issue and never pick up another copy of TWD. And another part of me wants to see how Rick gets his payback on Negan. I suspect it is going to go down like the whole Prison-storyline did with Rick and one or two other characters surviving and back on the road again. I could be wrong though.

[Jcatlett76]

Thanks for the spoiler...love you guys!!!!:mad:

Hell, I'll be over it in a few minutes, I was just about to sit down and read that issue!


Edit:
Just read it and even though I knew who was going to die...It was not a let down. I think Rick is going to end up seriously f----ng that guys world up!

[InkedT]

I had a serious Holy Sh*t moment when I read #100. I figured something big was going to happen and a central character was going to die but I hadn't felt like that since Lori got killed way back. Awesome issue. Can't wait to see what Rick does to this guy.

[Jcatlett76]

Rick needs to leave Michonne alone with the guy for ten minutes.