World Famous Comics: The Walking Dead, Book 1 (Bk. 1)
The Walking Dead, Book 1 (Bk. 1)
By: Robert Kirkman Publisher: Image Comics Average Rating: Binding: Hardcover Label: Image Comics Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 304 Publication Date: August 02, 2006
Product Description: This hardcover features the first 12 issues of the hit series along with the covers for the issues in one oversized hardcover volume. Perfect for long time fans, new readers and anyone needing a slightly heavy object with which to fend off the walking dead.
Brilliantly written........but VERY hard to enjoy. I'll start by saying I am a HUGE fan of horror film, movies, books etc. I think it's a very understated genre that never seems to get it's due. I love films like Cemetary Man, Dracula, Dawn of the Dead etc and I think Robert Kirkman's comic perfectly captures the mood of these films (as well as some older horror classics). The characters are perfectly written and you relly get a feel that these people are going through a post-apocolyptic crisis where most of the world is overrun with Zombies.
The art is also very masterful, evoking the film 'Night of the Living Dead' as well as some others. I love how both the artist and the author seem to collaborate to the point where it feels like they're one and the same.
Despite my love of what was put into this comic, I still have a problem with the story itself. I know it's all about taste, but despite the great writing I can't help but feel like I'm watching a train wreck. It seems NOTHING good happens to any of the main characters. For every breath of relief for the characters there's some immense horror waiting right around the corner. Nothing good happens to these people. I realize it's realistic to write in this fashion (and does seem to click with most people) but personally I find it depressing and that's what eventually made me stop reading the series ( I stopped at Volume 9).
I know i'm in the minority with my complaints and most people seem to really love this comic so there should be nothing stopping someone from reading it. I just wish the author made the comic a bit more fun to read.
If you read it... just read it once. Well I read it once and thought it was good. Nothing fabulous, but nothing that couldn't be overlooked or ignored. When I read it again all of the things that slightly bothered me before became glaringly obnoxious. Like the fact that the writing is way over the top on dramatics and could have been written by a 13-year-old. Like the blatant sexism. Like the classism of cops and ex-NFL football players as leaders of choice (and why do the cops need to wear their cop uniforms during a zombie apocalypse?). Like how this leadership ability was passed down from father to 9-year-old son. Like the over-predictability of whenever someone is about to die. Like the beginning being just too similar to 28 Days Later. And so on... All in all, Book 1 is all surface, poor writing and takes itself too seriously. If you're looking for a mildly entertaining read then pick this up at the library.
A B-movie of a comic Judging by the other reviews, I was expecting more than just a zombie comic. Instead, The Walking Dead is exactly that. The story, at least within this first book, follows a predictable repeating formula: Band of survivors find safety somewhere; zombies show up; they move on. Given the clichéd nature of the journey, I was hoping for some humor. Sadly, The Walking Dead takes itself seriously.
Compare this to Y: The Last Man, a series that manages to be both hilarious and epic, which teases the reader with occasional revelations about the nature of the apocalyptic event. Or look at more modern zombie movies, like I Am Legend, which focuses intently on a single hero while meting out a wider story through flashbacks. In The Walking Dead, there's only one question that keeps you turning the page: Who's going to die next?
The back of this collection contains a few pages of full-color illustrations, which are outstanding. I wish that the black-and-white art that fills the comic had more of a resemblance to those eye-popping scenes. Instead, the authors have decided to faithfully replicate a gritty, realist indie horror ethos. The Walking Dead is admirably faithful to that genre. Too bad it's confined to it.
Holy @%#$ing @#$%! ...seriously ((((((DO NOT READ THE OTHER REVIEWS UNLESS YOU WANT THE PLOT SPOILED))))) I really don't think there is a way to describe the amount of talent that goes into this book without dropping some F-bombs. but I'll try... Speaking generally about the entire series so I don't give anything away... Lets just say that I honestly can't remember the last time words and images had this big of an impact on me. I work at a comic book store and I read everything. Honestly. My @$$ is kicked. This book has made the biggest impact on me than ANY other series I have read. YOU HAVE TO READ THE WHOLE THING. Kirman slows down the story from time to time but only if its necessary, and then pulls you right back in. You are in good hands. This book has EVERYTHING! If this review was the one that talks you into reading the series... your welcome =o)
Best zombie book/comic you can get Having a wide wide experience with the zombie lore i must recommend this, after zombie books and most all the movies, zomedies included, this is a must - i've checked out and bought other zombie comics... this is the best, don't miss it, you won't be disappointed. With well over 5 years of success this comic has more than proved itself...
my favorite zombie movie, DAWN OF THE DEAD, REMAKE (2004). too bad romero, after being exhumed and risen from the dead to make LAND OF THE DEAD, didn't have nearly the budget this film did... someday this medium/genre and its own separate horror category will be taken even more seriously and they will budget huge dollars for it, i hope, but the will smith CGI rage zombies were too much, even though i also enjoyed I AM LEGEND and will have to see that again... don't miss OMEGA MAN!...
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
