World Famous Comics: The Walking Dead Book 1 (Walking Dead)
The Walking Dead Book 1 (Walking Dead)
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.
Good zombies, good gore, GREAT story! I'm a fan of almost anything that involves zombies. What I love about this whole series is that it's more about the characters, than just the carnage brought up by the living dead. I had read the first issue at Barnes & Nobles, and was instantly hooked. The problem was, I didn't want to get to involved with the story, and not have access to everything that this story has to offer to date. When I ordered all three volumes of The Walking Dead series, I disappeared for a day. I made sure I was off from work, of course, but I didn't call anyone or go anywhere. And I was taken with the whole story. I've read them a few times since, and recommend them to anyone who loves the genre, or who just wants to read a good story about a band of people struggling against the savage nature of their own humanity, while in every waking hour, being stalked by the walking dead.
You know what to expect Zombies. Survival. Just as you would expect. The story is good. The story-telling is not that good (Kirkman gives way too many hints on the things to come).
But this is a book about zombies and a must-read for any fan.
Well, At Least It Started Off Pretty Good... It's sort of like this. You start eating a sandwich and you really enjoy it. The front of this sandwich, which you savored, was covered in a delicious sauce. Then, when you get halfway through the sandwich, the delicious sauce is replaced by a nasty, bland, tasteless sauce that brings to light all the flaws of the sandwich.
That feeling of disappointment is what happens when you get halfway through this book. The first six issues were pencilled by Tony Moore, and--while the story was all right--it was basically driven by the art. I liked what writer Robert Kirkman was doing with the characters, and I understood his plan to create a sprawling, continuing epic through these character driven comics.
Only problem was, when the far less-competent Charlie Adlard took over the artistic duties for the latter six issues of this book. To say the least, I was surprised. Kirkman's writing no longer had great art to cover up its flaws, which--let's face it--are gapingly huge. He can't write dialogue for his life. Every time a character speaks, it reads like exposition. He doesn't know the proper function of bolding letters and that doing so means the character is putting emphasis on the bolded words.
He needs to work on giving each character a voice. Also, he needs to tone down the sexism a tad. A few of the reviewers noticed it in the first six issues, but it wasn't quite as blatant as it is here. In this story, men do the tough work and women watch the children and nag the men. That needs to change. Fast. It makes for an ugly story with ugly characters and gives a very bad impression of Kirkman's outlook on women as a whole.
Here's hoping this series improves, because I've already bought the next twelve issues.
6/10
If you like Zombies buy this book now The Walking Dead is the best on-going story in the graphic novel medium right now. And that's saying a lot for a black & white comic competing with full color batman, avengers, and green lantern runs. The opening of the story sounds completely cliche - guy gets shot goes into coma - wakes up from coma - finds that the world is populated by the living dead - guy seeks family and shelter...sounds like every other Zombie movie right? Well that's because it is kinda like every other Zombie movie or story, except that this is an ongoing story. I have to admit that this story does start off pretty typically and is kind of slow at first, but by the end of the book (around vol. 2) you won't be able to put it down. If you're thinking of getting into this comic go ahed and buy the three books that are already out - the books are compareable to the cost of buying the individual trades and you get nice hardcover books to add to your collection. If you're unsure, just go ahead and buy these books you won't regret it - the story only gets better as it progresses.
Not bad, but not quite unique enough The Walking Dead is being hailed as the greatest zombie story ever told and the writer Robert Kirkman calls it his never-ending zombie tale. But because of this we have a very long running, slow unfolding story it means investing a lot of money in buying the multiple hardcover collections to get to the 'unique stuff'. Which, by some people's opinions isn't that great anyway in later issues.
So if you haven't ever seen a zombie film - ANY zombie films, then you will probably enjoy this more than those who have seen a few.
While I'm glad I read it. I wish I didnt buy it. I'll be offloading my copy on ebay sorry.
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