***Contains Spoilers***
The first 48 issues of The Walking Dead are excellent. I first got turned into the series through the TV show, which I thought was excellent, and I had high expectations for the comic. I was delighted with how it turned out. There are many parallels to the TV show, but enough is different about the plot and characters that it feels differentiated enough to keep up the suspense and surprises. I wasn’t sure about how this series would feel in all black and white but now I think it is preferred. The coloring fits with the mood and keeps the gore at bay.
This is a character story as much as it is a zombie story. While many of the characters are similar to the show, enough of the major incidents and deaths are mixed up to keep it exciting. I also think that the comic book is more extreme in some circumstances while also avoiding a lot of unnecessary drama that was added to the show. I liked that there was no significant conflict with the initial group. Last, the Governor is significantly more horrifying in the comic. He is so much more brutal and sadistic — it is quite entertaining.
I am not a big horror/zombie fan, but the initial tales from Robert Kirkman jump off the pages. This is one of my favorite series. I give it 5-stars
Feature Image Walking Dead Compendium One cover art by Charlie Adlard and Cliff Rathburn
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