Author: Robert Kirkman with Tony Moore, Charlie Adlard, & Cliff Rathburn
Title: The Walking Dead, Book 1
Publication Info: Image Comics (2010), Hardcover
ISBN: 9781582406190
Summary/Review:
Before I start this review, I should state that I do not like zombie or zombie stories and have not at all been interested in the recent fad of zombiemania. Nevertheless, there are exceptions to every rule and when I learned about The Walking Dead (after the tv series adaptation came out last fall) I wanted to read the book. What makes this work is that it is not so much about the zombies as it is about the survivors and their relationships with one another under dire circumstances. In that sense it’s like Jaws (which wasn’t just about the shark) and Battlestar Galactica (which wasn’t just about the Cylons). On the downside I found the dialogue a bit stiff and cliched which is a bit disappointing since comic art relies on good dialogue. I also found to keep track of the characters (and keep them apart) but they were more fleshed-out as the story went along. The Walking Dead overall was very compelling and I’m eager to read more.
Rating: ***1/2