The Walking Dead is a black-and-white comic book series created by writer Robert Kirkman and artist Tony Moore. It debuted in 2003 and was published by Image Comics. The series follows sheriff’s deputy Rick Grimes as he awakens from a coma to discover the world overrun by zombies, dubbed “walkers.”
The Walking Dead explores how people adapt when facing devastating tragedy and uncertainty. Set initially in Kentucky, the story spans multiple locations as the characters search for safety. It delves into interpersonal dynamics when societal structures collapse.
The popularity of The Walking Dead has made it a multimedia franchise across formats like novels, web series, video games, and more.
Plot
Protagonist Rick Grimes worked as a sheriff’s deputy in Kentucky. He was shot in the line of duty and fell into a coma. When he awakens, he discovers that the world has succumbed to a zombie epidemic. He returns home to find his wife Lori and young son Carl absent, having joined a group of survivors near Atlanta.
Rick travels alone to the city on horseback to locate his family. He soon discovers the true scale of the zombie apocalypse. He encounters survivors Morgan Jones and his son, who explain that the authorities urged people to head to major cities for protection before society ultimately collapsed.
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Reaching Atlanta, Rick finds the city overrun. He manages to rescue a group of survivors, including Lori and Carl, who are trapped while scavenging supplies. The group of survivors then travels together seeking security, facing dangerous zombies and occasionally violent fellow survivors.
Rick and Lori’s marriage becomes strained over time. Lori leans on Shane for support, Rick’s best friend and former police partner who protected Lori and Carl when the apocalypse started.
The group struggles to adapt their morality to this harsh new world. They lose many members along their journey as they search for a haven. Rick becomes the leader of the survivors.
| Character | Description |
|---|---|
| Rick Grimes | Sheriff’s deputy and protagonist |
| Lori Grimes | Rick’s wife |
| Carl Grimes | Rick and Lori’s young son |
| Shane Walsh | Rick’s partner and friend who protected Lori & Carl |
Publication Details
The Walking Dead is published in black-and-white by Image Comics. The series was created by writer Robert Kirkman and artist Tony Moore, who worked on the first six issues.
Charlie Adlard took over as series artist, starting with issue #7. Adlard’s black-and-white art defines the visual style of the series. The stark contrast adds to the bleak tone.
In 2013, Image Comics began releasing a colorized version with Charlie Adlard’s art colored by Dave McCaig. This allowed readers to experience the series in a new format while preserving the integrity of Adlard’s original pencils.
The series has generally been published on a monthly schedule since 2003, with occasional planned breaks between story arcs. On rare occasions, the title has experienced short delays, but Kirkman maintains a consistent pace of content creation after nearly 20 years.
Awards and Recognition
The Walking Dead has enjoyed substantial critical acclaim over its run. It won the prestigious Eisner Award for Best Continuing Series in 2010, 2012, and 2013. This cemented its status as a modern classic comic series.
The Walking Dead #1 by Kirkman and Moore also won the Eisner Award for Best New Series in 2004. Charlie Adlard’s black-and-white art was specifically cited in the 2004 award.
In 2010, AMC premiered an adapted television series also titled The Walking Dead. The TV show follows the same premise and characters and has become a record-breaking hit across 11 seasons as of 2023.
Extended Franchise
Given its popularity, The Walking Dead has spawned various additional media set within the same fictional universe:
- Novels and prose fiction
- Web series documenting other character stories
- Virtual reality games allow fans to experience the world
- Traditional video games with new storylines
- Mobile games featuring puzzles and RPG mechanics
- Special edition comics and compendium releases
These extended media offerings cater to hardcore fans seeking more content. They also help introduce new audiences by providing accessible jumping-on points into the franchise.
The world of The Walking Dead holds inherent rich narrative potential limited only by imagination. Fans globally have responded positively as the franchise continues expanding across formats.
6 Best Walking Dead Comics ( Notable Volumes )
1. Days Gone Bye
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Kirkman, Robert (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 146 Pages - 05/12/2004 (Publication Date) - Image - Skybound (Publisher)
In this first volume spanning issues #1-6, protagonist Rick Grimes awakens from his coma alone in an abandoned Kentucky hospital. He soon discovers the zombie epidemic has struck while he was unconscious.
Rick encounters the first walkers and then survivors Morgan and Duane Jones, who explain the government urged people to head to major cities for protection before society collapsed. Desperate to find his missing wife Lori and young son Carl, Rick arms himself and rides a horse to Atlanta.
Arriving in the overrun city, Rick helps rescue a group of trapped survivors just in time, including Lori and Carl. The group then flees the city seeking safety. Lori reveals she leaned on Shane for support in Rick’s absence, straining her marriage.
| Volume | Issues |
|---|---|
| Days Gone Bye | #1-6 |
2. Miles Behind Us
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Kirkman, Robert (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 138 Pages - 12/27/2006 (Publication Date) - Image - Skybound (Publisher)
This volume covering issues #7-12 follows the group of survivors on the road away from Atlanta. Tensions run high over their next move and supplies run low.
Lori reveals to Rick she is pregnant but the paternity is uncertain. Rick deals with Shane’s rivalry amidst the group’s debates over the next move. They face more dangerous herds of walkers and violent human survivors. Several are killed or left behind along their desperate journey.
| Volume | Issues |
|---|---|
| Miles Behind Us | #7-12 |
3. Safety Behind Bars
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Kirkman, Robert (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 139 Pages - 04/18/2007 (Publication Date) - Image - Skybound (Publisher)
In this volume including issues #13-18, the group discovers a seemingly abandoned prison. They view it as finally a chance at security. However, the prison holds secrets and hidden walkers that challenge their occupancy.
As the group clears the prison yard and cell blocks, some are bitten and die. Tyreese’s daughter Julie is unable to handle this world and commits suicide. The group debates whether the dangers of the prison outweigh the possibility of it being a sanctuary.
| Volume | Issues |
|---|---|
| Days Gone Bye | #13-18 |
4. The Heart’s Desire
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Kirkman, Robert (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 134 Pages - 11/30/2005 (Publication Date) - Image - Skybound (Publisher)
This volume spanning issues #19-24 has the group settling into the prison, finally finding a stable refuge. However, they soon encounter survivors living just outside the prison who challenge the group’s safety.
Rick meets widowed Michonne, who joins the group. However, the Governor leads a dangerous group of survivors based in a nearby town called Woodbury. Conflict brews as the Governor lays claim to the prison while the survivors assert their new community.
| Volume | Issues |
|---|---|
| Days Gone Bye | #19-24 |
5. The Best Defense
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Kirkman, Robert (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 135 Pages - 09/27/2006 (Publication Date) - Image - Skybound (Publisher)
In this volume covering issues #25-30, Rick’s group faces their biggest threat yet in the form of the Governor and his armed followers at Woodbury. The Governor initiates violent conflict, forcing Rick to decide how far to go in defending themselves.
The Governor’s assault leaves the prison damaged and members of Rick’s group dead. The Governor himself is brutally beaten by Michonne. Rick contemplates whether their humanity can remain intact with the extreme measures needed for survival against the Governor.
| Volume | Issues |
|---|---|
| Days Gone Bye | #25-30 |
6. This Sorrowful Life
- Amazon Kindle Edition
- Kirkman, Robert (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 134 Pages - 05/02/2007 (Publication Date) - Image - Skybound (Publisher)
The volume including issues #31-36 shows the group broken following the carnage against the Governor’s forces. They struggle to recover at the damaged prison. Rick wonders if survival is worth the moral costs as he tries to restore some semblance of community.
The Governor himself returns, secretly kidnapping Hershel and Michonne. After a deadly standoff, Rick and his group ultimately dispatch the Governor for good but are left wondering if they have sacrificed too much of their humanity.
| Volume | Issues |
|---|---|
| Days Gone Bye | #31-36 |
Conclusion
The Walking Dead stands out as a seminal comic series that defined the zombie genre for modern audiences. Its compelling storytelling about people searching for hope in a post-apocalyptic landscape resonates deeply.
The series remains captivating with its stark black-and-white visual style as survivors face unimaginable adversity. For fans of gripping drama about people tested to their core, The Walking Dead delivers an engrossing experience unmatched in comics.
