The Walking Dead

"How many hours are in a day when you don't spend half of them watching television? When is the last time any of us REALLY worked to get something that we wanted? How long has it been since any of us really NEEDED something that we WANTED? The world we knew is gone. The world of commerce and frivolous necessity has been replaced by a world of survival and responsibility. An epidemic of apocalyptic proportions has swept the globe causing the dead to rise and feed on the living. In a matter of months society has crumbled, no government, no grocery stores, no mail delivery, no cable tv. In a world ruled by the dead, we are forced to finally start living."

Zombies. This word usually brings to mind an image we have all seen in George Romero films of the dead brainlessly roaming around, mumbling incoherent grunts and attempting to survive by feeding on the living. Scary? Of course. Also a little bit funny? Sometimes. But for anyone who has ever given the ideas of zombies roaming the earth more than just a passing thought, The Walking Dead is the comic book for you. 

I personally hadn't thought too much about zombies, nor am I much of a zombie fanatic. That is until I started reading The Walking Dead. Upon the recommendation of a close friend I started my descent into the apocalyptic world of Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman. Writer Kirkman, along with artists Charlie Adlar, Cliff Rathburn, and Tony Moore follow the story of our main character Rick Grimes. 

The story begins with Rick, a small town Kentucky police officer, being shot during an altercation with an unruly man. The story then picks up with Rick waking up from a coma which we don't know how long he has been in. The world in which Rick awakes is the not one that he remembers living in prior to being shot. The hospital has been overrun by zombies. When Rick makes an attempt to return home, he encounters more zombies, as well as strangers living in his house. His family is gone and doesn't know where to. 

This may all sound similar to many zombie stories that have already been told. But what sets The Walking Dead apart from it's predecessors is it's focus on the people going through the zombie induced trauma. Of course there is gore aplenty. If you're into seeing humans ripped apart and eaten like a gourmet meal, it's here. And it looks pretty good too. The artwork is nothing revolutionary. But while the zombies may resemble many zombies you've seen before, it's still no less shocking to see in black and white, humans, or some sort of living dead for that matter, eating other humans. But as I said before, the main focus is on the emotion this type of setting causes. 

The character development in this comic is excellent. It takes a little time to get to know the main characters. But there is someone for everyone to like. Although, during the course of trying to survive, the pressure may prove to be too much for some of your favorite characters. But that is the beauty of the story. People go crazy. Others rise to the occasion and take control of situations. Some just follow the lead. Much like real life, some people react extraordinarily in extraordinary situations and some don't. The people in this story is real. Their emotions and actions are real. And this comic is what happens when people stop being polite and starting getting real about zombies.

Give it a read. It will make you start wondering what you would do if all of a sudden the dead started feasting on the living. 

Official Walking Dead Site: The Walking Dead