JimmyGlenn!!!

Wednesday means...







THE WALKING DEAD!

Horror, despite its cult following, is usually a hard topic for the general public to swallow, but I don't know that I would classify The Walking Dead as horror. Don't get me wrong, the name isn't a clever play on words; this book is about a world overrun by zombies. However, as is the case with LOST, The Walking Dead takes a sci-fi/horror-inspired concept and world and makes it relate-able through extremely realistic and identifiable characters and situations.

Where most zombie-related media focuses on the gore or the action, The Walking Dead (TWD) presents a very personal look at the effects of such a disaster on the people, and society. More importantly, unlike a movie, TWD presents the long term effects. As a reader you notice the distinct changes in the characters as time passes.

On that front, both writer Robert Kirkman, and artist Charlie Adlard, shine. The reader doesn't only see the physical effects, the wear and tear of the disaster, but you read them too. The witty remarks, and the positive attitudes that were initially present in the series are now replaced by a cold callous demeanour.


Also, as a reader, you are privy to the somewhat forced evolution that the disaster causes on society. As more characters enter the story, we see that it takes a very specific type of person is suited to survive in this type of world. The series youngest character Carl, a ten or eleven year-old kid, was initially written as such, impulsive, immature, and naive. Now, though only a year or more has passed, Carl is worlds away from what he once was. It's in his cold, hardened demeanour and blunt remarks that the series' mission statement is most apparent.

As I already stated, the series focuses more on the effects of this world on its characters then it does on the actual monsters, its not uncommon for an issue or more to go by without zombies. However, hardcore horror fans will notice right away that series creator Robert Kirkman is a horror film/Romero fan at heart. There are many allusions to zombie film legend George Romero's work.

Finally, violence (this is a very violent book at times) is always present in the book, but unlike most horror/zombie related stories, the violence is not over-done. This book does not feature glorified violence. I am not one to be attracted to violence in comics, movies or TV, but in the context of TWD, you except the violence for what it is, a means for survival.

All in all, The Walking Dead is a rock-solid book, aside from it's somewhat notoriously inconsistent shipping schedule. I highly recommend you check it out, either get the first trade and start from the beginning, or start picking it up now(as it just finished a somewhat major story-arch a few months back). Take it from the guy who's favorite zombie movie is Shaun of the Dead, you don't need to like horror to enjoy this book.


-Don't use the Zed word!