The Walking Dead Volume 1: Days Gone Bye - Robert Kirkman

Neverending Story...

... in the best sense. Volume 1 of the Walking Dead would make for a perfect zombie film in and of itself. The fact that there are already another 7 anthologies awaiting the readers seemed frankly too good to be true (I've rarely been happier to be wrong). When I read Robert Kirkman's forward to this first volume, I remembered the feeling of seeing the credits roll after my favorite movie ended, that agony of having to leave characters and places without knowing if I would ever get to see them again (this is admittedly not so much a problem for the youth of today in this age of infinite Disney sequels). The Walking Dead is an answer to that pain... Kirkman's goal is to spin a story that tells you What Happens Next. And unlike the eternal sequels we have come to expect from Hollywood, these stories aren't endless iterations on the same theme... they instead show the evolutions of each of the characters in this world after civilization's fall.

Kirkman's writing is sharp and believable (at least it covered how I think people would talk if being chased by zombies). The relationships are vital and poignant, thus capturing another crucial element of the zombie genre. Tony Moore's art in this first volume is extraordinary. The story is told as much from the images and expressions of the characters as it is in the writing - Kirkman and Moore created an amazing tapestry in these first 6 issues. I was genuinely moved.

Now to grouse a bit. Moore only drew the first 6 issues, contained in this volume. Other than the covers of the ensuing anthologies, that's all you get of Moore, which was a bit of a rude shock when I opened Volume Two - Charlie Adlard took the reins in Issue #7. Adlard has made the series his own, and done a great job of it, but I still miss the look and feel of those first 6 issues.

That said, I think that the comic has transformed from a great idea into a worthy epic part of the Modern Zombie Canon (Simpon Pegg even pens the after-ward of one of the later volumes).

Now you'd better stop reading and click the "Buy" button. It's time that you met Rick.

intro to a awesome series

I love the walking dead series and this book is a great introduction of the main characters. It sets the tone for the rest of the series. Everything is in black and white, but the art is wonderful. The story draws you in. It makes you think what it would be like if you suddenly awoke in a world full of zombies.

Zombie horror and subtle drama can exist in one story

Visceral horror and subtle ongoing character serial combine to make "The Walking Dead" one of the most engaging comic-book series currently being produced. This initial volume, "Days Gone Bye", takes the first six issues of the Image Comics series and edits them together into one seamless (no easy feat when it comes to compilations) 130-plus page epic. Subsequent volumes collect later issues, with new volumes coming out like clockwork once there are six new issues of the monthly comic book to collect.

With its realistic looking characters (no abs-of-steel guys or buxom bimbos here) and gritty day-to-day situations (often horrifying but never over-the-top with silly horror movie situations), "The Walking Dead" is a comic book that doesn't feel "comic-booky", and would be a good title to recommend to friends who don't normally read comics. If they enjoy horror stories, that is.

Quibbles? Robert Kirkman is telling a great story here, but sometimes the word balloons can be a little dense with verbiage. These characters DO go on a bit. But that's really about it.

As this is a comic book, I guess I should touch on the visuals. Tony Moore's art is wonderful: detailed, subtle, yet fast-moving, if that's way to describe comic book art. What I mean is that the art makes your eye fly from panel to panel, drinking in the action. But his detail and subtlety make the quiet scenes resonate the way they should, too. Though Charlie Adlard's art in future volumes is perfectly fine, and has its own plusses, for my money the series never looked better than in this initial collection.

Give "The Walking Dead" a try. Its unusual mix of subtle artistry and firing-on-all-cylinders outright horror will grab you and keep you coming back for more.

START HERE AND BUY THEM ALL

just like lays potato chips . the best zombie saga that george r. never wrote . all the books are compelling . i don't even miss the color . kirkman rocks .

Not the best intro, but it's VERY worth it to keep going

Some of the more negative reviews of this first Walking Dead book are quite merited. In many ways it feels derivative, even a bit lazy. I'd only like to add that the series does get better, a whole heck of a lot better. Read this first one just so you can get to know the characters, but if you're feeling put off, do yourself a favor and keep going. By the time I was halfway through the second book I was hooked hooked hooked, and I devoured the rest of them as fast as I could. These have some of the best character development I've ever seen in any media, let alone in comic books, which are NOT known for their depth.

Kirkman has made a decent name for himself in this business, and The Walking Dead series is a fantastic testament to his deserving respect.