Walking Dead

[Phildo]

Has anyone read The Walking Dead?  The guy at my local comic shop raves about it every time I go in, and I'd like a second opinion.

[Velorath]

Thread here from a couple years back.

About to head off to work right now, but I'll give my updated thoughts on the series later.

[Ironwood]

It got real shite real quick.

First 4 books are good.

[Velorath]

One of the biggest problems is that the book typically doesn't come out on schedule, and then when an issue does come out, not a whole lot happens.  It definitely reads better in TPB's than it does buying single issues.  The other problem is that in later issues, the zombies have been kinda marginalized, and after the first couple of arcs, the only characters that seem to get killed off are the expendable ones.

At the very least Kirkman should have either shifted focus to another group of characters for a while or had a large time lapse between issues.  From issues #13 up to the current issue (#38) the group has been in the same location and the storyline has dragged on.  It's still a decent book most of the time, especially compared to most of what's out there, but it's been wasting a lot of its potential.

[murdoc]

I've just been getting the TPBs and absolutely loved it at first, the last two TPBs have been pretty meh though. I think I just skimmed the last TPB that came out just to get a gist of what happened.

I like Velorath's idea, Kirkman would help this series out quite a bit if he were to focus elsewhere for awhile and let some time pass for the "main characters".

[Phildo]

So it seems like you're saying it's an OK read, but I'd be better off with something else in the meantime?

[Raging Turtle]

If you have a free hour, go to Barnes and Noble and read them there.  The last couple (except the very last one, which had the new town) really sucked, and I'm glad I didn't actually spend money on them.   

And sweet jesus the artist who took over in the second book cannot draw proportionate children.

[Ironwood]

A new town ?


Damn.  The UK must be well behind.  We've just got the ones out where Michonne goes mental in murderville.

[murdoc]

A new town ?


Damn.  The UK must be well behind.  We've just got the ones out where Michonne goes mental in murderville.

That's the one I just skimmed, but I had the TPB version, so you must really be behind.

[Raging Turtle]

Checked on Amazon, the last one I read (with the new town) was Vol. 5.  Looks like Vol. 6 is out and Amazon wants me to pre-order Vol. 7 

[Velorath]

A new town ?


Damn.  The UK must be well behind.  We've just got the ones out where Michonne goes mental in murderville.

Think we're about 4 or 5 issues ahead.

[Ironwood]

Well, in that case I have a question :  Why the fuck do we have to wait so long between issues like you guys when we're not technically waiting for the writer and artist to get his shit together, we're waiting on, well, boxes shipping ?

 

[Velorath]

Well, in that case I have a question :  Why the fuck do we have to wait so long between issues like you guys when we're not technically waiting for the writer and artist to get his shit together, we're waiting on, well, boxes shipping ?

 

Not sure.  I can only imagine that it has something to do with Image.  From reading Paul O'Brien's reviews (he's in Scotland), I gather that most Marvel and DC comics come out the same week in the UK as they do in the US.

[Velorath]

In what seems to be an usual attempt to get back on schedule, issues #39 and 40 are both scheduled for release on Wednesday.

[HAMMER FRENZY]

I actually have been collecting this series from day 1 and I have to admit, it is SERIOUSLY wearing thin for me. I rally liked it for a long time, but I think it is getting boring. I am almost never satisfied when I pick up an issue and I feel like I read it now because I have been into it for so long. I was picking this and Conan and Punisher Max at the same time and I still get all of them but Conan and Punisher Max are freaking fantastic all the time, Walking Dead is really dragging bad.

[Velorath]

A few issues have hit in rapid succession (we're now up to #41).  Even with the death of one of the older characters at the end of the most recent issue, this book is still going to far into the realm of soap opera drama.  There have been some bright spots here and there.  More in the last few issue than there have been recently, but it's still a long way off from it's peak.  From interviews, I know Kirkman has a major story arc coming up, but he really needs to pick up the pace a bit and just get to it.

[Phildo]

It's funny how much the guys at my local store are still pimping this, despite what everyone else is saying about the consistency

[Velorath]

It's funny how much the guys at my local store are still pimping this, despite what everyone else is saying about the consistency

To be fair, even right now it's far from the worst book on the shelves.  Plus it has zombies, so people will forgive a lot of the bad stuff.  I can't think of too many books I could recommend to people right now without any hesistation.  Even less if we're talking about non-superhero stuff.  There's some good comics out there right now, but for people with only a passing interest in comics, I really haven't read anything lately where I want to tell people to go out of their way to get to a comic book shop and pick it up.

[HAMMER FRENZY]

Man I picked up the latest issue recently and I am kinda at a loss. I really don't know why I read this anymore. I have been collecting this book for 4 years. 4 fucking years, and the story has advanced like a year and a half. I hate that I can sum up what has happened in like 5 sentences. This book is molasses slow and no amount of poorly written characters being killed off or injured or raped or having limbs cut off is helping it for me. It really is just a fucking soap opera set tot a apocalyptic zombie backdrop. I am all for zombie stories, comics whatever. And in my opinion a good zombie ANYTHING has to focus on social commentary, interaction between characters and how they treat one another in shitty situations. While WD has a lot of this, it is really offset by rather boring characters.

I am pretty much convinced that it wont get better and will keep this slow pace with an occasional twist or addition, but I am only reading it now for the sake of completion. And that is freaking lame.

On another note. I really dislike the art in this book. It has sucked ever since Tony Moore Left. Adlard just is not as good as Moore and even if I only had 7 issues with Moore. They were the best drawn issues in my opinion. 

What really sucks is that Adlard doesn't suck. His Rock Bottom stuff was fucking great. IT is just the WD stuff that is not good. WTF....

[stu]

I totally agree. The fact that this has zombies in it is the only reason I bother to keep buying issues.  I was a bit disgusted by the drop in the quality of the art after Moore left. Those first few issues really bolstered the comic.

At first the idea of a zombie story that never ends was appealing to me, but what does it matter if the characters are so boring? This is Kirkman's book and will probably be the title that he will always be known for. Why isn't he challenging himself and taking some chances? I hoping that soon the whole lot of them get killed except maybe the sheriff's kid and the little girl. I'm guessing that keeping a monthly indie title on the racks is enough of a challenge for him, but hell, if David Lampham can push classic issues of Stray Bullets out month after month and still have time for Batman, then Kirkman should be able to as well.

[HaemishM]

Kirkman is writing too many books, which would explain why quality has dropped.

[HAMMER FRENZY]

Well at least Conan is still good hahah. Kirkman just needs to focus and get his crap together. And Adlard needs to abandon this style and go back to the Geof Darrow style art he had in Rock Bottom. This book would rock with that level of detail.

[Velorath]

Well, there goes a fuckton of characters.

[stu]

I haven't read the last couple issues, but it's about time!

[Velorath]

There's about 4-6 of the adults left alive after the last few issues.  It actually feels a bit like overcompensation.

[Phildo]

Tiny penis = zombie genocide?

[Velorath]

Tiny penis = zombie genocide?

Unfortunately the zombies are still pretty much just slow moving obstacles.  I don't think there were any deaths in the last couple issues that were zombie related mishaps.

[Raging Turtle]

A culling was necessary.  The characters had really started to blend together by the last issue I read.  The one that ends with the tanks, etc, lined up outside the prison. 

How many more issues have there been since that one?

[Velorath]

A culling was necessary.  The characters had really started to blend together by the last issue I read.  The one that ends with the tanks, etc, lined up outside the prison. 

How many more issues have there been since that one?

5 I think (#48 was the issue that just came out this week).

[Margalis]

I downloaded and skimmed the first 41 issues, can't say I'm impressed.

I wasn't a fan of the original artist but the newer one is far worse. All the faces are melty and weird, yes the kids look way off, etc. For a black and white book I'd expect much better use of dark space as well.

Way too much of characters doing really stupid things then being all "oh shit! Oh fuck!" when zombies show up. The world is overrun with zombies, what the hell do these idiots expect? Hey it's an abandoned store, guess I'll just stand here with my back to the entrance. Oh shit a zombie - big fucking surprise!

Given how played out zombies are at this point I expect the characters to have at least a bit of basic awareness. Not even awesome watched-every-zombie-movie awareness but basic common sense like when the world is overrun with zombies there are probably zombies around so you should be careful...you know basic stuff.

The character interaction parts (soap opera parts) and the zombie parts seem disconnected, they don't feed off of each other. (Har)

Also the action parts are poorly drawn. It's the typical characters are fighting zombies, then somehow even though zombies are slow as shit character finds himself surrounded by 10 zombies.

I'd say "for zombie fans only" but even that seems like a stretch. Big rotting thumbs down from me.

Edit: After about 10 issues the zombies are mostly window dressing anyway, and there is almost zero sense of horror or dread. You could replace the zombies with terrorists or evil dogs and it would be pretty much the same.

Also given the pace of the series I'd be pissed buying this per-issue.

[Velorath]

Necro -

Variety reports that AMC and Frank Darabont are trying to reach a deal to create a Walking Dead series.

AMC is venturing into zombie-drama territory with multi-hyphenate Frank Darabont.
Cabler is close to finalizing one of the richest development deals ever with Darabont to write and direct a series adaptation of the Image Comics graphic novel series "The Walking Dead," penned by Robert Kirkman. Gale Anne Hurd of Valhalla Motion Pictures and David Alpert of Circle of Confusion are also on board to exec produce.

Project is set among a group of zombie survivors of an apocalypse who are led by a police officer, Rick Grimes, in search of a safe place to live. Numerous editions of the "Walking Dead" graphic novels have been published since 2003.

Joel Stillerman, AMC's senior veep of programming, production and original content, said the project appealed to the cabler because of "the quality of the storytelling" in Kirkman's work. The series will stay faithful to the tone of the original novels, he said.

"This is not about zombies popping out of closets," Stillerman said. "This is a story about survival, and the dynamics of what happens when a group is forced to survive under these circumstances. The world (in 'Walking Dead') is portrayed in a smart, sophisticated way."

Stillerman noted that the cabler's annual "Fear Fest" movie showcase around Halloween is one of AMC's most popular programming events of the year.

"We've got an audience that loves this kind of material," he said.

Darabont and Hurd pitched the project to AMC and several other outlets. There is no studio attached yet. The duo's involvement made the project a must-have for the cabler, Stillerman said.

"These are two world-class filmmakers who are also brilliant storytellers with experience in the fantasy genre," he said.

[FatuousTwat]

I haven't read since #43... Should I bother catching up?

[Velorath]

I haven't read since #43... Should I bother catching up?

There's a pretty big change in direction a few issues after that, which culminates in issue #48.  By around #53-54 the status quo as it currently stands is set up.  Issue #64 comes out tomorrow, with the next big arc coming to the forefront.

Certainly it's better than a lot of the Prison stuff, which dragged on way too long and into soap opera territory, but it's still not as good as the early stuff.  I don't think the Governor was one of Kirkman's better ideas.  He just never felt like a believable character to me.  I also don't think Kirkman needed to kill off quite as many characters to finish off the Prison era, since it ended up feeling like he was trying to overcompensate for how slow the book had gotten.

I've also got some reservations about the arc that is currently starting, but it's still too early to tell.  #53-61 at least are solid issues though.  If you get to 53 or 54 and still don't like it, I think it's pretty safe for you to drop it at that point.

[FatuousTwat]

If I remember correctly, the reason I quit reading is because the prison section had dragged on for too long, so if that clears up right after I quit reading, I might as well try it again. Thanks.

[gryeyes]

Im about 10 comics or so behind. Good comic but I started to get a little bored with it. Check out Crossed for another take on zombie goodness.