Zombie. These are classic horror characters. Artists, writers, directors and other creative fraternities never tire of returning to the theme of the zombie apocalypse, time after time trying to dilute it with fresh ideas, but such attempts are rarely successful. The authors of the comics "The Walking Dead" (The Walking Dead) did not reinvent the wheel, focusing on human relationships against the backdrop of an unfolding disaster and slowly wandering zombies, thereby hitting the bull’s eye.
The first episode of The Walking Dead was released in 2003 and did not immediately attract everyone's attention. But new issues appeared on the shelves of thematic stores every month, gradually unfolding before readers the story of Rick Grimes, a former deputy sheriff who was wounded and fell into a coma in the world we are familiar with, and regained consciousness after the disaster. The causes of the disaster itself have not been fully elucidated, but there is every reason to believe that it occurred due to the fault of the military, who were testing a certain virus and lost control over their own brainchild. So, when he comes to his senses, all Rick sees is desolation, destruction and zombies.
Next, a story unfolds in which Rick will become the main character. First, he goes to Atlanta in search of his family, and then he leads a whole group of surviving people gathered around him, trying with all their might to survive in the current conditions. But the main emphasis in the comic is not on confrontation with the living dead, but on interpersonal relationships. The new conditions erased all boundaries of morality and ethics, becoming fertile ground for the development of the basest human qualities. Ultimately, the main danger to survivors comes from other survivors. And the heroes constantly have to step over themselves, acting on the edge, because this is the only way to stay afloat.
Besides Rick, the main characters are his wife and son, whom he finally finds, as well as a number of other characters who can claim to be the main ones only until the moment of their death, which occurs here more often than one might expect. The story in the comic is generally presented quite harshly, which may scare off a certain part of the audience, but many others loved the series precisely for this. After all, if you know that every hero can die at any moment, you begin to really worry about them.
The gloomy atmosphere is complemented by the black and white visual style of The Walking Dead, the main vector of which was set by one of the authors of the idea, Tony Moore, and was developed by Cliff Rathburn and Charlie Adlard. The series is published by Image Comics. Initially, it was planned to limit it to a hundred issues, but the wild success that came over time changed the original plans of the creators. As a result, on at the moment 139 issues have been published and the authors, apparently, are not going to stop.
Speaking of zombies. In the comic, they are presented in their “classic” form - unhurried, stupid, half-decayed. Every person turns into a zombie after death, because the virus is transmitted by airborne droplets, so for zombification, the heroes only need to die in any way - they are all infected. A zombie bite does not turn a person into a walking dead, but the monsters’ saliva contains something from which a person still dies, after which he is resurrected as an undead. Zombies in the comics are not eternal - they lose activity in the cold season, decompose over time until they turn into a skeleton and lose the ability to move.
The corpses are also killed in the best traditions of the genre - it is necessary to break their skull, damaging the central nervous system.
Reading the comic book The Walking Dead is difficult, but exciting. It’s difficult because the atmosphere of hopelessness, constant suspense and emotional tension exhaust the reader himself. It's fascinating - because the plot constantly presents new challenges and the desire to find out how it all ends does not recede.
It’s no wonder that the series was transferred to television screens, which the AMC channel took care of, putting in the director’s chair not just anyone, but Frank Darabont, who directed such films as The Shawshank Redemption and Green Mile. Tony Moore and comic book writer Robert Kirkman acted as consultants, and the main roles were played by Andrew Lincoln, Chandler Riggs, Norman Reedus and other actors. In general, the series also went off with a bang - the 5th season is currently underway, the first episode of which showed incredible ratings, attracting 17.3 million viewers in the US, which became a record for AMC.
A computer game was made based on the comic, and if you are a fan of the series, you will probably be satisfied with it.
To summarize, The Walking Dead comic book series became one of the most popular in the 2000s, captivating with its harshness and tension. The authors, to the delight of fans, are not going to stop releasing new episodes, so the adventures of Rick Grams will continue. In Russia, the comic is officially published by the publishing house “42”, but you can easily download its amateur translations on the Internet or read it online.
Copyright © 2011 by Robert Kirkman and Jay Bonansinga
© A. Shevchenko, translation into Russian, 2015
© AST Publishing House LLC, 2015
Acknowledgments
Robert Kirkman, Brendan Deneen, Andy Cohen, David Alpert, Stephen Emery and everyone good people from the "Circle of Dispersion"! Thank you so much!
Jay
Jay Bonansinga, Alpert and the entire Dispersion Circle, the lovely people at Image Comics and Charlie Edlard, our helmsman - hats off to you!
Rosenman, Rosenbaum, Simonian, Lerner and, of course, Brendan Deneen - please accept my deepest respect!
Robert
Hollow people
Terror gripped him. It was difficult to breathe. My legs gave way from fear. Brian Blake dreamed of a second pair of hands. Then he could cover his ears with his palms so as not to hear the sound of crumbling human skulls. Unfortunately, he only had two hands, with which he covered the tiny ears of the little girl, who was trembling with fear and despair. She was only seven. It was dark in the closet where they hid, and from outside they could hear the dull crack of breaking bones. But suddenly there was silence, which was broken only by someone’s careful steps across the pools of blood on the floor and an ominous whisper somewhere in the hallway.
Brian coughed again. He had been suffering from a cold for several days now, and he couldn’t do anything about it. Georgia usually gets cold and damp in the fall. Every year, Brian spends the first week of September in bed, trying to get rid of an annoying cough and runny nose. Damn dampness penetrates to the bones, draining all your strength. But this time I won’t be able to rest. He started coughing, squeezing little Penny's ears tighter. Brian knew they would be heard, but... what could he do?
Nothing is visible. At least poke out your eyes. Only colored fireworks exploding under closed eyelids from every coughing fit. The closet—a cramped box at most a meter wide and a little more deep—smelled of mice, moth repellent, and old wood. Plastic bags with clothes hung from above, constantly touching my face, and this made me want to cough even more. In fact, Philip, Brian's younger brother, told him to cough as much as he could. Yes, even cough up all your lungs to hell, but if you suddenly infect a girl, blame yourself. Then another skull will crack – Brian’s. When it came to his daughter, it was better not to joke with Philip.
The attack is over.
A few seconds later, heavy footsteps were heard outside again. Brian hugged his little niece tighter when she shuddered from another monstrous roulade. The crack of a splitting skull in D minor, Brian thought with dark humor.
One day he opened his own audio CD store. The business failed, but remained forever in his soul. And now, sitting in the closet, Brian heard music. This one probably plays in hell. Something in the spirit of Edgard Varèse or a John Bonham drum solo on cocaine. The heavy breathing of people... the shuffling steps of the living dead... the whistle of an ax cutting through the air and piercing into human flesh...
...and, finally, that disgusting slurping sound with which the lifeless body falls onto the slippery parquet floor.
Silence again. Brian felt a chill run down his spine. His eyes gradually got used to the darkness, and through the gap he saw a trickle of thick blood. Looks like machine oil. Brian gently pulled the girl's hand, dragging her into the depths of the closet, into a pile of umbrellas and boots against the far wall. There’s no point in her looking at what’s going on outside.
Still, blood managed to splatter on the baby’s dress. Penny noticed a red stain on the hem and began to frantically rub the fabric.
Straightening up after another crushing attack, Brian grabbed the girl and gently pressed her to him. He didn't understand how to calm her down. What can I say? He would have liked to whisper something encouraging to his niece, but his head was empty.
If her father were here... Yes, Philip Blake could cheer her up. Philip always knew what to say. He always said exactly what people wanted to hear. And he always backed up his words with actions – just like now. Now he's out there with Bobby and Nick, doing what he has to do while Brian cowers in the closet like a scared hare and tries to figure out how to calm his niece down.
Brian was always a runt, even though he was born the first of three sons in the family. Five meters tall (if you count his heels), black faded jeans, a torn T-shirt, a thin goatee, unkempt dark hair in the style of Ichabod Crane from Sleepy Hollow and braided bracelets on his arms - even at thirty-five he remained a kind of Peter Pan, forever stuck somewhere between high school and freshman year.
Brian took a deep breath and looked down. Little Penny's moist doe eyes glinted in the beam of light that leaked through the crack between the closet doors. She had always been a quiet girl, like a porcelain doll - small, thin, with airy features and jet-black curls - and after her mother's death she completely withdrew into herself. It was hard for her, although she didn’t show it, and yet the pain of loss was constantly reflected in her huge, sad eyes.
Penny had barely spoken a word in the past three days. Of course they were very unusual days and children usually recover from shocks faster than adults, but Brian was afraid that the girl would become withdrawn for the rest of her life.
“Everything will be fine, honey,” Brian whispered, clearing his throat.
Penny muttered something in response without looking up. A tear rolled down her stained cheek.
- What, Pen? – Brian asked, carefully wiping wet marks from the girl’s face.
Penny muttered something again, but it didn't seem like she was talking to Brian. He listened. The girl whispered again and again, like some kind of mantra, prayer or spell:
- It will never be good again. Never, never, never, never...
- Shhh...
Brian hugged the baby to his chest, feeling the heat of her face, flushed from tears, even through the T-shirt. Outside, the sound of an ax piercing flesh was heard again, and Brian hastily covered the girl's ears. A picture of bursting bones and slimy gray pulp splashing in all directions arose before my eyes.
The crack of the skull being opened vividly reminded Brian of a baseball bat hitting a wet ball, and the splash of blood was like the sound of a wet rag plopping onto the floor. Another body fell to the floor with a thud, and, oddly enough, at that moment Brian was most worried about the fact that the tiles on the floor might break. Expensive, clearly custom-made, with intricate inlay and Aztec patterns. Yes, it was a cozy house...
And again silence.
Brian barely suppressed another attack. The cough was bursting out like a champagne cork, but Brian held it in last bit of strength so as not to miss sounds coming from outside. He expected that now he would again hear someone’s strained breathing, shuffling steps, and wet slurping underfoot. But everything was quiet.
And then, in complete silence, there was a soft click and the door handle began to turn. Brian's hair stood on end, but he didn't have time to really get scared. The closet door swung open and a living person appeared behind it.
- Everything is clean! – said Philip Blake in a hoarse, smoky baritone, peering into the depths of the closet. His hot face was glistening with sweat, and his strong, muscular hand was clutching a massive ax.
“The Walking Dead” is one of the most successful TV series of all time. The show is based on the comic book series of the same name. Many characters, locations and storylines. However, the creators of the series did not completely copy the graphic novel and proposed some rethinking of the story.
Here are 11 major differences between the TV show and the Walking Dead comic book series:
1 In the series, Rick still has 2 arms.
In the comic, the Governor cut off right hand Rick after Rick refused to give up information about the location of his camp.
Unlike other changes the series has undergone, this decision was due to practical reasons, as the need for constant change appearance main character would be too expensive. Andrew Lincoln has repeatedly stated that he wants his character to lose his arm, and he spent two seasons trying to convince the creators to take this step, but they decided to abandon this plot twist.
2 Romantic relationships
There are romances in the comics that didn't make it into the series, and there are relationships that appeared in the series that didn't appear in the graphic novel. In the comics, Andrea was never in a relationship with The Governor, but she dated Dale and then Rick. IN television show, Michonne began a relationship with Rick, but in the comics she dated Morgan and Tyreese, who in turn left Carol. Abraham and Rosita were a couple on the show and in the comic, but in the TV show the couple broke up because of Abraham's feelings for Sasha, not because of an Alexandria resident named Holly. To top it all off, in the comic, Karl was dating Sofia.
3 Character Deaths
In the series, Bob is attacked by cannibals who eat his leg, to which he only taunts them by saying that he was bitten and they are eating contaminated meat. In the comics, this fate befell Dale (who in the series had already died by that time). In the comics, the Governor beheaded Tyreese with a katana; in the television show, Hershel died with this death.
4 Shane received a more significant role in the series
Shane had a relatively small role in the comic. He acted as the first antagonist, but died in the first volume, even before the group left Atlanta. His role in the television series spanned 2 seasons and he acted as Rick's friend/enemy throughout that time. While Shane's relationship with Lori in the comics only lasted one night, in the series their relationship was much more than that, creating additional tension between Shane, Lori, and Rick.
Shane's death is another example of how the series changed comic book history. In the series, Rick kills Shane in self-defense, and then Carl shoots Shane, who has transformed into a zombie. In the comic, Carl shoots Shane after he sees him attack his father, after which Rick kills zombie Shane.
5 Birth and death of Judith
In the television show, Laurie Grimes dies giving birth to Judith in prison. In the comic, Laurie and Judith have completely different fates. When Woodbury was attacked by the Governor, Lilly hit Laurie, who was carrying Judith to safety, with a shot. Laurie's body fell and covered the newborn baby, killing Judith.
In the series, Judith currently lives in Alexandria. It is never clear who her biological father is, Rick or Shane. But Rick is not concerned about this issue and loves Jujit with all his heart.
6 Daryl Dixon
Daryl Dixon is a clear favorite character among viewers. The wild popularity that the hashtag generated - if Daryl dies, we will start a riot. It has no analogues in the comic book series. It was created specifically for actor Norman Reedus after he auditioned for the role of Rick. The creative team loved the actor's performance so much that they created a character specifically for him.
7 T-Dog, Beth Greene and Sasha Williams
Daryl is not the only character who was created specifically for the television series. T-Dog (Theodore Douglas), Beth Greene and Sasha Williams appeared on television and have no analogues in the comics.
While Hershel's other children were in the comics, Beth only appeared in the TV show, partially filling the place of Sophia, who died in the TV show but not in the comics. Sonequa Martin-Green, who plays Sasha, auditioned for the role of Michonne, but ended up playing a character that was created specifically for her. After Andrea's death in the series, Sasha received some personal qualities and Andrea's skills.
8 Terminus and the Wolves weren't in the comics
Terminus and the Wolves have comic book counterparts, but their names and characters have been changed. The prototype of Terminus was the Hunters, a group of warlike cannibals. While the Hunters were constantly on the move, Terminus became a place that acted as a large-scale trap for survivors. The Wolves are based on the Scavengers, an antagonistic group that threatened the safety of Alexandria.
9 Douglas Monroe and Deanna Monroe
In the comics, the leader of Alexandria was Douglas Monroe, in the series - Deanna Monroe. Douglas and Dianna are so different that it is impossible to imagine what these two will find common language at the meeting.
Both are former congressmen, but while Douglas is a highly promiscuous man who tried to convince several members of Rick's group to sleep with him, Dianna is a pragmatic realist who is constantly looking for ways to improve the lives of the people of Alexandria.
10 In the comics, Sofia is alive and Carol is dead.
In the second season of The Walking Dead, Sofia died suddenly, but in the comic book series, Sofia is still alive. Maggie and Glenn took custody of her after her mother died, and Sofia was, as stated, dating Carl.
In the comics, Carol commits suicide after discovering that Tyreese cheated on her with Michonne. That Carol is a completely different person - she is playful and flirty and even suggested a threesome to Rick and Lori. Instead, “TV Carol” is calculating and manipulative.
11 Andrea
Before her death on the television series, Andrea was an extremely unpopular character. But in the comics, Andrea didn't die partly because she was never in a relationship with the Governor. Instead, he becomes a highly skilled marksman, which mirrors Sasha's development in the series. She's also been dating Rick for so long that Carl calls her mom.
Genre: Action, Horror
The plot of this comic is as simple as in any trash movie about zombies. The brave cop Rick lives in an ordinary American town, a quiet and peaceful place where everyone knows each other. In his life he has never had to use his service weapon, the salary is good, he has a wife and son, what else is needed to be happy? But one day everything changes, a prisoner who escaped from prison shot Rick and he lay in a coma for an indefinite period of time.
So, being injured while doing work, Rick Grimes woke up after a coma in the hospital. However, the hospital is empty. He wanders the corridors looking for staff, but finds something completely different. A crowd of zombies. Fearing for his life, Rick returns home to find his family. However, everything around is overrun with zombies. In search of his family, Rick goes to Atlanta...
For some unknown reason, the dead all over the Earth are coming back to life, spreading death and destruction around them. People forced into confined spaces reveal their darkest traits. Who is destined to survive the Zombie Apocalypse?... The plot mixes clichés from all kinds of zombie films, and according to creator Robert Kirkman, when creating the plot he was greatly impressed by the films of George Romero.
I immediately warn fans of blood and dismemberment, but there is plenty of it here, as well as violence and cruelty, I would not even recommend reading this comic for younger and middle-aged people school age. However, the entire comic is in black and white.
In October 2003 American writer Robert Kirkman creates his first comic book series as part of the Image Comics publishing house. The Walking Dead The production of which continues to this day. The comic received an Eisner Award in 2010 as best episode, and also based on its plot, the filming of a series of the same name begins. The series serves as the impetus for the creation of the series computer games and publishing books.
On the pages of the comic, the author introduces the reader to The Walking Dead in their classic look borrowed from 1970s films created by George Romero. An infected person dies, and then is resurrected and in the first hours of his life after death shows the greatest activity and speed. Over time, become slower and less active. Zombies are also presented to the audience in varying degrees of decomposition into hollows to almost complete skeletonized creatures. The main irritant and stimulus to action are loud sounds. The specific smell of zombies is the only way to distinguish their dead relatives from living people, which the main characters periodically use to survive, smearing themselves with the blood of the dead in order to blend in with the crowd of zombies. The main diet of the walking dead includes not only people, but also various animals (which, for inexplicable reasons, cannot turn into zombies). The only way to permanently kill the walking dead is to damage their central nervous system by piercing the skull with a heavy object. Cutting off the head does not guarantee their final death. Initially, the method of infection was considered to be a bite, but later it became obvious that the culprit was a virus (a biological weapon developed by the military) transmitted by airborne droplets. And why any death leads to subsequent resurrection.
The southern line of the comic revolves around the main character, a former police officer, Rick Grimes, who, together with a group of survivors of the zombie apocalypse, is trying to somehow survive and improve his life. In addition to the walking dead, the group he assembled has to confront other survivors as well.
Currently, the series consists of 28 volumes, which include 168 issues of comics plus 8 special issues. It is published in black and white, which does not interfere with conveying to the reader all the horror and pain of the characters. Explicit scenes of violence and cruelty place the comic in the 18+ section.
- Arc 1: Days Gone Bye (eng. Days Gone Bye) issues 1 to 6;
- Arc 2: Miles Behind Us (English: Miles Behind Us) issues 7 to 12;
- Arc 3: Safety Behind Bars (Eng. Safety Behind Bars) issues 13 to 18;
- Arc 4: The Heart's Desire (English: The Heart's Desire) issues 19 to 24;
- Arc 5: The Best Defense (English: The Best Defense) issues 25 to 30;
- Arc 6: This Sorrowful Life (English: This Sorrowful Life) issues 31 to 36;
- Arc 7: The Calm Before... issues 37 to 42;
- Arc 8: Made To Suffer (English: Made To Suffer) issues 43 to 48;
- Arc 9: Here We Remain (English: Here We Remain) issues 49 to 54;
- Arc 10: What We Become (English: What We Become) issues 55 to 60;
- Arc 11: Fear The Hunters issues 61 to 66;
- Arc 12: Life Among Them (English: Life Among Them) issues 67 to 72;
- Arc 13: Too Far Gone (English: Too Far Gone) issues 73 to 78;
- Arc 14: No Way Out (issues 79 to 84);
- Arc 15: We Find Ourselves (Eng. We Find Ourselves) issues from 85 to 90;
- Arc 16: A Larger World issues 91 to 96;
- Arc 17: Something To Fear (English: Something To Fear) issues 97 to 102;
- Arc 18: What Comes After (English: What Comes After) issues 103 to 108;
- Arc 19: March to War issues 109 to 114;
- Arc 20: All Out War - Part One (Eng. All Out War - Part One) issues 115 to 120;
- Arc 21: All Out War - Part Two (English: All Out War - Part Two) issues 121 to 126;
- Arc 22: A New Beginning (English: A New Beginning) issues 127 to 132;
- Arc 23: Whispers into Screams (issues 133 to 138);
- Arc 24: Life And Death issues 139 to 144;
- Arc 25: No way back (eng. No way back) issues from 145 to 150;
- Arc 26: Call To Arms (English: Call To Arms) issues 151 to 156;
- Arc 27: The Whisperer War issues 157 to 162;
- Arc 28: Issues 163 to 168.
Trailer for season 6 of The Walking Dead.