MEANWHILE... The Walking Dead Compendium One

The Walking Dead Compendium One | Published by Image Comics

 Released May 2009

Welcome to another edition of Meanwhile... our irregular look at the world of comics and toy-related books. Today - as you've probably gathered - we're looking at Compendium One of The Walking Dead.

The Walking Dead Compendium One

The Walking Dead Compendium One is a hefty publication, clocking in at just shy of 1100 pages, on glossy, colour paper (despite being in ''black and white'' the comic is actually rendered in various shades of grey.) Although the RRP of almost $60 may seem a little on the high side, keep in mind that this is a collection of 48 comicbook issues.

So What's It All About?

First published in 2003, The Walking Dead is told from the perspective of Rick Grimes, a cop injured in a shoot-out at the opening of Issue #1, who awakens to find that the dead have risen and are now devouring the few living survivors that remain. 

Exploring this new world, Rick is eventually reunited with his wife and son, who've sought shelter with another group of survivors, lead by Rick's best friend, Shane. Realising their current location isn't safe, the group set out to find a new home, encountering more undead, picking up new allies and making enemies as they go.

From that it sounds like The Walking Dead is a retread of every other zombie/survivalist story out there, but that's where you'd be wrong. Yes, sometimes earlier issues stray into familiar territory (the opening issue, for example, seems to be heavily influenced by 28 Days Later - which in turn was of course influenced by The Day of the Triffids) and there is the obligatory moment where a loved-one returns from death to face their family, but what makes The Walking Dead work so well is that the focus is more about personal relationships and the interaction between the survivors than it is about the actual undead. Although a constant and deadly threat, the undead are only a backdrop against which the tale is played out as the protagonists battle (often quite literally) to forge a new society.

Writing

The Walking Dead is written by co-creator Robert Kirkman, whose previous works include writing duties on Captain America, The Fantastic Four and Marvel Zombies (so he's certainly at home among the undead) but it's The Walking Dead that's probably his most well-known work.

It's difficult to say much without giving away spoilers, but Robert Kirkman's work on the series is superb. As stated, he quickly transcends the usual zombie trappings to deliver a story much more about how people cope with an apocalypse, rather than the apocalypse itself. In many cases the threats to the group's wellbeing come from within, with power-struggles, breakdowns and the general stresses of the situation taking a greater toll on the group than the outside menace of the undead.

Kirkman's dialogue is smart but not contrived and has a natural flow to it. This isn't a four-coloured universe of wisecracking superheroes and beard-stroking villains. The people here are like you and I and that's reflected in the dialogue very well.

His narrative takes the survivors on quite the odyssey, encountering new friends and foes along the way. Kirkman handles these newcomers well, both as characters and narrative devices. Some characters who appear hostile may turn-out to be virtuous and good, whereas those presenting what appears to be salvation may not be all they seem. Even our heroes are faced with some serious soul-searching and their actions and decisions aren't always made for the best of reasons.

The pacing is excellent. The Walking Dead is not a comic you'll pick-up now and again. Once it's got its hooks into you, you'll read on until it's done. Anybody who's seen the TV adaptation may - like me - feel it was a little ponderous at times, but that's certainly not the case here. Kirkman deals with huge, life-changing events at a good pace, giving them enough time to register but without resorting to dragged-out sequences or overly lingering moments of grief. In the world of The Walking Dead, there's rarely time to grieve because danger is always a close companion and the series keeps-up at an incredible pace, reflecting the stressful and uncertain times the protagonists find themselves living through.

The writing is also much more logical than that of the TV adaptation. I found it annoying, for example, that Rick's bag of guns seemed to be the only weapons in the whole of Atlanta. That's addressed in the comic. Similarly, the fact that there are so many undead in the city and why people would go there is also covered.

(Interestingly, what I felt the best episode of the show - Vatos - was actually penned by Kirkman and demonstrates his ability to surprise and provide strong characterisation perfectly. That's the level of writing on show throughout the comicbook and is one of the reasons why I prefer it to the TV adaptation.)

Kirkman is also a very brave writer and he's not afraid to put his characters through the wringer. There's death, mutilation, loss, torture and a whole lot more going on here. It's not one for the squeamish or the younger readers, but adults with a strong stomach will find it gripping.

Artwork

Originally penciled by Tony Moore (Ghost Rider, Punisher), The Walking Dead's art duties were taken-over by British artist and 2000 AD alumnus Charlie Adlard from Issue #7. Adlard's art does not jar at all when he takes over and it's actually quite difficult to ''see the join.''

Using a mix of greys, black and white, the comic certainly has its own look and the art style - whilst it may not be to everybody's tastes - works well. Both Adlard and Moore have a knack for faces and expressions (although Moore's take may be a little too turned-up-to-ten compared to Adlard's more subtle renderings) and they do a great job of defining each character with their own look. No easy task, given these people are wearing civilian clothing rather than identifiable costumes.

Layouts are also well handled, with a good sense of narrative. Given there's also a lot of talking head stuff in here, the artists manage to carry it well, with scenes of simple conversation having nuance and character thanks to the artwork.

As a zombie story, you know it's going to be gory. There's decapitations, hacked-off limbs, bitten-off flesh, decomposing bodies, entrails, the works. And the art doesn't pull any punches, which makes the violence all the more effective, especially if the recipient is one of the core characters we've been following. Again, this is not a book for the young or easily upset.

Final Thoughts

You may have seen the AMC TV adaptation of The Walking Dead and thought one of two things: either you loved it or hated it. 

If you're in the former camp, then pick-up this book. Despite what you may believe, you've seen nothing of the real story. Whilst the TV adaptation was good, there's so much more going on here. Granted they had to work within TV budgets and so it may have been a little stretched at times, but even without that the comicbook writing is so much sharper and on-point. Whilst the first episode was pretty much a retelling of Issue #1, after that be prepared to head-off into unknown (and much more impressive) territory.

If you didn't like the TV show, chances are it's because you were mis-sold what it was about. Despite the constant claims from the stars that it was ''all about the characters'' the TV adaptation barely scratched the surface of the group. The comicbook really is ''all about the characters'' and is much more an exploration of group dynamics in a world where the old laws and ways of civilisation have been pulled-out from under our feet.

Regardless of which camp you fall into, get this book. It's a superb work and one of the most gripping, touching and surprising reads I've had in a long time.

Final Score: A