Title:

The Walking Dead

Location:

The Walking Dead takes place in the Atlanta area.

First Issue:

The Walking Dead #1 (2003)

Created By:

Robert Kirkman – Writer
Tony Moore – Artist

Publisher:

Image Comics

Interesting Fact:

The Walking Dead has become the top selling black and white comic book.

Why should I read this comic?

The Walking Dead is a tale of survival, horror, and deep human emotion set in a post apocalyptic setting.

This isn’t your normal zombie tale, rather it is the tale of humans struggling to survive from their new situation and each other. The story is gripping, well paced, and holds nothing back. No one is safe in this comic which gives it a gritty realism. When people die in this comic, unlike other universes, they stay dead...well, sort of.

Cast: (Spoilers!)

The main cast of characters in The Walking Dead consists of:
Rick Grimes (Living) – Police Officer and main character of the story.

Lori Grimes (Dead) – Rick’s wife.

Carl Grimes (Living) – Rick’s son.

Shane (Dead) – Rick’s ex-partner. Started a relationship with Lori and tried to kill Rick when he showed up. Killed by Carl when he tried to kill Rick.

Tyreese (Dead) – Rick’s friend and ally although recently their friendship is strained. Julie’s father.

Julie (Dead) – Tyreese’s daughter. Killed by her boyfriend Chris in a suicide pact.

Chris (Dead) – Julie’s boyfriend. Failed to go through with their suicide pact and was killed by Tyreese, who killed him again when he turned into a zombie.

Glenn (Living) – Saved Rick when he first went to Atlanta.

Dale (Living) – Owns the RV that most of the group travel in. Now involved with Andrea.

Carol (Dead) – Sophia’s mother and Tyreese’s one time love interest. Appears to be losing her mind.

Sophia (Living) – Carol’s daughter.

Amy (Dead) – Andrea’s sister. Attacked by a zombie and was killed by her sister.

Andrea (Living) – Amy’s sister. Now in a relationship with Dale and is taking care of Billy and Ben.

Allen (Dead) – Salesmen and husband of Donna. Father to Billy and Ben. Died after being bitten by a zombie and having his foot cut off.

Donna (Dead) – Wife of Allen. Died from a zombie attack.

Billy and Ben (Living) – Allen and Donna’s twins.

Otis (Dead) – Lived with Hershel and is the ex-boyfriend of Patricia.

Hershel Greene (Dead) – Had a farm and was keeping zombies in the barn, hoping to find a cure.

Lacey and Arnold Greene (Dead) – Hershel’s oldest kids. Both bitten by zombies and subsequently shot by Hershel.

Maggie Greene (Living) – Hershel’s daughter. Started a relationship with Glenn.

Rachel and Suzie Greene (Dead) – Twin girls that were killed by Thomas, a convict and murderer.

Billy Greene (Dead) – Hershel’s son.

Patricia(Dead) – Otis’ ex-girlfriend. Ostracized for helping convicts.

Thomas (Dead) – Convict and murderer. Said he was in for tax-evasion. Killed by Maggie.

Axel (Dead) – Convict and biker.

Dexter (Dead) – Convict that tried to oust the group when they came to the prison. Killed by Rick.

Andrew (Living) –When Dexter was killed he ran off into the forest.

Michonne (Living) – Arrived at the prison with two zombies in tow and a katana. Started a relationship with Tyreese.

Origin (Spoilers!):

The Walking Dead chronicles the story of Rick Grimes, a police officer who awoke from a coma only to find that the world around him had changed forever. People who had died were coming back to life to feast on the flesh of the living. These, “zombies” have completely turned the world into a post apocalyptic wasteland. Major cities have shut down and only small groups of people have been able to survive.
Rick heads to Atlanta as that would be the most logical place that his wife Lori and son Carl would have headed to, as she had family there. When he gets to Atlanta he is horrified to find that the city is in ruins and zombies run rampant everywhere. He is nearly overrun by zombies when Glenn, a young man, saves him and takes him to his camp outside of Atlanta.

At the camp he meets a small group of people camped outside of an RV and finds his wife Lori and son Carl with his ex-partner, Shane. Tensions build as in becomes evident that Shane and Lori were in a relationship. Shane tries to kill Rick, but is killed by Carl, Rick’s young son. After a subsequent attack by a group of “roamers,” zombies that roam around looking for flesh, and the death of a number of their group, they decide to find a safer location.

The group then comes into contact with Tyreese, his daughter, Julie, and her boyfriend Chris. They join and Tyreese becomes a major part of the group, both in making decisions and helping to defend the others from zombie attacks.

The great find of a suburb outside Atlanta turns into disaster when it turns out the area is infested with zombies. More of their group dies and they press on, losing hope that they will ever find a safe place to live. Their hopes are lifted, when they come upon a prison, which seems to be the perfect place to keep the zombies out and start a safe community.

They find that the prison is housing four living convicts; Dexter, Thomas, Axel, and Andrew. They attempt to clear out the prison and make it their safe haven, but Dexter turns on them, telling them to leave. Before they can make a decision, they are attacked by zombies and Rick is forced to kill Dexter during the fight.

Their troubles have recently increased when they discover a nearby town run by Phillip, self appointed governor and a man who is also quite insane. Rick, Michonne, and Glenn are all captured and are appalled when they see the entertainment. People forced to fight zombies and each other to the death.

When Phillip discovers their new home, he sets his sights upon taking it for himself and in doing so, kills many of Rick's friends. Now Rick is by himself with his son Carl...alone. The Walking Dead offers a gritty and realistic portrayal of live in an unrealistic situation. The future is bleak and only survival matters, turning friends to foes and forever changing the future of this group forever.