Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Charlie Adlard
Publisher: Image Comics
Plot:(In the style of Kirkman’s Previews taglines) Still alive!
Comments: I hope I can make my comments on this book longer than the taglines Kirkman feeds us in Previews. Ha ha.
I have a strong commitment to this book. I’ve been reading it since day one, and still it’s one of the strongest comics being published.
I’m a sucker for apocalyptic stories, and this story isn’t really about zombies. What's that, you say? What have I been reading for all those years then? Well, what I have been reading my friends is sheer literature! That’s right. This is one of the best comic books about human emotions and the "philosophy of living."
Sometimes when I read the letters page in the back of each issue of The Walking Dead, I notice that a lot of readers focus too much on the zombie side of the story. Of course, there are more zombies than you can count, but if you are only interested in zombies, an issue like this is going to bore you.
It’s all about human survival. The reason why most of earth's population have become the undead is truly a matter of secondary importance. This book provides insight to what humans are capable of, both the good and the bad.
A historian once said, "War is more than just heroes and villains. It’s also a struggle of simple and plain day by day life."
This fascinates me. Thank God I have never found myself in the middle of a war or in a situation where all my family and friends are zombies (although some birthday parties made me wonder!). But imagine yourself in a situation like that: No radio, No TV, No internet and even worse no comics aaaarrggh! I find it fascinating how someone can perform mundane task like doing the laundry in those conditions. Can you even grasp the impact of that kind of thinking?
Well, I can’t, but Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard can, and they are my guru, my teachers to delve into this kind of emotional rollercoaster. If I was a philosophy professor at a major university, several of my lectures would revolve around some Walking Dead issues. It's multi layered series where the good, exciting plot is just the first layer.
Kirkman writes a saga that can be seen as high brow art or the lowest of the lowest brow soap operas. His plots are genius, and his twists sneakier than any snake. Adlard's art can be the cruellest in all comic biz but also the most loving when he displays human interaction.
The Walking Dead is a rollercoaster. A lot of issues are fast paced and immensely suspenseful, and there are issues that are straight-out shocking, to say the least, with all out violence, blood and gore.
But this is Kirkman’s family. He knows them inside out, and this shows in his excellent dialogue and plotting. And by living and breathing these characters, he shows us what their motivations are to do the things they do.
There aren’t many books that I feel comfortable knowing each issue will bring something new. Take this issue, for instance. Can you find a zombie in any panel? No. Kirkman slows the story down to reveal some mature themes, what these survivors are dealing with to be able to stay sane.
As far as I can recollect, this issue presents the first flashback in this, so far, linear story. Is the baby Lori is carrying Rick’s or Shane’s? You can consider this a day time TV subject, but Kirkman has absolutely no problem lifting it to a higher mindset.
Action wise, this issue can be considered boring, but if that’s your conclusion then Ulysses (James Joyce), The Great Gatsby (F. Scott Fitzgerald), or The Color Purple (Alice Walker) are weeds to you, instead of flourishing Orchids. And that of course is no problem, but a story can be so much more than just what Hollywood thinks entertainment should be.
And if you don’t know, where to begin, well, The Walking Dead is a good start. It contains more story depth than any other comic book costing $2.99!
Don’t try, just buy…
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