The Walking Dead (comic book)

The original pitch by Kirkman and Moore was for a followup to George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead, with the series taking place in the 1960s.[8] Image Comics co-founder Jim Valentino suggested using an original concept instead so the creators would own the property outright.[8] The revised pitch became The Walking Dead.

The Walking Dead debuted in 2003, published by Image Comics, with art by Tony Moore for the first six issues and Cliff Rathburn shading the art after issue #5. Charlie Adlard took over as artist on issue #7, after he was approached by Kirkman.[6] Moore also created the cover art for the first 24 issues and the first four trade paperbacks. The remainder were done by Adlard.

When the television series premiered in October 2010, Image Comics announced The Walking Dead Weekly. The first 52 issues of the series began to be reprinted on January 5, 2011, with one issue per week for a year.[9]

The series is periodically re-published in trade paperbacks which contain six issues each, hardcover books with twelve issues and occasional bonus material, omnibus editions of twenty-four issues, and compendium editions of forty-eight issues.

In May 2018, Image Comics and its imprint Skybound Entertainment, the company that has driven development of The Walking Dead comic series since 2010, jointly announced The Walking Dead Day. The fan-oriented event has a scheduled date of October 13, 2018 and will coincide with the release of a Walking Dead #1 15th Anniversary Variant Edition, with cover art by Charlie Adlard. A select number of The Walking Dead Day participating local comic shops become part of the comic's story line, with their own special edition of Adlard's anniversary cover, featuring the store's logo incorporated into the cover art. The company also noted that additional limited edition collectibles and festivities would be announced at a future date, prior to the October 2018 event.[10]

On July 3, 2019, Kirkman confirmed through the "Letters Hacks" section of issue #193 that the issue would conclude the series, with no previous announcements or warnings beforehand.[11] Kirkman opted to end the comic on his own terms; he stated in his letter in issue #193 that part of the reason to end was that he feared he lacked material to continue the series for several more issues. He had envisioned the series to end around the time that Rick Grimes and his allies reach the Commonwealth, a large human community protected from the walkers, as this would allow him to give a complete arc. However, he found he got there too soon in terms of issues, with the Commonwealth first appearing around issue #150, and Kirkman feared there was no way he could get to an issue #300 with what ideas he had left.[12] This ending came following the death of Rick Grimes, in issue #192. Kirkman kept the series' end a secret as he worked with Adlard to create cover art and solicitation information for Diamond Comic Distributors for non-existent issues through #196 that would have been released through October 2019, creating a storyline that hinted at the death of Carl Grimes, Rick's son, in the wake of Rick's death. Kirkman said that The Walking Dead comic was always built on surprise, and felt that it was necessary to surprise readers with the end of the series after covering enough of the aftermath of Rick's death in issues #192 and #193.[13]

Volume 1: Days Gone Bye (Issues 1–6)

Rick Grimes, a sheriff's deputy from Kentucky, is wounded in the line of duty and emerges from a coma to find the world overrun by the undead. He is then led in to a small camp of survivors; among them are Rick's wife Lori, his son Carl, and his police partner Shane. Following a fatal zombie attack, Shane tries to murder Rick, having had a one-night stand and become obsessed with Lori. Carl then shoots Shane to protect his father.[14]

Volume 2: Miles Behind Us (Issues 7–12)

Rick becomes the group's leader. The survivors leave Atlanta and travel across hostile territory in search of a safer refuge. After a few failed attempts, the group finds new friends, and eventually, an abandoned prison.

Volume 3: Safety Behind Bars (Issues 13–18)

Inside the prison, the survivors meet a few inmates alive. Two of the group members commit suicide and one of the inmates is executed after going on a killing spree.

Volume 4: The Heart's Desire (Issues 19–24)

The group manages to quell the inmates' attempted rebellion. A woman named Michonne arrives at the prison seeking refuge and causes tension among the survivors. Rick's leadership is questioned, and the survivors form a council with four co-leaders.

Volume 5: The Best Defense (Issues 25–30)

Rick, Michonne and Glenn find a small town called Woodbury, where a well-armed and organized group of survivors has taken refuge. Woodbury's leader, the Governor, captures Rick's group, then interrogates and tortures them.

Volume 6: This Sorrowful Life (Issues 31–36)

Rick and his group manage to escape from Woodbury with the help of other Woodburians. The Governor is badly mutilated by Michonne. Rick informs his group of what took place in Woodbury and tells them to prepare for battle.

Volume 7: The Calm Before (Issues 37–42)

The group continues their lives, until the Governor arrives at the prison, ready for a battle.

Volume 8: Made to Suffer (Issues 43–48)

The Governor's army attacks the prison but retreats. A few of the survivors decide to flee the prison to avoid the Governor's expected retaliation. The Governor attacks again, killing almost everyone inside. The guilt-ridden soldier who killed Lori and her newborn daughter on the Governor's orders kills him. With the prison burning and in shambles, Rick and Carl escape.

Volume 9: Here We Remain (Issues 49–54)

After the prison's destruction and his band is separated, Rick and Carl search for shelter. Rick's physical and mental state begin to unravel, while Carl grows increasingly independent and apathetic. They eventually reunite with their other survivors. Three strangers, Abraham, Rosita and Eugene, arrive and inform the group that they are on a mission to Washington D.C. to cure the plague. Rick's band decides to join their journey.

Volume 10: What We Become (Issues 55–60)

Rick, Abraham, and Carl head to Rick's hometown to find weapons. They discover Morgan, whom Rick met when he woke up from his coma, and he joins Rick's survivors.

Volume 11: Fear the Hunters (Issues 61–66)

Rick and company continue their journey to Washington and begin to suspect they are being stalked by someone in the woods. They meet a pastor, Gabriel, and join him at his church. Dale is kidnapped from the church during the night by a band of cannibals. Dale is reunited with his friends before he dies. Rick's group, enraged, hunt down the cannibals and torture them to death.

Volume 12: Life Among Them (Issues 67–72)

The group continue to Washington, during which they discover that Eugene was lying about having a cure to stop the outbreak. They run across a friendly man named Aaron who claims he is trustworthy and can escort them to a large, walled-off community of survivors called the Alexandria Safe-Zone, a walled community led by a man named Douglas Monroe. Rick's weary band finds Alexandria's stability a welcome change although they remain suspicious.

Volume 13: Too Far Gone (Issues 73–78)

Rick's group settles into the Alexandria Safe-Zone and take jobs in the community. Rick, as constable, tries to increase safety and stability when he stops a dangerous man inside the community. Scavengers arrive and threaten the community. Alexandria wins the battle but alert a massive herd of hundreds of zombies to their presence. Rick takes command of the community.

Volume 14: No Way Out (Issues 79–84)

Rick and company become community leaders despite objections from some of its residents. Alexandria's citizens discover they have bigger problems when they discover the zombie horde breaching Alexandria's walls and overrunning the community. During the battle, Douglas is killed after accidentally shooting Carl in the eye. Alexandria's residents face down the horde and save their town.

Volume 15: We Find Ourselves (Issues 85–90)

The Alexandria Safe-Zone recuperates from the horde's attack, and Rick makes decisions that will lead to Alexandria's long-term sustainability. Carl is in a coma following his injury; his survival is unclear. Some residents question the bold choices Rick makes for their community and attempt to seize control of Alexandria. Rick quashes the rebellion. Carl awakens with amnesia.

Volume 16: A Larger World (Issues 91–96)

Alexandrians encounter a man named Paul Monroe while searching the wastes for supplies. Monroe claims he is a recruiter for a nearby band of 200 or more people called the Hilltop Colony. Rick and others go to the Hilltop Colony and find its appearance seems to be even safer than that of Alexandria, although it has a dangerous enemy, The Saviors. The Saviors demand half of the colony's food and supplies, in exchange for killing nearby walkers.

Volume 17: Something to Fear (Issues 97–102)

Rick and crew confront the Hilltop Colony's enemy, the Saviors, a brutal gang led by a man named Negan. Rick underestimates the Saviors and dismisses their threat level until his best friends, including Glenn and Abraham, are savagely killed. Alexandria is forced to begin paying tribute — half of their supplies — to the Saviors. Enraged, Rick vows to kill Negan.

Volume 18: What Comes After (Issues 103–108)

Rick's band learns what living under Negan's rules really means. Rick devises a new strategy to deal with the Saviors, but a member of his group disappears after the Saviors collect their payment from Alexandria. Rick is forced to halt his plan. Paul takes Rick to request help from an exotic man named Ezekiel, leader of a community called the Kingdom. The Kingdom is based in Washington, D.C., where one of the Saviors makes an independent offer to help battle Negan.

Volume 19: March to War (Issues 109–114)

Rick, Paul, and Ezekiel decide to trust Dwight, a Savior, and launch their attempt to end the Saviors' reign. The three communities ally to formulate an assault, but Negan arrives early to collect his tribute from Alexandria. The alliance seizes the opportunity to assassinate Negan, but Negan retreats and declares war.

Volume 20: All Out War (Part One) (Issues 115–120)

Rick leads his united army, with the Hilltop and the Kingdom, in an attack against the Sanctuary, the Saviors' base. Rick's forces seize an early advantage and trap Negan inside the Sanctuary, but their attack on Negan's outposts falters as many of Rick's closest friends fall. They wonder if their initial victory was simple luck. Negan mounts an eventual counterattack on Alexandria, and its situation goes from bad to worse.

Volume 21: All Out War (Part Two) (Issues 121–126)

With the war at its peak, Negan attacks Alexandria and the Hilltop and destroys the former's defenses. On the brink of defeat, Rick offers Negan a truce as a trap. Negan falls for Rick's ruse. Rick slashes Negan's throat and demands that war cease. Negan survives the attack as Rick's prisoner.

Volume 22: A New Beginning (Issues 127–132)

Two years have passed since the war with Negan. Civilization has been rebuilt and the communities have established a successful trade network. Carl moves to Hilltop. A new group arrives in Alexandria, and they meet the imprisoned Negan.

Volume 23: Whispers Into Screams (Issues 133–138)

A new threat emerges as living people disguised as walkers attack, calling themselves The Whisperers, whose leader is called Alpha. Tensions arise within Hilltop after Carl loses his temper. Some residents question both him and their leader. Meanwhile, Paul captures a member of the Whisperers and discovers the full implications of this new threat to Hilltop.

Volume 24: Life and Death (Issues 139–144)

Carl continues to learn more about The Whisperers, and a survivor's fate is decided while another steps down. Blunders are made, and a deadly promise given that is all too real. Lines are crossed that will affect everyone.

Volume 25: No Turning Back (Issues 145–150)

Rick reveals the survivors who died at the hands of Alpha and the Whisperers. Residents of the communities demand retaliation, and some question Rick's leadership. Rick declares war on the Whisperers and must use a former enemy as a last resort.

Volume 26: Call to Arms (Issues 151–156)

With the conflict against the Whisperers closing in, Rick must ensure the readiness of the community's newly formed militia while also dealing with various conflicts within the walls of each community, including the escape of a dangerous prisoner.

Volume 27: The Whisperer War (Issues 157–162)

The militia wars with the Whisperers; both sides suffer tremendous casualties. The Whisperers attack one of the communities and destroy its defenses. With one last trump card, the Whisperers lead an ocean of walkers towards Alexandria.

Volume 28: A Certain Doom (Issues 163–168)

The enormous horde of walkers reaches Alexandria so Rick and his community must survive while others try to steer the horde to the sea. The opportunistic Saviors make their move on an overwhelmed community.

Volume 29: Lines We Cross (Issues 169–174)

Recent events have thrown Alexandria into turmoil, and now Rick, Dwight, Eugene and Negan all have something to prove.

Volume 30: New World Order (Issues 175–180)

Eugene leads a group on a new mission to Ohio, where they encounter a new community unlike anything they have seen before.

Volume 31: The Rotten Core (Issues 181–186)

Rick leads the Commonwealth’s Governor, Pamela Milton, on a tour of the various communities aligned with Alexandria. Terrible things begin to happen very quickly.

Volume 32: Rest in Peace (Issues 187–193)

Tensions erupt in the Commonwealth, almost breaking out into a major war. Rick stands in the middle of a major conflict as he attempts to defuse it. Sebastian Milton, Pamela's arrogant son, murders Rick and is imprisoned for life. Decades later, society has been restored, and the major portion of the apocalypse, now known as "The Trials", has ended. Walkers are still around, but are few in numbers. Carl lives a simple countryside life with his wife and daughter, to whom he tells the story of his father.

Michonne Special (March 16, 2012)

A story featuring Michonne in the early days of the outbreak, that also reveals the identity of her two pet walkers.

The Governor Special (February 13, 2013)

A story featuring The Governor in his early days as the leader of Woodbury, as well as the fate of Scott Moon.

Free Comic Book Day Special (May 4, 2013)

A collection of Morgan's, Michonne's, The Governor's and Tyreese's specials.

Morgan Special (May 5, 2013)

A short story consisting of six pages, featuring Morgan during the winter of the apocalypse.

Tyreese Special (October 9, 2013)

The story of Tyreese, along with his daughter, Julie and her boyfriend, Chris, in the early days of the outbreak.

The Walking Dead: The Alien (April 20, 2016)

The Walking Dead: The Alien is a brief story consisting of 32 pages, featuring Jeffrey Grimes as he deals with the outbreak in Barcelona, Spain

Here's Negan (April 27, 2016 – July 26, 2017, October 4, 2017 (Hardcover))

Here's Negan is a stand-alone volume of Image Comics' The Walking Dead, featuring the backstory of Negan. The story was initially serialized in four-page installments within the first sixteen issues of Image's monthly in-house magazine, Image+, published from April 2016 to July 2017. In November 2017, the story was collected and published as a 72-page hardcover volume.

Rick Grimes is the protagonist, a deputy who is comatose when the zombie apocalypse begins. With his wife Lori and son Carl, he joins groups with other survivors. He is joined by former best friend Shane, who secretly has a sexual relationship with Lori. The group consists of firm clerk and college graduate Andrea, her sister Amy, a mechanic named Jim, pizza delivery boy Glenn, car salesman Dale, shoe salesman Allen and his wife, Donna as well as their children, Ben and Billy. Lori and Carl form friendships with other survivors such as Carol and Sophia.

After leaving the camp, Rick gains a right-hand man and close friendship in Tyreese, who is accompanied by his daughter and her boyfriend. They soon find a farm run by Hershel Greene. Among Hershel's seven children is Maggie Greene, who forms a relationship with Glenn. As the group settle at a prison, they become conflicted with a group of surviving prisoners. Otis meets a katana-wielding survivor named Michonne, who is brought into the group, but struggles to acclimate, facing her own demons. Michonne, Rick and Glenn are later held in captivity by The Governor, a leader of a town called Woodbury who plan to take over the prison. Other Woodbury residents include Alice Warren, who changes sides to Rick's group and delivers Lori's baby, Bob Stookey, an army medic responsible for saving The Governor's life and Lilly, one of The Governor's soldiers.

After the prison assault, the remaining survivors regroup at Hershel's farm, and meet Abraham Ford, Eugene Porter and Rosita Espinosa. The group travel to Washington DC where they are hunted by Chris, encounter Gabriel Stokes, a priest, and are then recruited by Aaron and Eric to join the Alexandria Safe-Zone, a city run by congressman Douglas Monroe. Among the residents are Heath and Dr. Denise Cloyd, who quickly become close allies to the core group, and eventually the conflicted Nicholas. Douglas's son, Spencer tries to form a relationship with Andrea. Rick falls in love with Jessie Anderson, an abused wife. Abraham forms a relationship with Holly, a member of the construction crew.

A group of men, known as The Scavengers, tries to conquer Alexandria; the fight attracts a pack of walkers that invades the safe zone, which led to the death of many Alexandrians. After this, Rick and Andrea form a long-standing relationship.

Later, the safe zone starts a trading network with the Hilltop Colony, with help from its scout Paul "Jesus" Monroe. However, their safety is again threatened by the psychopathic Negan and his group known as The Saviors, who reside in a factory. The Hilltop and Alexandria join with The Kingdom, which is run by King Ezekiel, in a war against the Saviors. The war ends thanks to Dwight,a savior who decided to betray Negan.

After the war, newcomers such as Magna and Dante are introduced into the series. Another community (Oceanside) out at sea is established, as well as safety perimeters across the DC area, which are violated by the presence of the Whisperers, a tribe of people disguised as the dead who have rejected the notion of re-establishing civilization. The leader, Alpha, antagonizes Rick as her daughter, Lydia, forms a sexual relationship with Carl. When Alpha's second in command, Beta, takes leadership of the group, he declares war against the communities.

Co-creator Robert Kirkman signing a copy of the first issue at the 2011 New York Comic Con.

The series received critical acclaim, winning the Eisner Award for Best Continuing Series in 2010[18] and prompting Eric Sunde of IGN comics to call it "one of the best monthly comics available".[19] Among its fans are author Max Brooks.[20] Because of the popularity of the series, which increased considerably when it was adapted into a television series of the same name, artist Tony Moore's original artwork for the series' early issues has gone up in value; on the March 28, 2013 episode of the VH1 reality television series For What It's Worth, Moore's original artwork for Page 7 of issue #1 was professionally appraised to be worth $20,000.[21]

The series has so far been assembled into the following collections:

Omnibus editions

Limited omnibus editions collect roughly 24 issues in a slipcase with several extras. The first volume is autographed by Kirkman and Adlard, with 300 copies printed. Subsequent volumes had print runs of 3000 each, along with deluxe limited editions (signed by Kirkman/Adlard) of 300 copies.

The Walking Dead Volume 1 Deluxe HC

Title	ISBN	Release Date	Collected Material
The Walking Dead: Volume 1 Deluxe HC	1-58240-511-5	December 14, 2005	TWD #1–24
The Walking Dead: Volume 2 Deluxe HC	1-60706-029-9	February 17, 2009	TWD #25–48
The Walking Dead: Volume 3 Deluxe HC	1-60706-330-1	February 2, 2011	TWD #49–72
The Walking Dead: Volume 4 Deluxe HC	1-60706-616-5	December 12, 2012	TWD #73–96
The Walking Dead: Volume 5 Deluxe HC	1-63215-042-5	November 19, 2014	TWD #97–120
The Walking Dead: Volume 6 Deluxe HC	1-63215-521-4	December 2, 2015	TWD #121–144
The Walking Dead: Volume 7 Deluxe HC	1-53430-335-9	November 7, 2017	TWD #145–168
The Walking Dead: Volume 8 Deluxe HC	1-53431-356-7	November 12, 2019	TWD #169–193

• Official website