I liked the show Walking Dead, and after Season Two, I felt like I should read up on the comic. To be honest, I had low expectations of it due largely to the fact that it's a comic book and not a novel. I did like the series Plague of the Dead novel and the Dying to Live novels, but never have I read anything related to comics on it. I figured it was a 50/50 shot.
Glad to say that I was wrong and now I'm ordering Book 5, 6, and 7.
I'd like to clear up some stuff here. First, the comic reading order is rather confusing. To say honestly, Compendium One is the correct starting point and it covers issues 1-48, so you get the story from the point of where it started to about midpoint. From there, it gets a bit confusing to what to read next and I had to do a bit of research. You can start with issue 49, but to me I rather not be ordering the comics repeatedly in the mail. You can wait for Compendium Two which I think is coming this fall near where Season Three of Walking Dead will start, or you can just pick up Book (And I stress that you should pick up BOOK not volume but BOOK) 5, 6, and 7 which covers the events from issue 49 to about issue 90-ish someplace.
I think the main thing I was surprised with is how much the comics differ from the show itself. I think a lot of characters were changed around and after reading the comics, I can say my favorite character would have to be that of Andrea. In the show she appears to be fragile and at the same time learning to be tougher through her experience. I think the show was slow to develop this and it was not until the very final episode of Season Two that really showed Andrea was tough. In the comics she gets shot at, cut, and still keeps on and on top of that she's a critical member of the group that probably surpasses that of Rick and the others.
The biggest change I think is the story flow. The comic, like the show, mainly focuses on the characters and their struggles. However, I felt in the show it was very slow paced and focused too heavily on inner group gossips and fighting. In the comics I felt that they all were on the same page and knew what to do and they had only one fight with Rick who talked some sense into them and they all agreed that he's the leader. Also in the show they heavily focused the entirety of season two into Hershel's farm which in the comics was a very limited stay.
I must also say that Shane, Rick, Lori, and his son Carl have big changes with the show. I felt that in the show, Carl come off as a brat and spoiled but in the comics, I felt Carl was a lot more mature for his age and also echo that of his dad. I felt that Carl also stood up for himself and protecting his family but at the same time with the mind of a child he has trouble comprehending the situations but understand that what must be done need to be done.
I felt that between Shane and Rick and Lori, I felt the comic did a much better job to show that Shane really went into the deep end and needed to be killed because he was unstable. I felt in the show, they made it appear as if the group of survivors somehow caused Shane to become insane and that they caused him to have to be killed. I felt in the comics they made it appear as if Shane went off into the deep end himself and brought the situation upon himself.
I also felt that between Rick and Lori their relationship was much better than the show. I feel that Rick sometimes run off and Lori had to be a sort of den mother worrying about Rick. I feel that Rick is a much better leader than the show. I feel that in the comic they were unsure of Rick at first and I think later they realized that he's a good person and the one that keeps the group together. I feel that in the show, they made it appear as if Rick has to constantly convince the group that it's for the better while in the comics, they make it appear as if Rick has a strong bond with everyone in the group and they look at him for advice and leadership in situations.
Also the show didn't provide one the the best villain: the governor. Or at least he'll probably make an appearance in Season Three, but the overall thing in the comic, they had a huge battle with the governor who seemed to lost his sanity somehow. As a matter of fact, I downloaded the Kindle Book novel on the governor and am in the process of reading it and will probably write a review after reading it. In any event, the Governor is insane and he leads a group of about 40 survivors and to the others he appears normal and caring, but underneath it all, he gone off into the deep end. You'll be amazed by the cruelty he inflicts upon Rick and his group and I felt they did it wonderfully and by the end of Compendium one you'll be glad if not satisfied by how the governor ended up.
I must say overall that after having finished Compendium One that I felt bad. I felt very attached to the characters and the artist drew the characters wonderfully. The story is powerful and you feel right with them in their struggles. In my opinion anyone who watched the show should definitely buy the comic. I am currently waiting on my shipment of books 5, 6, and 7 so I can continue reading the comics. Overall very pleased and have to say a must buy for any zombie genre fan.
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Author Bart Gnarly Reviews The Walking Dead: Compendium One
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Customer reviews
Botched pages keep it from being a 5 will probably in person from now on
Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2022
Great graphic novel but my reading of it has been interrupted by some pages that are unreadable due to a printing error so far its about a dozen pages which sucks as i dont know if im missing something important.
Reviewed in the United States on September 30, 2022
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 11, 2012
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 30, 2022
Botched pages keep it from being a 5 will probably in person from now on
By murderface on September 30, 2022
Great graphic novel but my reading of it has been interrupted by some pages that are unreadable due to a printing error so far its about a dozen pages which sucks as i dont know if im missing something important.
By murderface on September 30, 2022
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 6, 2022
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Top reviews from other countries
ABCDEFGH1234@*
A bargin bumper book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 22, 2019
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A very good read well written and well presented
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on September 20, 2022D. Diep
A massive, beautiful graphic novel that's for everyone who loves zombies
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 14, 2012Phoenix Eternia
Great book. worth the money.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 30, 2012
