The Walking Dead Compendium Vol. 1

This compendium collects issues 1-48 of the amazing comic series The Walking Dead. (It also includes a heartfelt Christmas short story featuring Morgan and Duane from issue 1 at the end.) The series is phenomenal, with fantastic artwork and a storyline that goes far beyond the initial zombie outbreak, exploring in depth what happens to humanity afterward. My review below is organized by volume/story arc and may contain spoilers as it progresses. Art: 5/5 Plot: 5/5 Writing: 5/5 My Enjoyment: 5/5 Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye Issues 1-6 The story begins with police officer Rick waking up from a coma in a world overrun by zombies, desperately trying to find his family. Once reunited, he faces not only the constant threat of the undead but also the simmering tensions within their small camp outside of Atlanta. As someone who’s not deeply familiar with comics, I was blown away by how gripping this volume is. It hooks you from the very first pages, and it’s nearly impossible to put down. I especially loved Kirkman’s note at the start, where he explains that his goal was to explore how people change in extreme situations. That theme is already clear, even in these early issues.The black-and-white artwork is exceptional. It captures the grotesque horror of the zombies, the brutality of survival, and the emotional intensity of the characters. Some panels are so cinematic that they were replicated almost frame-for-frame in the TV show. Vol. 2: Miles Behind Us Issues 7-12 An intense and gripping volume! Rick, his family, and the rest of the group decide to move on from the camp outside Atlanta. Along the way, they gain some new companions and lose others. In this installment, they encounter a couple of “too good to be true” housing situations and are pushed to their mental limits. Vol. 3: Safety Behind Bars Issues 13-18 Another gripping installment. After leaving the farm, the group discovers a prison that offers a temporary sanctuary. The gates provide some reprieve from the zombies outside, but the group soon learns there may be even worse monsters within. This volume is especially gruesome and brutal, with difficult decisions to be made and harsh forms of “justice” and punishment handed down. Everyone is pushed to their limits. Vol. 4: The Heart's Desire Issues 19-24 Tensions run high as the prisoners and the original group clash right from the start. Even when things begin to settle, new problems arise, especially within the group’s romantic relationships. This story arc raises tough moral questions, pushing the characters to their limits and forcing them to reevaluate their ideals, all while zombies roam the halls and lurk beyond the gates. Vol. 5: The Best Defense Issues 25-30 This installment is brutal.Rick and the gang seem to be settling into their new prison setup. Yes, several people are struggling, but overall things are going okay…until, of course, they aren’t. This volume is especially horrific. Honestly, it doesn’t completely shock me, in a scenario like this, women would be at risk of terrible things. Still, it’s psychologically intense and deeply disturbing to watch and read. They did a pretty good job of portraying an awful situation without sexualizing or sensationalizing, while still being gut-wrenching. I simultaneously wanted to throw my iPad across the room and couldn’t look away. Vol. 6: This Sorrowful Life Issues 31-36 We pick up with Rick and Michonne being held captive and tortured by the Governor, a villain somehow more terrifying than zombies.This is an extra-gory installment. I was anxious for Michonne’s torture arc to reach its resolution, and it does so in a truly epic way. These issues continue to push the envelope, exploring the evolution of people’s minds and morality. Vol. 7: The Calm Before Issues 37-42 Everyone is battening down the hatches at the prison in anticipation of an attack. The garden is in bloom under the summer heat, Lori is nearing the end of her pregnancy, and there’s even a happy occasion with Glenn and Maggie’s wedding. While there are some lighter moments in this collection, it still delivers plenty of intense and gruesome scenes, ending on a major cliffhanger. Vol. 8: Made To Suffer Issues 43-48 This volume picks up with flashbacks of Woodbury showing the events that led up to the Governor and the people at the prison gates. The story is nonstop action with plenty of gut-wrenching moments .Even though I anticipated some of these events from my general knowledge of the series, they were still hard to see play out. I’m especially glad I didn’t have to wait between issues, otherwise I would’ve been pulling my hair out. I’m relieved to see this story arc resolved, though there are still many questions about which survivors remain. I’m anxious to see how everyone is coping and what they do next!

I was only marginally aware of the Walking Dead comic prior to the launch of the television series on AMC. While I enjoy the TV series it is a substantially inferior product compared to the graphic novels. The fact that The Walking Dead is labeled as a comic or even a graphic novel does this series a great disservice. The Walking Dead is an amazing apocalyptic epic that holds up a mirror to humanity and asks us to take a close look not only at the WAY we live buy WHY we live. There's a great blurb on the back cover that reads: "The world we knew is gone. The world of commerce and frivolous necessity has been replaced by a world of survival and responsibility." "In a world ruled by the dead, we are forced to finally start living." This is the core of what The Walking Dead is and the execution is phenomenal. As the reader, you're challenged to confront your own ideas and opinion about how you would survive in this world ruled by the dead. You travel with these people and see the evolution of their character (for better and worse). The art and imagery is simple but powerful. You're pulled into the page and feel like a member of this group - trying to survive - and experiencing the horrors of the "reality" they are facing. If you've read Richard Matheson's "I Am Legend" (not the horrible Wil Smith film adaptation) it's worth mentioning that "The Walking Dead" carries with it much of the same power that Matheson's did in his original story. If you're a fan of Zombie fiction or Post-Apocalyptic/Speculative fiction you NEED to read this. For get the TV show and read the comics. If you're on the fence pick up Compendium 1. You can't beat the price and you'll be hooked before you reach the end of the first story arc. Regarding story arcs... something you may or may not know. The Walking Dead comic series is written in six-issue arcs. Each story arc is compiled as a volume and sold in Graphic Novel/Trade Paperback form - The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye - for example. Each story arc - or volume - is a self contained story that fits into the larger narrative. This is a great way for people who understand the premise but are unfamiliar with the story to jump in and get a feel for the characters and story without feeling lost in the history and backstory. However, considering the price-point of Compendium 1 it's a great value for what you're getting. Lastly, for the purposes of context, Compendium 1 contains Volumes 1-8 / Issues 1-48. each volume loosely translates into a single season of the current television series. The amount you spend on Compendium 1 is going to give you what amounts to 8 seasons of the Walking Dead - and if you pick up Compendium 2 you'll have another 8 seasons worth of material.

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.

This was a huge book! A little on the heavy side but it is amazing. I really enjoyed reading it.

Yes it had a small crease which was a bummer but finally came.so we are thankful! My son was very happy!!

I watched a couple seasons of the Walking Dead years ago, and while I liked the concept, I found the characters moronic and unlikable. I've been reading more horror comics and graphic novels lately and I became interested in seeing how the source material for the Walking Dead matched the show. I wasn't too surprised when I liked it better, but the characters are smarter than their show counter parts and while I disagree with some of their personal philosophies I could see how they'd come to their conclusions. There's the occasional dumb argument or bad decision, but they make sense within the context of the story and when you dislike a character it feels intentional instead of bad writing like the AMC show. The plot makes more sense too, though just like the show some of the storylines drag a bit, but overall still enjoyable. The drawings are really well done too. It makes it feel like a movie at times. If I have the patience I might pick up the show again and see if they copied any of the image framing.

I really wish I had read these before starting to watch the television show, but I am so glad that the series became popular because of the show. I love the show, and I think I loved the comics even more. The comics are darker, grittier, and gorier than I was expecting. I mean, I knew it was going to be all of those things, but somehow a black and white comic portrays more gore than most things in color. And I really loved how everything is black and white - I really think it adds so much to the story. The artwork is fantastic, and I hardly even noticed when the illustrator changes near the beginning (I only know because I read somewhere that it happened). I like so many more of the characters so much better in the comics than in the show. Andrea is one of my favorites - she's strong, skilled, unafraid, and willing to do quite a bit to protect Dale, the twins, and her friends. It's like she's a completely different person. A much more likable person. Rich is also less annoying in the comics. He's a better leader, and he understands his limitations much more. And he doesn't take crap from anyone. Carl is more child-like, and doesn't try to shoulder so much responsibility. He also actually listens (for the most part) and doesn't leave the house when someone tells him to get in the house. And then there's the Governor. He's much crazier and scarier than anything that would have been able to be shown on television. And most people know he's crazy, they just don't want to get on his bad side. He's a perfect villain, and even though we don't know too much about his background we gt enough of a glimpse to see what fuels him. Most of the scenes with him were incredibly shocking, and not at all what I expected. Compared to the comic book version, the television Governor is tame. The story is excellent, and the world building is pretty great too. It's amazing how much of this world we can learn about just through dialogue. I think that's part of the reason I love comic books/graphic novels, and why this one is so good. I would definitely recommend this series to anyone who watches the TV show but hasn't read the comics yet. Or to anyone who wants a fantastic zombie story. Or to anyone who enjoys comics/graphic novels. I wouldn't recommend it to a younger audience (I'd probably say it's at least PG-13). I loved this collection, and I can't wait to start the second compendium to find out what's next for everyone! 5/5.

For a fan of the show for the last three seasons, I have to say reading this book so far has been a treat. I purchased the first three "Volumes" of the Walking Dead series at a garage sale a while back for just $1 each. They sit in my closet for at least a year, but the third season of the show has rejuvenated my interest in the franchise more than it ever was. I read the three volumes in three days (one book a day) and decided to purchase the compendium. The compendium is a fantastic deal, unlike any other you're going to find. For the $35 you're going to get the first EIGHT volumes of the series. For me, I already had the first 3 volumes as stand alone books, but it was cheaper to buy the compendium than to buy the additional 5 books separately! The compendium is nice because it' separated into volumes by means of "chapters". Meaning chapter 1 is the equivalent to the first volume. If you're reading this because you're a fan of the show and are looking to start reading the comics, there is no better place to start than with this compendium, and once you're finished with this you can go onto the second compendium and be caught up for the most part with the entire comic series. The book is beautifully illustrated with a storyline completely different from the TV show, so no spoilers included here! There are only a few characters that are the same between both the show and the books, those characters being the main characters in the series, though even Daryl was a product of the show and not in the books! There's so much world of the Walking Dead to explore that this book is an excellent source to help wait out the week between new episodes of the series! I do not recommend this book for children. I say this not because of the blood and gore, but because of the sexual themes and contexts.

Szybka wysyłka, jedynie delikatne ledwo widoczne uszkodzenie co nie jest problemem. Polecam

Me encantó, tiene el tamaño de un cómic regular en cuanto a el tamaño de la página y es muy grueso porque es un compendio como dice el producto, está en buenas condiciones y sobre todo el contenido lo disfruto mucho, está en inglés

This comic book is great for its money and larger than expected. If you love zombie shows or movies you’ll love this book!

Book came damaged on the outside, corners wrinkled and beat. The inside has 4 pages that are ripped slightly. Apart from that, the rest of the book is fine.

Die TV Serie kennen viele, die Comics dazu sind aber auch wirklich bekannt und absolut empfehlenswert. Die Storyline unterscheidet sich von jener der Serie, so wird es auch nicht langweilig. Das Compendium bietet eine super Möglichkeit alle Comics zu lesen ohne sie einzeln nachkaufen zu müssen (das wäre nicht nur mühsam, sondern auch teurer als dieser Sammelband). Zum Aussehen des Buches: Es handelt sich um ein Softcover-Buch, das Buch selbst ist sehr Dick und schwer - aber selbst so ist es absolut als Lektüre für den Abend geeignet (zumindest für Erwachsene ;)