Review: The Walking Dead

I recently picked up The Walking Dead, Books 1-4 -- they were originally sold as issues until the readership proved a compilation would be worthwhile -- and cannot tear my eyes away from the detailed drawings and riveting plot. The thing that separates this series from other media on zombies is its ability to draw the readers in without exuding a conclusion to all the mayhem; this, by far, is the strongest appeal of the series.

The story starts off a bit too familiar -- guy (Officer Rick Grimes) wakes up in a hospital, ventures outside, town is barren, newspapers strewn around warning of apocalypse. As Rick encounters endless problems, he realizes there isn't a solution for everything in a world the dead, or the undead, inhabits. (See last page of Book 2 for Rick's oxymoronic statement explaining the meaning of the title.) Thus, the story continues with the survivors attempting to cope with not just zombies but with themselves. The root of humanity is put to the test -- their interactions are far from fiction.

There are numerous characters; many who make small appearances making it difficult to recall the side stories, especially with ordinary names like Lori, Carol and Shane. I'll admit the large influx of character names can be difficult to retain, but it also makes the story more realistic. As more characters enter the series, each character is forced to shrewdly explore the depths of the inner man, which is not always pretty, while renewing the social norms instilled in their subconscious.

Perhaps living in a world surrounded by the dead makes you that much more alive.