The Walking Dead Graphic Novels

When I watched The Walking Dead on AMC two years ago, I was fascinated with the zombie show (because I love zombies) but more so to discover the show was based on a graphic novel by Robert Kirkman. Last year, (2011), I finally decided to pick up the graphic novel and explore a new medium I don't usually read. After I devoured Volume 1: Days Gone Bye, I was hooked.

Reading a graphic novel is new for me. The only comics I recall reading are Ghost World, Archie Comics, The Crow, The Maxx and the funnies in the newspaper. Even these comics were sporadic due to my brother's exposure to the medium (he was a huge comic book nerd) and whether or not a comic was based on a movie.

Now, however, with this particular series, I am more entranced and disgustedly delighted with each panel I ingest. The graphics are on point, the plot lines interesting (and sad) but I just cannot get enough!

The recent episodes on the show, "Nebraska" and "Trigger Finger" is showing aspects of the Rick in the novel in which his moral compass becomes grayer than before. The show is following the series somewhat but with new characters, speeding up incidents, changing up the event sequencing, and telling the same story in a new medium.

Additionally, a certain character that has since died early on in the novel is on his/her way out - which is the only reason I'm watching the show presently. Now that I know the destination and where they're going, I can gauge how Kirkman is playing out his content for the TV medium.

As for the graphic novel itself, I'm excited to read until Kirkman (and illustrators) decide to pull the plug. Best.Graphic.Novel.Ever.