Since its premiere on AMC on Halloween 2010, this horror series has ambled into the homes of many a TV watcher, earning rave reviews from critics, garnering numerous award nominations and a spot on the American Film Institute's top-10 television programs of 2010, and steadily growing in viewership as well as in word-of-mouth buzz. Based on Robert Kirkman's Eisner Award-winning comic book series of the same name, illustrated by Tony Moore and later Charlie Adlard (Image Comics), the show was developed by Frank Darabont (well known for directing screen adaptations of Stephen King works, including 1994's The Shawshank Redemption), with Kirkman now serving as executive producer and writer. Set in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse, the story follows police officer Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and a small band of survivors who travel across the United States in search of a safe haven. Danger lurks everywhere, and as their situation becomes more and more dire, the group discovers that they'll do almost anything to stay alive. Though the horrors of encountering the ravenous-for-flesh undead are ongoing (and grippingly and gruesomely depicted), at heart, The Walking Dead is a survivalist story that's tightly focused on the human drama and the personal struggles of the characters. The second season kicked off on October 17, 2011, with a record number of viewers, and the series has already been renewed for a third season.
On the Web
Die-hard fans can visit the show's official website to catch up on Season 1 or get the skinny on the latest happenings. Episode by episode, teens can watch insider videos (with commentary from the cast and crew and a look at the filming of particularly yucky special effects), peruse photos and recaps (both quick overviews and more extensive summaries), take quizzes, and share their comments on a public discussion forum. A characters option provides bios and photos of the major players, and the "Photos" section includes previews of several issues of Kirkman's comics. An "Apocalypse Personality Test" allows viewers to answer questions and determine which character they are most like, and they can also follow a link to a dedicated Facebook fanpage to choose a side ("Survivors vs. Zombies") and build their own avatar. YAs can browse a series of webisodes centering on the character of Hannah (the famed bicycle girl) at the very start of the apocalypse; watch a "Motion Comic" of the beginning of Kirkman's graphic novel series, eerily animated and supplemented with voice acting and dramatic music; check out an array of fascinating behind-the-scenes clips; and catch up on the latest community chat and series news.
Followers of The Walking Dead will find much to sink their teeth into at the dedicated wiki, which includes coverage of both the comics and TV show. This collaboratively created site is kept rigorously up to date for both small screen and print incarnations, so users should beware of spoilers. Teens can browse according to their interests, finding out more about particular TV episodes (including summaries and point-by-point comparisons to the comics), the story arc of the graphic novel (which has progressed much beyond the TV series' plot), basic zombie info (background, behavior, different types, weaknesses, etc.), and in-depth character bios (divided by format). Links make it easy to hop from topic to topic and delve into related details, and the site is illustrated throughout with full-color TV photos and comic-book reproductions.
Book Tie-ins
In The Walking Dead Chronicles (Abrams, 2011; Gr 8 Up), Paul Ruditis provides an interesting and insightful look at both the comic book and TV series. Introductory essays by Darabont and Kirkman set the tone for this volume, which underscores the creative strong points, storytelling potential, and audience impact of both formats and points out how the two intersect, diverge, and ultimately feed off one another. Illustrations on the cover and title page-an iconic image of Grimes riding horseback on a deserted highway toward the looming Atlanta skyline-cleverly combines comic-book illustration with distinctive-looking photo artwork from the show. Well-written, detailed chapters cover the origins of the comic from original pitch to publication; how the printed series was adapted for the screen; the envisioning and creation of an army of "poignant and terrifying-but, above all, convincing" zombies; the casting process (complete with side-by-side cameos of the comic book characters and the actors who portray them); the vision behind the TV show's visual style (inspired by the source material); post-production special effects; and a marketing campaign designed to pique the interest of established Kirkman fans as well as a broader audience. Interspersed throughout are treatments of first-season episodes that go beyond plot summaries to trace the development of characters and story arcs and make comparisons between the comics and the TV show (along with visuals from both). Other sections provide behind-the-scenes glimpses at a "Zombie School" for extras, the "Rick-Lori-Shane" love triangle, and the filming of particularly memorable scenes. The text is filled with thoughtful commentary from the cast and crew, as well as an eye-catching assortment of production photos, set designs, storyboards, special effects images, and reproductions of comic book artwork (often juxtaposed with their on-screen interpretations).
Kirkman treads new ground in The Walking Dead universe with the first in a series of prose novels. Written with horror novelist Jay Bonansinga, Rise of the Governor (St. Martin's, 2011; Gr 11 Up) delves into the back story of one of the comics' most loathsome and controversial villains: the man who runs the town of Woodbury with an iron fist and a flair for cruelty. The novel begins just after the apocalypse and centers around a small group of survivors heading toward a refugee center in Atlanta: Philip Blake, his young daughter Penny, his brother Brian, and two close friends. Led by the take-charge Philip, they journey through the zombie-infested landscape, seeking safety while living with ever-present danger and encountering all manner of atrocities. The full enormity of the situation gradually dawns, as the characters realize that the worst horrors aren't perpetuated by the ambling undead-who can after all be dispatched by fire arms, knives, and the occasional power tool-but by human survivors. As events unfold, one man is changed forever, his humanity stripped away layer by layer, transformed by a mix of unrelenting violence, emotional tragedy, and bitter hopelessness into the psychopath who will become the Governor. Not for the faint of heart, this book runs on pressure-cooker suspense, graphically described bloodshed, and dark acts of brutality, including rape. This riveting character study adds a new dimension to the oeuvre by fleshing out established characters and plot lines.
Don't forget to stock up on the graphic novels. Kirkman's The Walking Dead Volume 14: No Way Out, a trade paperback collecting issues #79-84, is hot off the presses, as is the latest hardcover compilation, The Walking Dead Book Seven, collecting issues #73-84 (both Image, 2011). Click here for more about the series and some other great zombie reads for teens.
Publication Information
RUDITIS, Paul. The Walking Dead Chronicles: The Official Companion Book. Abrams. 2011. pap. $19.95. ISBN 978-1-4197-0119-1.
KIRKMAN, Robert & Jay Bonansinga. The Walking Dead: Rise of the Governor. St. Martin's. 2011. Tr $24.99. ISBN 978-0-312-54773-8.
KIRKMAN, Robert. The Walking Dead Volume 14: No Way Out. pap. $14.99. ISBN 978-1607063926.
_____. The Walking Dead Book Seven. Tr $34.99. ISBN 978-1607064398.
Ea vol: illus. by Charlie Adlard. Image Comics, dist. by Diamond Book. 2011.
This article originally appeared in School Library Journal's enewsletter SLJTeen. Subscribe here.
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