September 6th, 2011 | → 0 Comments | ∇ Graphic Novels & Comics |
The Walking Dead ‘No Way Out’
by Ghastly McNasty
I’ve written several posts regarding The Walking Dead TV show – updates, show times, behind the scenes stuff. In fact there are way more posts about the TV show than the actual comic. So, it’s about time I took a look at the Kirkman and Aldman zombie epic in its original form compared to the TV show.
I’ve been buying the trade paperbacks since the first volume, ‘Days Gone Bye‘, which was released back in 2006. You may think the title ‘No Way Out’ refers to the position I find myself in now having collected all 14 trade paperbacks, which combined, counts as a whopping 84 individual comics. Writer Robert Kirkman promised us a continuous story and by jolly that’s what we’re getting. No wonder he is the current darling of the comic world having sold so many copies of The Walking Dead to thousands of eager comic fans who loved the idea of an never-ending tale what would happen in the days/years after the zombie apocalypse. No Way Out actually refers to a story arc which runs from issues #80-84.
I will not mention any specifics for those of you who haven’t read it yet, vaguely put, No Way Out covers an event which shatters the peaceful situation in which the survivors were currently living in. Sitting down to tuck into volume 14 I was very excited to catch up with a dose of zombie mayhem. Reading the trade paperbacks means you have to wait for long portions of time until the next is released. Ever since Rick Grimes and his gang had settled in to a walled, secure community the tension has been building. Kirkman is a wily old fox, who has on several occasions in the long running series pulled me back from being disinterested and bored with the meandering storyline, to edge-of-the seat, eye-bulging excitment, thanks to an unseen twist or the brutal massacre of a key group of cast members. I was hoping for good things from No Way Out and I was not dissapointed!
The story arc starts slowly but issues 83 & 84 are quite possible the most exciting, horrific and emotional horror comics this century. It’s restored my faith that The Walking Dead still has something to offer those who have invested their time and money in the series. It’s also confirmed that the TV series will never be as good as the comics. AMC’s show will never show graphic images like that on TV, nor will the budget cover the ideas that are coming out of the comic. Basically, comics rule.
I still care about the TV show. I care because it IS The Walking Dead for those who will never pick up a comic. I care because The Walking Dead represents horror comics being so good that they make it on to TV. However, for those who only want to watch the TV series, you are getting a watered down, commercialized, hollywood-style experience that lacks the magic only the original comic version can supply. Comics are not under the immense pressure to perform that a network TV show is. They do not have to worry about suited corporate losers who only care about ratings and advertising revenue. Sure, a comic will be canned if no-one reads it but a comic just has to be itself, if the premise and characters are good enough the comic will prevail. The fact The Walking Dead comic series is still going is testament to its quality. If the TV show is rubbish then people will think the comic is rubbish. So come on AMC, you better make sure the 2nd series is good…
…and buy the comic as well.
by Ghastly McNasty
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