The Walking Dead Compendium One

Released: May 2009
Contains Volumes #1-48
Lots of pages, but none of them numbered, but it's a really quick read since it's a comic book and all.
This comic is not for children: It contains a lot of sex, swearing, and violence.

The breakdown:  The end of the world is here and what's left is filled with zombies and a few survivors.  This is the story of how those survivors get along with each other and deal with killing zombies to stay alive another day.

First off, let me say that I love the television show that this comic book was adapted into.  The story's great, great writing and directing, the characters are fully formed and it's just a great, great project.  So much quality and high drama, it's not just a zombie story it's a human one.  It's so entertaining to watch and fully engages me.  The comic book, not so much, let me explain.

I've never read a comic book before because it never appealed to me.  I love reading, but novels, more than cartoons.  This comic book still has the storyline, but it's so surface with the characters that you never get a chance to know what they're thinking.  You never get the chance to look inside or get more of themselves when it's just a picture throughout with a little thought or word bubble coming out.  There's not enough depth for me for characters and little chance for character development. 

The comic book and the television show differ sometimes, and sometimes greatly, but it's essentially the same story, it's just that I don't enjoy reading the comic book. 

I tried to read this one, but I got to the part where it surpassed where the television show left off at the end of season 2 and I felt like I was ruining the show for myself, so I stopped.  I didn't get bored, but I enjoy the show so much more than the comic that I just couldn't go on.

It seems like to me as well, people these days want to know what's going to happen with the show before it airs.  There's all sorts of spoilers out there and people want to talk to me about the comic storyline and tell me stuff that hasn't happened, but I don't WANT to know.  I WANT it to be a surprise and just let the story unfold before me.

I say, if you haven't read any of the comics, but enjoy the show, stick with the show.  I'll read these comics (maybe) after the show goes off the air forever and I need a little fix of The Walking Dead.

4 out of 5 for a good book; I just don't enjoy the format, and prefer the tv show.