Review

"Kill? Kill who? I don't know what you're talking about Rick." - Michonne

Rick and team are settling into the Prison, expanding their living quarters, trying to fire up the generator, and generally setting down some roots. The zombie hordes are still at the gates of course, and a second of inattention will allow them in. So you kind of have this uneasy domestic thing happening as the various characters get their safety on.

After seeing a helicopter go down in the woods nearby Rick, Glenn, and Michonne head on out into the hinterland to see if there are any survivors. Seems someone else got to the survivors before Rick and crew could, which leads the threesome to Woodbury, home of a large community ruled over by the sociopathic Governor. Things get pretty dicey as we are introduced to the modern gladiator games, developing menus for pet zombies, and the Governor's daughter. Rick is forced to confront his own beliefs as a former law officer as the beat is laid down for a future major confrontation. On the bright side Michonne gets to allow her inner insanity full range.

If I haven't mentioned Charlie Adlard's covers for the books yet then I guess it's long overdue. The books sport a different aesthetic to the comics as Adlard lays down a new beat for us to groove to. While we're talking almost a graphic designer edge here, I'm digging major characters being featured in the general zombie horde thing Adlard has happening on the cover. It's effective and probably is like candy to the fanbois of The Walking Dead series.

Book three continues the series standard of including two plot arcs in each book. This time round we get Chapter Five: The Best Defense and Chapter Six: This Sorrowful Life. Guess one of the advantages of the books, as opposed to the individual comics, is we get more of the story each release while still being left with something to anticipate from future releases. I'm actually rocking on to the professional presentation and overall content of this series of books. We're talking hard backed offerings that will be heaven for even the most basement orientated fanboy who will be reaching for the tissues in excitement.

One of the dangers I think that is inherent in Robert Kirkman's epic undertaking is that things may get a tad stale, and not to put too fine a point on things a bit on the borrowing side from other zombie outings. This book presented one scene that simply channelled Romero's work in Land of the Dead. Okay three possibilities here folks, 1) Kirkman is paying homage to Uncle George's definitive statement on all things decaying, 2) it's a wink to the reader that the Writer is all over the sub-genre and knows his jizzle, or worst case scenario 3) he is already recycling ideas and we're headed down to the second hand shop with things moving into second gear. Up to you what you think, I'll be keeping a weathered eye on future books for similar things, but I'm apt to believe in the first explanation, Kirkman is here high fiving George and keeping things all in the family. Thus far I'm pleased to note The Walking Dead has avoided the isolated farmhouse scenario, albeit we're currently in an isolated prison after being in an isolate farmhouse, okay shutting up now, but you know what I mean, new ingredients added to the stew pot keeping me interested over here.

Before moving onto the central antagonist of book three, yes the zombies are backdrop while being a clear and present danger, just a word on the time Kirkman is taking out of his dance card to fully invest in the human drama. I can get why the hate for this series, what's with the human relationship shite where's the zombie gore! - but quite frankly if you didn't realise horror is all about the human condition then you should stick to the action movie section of the DVD rental store. I'm always amused by the sort of "fan" who decries anything that involves human reaction, generally trying to cover themselves in the process. It's akin to the sort of defence people have for torrenting titles, i.e. stealing other peoples' intellectual property. Kirkman hits the human reactions, the relationships, and the general heroic nature of the human race. Yes the world as we know it may have come to an end, but life goes on, and some people will rise to the occasion. Of course Kirkman amply demonstrates some people won't, and others will seek advantage via exploiting their fellow survivors. Could probably drop in an art imitating life reference here but hey we're not a critical site simply a review haven.

Book three introduces us to Kirkman's most enduring antagonist yet, the sociopathic Governor who has carved a fiefdom for himself in the ashes and who is left with putting on the equivalent of Roman arena games to appease his easily bored subjects. How you can get bored with a zombie break in likely at any minute remains a moot point apparently. I was digging this character and can't wait to see where Kirkman takes him, anyone else think Michonne should have finished the job? One of the best modern villains I've run across in quite some time.

Wow already run over my word limit, dear god these things write themselves. I'm still following The Walking Dead in print and for sure will be dialling into the next book, Kirkman has the human angle and the horror aspects bubbling away together just fine. If you like your zombie then this is must read stuff, if you haven't really got your zombie on yet then this series of books might be just the thing to get you started. Full recommendation, with a whole lot more goodness still to come in the series.

We're picking up our walking dead books via amazon.com, where they'll set you back around $23 per issue. Considering the size of the things, you could easily take out a zombie with one, that's value for money!