The Walking Dead Compendium ONE & TWO Set (WALKING DEAD): (WALKING DEAD Volume 1 & 2) by Robert Kirkman

by Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard (Illustrator), Cliff Rathburn (Illustrator)

Introducing the first eight volumes of the fan-favorite, New York Times Best Seller series collected into one massive paperback collection! Collects The Walking Dead #1-48. This is the perfect collection for any fan of the Emmy Award-winning television series on over one thousand pages chronicling the beginning of Robert Kirkman''s Eisner Award-winning continuing story of survival horror- from Rick Grimes'' waking up alone in a hospital, to him and his family seeking solace on Hershel''s farm, and the controversial introduction of Woodbury The Governor. In a world ruled by the dead, we are finally forced to finally start living.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Horror

2154 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Robert Kirkman is an American comic book writer best known for his work on The Walking Dead, Invincible for Image Comics, as well as Ultimate X-Men and Marvel Zombies for Marvel Comics. He has also collaborated with Image Comics co-founder Todd McFarlane on the series Haunt. He is one of the five partners of Image Comics, and the only one of the five who was not one of the original co-founders of that publisher.

Robert Kirkman's first comic books were self-published under his own Funk-o-Tron label. Along with childhood friend Tony Moore, Kirkman created Battle Pope which was published in late 2001. Battle Pope ran for over 2 years along with other Funk-o-Tron published books such as InkPunks and Double Take.

In July of 2002, Robert's first work for another company began, with a 4-part SuperPatriot series for Image, along with Battle Pope backup story artist Cory Walker. Robert's creator-owned projects followed shortly thereafter, including Tech Jacket, Invincible and Walking Dead.

Reviews

[Yodamom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a fan of the show, a serious fan. I found myself looking for something to hold me over between show/seasons so I looked into the books. I'm not a big fan of many comics so I went for the novels on Woodbury and the Gov. Oh my, if you haven't read this get to them, fast. I finished those 6 books quickly so time to try the graphic. I should have known these aren't a best seller for nothing. I am now officially a Robert Kirkman fan.
This is what a zombie book should be, gross, bloody, gore plus and full of heart stoping moments. The illustrations are wonderfully detailed I spent time just looking at pages drawn with intricate parts, amazing. I can't tell you anything about the deaths the, back stabbing the love, and torture that would ruin it. These semi follow the TV series, there are differences that will surprise. Read it

[Mj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Regret, I should have read 1 before I watched the TV show. Loved both books, fast read but very heavy, as in weight books.

[Alonso Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I finished reading the first compendium I wanted to read the next one right away. The first one leaves the reader with a cliff hanger and really makes people want to know what will happen next. I really enjoyed this book because every ones personalities changes so much than the first book. The way that Rick changed after his wife died (Compendium 1) , he personality has changed and it is very visible in the story. The way that he talks to Lori on the phone and becomes somewhat crazy. I also liked to see how much Carl has changed. After his mother died hes had so many emotional outburst and I like how they focused on how a kid would act if their mother would have died. I really like this sequel to the first compendium and how it continued the story right away with just Rick and Carl traveling and trying to find a safe place to settle. Something else that I enjoyed about this book is how through out the book Carl just wanted to make his dad proud so he would often hold his sadness away. Also how he would act tough and actually help the group with problems that they couldn't even face. Carl is very different in this graphic novel then in the TV show because he is a lot more mature even though he is only 8-years-old. When Carl got shot in the eye he was in a coma for a while so it was very interesting to see that he did not really remember what was going on and how he lost some of his emotions that were bringing him down. I enjoyed the story because in the first book the zombie apocalypse had just started and they were still trying to find out how to survive but in this book Rick's group has made so much progress. They went from having a settlement in a prison to forming a community called Alexandria. The book also ends with them making a deal with a larger community of around two hundred people and will be partnering put with them to fight the big bad guy, "Negan".

[Joseph John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Before AMC’s television show, there were The Walking Dead comics by Robert Kirkman. Compendium One includes issue #1 to #48, and Compendium Two includes #49 to #96. In fact, the series still isn’t complete, and Kirkland is up to issue #128 as of this post.

The Walking Dead tells the tale of Rick Grimes, a police officer who awakens from a coma to find himself in a post-apocalyptic world infested with zombies. He eventually links up with other survivors, and what follows is a struggle for survival that tests the limits of their endurance, sanity, and humanity.

Rick Grimes is a man who will do anything to protect his tribe, and throughout the series, he takes drastic measures that many would consider barbaric and cruel. But in a world overrun by zombies, lawless bandits, cannibals, and mad despots–where it’s kill or be kill–Grimes is only doing what he thinks is necessary to survive.

Without spoiling any major plot points, I will say this: don’t get attached to any major characters. Kirkman is likely to kill off anyone and everyone, usually while they are dropping multiple F-bombs. Extreme graphic violence and extreme graphic language are par for the course, so if those things turn you off, look the other way. In one torture scene, a character loses his arm, fingernails, and testicles, and his left eye is plucked from his head. It’s not pretty, and its not the worst of it.

If that kind of stuff doesn’t bother you, The Walking Dead is, for the most part, an entertaining read. At the very least, it’s an interesting study on character development–or more accurately, devolution–and the sliding scale of mankind’s morality in a post-apocalyptic world.

[Davian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Action, zombies,horror, and survival. Sound fun? Well then The Walking Dead is the perfect book for any die hard zombie survival horror fans. This book written by Robert Kirkman is a fantastic novel that goes to show how far friends and family, and also complete strangers would go to save one another. This book also portrays how someone will turn on their own friends in a desperate attempt to save their own life and not think twice about it. Since it's the zombie apocalypse food is very scarce and not easy to find, and one leader of any group must chose who eats and who doesn't and its not a easy choice. Many tough choices have to be made in such a time of need, if a group leader decides to chose the wrong choice it could cost the leader and his group all of their lives. In this apocalyptic world many people have to go through losses and hard ships, it takes bravery and courage to survive, it also takes wits to know if someone is lying to get close then backstab the group, this book is very well written and is highly recommended.

[Randy Marcellus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm actually caught up to book 118, but I wasn't keen on hunting down all of the different collections, volumes and what not to prove I read them. I love this series. No one is safe and a fan favorite could kick the bucket at any moment. The humans are more evil than the flesh eating zombies and are illustrated as even more grotesque than the undead in some scences (see governor/Michone interaction).

I haven't read a comic since grade school, but a good friend of mine convinced me otherwise. I'm glad he did. Now I can't decide whether I should go back to reading novels exclusively and wait for another compendium to come around, or if I should go with the what's going to happen in next week's issue form of readership. We'll see. Great overall series though. I'd read it again.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the first compendium mostly Christmas day. It was a gift from my husband. I couldn't put it down. Very different from the show. Some people I like better in the comics; others, like Carol, I like better in the show. For the new year, we got the second compendium. Just as good as the first, if not a little better. I can't wait to see how they work the comics into the show. I will say there is a lot more relationship drama in the comics, especially during their time in the prison. (graphic novel for 2015 reading challenge)

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a review for Compendium Two. As I was getting 4 new tires, time passed quickly and I was able to finish this volume. I wonder how many more they have.

What I noticed is Rick gets angry/ violent, then he gets better and has hope for the future. In a time and place that the setting is in, I can see where he swings back and forth between the two. It was neat to see communities springing up.

We have been warned about an upcoming evil character-- Negan.

[Terrell Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was great but I found myself bored after a while but when I did the book brought more conflict and got me excited again

[Patricia Blevins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the back story and even how The show is different. It was awesome

[Catherine Cottam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carl is so much more whiny than I remembered but the storylines were great!

[Meredith Dougherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zombielicious!