The Walking Dead, Book Three

The Walking Dead #5-6

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

This hardcover features another 12 issues of the hit series along with the cover art - all in one oversized hardcover volume. Perfect for long time fans, new readers and anyone interested in reading a zombie movie on paper that never ends.

Book Details: Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 12/19/2007 Pages: 304

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Horror, Zombies, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book

304 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2007

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

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michonne is my motherfucking hero!
I've honestly developed a girl crush on one (or more) of her personalities.



Warning: Spoilers! Lots of 'em!

Ok, there's a lot of stuff that happens in this one, but (to me) it all pales in comparison to the fantastically gory justice that Michonne lays down on The Governor.
She nailed his rapey dick to the floor! Oh my God! I loved it!
Seriously, I think I fell in love with her for reals when she pulled out the torch. I mean, that whole scene just had a beauty to it that I can't even describe...



*swoons*
Don't you ever change, Michonne!

Ok, this is by far my favorite volume of this title as of yet. Definitely deserving of all five of the stars, if for nothing but the spectacular Revenge Fantasy that I already mentioned.
But.
There was also the introduction of The Govenor, himself.
His creepy zombie kid, the insane town he runs, and that whole wall of floating heads! What a perfect villain!



And don't forget Rick's hand! Ahhhhh! Shit, shit shit! Did that really just happen?
Yes. Yes, it did. *screams internally*



And last, but not least, Carol and her crazy sister-wives suggestion!
Go on...saying it out loud won't make anyone uncomfortable, Carol.
Bwahahahahahaha!



Ok, ok. This was the BESTEST! I know all of you longtime readers are telling me that it gets stale and repetitive down the road, but I'm really enjoying the ride for now. On to Book 4!

[Gabriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me encanta demasiado este tomo porque finalmente aparece uno de los villanos más atemorizantes y capaz el más loquito de todos. Lo que le hace a Michonne, a Rick y en parte a Glenn es de un absoluto ser abominable y asqueroso.

Por eso mismo acepto sin rechazos y profundamente complacido todo lo que le hace Michonne luego. Más que aprobado.

[Mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: It should be noted that my ratings are a bit biased due to my obsession love of anything Walking Dead.

The shit really hits the fan in this one. Things get way darker than the series. I love not knowing what's going to happen even after knowing the T.V. series so well. Fascinating how different they are.

One thing that is the same: Michonne is one bad ass bitch!!



Off too get Book 4...can't stop!

[Hayat · Rating 4 out of 5]

***Spoiler alert!***
I can't believe I'm saying this but, so far, the graphic novels are darker than the TV show and for those of you who've seen TWD show, you know how much blood, guts, gore and death there is in each episode. The most disturbing part (apart from what happened to Michonne) is what happened to Rick...I didn't expect that at all! All i could think was, 'noooooooo! Not Rick's hand you bastards!'

As soon as Rick and his companions met the Governor, things went to hell in a handbasket. The scary thing about the Governor is that his victims are none the wiser before he has them exactly where he wants them. The most frightening aspect of his character (apart from his madness and blood thirst) is how manipulative and persuasive he can be. The unwary ordinary citizen's of Woodbury who look to him as a saviour and a leader are unknowing (at least some of them) participants in his sick torture, murder spree and twisted entertainment. Seriously, that Governor brings a whole new meaning to the word psychopath! He is beyond sick! The guy not only takes the cake in being a twisted, deranged psycho, he takes the whole damn bakery.

But the show stealer is Michonne. What happened to her was stomach churning but she got her own back like a boss and in the end, it was EPIC! She was the very spirit of vengeance and her little show and tell was...awesome and disturbing.


I can't wait to see how Michonne's character evolves in the graphic novels, because right now, she's the most exciting bad-ass character in TWD.

[James DeSantis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah the Governor, good old raping piece of dogshit.

See this to me was when shit got real. When "holy shit humans can be just as shitty". When Rick and the crew see a Helicopter crash they decide to go out and find out what happened. Him, Glenn, and Michonne find more than they expected as they finally reach a new town. Inside that town has horror's they couldn't imagine and it gets way out of hand...yes I made a joke.

Overall, this is a intense, bloody, fucked up volume. So much backstabbing, shocking moments, brutal sickening things done to characters we like, and ones we hate, it's so back and forth with emotion you don't know what the hell is going to happen. This is walking dead at its finest.

A 4.5 out of 5.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s not that I don’t necessarily like this one as much as the others. But I hate the whole Governor arc anyways, so this will probably be my least favorite part of the series.

And the book version is even more horrific than the show, if that’s possible. The part with Machone literally pissed me off so badly I was shaking. I’m glad that the initial part with him is over, but I have a feeling I’m going to dislike the next book too.

Glen and Maggie are my life and the only reason I’m reading through this part.

[Eve Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't really decide how I feel about this. The story was good and I liked the violence, but I felt all the conversations boring and kind of odd. It felt like the conversations were from a whole different story than a zombie apocalypse.
I can't decide do I want to read more of the series or not, I guess not?

[Aildiin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is, in my view, probably the best format to read the Walking Dead.
The hardcover is of very high quality, each hardcover contains the equivalent of 2 trade paperbacks and costs the same as two of those.
The art is slightly enlarged, making it even easier to read.

One warning though, the depiction of the last meeting between Michonne and the Governor is not for the faint of heart and will give nightmares to most people, do not put this in the hands of young children...

That being said the story gets deeper and we start to realize that the most dangerous things out there for Rick and his bands is not the undeads but others humans...

[Tricia · Rating 1 out of 5]

While I still have a slight interest in how the comic differs from the TV series, the misogyny and violence in this book were just too much. I didn't even want it in my house any longer than absolutely necessary. I didn't want it anywhere that my teen and tween boys could peek at it. There comes a point where it feels like violence for the sake of violence, without purpose or message. We understand - people are even worse than the walkers. We get it - what we do to each other is worse than anything the zombies could do to us. But we didn't need five pages of rape and torture to understand that message. The acts are horrific. The revenge is almost as bad. She should have just cut off his dick and forced it down his throat and been done with it. Let him turn into a zombie who can't eat brains because he's choking on his own private parts. Anyway, so far I have found the graphic novels to be mostly disappointing. The drawing is mediocre. The characters are hard to distinguish from each other and are mostly annoying. Sometimes the scenes are unreadable. I don't really like or root for anyone. Yesterday when I finished the book I swore it would be my last in this series. Today I'm still a bit interested in the differences to the show. Hopefully the next installation will be easier to stomach.

[Just a Girl Fighting Censorship · Rating 2 out of 5]

Once again I am bothered by all of the obsession that is placed on sex. Why do all of the women in these books have to be whores? Why are men calmly chatting about relationships while they are surrounded by zombies? Why do I have to read the same conversation over and over again?

Once again the dialogue is less than griping and I found the rape scene that consists of Glen listening to the Governor to be over the top and overdone. One sentence followed by Glen's various facial expression would have been powerful, instead what I got was sick and trashy.

I did really enjoy the whole idea of keeping zombies as pets, and the fighting for sport, in fact the whole fenced off town was interesting and the Governor would have been an interesting character if he wasn't so ridiculously and grossly evil.

Also, Carol asking to marry Lori and Rick WTF? I'm convinced Kirkman is a sick pervert!

[Ruben · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Walking Dead, Book three could be the wierdest yet most intense book I read from the walking dead until now, just seeing how michonne got raped and tortured by the gorvener, then the gorvener putting Glenn next to the cell where he was raping Michonne so that Gleen got get mentually tuture was horrible, and what Michonne did to the governer after getting rescued by Rick and Gleen was even worst. Eventhough that happen it was kind of good seeing Michonne getting payback from that stupid pyscho. O there was this seen where you could see that the govener got some heads and place them in an aquarium full of other heads that he called TV. Maybe you could be saying that it was very groose kind of has sadness because once they get out of the town where they were held, and took on of the guards because he said he was a good guy and also a nurse that had helped out Rick with his had since it was cut by the governer, and the doctor that was working witht the nurse. Sadly he died from a zombie attack. After they get out of the town they go to the prison where the rest of the group was left only to know that when they are there all the zombies came in and attack the prison. What made it very imoccionel for Rick since his wife and kids where alife, Glenn girlfriend was there, and Michonne's boyfriend, Terry, one of Ricks best pals were gone for now. But after all the crying they had they went to the check and kill all the zombies, only to find out they where all inside the prison they just closed the doors and left the zombies outside so that they could not enter so that brought them back hope to fight those zombies. Sadly one of the not so important characters died from the zombie attack there was in the prison called Otis plus the guard that said he wanted to leave the town tried to go back to the town and say to the people he really trust got killed by Rick since he was also going to call some of the governer's guons and Rick didn't like that so while he was in the field, Rick smashed him with the van, not killing him imidiently and told the guy you what those guys can do to the people i have save for alot time, to my family, you know what people are cappable, and the guys last words where I'm getting the filling about it now and died. Over all I would say this books has a 8.5/10 since it was kind of groose and gredy, but it brought hope to the characters since they new that there families and people they new where alive, plus they learned that there is a headquaters that people talk about but don't know what contains yet.

[Booksofswarley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un excellent tome, très gore et pas facile à lire à certains moments. J'avais oublié quelques passages, bien plus traumatisants que la série. Ce gouverneur... 😰 Rick perd de plus en plus d'humanité. Cet arc de la prison est très prenant.

[Meegy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this better than the TV Series, excited to see where it takes us next that is different!

[Roberto]

Great book. Lookin forward on reading book 4.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW, I really burned my way through this one. Especially towards the end, not wanting to put it down and staying up later to read it. This book really was great, I liked it better than book two. Not that book two was bad, it was just that one was more about "Rick & Co." (LOL...that is how people often refer to Rick Grimes and his group of survivors/extended family when writing articles about the TV show) settling into the prison and the drama that ensues among them in the process. This one, however...this is where The Governor is introduced.

When first getting into the TV show and comparing it to all the other various zombie apocalypse stuff out there, I always pointed out that the fact that most of the people in this world are the bigger threat than the zombies is a realistic way of thinking about "what if something like this actually happened?". I mean, if there really were was a real zombie apocalypse; there would be no government, law enforcement, or even a military...so people would most likely do whatever they wanted. Also being that there are so many bad people and sick things that happen in the world we live in already...all that being thrown into a high stress environment would make it much worse. Sounds kind of negative and antisocial, but it makes sense.

I always heard that, "Comic book Governor makes TV show Governor look like Mister Rogers!". YEAH, they were definitely right. I mean, I remember how much I hated The Governor when he was still on the TV show, but The Governor in the comic books is a real sick son of a bitch!

*Spoilers* but don't worry..I'm hiding them.

There was a lot of horrible shit that The Governor did that did not make it to the TV show. David Morrissey did a great job of playing that character, and I suppose there were reasons why some of the things Governor did in the comic book were not used in the AMC show. And David Morrissey's look as the Governor, I thought, fit the character better than the way he looks in the comics. I don't like the long hair and mustache on him. That was just me nitpicking, back to some of the stuff he does. I did know that he cuts off Rick's right hand with a knife and there were reasons why that did not happen in the show. I did read about this in an article about that season 7 premiere with Negan, (God I hated that episode, I still can't re-watch that). The Governor takes Michonne, ties her up in what looks like a storage unit, and beats and rapes her repeatedly. they don't get to graphic or really even show too much of that part. Or even show it at all really. I'm glad for that because I don't like seeing rape scenes in movies, etc.. But what Michonne does to The Governor to get revenge for what he did to her is really fucked up and brutal. I want to say that he deserved it, but...holy shit. All that stuff is something most people wouldn't do to their worst enemy.

One thing I liked is how early in the book, Michonne's backstory is talked about. Not in a flashback, but briefly in one page when Glenn asks her something along the lines of, "So what did you do before this, does being a Samurai pay well?" That's something that I think fans of the TV show always wanted to know. All we know from the TV show is what she told Carl in season four and that's it. Or maybe I'm wrong, maybe some fans of the TV show like the mystique of the character.

I'm a big horror fan, have been for years. So I didn't mean for it to seam like I was complaining about the brutality and violence in this one. LOL.. I love gory stuff and action scenes just as much as the next guy.

The graphic novels are great! Like the show, they are addicting. Robert Kirkman is an awesome writer. And Charlie Aldard is a great artist and storyteller. I think I might have talked about this when I reviewed The Walking Dead, Book One, "why is it done in gray tones instead of color?". Well I think the reason is because the original Night of The Living Dead movie was done in black and white. And that being said, I believe the TWD comic is done that way as a tribute to George A. Romero..."godfather of the modern zombie genre". It's supposed to be like you are watching a black and white film. And I like that a lot. I'm sure that is the reason, Kirkman probably has explained it, I'm sure I don't even have to look that up. LOL...I don't want to!

There is no Daryl Dixon in the graphic novels, when the hell are they going to write him in? They kept saying they were going to do it. Am I wrong, did they do it yet? Well, I guess I'll have to wait and find out. Right now I'm trying to get caught up on the whole series so I can get to where it's at right now. And in saying that....ONTO BOOK FOUR!!

[Benji Glaab · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5🌟

[Brittany · Rating 5 out of 5]

How I Came To Read This Book: Strangely the library has a HUGE wait list on for Book Two, but barely anything for Book Three. The best I can figure is people are lining up to read the first two books which is causing a library bottleneck.

The Plot: We start off still at the prison, where our heroes have begun to settle in and feel safe. Then one day, they notice a helicopter crash in the distance. Rick, Michonne, and Glenn decide to head out and see where the helicopter came from (is it the military?), but as these things tend to go, they're derailed and instead find themselves grappling with a character known as The Governor.

The Good & The Bad: I have to say, this is probably the best book of the series so far. We've come a long way from being excited about canned peaches in that gated community in Book 1 - although in a disturbing way as well. I could've easily read the whole thing in one sitting (although admittedly, some parts, as per usual, turned my stomach a fair bit). I read a blog that happens to recap the show, and having read all the books, the bloggers noted that the most dangerous thing out there, really, isn't the zombies, but the remaining humans that are just as determined as you are to keep on surviving.

What was also interested about this is the similarities between the Governor and one of my favourite reads from last year, Justin Cronin's The Passage, wherein a similar, seemingly settled community harbours a dark (although more sensible) secret. It was also fun to read and try and predicted which parts of the book will make the show. This is by far the most 'graphic' of the books, particularly in the objectionable handling of Michonne's bad-ass character (I still feel like Kirkman has a serious hate-on for ladies), but there's so much good fodder between this book and the last one that I'm now amped up for season 3...and curious to see if where the end of book three will align with the show at some point.

Not much else to say. If you've got an issue with Kirkman's portrayal of ladies, then you'll do well to stop reading the series. It bothers me, but I also acknowledge that HE acknowledges that the society we're witnessing is pretty animalistic and savage. So there's that. Bring on SEASON 3 already!

The Bottom Line: Riveting and horrifying in equal measure.

Anything Memorable?: I will say, on the show front, I do appreciate they've set up the 'fear of others' in our cast quite early on. Between the fellows they met in the bar and the huge ethical debate about what to do with their 'rescued prisoner' I can only imagine how much more defensive our folks will be come prison time.

60-Book Challenge?: Book #34 in 2012.

[Schnaucl · Rating 3 out of 5]

The series is still sticking with zombie fiction cliches. Of course by the third book there has to be another group to oppose our protagonists.

The governor is a very heavy handed attempt to show what Rick might become if he continues down his path. Although I have trouble seeing Rick using strangers to play sick games with zombies. I can, however, see him being ruthless with his own people.

We're told the Governor started out as a good man but since we never see him as a good man he comes off as one dimensional. It's possible his zombie daughter is supposed to make the reader sympathetic, but I just found it grotesque.

I've also started to feel like we're getting violence for the sake of having violence.

I think a much more interesting story would have been a more nuanced one. Maybe the Governor isn't insane and evil, maybe he's a leader just like Rick but there isn't room for everyone at the prison. How does that get resolved?

[Sarah AlObaid · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series just keeps getting better and better! This one was especially amazing, because we got a more in-depth look at our characters, we're starting to really know them, to sympathize with them, to FEEL for them. And to have that from mere graphics is just incredible because in most cases, we don't get really attached to characters from graphic novels and comics because we can't really TELL what they're thinking or feeling. Also, the plot guys. The plot is incredible. Super action-packed, well-laid-out, fast-paced. It's reaally different from the tv show now but i'm honestly grateful for that; now i just view them as two different works, vaguely similar, but from the same world that i know and love, the world of The Walking Dead.

[Barbi Faye (The Book Fae) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am really loving reading the written material that the hit show is based on, and seeing just how drastically different a lot of the plot points are. There are a LOT of characters that have not died that have died in the series, and others are severely hurt in ways not covered in the show; just so ya know!!!
This is a hardcover bind up that feature twelve issues of the graphic novel gore and horror series "The Walking Dead", as well as the cover art from those issues, and lots of commentary too. Perfect for Dead fans, and fans of gory horror and fabulous art.

[Jess the Shelf-Declared Bibliophile · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a huge fan of the show, I wanted to see how the original writing started and how the show writers followed and deviated from the comics. My dislikes were that the comics are much more crude, crass, and unnecessarily violent. I did like the change in relationships and how people worked together differently, and the comics have a different creepiness feel than you get watching it on TV. Overall, I prefer the show, and probably will not finish out the comic book series.

[Niina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Olipas kolmas Walking Dead albumi paljon raaempi kuin aikaisemmat kaksi osaa. Paikoin jopa verisempi kuin tv-sarja. Hauskaa huomata, kuinka paljon eroja sarjakuvan ja tv-sarjan välillä on. Monet asiat tapahtuvat ihan eri henkilöille. Puhumattakaan siitä, että suosikkihahmoani Daryl Dixonia ei ole sarjakuvassa ollenkaan...

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit more character development and action, but volume three still follows the basic formula. This time the influence of Dawn Of The Dead and Day Of The Dead is very prominent, to the point of some characters acting in exactly the same way as the movies. Interesting to follow the group of survivors, though The Walking Dead is starting to get tired.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story continues to keep my on my toes! I never know what's going to happen when I turn the page but I know that anything is possible!

[Roviragrao · Rating 4 out of 5]

El nivel de crueldad y salvajismo va en ascenso...

[Adam Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Governor storyline provided The Walking Dead with its first large scale human villain. Up until this point Kirkman had flawed humans whose desires turned them contrary to Rick's beliefs, making them "villains". But they weren't real threats, and rarely had any power.

The Governor is The Rick of a different group, and while Kirkman makes him Evil As Fuck, you can still see how the same leader fatigue cycles Rick has gone through could have led him to making some of the same decisions The Governor did, if Rick were A Sick Bastard Who Is Evil As Fuck.

There is some interesting fleshing out of the ono-Rick characters, and the introduction of some new people who I don't remember, and therefore, can't imagine are going to be around much longer, but most of this volume is about shock value and The Evil As Fuck Governor.

Some heinous things happen in this book to make sure you know for sure that The Governor Is Evil As Fuck, and while they're awful and sickening, and further Kirkman's Book Two Thesis that "WE ARE THE WALKING DEAD. WE. ARE THE WALKING DEAD." they don't feel as impactful as the major deaths in the first two books.

I think this is because Kirkman is better at plot changing deaths than he is at expressing human suffering. Or maybe it's my own reading issue that I'm saddened to see a character I enjoy reading about die (or see a character I enjoy reading about suffer because someone they love has died) but don't want to see a charater I like be repeatedly traumatized just to make their character seem like they have more depth.

I still highly recommend this book with the caveat that this volume contains sexual violence and horror that's more along the lines of human torture porn in the vain of "Saw" or "The Hills Have Eyes" than the post-apocalyptic horror of "The Living Dead" or "28 Days Later".

[Janne Paananen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kolmas kirja vie tarinaa entistä rujompaan ja väkivaltaisempaan suuntaan. Vankilassa leiriä pitävä joukkio näkee kuinka helikopteri tekee hätälaskun lähelle. Kolmikko lähtee tutkimaan hylkyä. Eloonjääneitä etsiessä he törmäävät toiseen leiriin, jonka on muodostanut 20-30 eloon jääneen joukkio. Hieno homma! Paitsi, että leiriä johtaa "kuvernööri" kovin rautaisella ja sadistisella otteella...

Kolmas kirja etenee yhtä sulavasti kuin aiemmatkin, mutta siinä missä edelliset tuntuivat täysin uskottavilta, nyt mennään jo hieman rajoilla. Tarinassa on edelleen hienoja käänteitä ja puskan takaa tulevia yllätyksiä, mutta jotenkin toisen leirin kohdalla "uskottavuuspisteet" jostain syystä ropisivat.

Arvostan sitä, että sarjan kirjoittaja ei kohtele suojattejaan silkkihansikkain.

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

I started reading these because I enjoyed the tv show so much and now, if I had three wishes from a genie, I would use all of them to go back in time and make it so I never even considered reading these.

[B.A. Malisch · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I'm obsessed. Also, my family seriously needs to have a zombie apocalypse plan. . . LOL.

Pages: 304

[Soteralzobooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.2 biblio