The Walking Dead, Volumes 1-5

Title: The Walking Dead, Volumes 1-5
Author: Robert Kirkman
Series: The Walking Dead #1-5
Genre: Horror
Format: Paperback
Pages: 688
Reason Read: Just Because
Rating:

My Thoughts

Since I love The Walking Dead TV show so much, I decided to give the graphic novels a try even though I haven’t really enjoyed the other graphic novels I’ve read. Surprisingly, it was a lot of fun to read volume 1. It was just like watching the show with a few differences in the story.

I’m surprised at how quickly the group found the prison. That didn’t happen until Season 3 of the TV show and volume 2 only goes up to issue 12. They didn’t stay at Hershel’s farm very long in the novel and it felt interminable on the TV show. It also didn’t quite go down like it did on the show, which I was expecting, but now it’s got me really curious how certain things are going to happen. I really like that even though I know the story, I’m still being kept on my toes.

Volume 3 was the most different from the TV show. There are characters that I didn’t know existed. And, many of the same characters are different from their TV show counterparts. It’s interesting to see the differences. I’m still enjoying reading these and I look forward to the next volume. However, I’ve decided that I do like TV show Maggie and Glenn better than graphic novel Maggie and Glenn. Maybe, they’ll grow on me.

So much happened in volume 4 and so much of it was different from the TV show. It was so weird to see things that happened in the TV show happen to different characters. Even though the graphic novels came first, I like the characterization of the TV show better. It’s probably because I’m used to them. I also love the actors because they bring so much emotion to the story. I don’t really like graphic novel Carol or Michonne, but I love TV show Carol and Michonne. Graphic novel Maggie and Glenn are growing on me, so that’s something.

I was so looking forward to continuing with this series, but volume 5 did me in. It was too graphic, too vivid, and too disturbing. I knew going into the graphic novels that they would be violent and graphic, but there are some things I just don’t need to see in detail, like a someone being brutally raped and beaten over and over again. That imagery won’t be leaving my mind any time soon. It was so graphic and lasted several pages. I’m done.

I rated the first four volumes 3 stars and the fifth volume 1 star. The average rating is 2.6 stars so that’s why I’ve posted it as 2.5 stars.