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Robert Kirkman

Top 5 Wednesday: Books Featuring Zombies!

Top 5 Wednesday is a weekly meme from Goodreads. This month’s T5W topics center around Halloween, and when asked to pick my favorite type of scary creature, I knew zombies was it!

Revival is a favorite of mine, and I have written a lot of posts about it. In this now completed series, twenty three people inexplicably come back to life in rural small town Wisconsin. The “Revivers” are not your typical zombies looking for braaaiins. Instead they quietly rejoin their former lives, not even realizing or remembering their deaths. Their new existence sets the town on edge, with media scrutiny, a government quarantine and religious fanatics taking over the region. The series is being developed into a movie through Shatterglass Films.

Deluxe Edition One

Deluxe Edition Two

Deluxe Edition Three

Deluxe Edition Four

The Walking Dead is the grand-daddy of all zombie series.  A fascinating premise, that is getting a bit long in the tooth now, but is still beloved by many. I list the three compendiums I have reviewed on my blog, but I have also been keeping up with the smaller volumes as they come out, and putting reviews up on my Goodreads account (edit- I added in the fourth!)

Compendium One (Volumes 1-8)

Compendium Two (Volumes 9-16)

Compendium Three (Volumes 17-24)

Compendium Four (Volumes 25-32)

This book must be listened to on audio…it was beyond good. The story covers the history of the world wide war against zombies, and the narrative covers a reporter getting first hand accounts from survivors that tell about the beginning of the epidemic, the resistance, and the aftermath of the zombie catastrophe.  Some of the standout characters/stories were Todd Wainio, the Redker Plan, the North Korea speculation, the female Russian soldier, the pilot of the downed plane, and the family at the Manitoba campsite. A tiny criticism, is that I figured out every supposed surprise in the stories, and the connections between the world-wide characters strained credibility. The actors voicing the characters in the audio edition were perfect- Mark Hamill! Nathan Fillon! Denise Crosby! Jeri Ryan! Common! Alan Alda! I will definitely be listening to this story again and again.

Negan has been a prominent villain in the long running The Walking Dead series, and is a perverse mix of monster and savior. The question of how he became so twisted and his backstory during the zombie apocalypse is explained in this book that just came out the same week of Volume 28.

After is a strong collection of nineteen short stories about life “after” a catastrophic event. As with any compilation with various authors, some are stronger than others. One of the standouts was  After the Cure by Carrie Ryan. It  took the zombie story trope and subverted it. Vail is a teenager that was previously a zombie like creature but was given a cure to rehabilitate her. Society has a hard time accepting those rehabilitated people back into their communities, and the people themselves still feel some degree of hunger and a need to be back with their undead packs. Despite the melancholic nature of this story, there was a nugget of hope built into the end.

Who would have thought that zombies could be so appealing, but my reading list doesn’t lie!

-Nancy

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The Walking Dead: Compendium Three (Volumes 17-24)

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Kirkman, Robert, Charlie Adlard, Stefano Gaudiano, Cliff Rathburn. The Walking Dead: Compendium Three. 2015.

Here we go again. Some new villains come into play, and Rick and his crew continue to fight the living and the dead! Warning- some spoilers.

Volume 17-Something To Fear: No!!!! So did you think the Governor was bad? Well then, it’s time to meet Negan. Two fan-favorites bite the dust, with the second death being especially heartbreaking. Rule of thumb with TWD- if a volume ends on a hopeful note, the next one will devastate you.

Volume 18- What Come After: After the heartbreaking death in the last volume, Rick regroups. As Negan doesn’t know who he is dealing with, he thinks he has cowed Rick and the others. He has another thing coming. I love that Heath speaks some much-needed truth to Michonne. Enough of her man-stealing crap.

Volume 19-March to War: Leaders Rick, Paul, and Ezekiel along with the residents of Alexandria, The Hilltop Colony and The Kingdom decide they are going to take on Negan. This book is another bridge book, for it is setting up characters (I like the conversation between Ezekiel and Michonne) and scenarios as they prepare for war.

Volume 20-All Out War Part 1: Rick leads the united three communities against Negan. Although they have an initial first victory, Negan regroups and comes at them again. Negan shows some crazy morals, as he stops a rape and voices his long-term strategy, but yet then he does…

Volume 21-All Out War Part 2: I have to give props to Negan- he is a fantastic villain. While evil and misguided, he is much more believable than the damn Governor. So…we have more mayhem, needless death, and double-crosses. Rick reverses yet again on moral issues- in previous books, he said they must be better than their enemies and spare them,…then wait, no, we must kill our enemies to survive…ok now we must show mercy and be civilized in this book. Pick a stance Rick, and get control of your son who tries again to be judge and jury of whether a person lives or dies.

Volume 22- A New Beginning: Two years have passed since the war with Negan and the communities have thrived since then with community building and trade networks established. Negan has been neutered, but don’t count him out. I’m sure he’ll figure out a way to create some chaos in the future. A new band of survivors has been discovered and they are as wary of Alexandria as Rick and his crew were when they discovered it. As there has been a lull in epic villainy for awhile, a new threat is discovered at the end of this volume. A new beginning indeed.

Volume 23- Whispers Into Screams: A large contingent of survivors are found, living amidst the zombies, called The Whisperers. How they have survived is revealed, but many questions remain about their motives and standard of living. Carl falls for the daughter of the leader Alpha, and is incensed regarding some of their ways. Tensions mount at the Hilltop among the different factions, and a showdown is imminent.

Volume 24- Life and Death: Beginning: Welcome back Michonne! Interesting character development to explain where she has been and why. Middle: Alexandria trade fair. The surrounding communities and their residents come together to trade, network and hook up. Ending: No!!! OMG, the boundary line set up by Alpha to warn Rick to stay away from her and The Whisperers! The last few pages break your heart, as the panels are split up showing the newest victims, and the reactions of their friends and loved ones at the fair not knowing where they are yet. The feels!

These compendiums only come out every three or four years, so you won’t see another TWD review from me until 2019 or so (although I will keep up with the smaller volumes)! Remember- “In a world ruled by the dead, we are forced to finally start living”. So…put down your phone and LIVE!

-Nancy

Read the others volumes at: Compendium One, Compendium Two, Compendium Four

 

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Invincible: Volume One

How did I not know of this comic’s existence???!! I found it by complete accident, for no one told me about it, and I haven’t seen it reviewed by other bloggers recently. It is written by Robert Kirkman, and is still being published concurrently with his The Walking Dead series. Just my luck that as soon as I discover this awesome first volume, there was recently an announcement that the series will be wrapped up in the next year.

We first meet Mark Grayson, a young superhero, who is annoyed at having to save the world from doom. The storyline continues with a flashback to four months prior, when he discovers that his powers have finally kicked in. He knew he was destined to have powers, as he is the son of Nolan, aka Omni-Man, the most powerful and beloved superhero on Earth. He and his mom Debbie have always known of Nolan’s alien origins, but the public is unaware of his alter ego. The story continues with Mark adjusting to his new found powers, and how he balances becoming the new hero Invincible with school, fighting villains, pairing up with other young heroes in a team,  and girl issues. Later his world is turned upside down, with a twist that will surprise you, and his life changes forever with this new knowledge. This new development is a game changer and sets up endless stories for the future.

The artwork is fun, fresh and bold. There are lots of little details that made me laugh, especially the homage to the Justice League and to Star Trek TNG, and Mark’s love for Science Dog.  I even thought the font they used for the big sound effects with the interlocking double oo’s added to the whole feel. The mustache on Omni-Man was appealing (TMI- I am a sucker for mustaches. I look forward to November when my husband grows a mustache for the charity Movember) and it was amusing to see mustaches on all the men when he reminisced about his home planet.

I read the Ultimate Edition, and it had a lot of extras in the back. One feature that I found fascinating, was the behind the scenes scripts between Kirkman and Walker. Kirkman had the dialogue and layout planned with details such as how many panels should be on a page, sound effects, setting details such as the Grayson’s home layout, and facial expressions he wanted used. Also included were mock ups of the pages, possible publicity, character studies, and side notes by the creators.

This was an outstanding start to a series that has now been running for years. I’m glad I caught onto this sleeper hit before it comes to a close. Bravo to the team that created a whole world as rich as the DC and Marvel superhero universes. I will be back for more!

-Nancy

Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, Ryan Ottley & Bill Crabtree. Invincible. 2005.

invincible2

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The Walking Dead: Compendium Two (Volumes 9-16)

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Kirkman, Robert, Charlie Adlard & Cliff Rathburn. The Walking Dead: Compendium Two. 2012.

More zombies. More brutality. More death. Now that we have that covered, let’s move onto volumes 9-16, at a mere 1068 pages.  Warning- some spoilers.

Volume 9- Here We Remain: I needed a break after the misery, suffering and heartbreak of volume 8. In this book, Rick and Carl regroup after their loss and deal, each in their own way, with the repercussions of what they did or didn’t do. Slowly they regroup with some of the survivors of the massacre and take in an interesting trio of new characters. What does the future hold after such a devastating loss? Who knows- but it won’t be simple or happy…

Volume 10- What We Become: I was willing to overlook this in the last book because the prison catastrophe was new, but WHY hasn’t Rick gone back to find Lori and baby Judith and put them out of their zombie misery the way he did with Shane? This bothers me. Yea, the prison is completely overrun, but still. Theme of not being what you once were: Duane and his son, the twins(!), and the conversation Rick and Abraham have after the attack on Carl. Yep, a zombie apocalypse has a way of changing things.

Volume 11-Fear The Hunters :  As the story progresses the question arises- who exactly are the hunters? Is it Ben, who hunted his twin Billy? Is it Carl who dealt with Ben? Is it the fringe group who first ate their own children and then pick off humans traveling by? Or is it Rick, Andrea, Michonne and Abraham who mete out justice and avenge a loved one? This was definitely my favorite of the books so far, for the deaths weren’t gratuitous, instead they were heartbreaking and affecting. Favorite line: “Tainted meat!!!”

Volume 12- Life Among Them: The group’s journey to Washington DC continues until Eugene’s deceit is accidentally discovered. I wasn’t even mad- can you blame a weak guy for looking for an angle that will keep him safe? Soon afterwards another survivor from a nearby walled town approaches them and introduces them to the community of Alexandria and the survivors there. The residents there have maintained civility (not like the Governor and the town he ruled!) but suspicions remain for Rick’s weary band. Nothing is ever easy for any of them…

Volume 13- Too Far Gone: Rick’s group uneasily settles into the relative safety of the town Alexandria, but remain wary, as they don’t know the town’s inhabitants and safety protocols. Homes, food, and jobs are available, but at what cost? Rick is unable to relax and wishes to remain in charge, as he feels he can trust himself but is unable to put the lives of his followers in the hands of another. Andrea wisely points out that he was a better leader when he didn’t want to be one, in comparison to him wanting to do a power grab in this new community. As is typical, the group can never let down their guard, and new threats appear both inside and outside of the town’s gates.

Volume 14- No Way Out: Rick’s group settles further into the town of Alexandria. Many romances are either being established or revealed for the first time. Not happy with Abraham- throwing away a good relationship, just as Tyreese did. A zombie horde surrounds the community and some heartbreaking decisions and sacrifices are made. And yet there is actually some hope at the end, as the community works together as a team to combat the threat.

Volume 15- We Find Ourselves: The town of Alexandria cleans up the mess after the zombie horde attack- both physically and mentally. Abraham makes the situation with Rosita even worse- digging the knife in deeper after he betrays her. And then he and his new chickie think they can make a power move? Please…as if. I really like the coupling at the end between Rick and Andrea. Finally a good match for them both (although I did like Dale).

Volume 16- A Larger Fear:  Alexandria has become as stable as it can under the circumstances when they meet Paul “Jesus” Monroe who tells them of another community of 200 who have survived in the Hilltop Colony. Rick and his band are naturally wary of Paul and his community, but are pleasantly surprised and consider joining forces. Nothing is ever straightforward, and they are made aware that the Hilltop is paying tribute to a group called The Saviors, who protect them from zombies but demand half of their food and supplies for doing so. Now knowing about this yet-unseen threat; Rick talks hopefully to Glen, Andrea and Michonne about partnering with the Hilltop group, and this exchange is shown in some poignant full-page spreads at the end of this volume.

-Nancy

Read the others volumes at: Compendium One, Compendium Three, Compendium Four

 

7

The Walking Dead: Compendium One (Volumes 1-8)

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Kirkman, Robert, Charlie Adlard, Tony Moore & Cliff Rathburn. The Walking Dead. 2009.

I have read almost all of this series, so this post is a bit of a cheat: I took my previous Goodreads reviews and put them all together into this post.  Warning- lots of SPOILERS!

Volume 1- Days Gone By: Good stuff…I know I’m going to enjoy this series. No explanation of how this zombie apocalypse started and just the briefest mention of the government lets you concentrate on the survivors and how they cope. In the end, a few likable characters die, reminding me not to get attached to anyone. I actually had compassion for Shane, but why he was longing for Lori escapes me. I like the black and white art with precise lines by Tony Moore. 

Volume 2- Miles Behind Us:  I will just state my impressions and thoughts on the many books ahead of me: There are a lot of hook-ups in this zombie apocalyptic world. I find this unlikely, mostly due to the poor hygiene everyone would be dealing with, plus the minor fact that zombies are trying to eat you. Poor Hershel. I actually thought his (flawed) logic of keeping zombies in the barn until more was known, understandable. He gives food and shelter to Rick and his band and then he loses several of his children and then has to deal with shrill horrible Lori afterward. I flippin’ hate Lori. The artist changed to Charlie Adlard in this volume and his work was much sketchier. While it was a good match to the rough world they are in now, the change was abrupt and it took me awhile to get used to it. 

Volume 3- Safety Behind Bars: Safety behind bars? Yea…right. We discover that you no longer need a zombie bite to become a zombie-you die, you’re a zombie. This then leads to Rick unearthing Shane to kill him for good, a last show of compassion in the book. I was troubled when the “tax evader” killed innocent Rachel and Susie. That scene was just too much…not cool Kirkman. I’m still hatin’ on Lori.

Volume 4- The Heart’s Desire: Rick’s speech at the end about living now, making their current situation the best they can and not waiting and hoping to be rescued was spot on. Rules need to be changed…so what worked in the past needs to adapt to their current situation. Life will never ever be the same- deal.with.it. Observations: Poor twins- being orphaned and although Andrea and Dale step up for them, it’s not the same. I felt for Andrew- he was so trusting and just couldn’t deal with it all when Dexter died.  Michonne- her being kick-ass is tempered by the fact that she deliberately went for Tyreese when she knew he and Carol were together. But believe me- most of the blame goes to Tyreese who throws away a good relationship for some easy gratification. A$$hole. That then leads to Carol going off the deep end. What she did was almost understandable, a cry for help- but NOT in front of her daughter.

Volume 5- The Best Defense: Worst book thus far. Why? The Governor. Rick’s group finds another band of survivors! Too bad they are bat shit crazy. I know I need to have a ‘suspension of disbelief’ in certain books and movies, but come on…the daughter? the arena? the heads?! Plus, what happens to Michonne is just too much- the brutality of the Governor to her is over the top and extreme.

Volume 6- This Sorrowful Life: The book obviously serves as a bridge book- we met the Governor in the last book and it’s all but certain the jail will be found soon by his followers in the next book. Michonne gets her revenge…boy, does she get her revenge! Lori’s nearing her due date, and Glenn and Maggie get engaged. Although I want to be happy for them, rooting for someone in these books means certain death.

Volume 7- The Calm Before: This book continues the lull of action since Woodbury, leading to some needed character development. Lori flashbacked to Shane (showing that he was not a bad guy- at least in the beginning), Glenn and Maggie got married, Judith was born, Dale had a significant injury and then was insecure regarding Andrea, and then what Carol does happens. I guess there were clues leading up to it, and she had a previous suicide attempt, but it still surprised me. Things seemed to be settling down for her, and she was still needy, but…poor little Sophia, no goodbye or parting sweet words said to her by her mother. Then at the end- who we all knew was coming sooner or later arrives.

Volume 8- Made To Suffer: The title of this volume is very truthful- how I suffered reading this book. The Governor is back. So many people die, including some main characters. But the worst is…well, I shouldn’t spoil too much! This book is so bleak, bleak, bleak. Thank God the tv series has kept some of the characters, dead in the comic books, alive on the show.

Morgan Special: A small vignette about Morgan and his son Duane surviving in Rick’s former neighborhood during the Christmas season. They are trying to find normalcy during a time that is anything but. Needed sweet story in the middle of depressing chaos.

-Nancy

Read up on the next volumes at: Compendium Two, Compendium Three, Compendium Four

 

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