Writer: Robert Kirkman
Artist: Charlie Adlard
$34.99, Image Comics, 334 pgs.
ISBN 978-1607067986
The latest volume in this top-selling horror series sees hardened survivor Rick Grimes and his compatriots reach out to other pockets of survivors, offering their extensive experience in battling the undead in return for membership in a larger network of communities. But, as is often the case in the world of The Walking Dead, the zombie hordes aren't the only threat to be avoided. Featuring a brutal, genuinely shocking moment that will serve to remind the reader--in the most agonizing manner possible--that absolutely no character in this series is safe, this volume charts new territory amid familiar surroundings, demonstrating why The Walking Dead is as addictive and engrossing now as it was when the series launched more than 10 years ago.
Charlie Adlard's artwork is starkly realistic, and though some readers find Robert Kirkman's writing overly wordy, the emotional depth and authenticity of his characters is unmistakable. Fans of the TV series will find the comics to be eerily familiar, yet fascinatingly different; both can be appreciated on their own merits, and neither really spoils the other.
TIPS FOR LIBRARIANS: This series is published in a number of formats: the monthly comic, the trade paperbacks (each collecting six issues), the hardcovers (each collecting 12 issues, or two trade paperbacks), and the compendia (each collecting 48 issues, or eight trade paperbacks/four hardcovers). This review is of the ninth hardcover edition, the format arguably best suited to circulation in libraries in terms of cost and durability. The compendia are the most cost-effective option for those on a tight budget, but their size works against them once they're in the hands of readers...they're kind of fragile.
READERS ADVISORY NOTES: A must-read for horror fans, zombie buffs, and--thanks to its television cousin--a superb entry-point for adult readers eager to try their first graphic novel (emphasis on "adult").
CONTENT ADVISORY: Adult language, strong graphic violence, sexual content
Review©2014, C. Michael
Hall.
No comments:
Post a Comment