Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION Dr. Gym'll's Cultural Rarities The Walking Dead

This is the ONE book I'm not buying that I REALLY wish I was. It looks totally up my alley.

My big problem is that I'm not ready to go to Trades yet... and yet all the back issues are mucho expensive. So maybe I have no choice but to go to Trades?

But I wanna ask a couple of questions before I take the big plunge. So if Scott (or anyone else who's read the singles) could help me out that would be much appreciated -

1. I've heard that this book has excellent letter columns. I always like a good letter column but obviously they won't be in the Trades. My question - Are they that good that I should hunt down the singles?

2. I remember flicking through an issue ages ago and noticing that at the back there was a headshot page of all the main characters and listing who was dead, alive, missing, etc. I always like that type of thing in comics and this one was especially cool. My questions - Have there been many of those sorts of things? And are they in the TPBs?

3. I think I remember hearing a while ago that The Walking Dead was getting an Annual. My questions - Is that included in the Trades? And are there any other issues missing from them?

4. I know some TPBs (Starman and Fables for example) collect the stories in a different order to what was released. My question - Does The Walking Dead do this too?

I think that's about all I need to know. Thanks for your time.

I'll try to answer these from memory best I can.

1. The letter columns are excellent. They run at least three to four pages each issue. But in the trades I've gotten and the hardback collection they were not included. Not sure if they are worth tracking down though as the single issues, just for the first 10 issues, would probably run you $150 easy. I say pick up the trades. I can always scan the letter columns for you.

2. They've done this a couple of times over the course of the series. I don't recall the last time it was done and I'd have to thumb through the trades to see if they did reprint it or not.

3. The only time I heard of an annual was either on a message board or maybe in the letters pages. Someone suggested it would be a good idea to see what is happening to other people around the world. But no, one has not been printed and no issues have been skipped.

4. TWD trades are printed in order. I know there are reasons, even the Legion has done it, for printing out of order but for TWD that would be like showing hour 22 before hour 12 on 24. This is a building drama that uses the momentum from each issue.

Something else else else that is missing from the trades are the covers to the single issues. I don't know why this was done except for the fact the covers are the only color used and it was probably too much to put six color pages into a black and white trade. The trade covers are all new, different from the cover of the singles inside.

For my money, it is worth it to get the trades now and pick up as many back issues as you can afford, starting with the most recent, if you want the floppies. I go for both only because I'm a rabid fan who has no sense of money.

OK - I'm sold! Thanks for all that info Scott!

I think it really will just be too expensive to track down all the back-issues of this series, so I've got no alternative but to go the TPB route.

I could kick myself though! I came *so* close to buying the first few issues when it began but never got around to it. Oh well.

Scott - If you have any spare copies of the first TPB and are still doing that deal let me know. If not, no problem - I'll just grab it from the store.

Thanks again.

PM me your snail-mail address and as soon as my next set comes in I'll send you a copy.

Great. Thanks Scott!

Or as Superman would say, "Thanks, Great Scott!"

Nah, just doing my duty as zombie overlord.

Here's a review from last October by Cory Doctrow, he of BoingBoing.net. If you don't read BoingBoing you are missing out. Another convert but, alas, not one of my army.

Oh, and I found the coolest thing today on Kirkman's forum at Image (a place I've never frequented before today). It was done by Ryan Ottley, the artist on Kirkman's Invincible who happens to live here in Utah. The title character, zombified.

Image's 2005 Holiday Special had a short story set in Kirkman's WD universe that actually had no zombies. It was actually a great little follow up with a couple of characters introduced early in the series. Any of those interested in seeing it let me know. It's only six pages and I'll post it here.

Never mind I guess. I just read #34 (catching up on my reading) and they reprinted it there.

I actually wouldn't mind seeing Kirkman do a zombie story in INVINCIBLE after seeing that Ottley piece...

He did it to the Marve U, why not the Image U too?

He thould croth it over with Liberty Meadowth... thothe Jen and Brandy galth have a great thet of... lobeth on them...

I'm both intrigued and disturbed by the vision of a zombie Brandy.

And just because these deserve to be posted twice:

Here's the Kirkman zombie sketch and sig from the trade he signed for me.



And this is a birthday present I received in the mail today from my Faraway friend Darden . A sketch by Walking Dead artist Charlie Adlard. Darden got this for me at the Bristol Comic Con and it fits nicely with my FCBD acquisitions.

That kicks all kindsa @$$! Darden ROCKS!! )

Hush Pov. Kirkman can do no wrong. I will gladly wait at his knee for him to sketch an entire issue of The Walkind Dead, no matter how long it takes.

Whoa.

You got me. I don't know why, but you do. Zombies and black and white art are usually a surefire turnoff for me, but this was great. I opened your care package, and halfheartedly started on the TWD trade... then proceeded to read it start to finish in one sitting. I even turned off the MCR cd so I could concentrate on reading it. I found it was less horror and more a survivalist story. Being black and white probably helped reduce the gruesome aspect. Poor horsie, though...

I'll order the second volume from IST when I get a chance.

So the hardcover contains the same number of issues as the first two trades -and- the covers? Image is relisting both HC's in the September Previews... I might get at least the first one.

And they're soliciting the seventh trade, collecting 37-42, the same month as TWD #43 .

Not sure what our DCBS discount will be Bri but Amazon has both hardcovers for $39.58 total, free shipping. And, yes, each hardback contains 12 issues instead of the six of the trades.

As for the first trade I've got five more copies arriving next Monday or Tuesday. One, perhaps two, have been spoken for. That leaves at least three more up for grabs. Any more takers?

From Wizard (via Michael's Omnicom ): Legionnaire zombies (assuming you can spot them).

Oog.

I have now hereby honored our deal, and ordered TWD HC Vol's 1&2 on this month's DCBS order. It's funny that they listed them at their regular 40% discount, while they're on IST for 35% off. At $18 each, that comes out better than Amazon... but my order this month was EPIC.

The two TWD HC's, MG Lieam plush, The Goon: Chinatown HC OGN, LSH31c DVD, Power Girl and S/B AF's... plus the month's Countdown stuff and Black Canary wedding specials...

With my distaste towards DC increasing at an ever-panding rate and Marvel doing nothing at all to let me know I can trust them again, Scott's WD trade came at the right time. I posted elsewhere about my thoughts on it (don't forget--I'm Cobie, far too lazy to find a link ), but I'm going to try and snag something the next time I go to the CBS (prob a week & half).

The question now is, to I get the next trade or try to start getting issues chronologically? What are you guys doing?

Bri, my order this month was crazy too. A lot caused by the giant HC collecting the first 25 issues of Captain America. Decided it was the one Marvel book I had been enjoying but not giving my money to. Most likely that's the way I'll continue getting the series. On top of that I'm continuing my purchase of each Marvel Classic figure mag. Even at the discount that's about $51 extra a month (assuming four new regular figs and one special collector's). But they are the best looking metal (lead) figures I've ever seen.

And thanks to you both for continuing the Army. To answer Des' question, I'd just gather up the trades and start picking up the floppies in August. I think if you grab trade # 7, scheduled for September, that will carry you through #41. #42 is scheduled to hit the stands in August. Assuming Kirkman keeps on track.

The Brubaker/Epting Cap Omnibus -is- sweet, especially at 50%off, but I already own the individual issues. As nice as the collection would be on my shelf, it would've pushed my bill decidedly past $200. The only CMFC I was interested in was Nova, though it looks like they're going with his current look...pass.

Hopefully, Image will have #25-36 collected in a V.3 hardcover by the time I finish up the first two!

Des, the trades are the way to go for the early TWD stuff... online stores either don't have it or want an arm & a leg for them. They're more reasonable when you get into the mid-20's range and up.

Mine quite a bit more.

I was bad in July. I need to cut back next month.

Me, too. As long as we remember to order ATOMIC ROBO.

I've found that my comic reading time has gone far south since I started reading more novel type books, but I received a few of The Walking Dead TPBs last Christmas and I've enjoyed them (even though horror comics aren't my bag, baby). Kirkman is a very good writer. I love his Invincible too.