20 Years of The Walking Dead

In October 2003, writer Robert Kirkman and artist Tony Moore introduced comic readers to a new kind of zombie story with The Walking Dead. Instead of ending after the initial outbreak or melee, it explored what would happen when people tried to survive long-term. This meant exploring the practical needs of creating safe shelter, finding/growing food, and creating relationships with other survivors.

But exposure and starvation are minimal threats compared to the ever present concern of being attacked by the dead. And what could be worse than that? Well, the answer is easy: other survivors willing to do anything to ensure their continued existence and improve their position in the new world order.

The Walking Dead ran for 193 issues through 2019 with Kirkman writing the entire series. Moore provided art on the first six issues, then Charlie Adlard penciled the remainder of the series.

The comic had a large cast of characters with a few making it from the first arc to the end, and many others being killed along the way. It began with Rick Grimes, a smalltown sheriff, waking up from a coma to learn that the world as he knew it has ended and the dead have arisen. Soon he reconnects with his wife and son, Lori and Carl, and best friend Shane, and meets his first group of survivors, including master scavenger Glenn and former law clerk Andrea.

Rick quickly becomes the leader of his group, and after Lori’s death his entire focus is on keeping his son safe and protecting the group. Along the way, they find allies in the sword-wielding Michonne, farm girl Maggie, the three-party group of Abraham, Rosita, and Abraham, Alexandria recruiter Aaron, a warrior that goes by the name Jesus, the Kingdom leader Ezekiel, the tough couple Magna and Yumiko, and many others.

The ever-growing (and changing) group faced terrible antagonists. It started with the Governor, the leader of Woodbury who became increasingly more vicious and violent, raping Michonne, cutting off Rick’s hand, and torturing Glenn. Then they faced the Hunters, a group who had resorted to cannibalism to survive.

Rick’s group faced their biggest challenge with Negan and the Saviors, a well-organized group that terrorized other communities and took what they wanted from them. Negan quickly made his presence known by bashing Glenn’s head in with a barbed wire covered baseball bat.

Their next challenge was the Whisperers – a nomadic group that cut the faces off of the dead and wore them as masks to blend in. They were led by the series first major female antagonist, Alpha, who orchestrated the killing of multiple people in Rick’s group to establish her people’s border. Rick and his group’s last major challenge is the Commonwealth, a seemingly idyllic community with the same corruption and greed found in most civilized societies.

Kirkman shocked The Walking Dead readers twice in 2019. First, he killed off series protagonist Rick Grimes in issue 192, unfortunately not in a heroic blaze of glory way – the Commonwealth’s spoiled first son Sebastian shot Rick while he was in bed. Then the series ended abruptly in July 2019 when Kirkman closed issue 193 with a letter announcing that the book was now over. Since then, it has been collected in multiple formats and is currently being rereleased in color format.