This is a difficult compendium to review simply because it is so massive. It compiles 45 shorter works into one massive tome, and where most graphic novels can be pick up and read in a day or two, this one is definitely not a one-night affair. But that's not really the reason that it's difficult to review. The reality is, there are many stories here, despite the over-arching main story, and some work better than others. Some are ridiculous, some are horrifyingly sad, and some are uplifting.

That said, overall, the compendium is amazing, and probably one of the best singular pieces of graphic fiction I've ever read. I actually was not a fan of Kirkman's work a few years ago when I tried reading The Walking Dead for the first time. I was relatively new to the graphic novel format, aside from comic books growing up, and I didn't understand why he wouldn't use color, nor did the story make much sense. Well, it turns out I hadn't started at the beginning, which is, I think, essential. And the lack of color only enhances the one of a desolate and sad world. There is no color in Kirkman's apocalypse because life is only barely hanging on, and it simply doesn't have the energy for things like color.

Most people, and rightly so, would see this as just another zombie story. That's mostly true, but it's deeper than such a description could ever dictate. For one, it's one of the first real zombie stories outside of the movies, and as such tells the story in a way that had never really been told before. Zombies, while important to the series, are more of a catalyst so that Kirkman can explore how people would live and attempt to thrive in a world where everything normal is tossed in the trash and survival is the only true law left. Studied in this context, The Walking Dead is a fascinating and extremely well-written device. The presentation is gory and violent and oftentimes horrifying, but it's also realistic. The characters behave as you might expect humans to behave. They're often petty or cruel or kind or generous. They're human, and therefore believable.

I'm glad I gave this series another shot because it has become one of my favorite novels practically overnight.