Comic Review: The Walking Dead Deluxe #1

The Walking Dead Deluxe #1

Image Comics

Writer: Robert Kirkman

Artists: Dave McCaig and Tony Moore

With Halloween approaching, Image’s Skybound imprint has decided to start re-releasing issues of The Walking Dead in full color. Starting now, we will get two issues of TWD in full color and with an all new cover. Additionally, the issues will include installments of “The Cutting Room Floor.” These will be a behind the scene look at the creation of and creator commentary on The Walking Dead.

Having an excuse to reread the first issue of The Walking Dead was pretty exciting. The story absolutely holds up, I think I appreciate it now more than I did any previous reading. This time around, however, the addition of coloring changes the experience quite a bit. Dave McCaig’s coloring is as well-executed as it always is. I particularly loved the textured skies and the dark muddy color choices. While the execution of the coloring was great, the decision to have it colored was not.

It turns out the original choice to make The Walking Dead black and white was the right one. Despite the dark pallet, the coloring made the book feel less serious and even teeter on corny. Dramatic images lost much of their impact. While reading, I tried to consider what could have improved the coloring but the answer was always “make it closer to black and white.” Sadly, I think The Walking Dead in color just doesn’t work.

I’ve heard from multiple fans of the TV show that one of the turn-offs of the comic is the lack of coloring. With that in mind, I could see this issue being a gateway for new comic book readers. The biweekly issue release, instead of releasing a trade, could further help new readers by getting into weeklies. So even if I was not impressed by this issue, I hope that it will be good for comic books as a whole.

Without taking away any credit from Dave McCaig, the decision to color the book only took away from the experience. That said, fans will still enjoy having a new TWD experience even if it’s not ideal. Plus, the extra features in the issue make it worth buying alone. Fans of The Walking Dead should pick this issue up if they want to but don’t expect too much out of it. But newer fans should stick to the first compendium if they want to give the series a read.

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