The Walking Dead

David Strick

Robert Kirkman's acclaimed zombie series The Walking Dead has taken over The New York Times graphic novel bestseller list like, well, a pack of zombies. The newest edition of the newspaper's signature sales list will find the The Walking Dead holding an unprecedented three of the top four paperback slots and three of the top nine hardcover spots.

No graphic novel series has ever dominated the list quite like Kirkman's Walking Dead and a sign of the series' steady popularity can be seen in the growing sales for the Book 1, a sure indication that it is picking up new readers as well as holding on to its original fans. The graphic novels collect the monthly comics series published by Skybound, Kirkman's imprint at Image Comics. The comic debuted in 2003.

On The Times' hardcover graphic novel list The Walking Dead owns the first, eighth and ninth spots.The Walking Dead: Book 1, which collects the first twelve issues, holds the top spot followed by Book 2 at no. 8 and the newest volume, Book 7, at ninth. On the paperback list,The Walking Dead Compendium, which collects a whopping 48 issues in a volume that clocks in at 1088 pages, is  no. 1; Book 1, collecting just issues #1-6 in a softcover volume, is in the second spot and Book 3 is fourth. In addition, Kirkman's prose novel The Walking Dead: The Rise of the Governor, charting the back story of the series' most famous villain, is no. 18 on The Times' bestseller list for all books. 

In July, Skybound'/Image Comics will publish the landmark hundredth issue of The Walking Dead comics series. Skybound also publishes Kirkman's popular series, Invincible, which is also nearing its 100th issue, and his other titles, including The Infinite, Super Dinosaur, Thief of Thieves and Battle Pope.

AMC started developing The Walking Dead for TV in 2009, after multiple networks passed on it. In its first season, which debuted on Halloween night in 2010, the series, became the highest-rated basic cable drama in the 18-49 demographic and the highest-rated original show on AMC ever. Comics creator Kirkman served as both a writer and an Executive Producer on the series. Season two is being shown in a split season, with the first half airing in Fall 2011 and the second in Spring 2012. The first half of season two made The Walking Dead the highest-rated basic cable drama of all time with the season premiere boasting 7.3 million viewers. The series stars Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal and Sarah Wayne Callies. The second half of season two debuts on February 12 on AMC.