The Walking Dead is a graphic horror novel series that I love. It is about Rick Grimes and his family trying to get by without getting killed in the zombie apocalypse.

Author Robert Kirkman uses many techniques to perfect this phenomenal comic book series, including a lot of symbolism, such as the color red, which represents loss and triggers sadness and sometimes anger. Bars, whether they’re gates or jail bars, symbolize safety and isolation.

The Walking Dead is set in many places because Rick’s group’s sanctuaries are constantly being compromised. The group starts in Atlanta, Georgia, and if you skip all the way to issue #152, they have traveled to sanctuaries in Virginia and Washington, D.C.

The series has multiple moods but mostly anxious, suspenseful, and edgy ones, since you never know what is going to happen. Kirkman is such a gifted writer he had me on the edge of my bed, ready to fall off.

I loved The Walking Dead, and once I picked up Compendium 1 (containing the first eight issues), I was hooked and quickly tried to find Compendiums 2 and 3. I have read every installment of this awesome comic book series, and I have always been surprised by Kirkman’s abilities. I love it so much that I am currently rereading the whole thing to pick details up that I forgot or missed the first time.

Kirkman’s writing is powerful. The great dialogue explains exactly what is going on and how every character is feeling. The author’s purpose was to entertain his readers – obviously, since the zombie epidemic isn’t real – and I think he does just that.

I also applaud Kirkman on his amazing twists in the storyline. Even though this is a horror fiction comic book series, it has had a big impact on me. It makes me appreciate life more, be thankful for what I have, and feel lucky that I can go outside without worrying about being eaten by flesh-craving corpses!

The Walking Dead has me ready for a zombie apocalypse, if there ever is one. After all, you cannot predict the future. But after reading The Walking Dead and seeing how hard it is to live normally, it makes me thankful that we aren’t going through it. What if a crazy disease started, like in The Walking Dead, and kids didn’t take advantage of what matters most while it was safe?

We don’t know what we have until it’s gone. Kids today stay in all day while it’s beautiful outside, playing video games, on laptops and phones, detached from the real world. I want readers to know that The Walking Dead is a great representation of “what could be,” and that everyone should be thankful that we have it this easy. I love this series, and I think you will too.