Fanboy Comics Review: The Walking Dead: The Governor Special
Written by: Bryant Dillon, Special to CC2K
Fanboy Comics‘ Bryant Dillon reviews The Walking Dead: The Governor Special from Image Comics.
This week saw the return of AMC’s The Walking Dead TV series, and, if the record-breaking ratings are any clue, it seems like the nefarious, yet fascinating, character of The Governor has hit with all the impact that The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman and crew could have hoped for. It’s common knowledge that The Walking Dead TV series and the ongoing comic book series share similarities but are, at the same time, two completely different tales. While The Governor played by actor David Morrissey may terrify viewers of the television show, the version of the character that exists in the comic books is an even more disturbing, sadistic, and dangerous villain. Given the character’s popularity, Image Comics is releasing a new book titled The Walking Dead: The Governor Special that reprints Rick Grimes, Michonne, and Glen’s first encounter with the man who will destroy their worlds far more severely than any walker they’ll ever encounter!
SPOILERS BELOW
While The Walking Dead: The Governor Special may be of little interest to the hardcore, up-to-date Walking Dead readers, for those unfamiliar with the comic book storyline, it may serve as a great sample of what The Walking Dead comic series has to offer those who have enjoyed the television series. While slightly different from the events of AMC’s TV series, viewers of the show should easily be able to follow along as Rick, Michonne, and Glen investigate the helicopter crash that eventually leads them to Woodbury and face-to-face with The Governor himself. For those who have read the comics and know this story well, The Walking Dead: The Governor Special does include one new and fascinating scene that shows The Governor locating his infamous fish tanks and explains his reasons for the tanks’ eventual stomach-churning contents. It’s certainly something that The Walking Dead fanatics out there won’t want to miss!
As much as I enjoyed the bonus scene included and believe that Image is doing an admirable job pointing the new Walking Dead fan base back toward the comic series, I’d really love to see them release a Walking Dead special that contains completely new material. Similar to the bonus scene in The Walking Dead: The Governor Special, it would be a real thrill for loyal fans to see an entire one-shot or even a miniseries that serves as a prequel to The Governor’s appearance in the comic series. (Let me be so bold as to suggest a sequential art adaptation of the popular Walking Dead novels, The Rise of The Governor and The Road to Woodbury). Another angle of approach for a project like this could also be spun off the “alternate” versions of the characters depicted in the television series. A mini-series focused on the “different flavor” of The Governor in AMC’s TV show would surely be just as attractive and intriguing for fans, but I suspect that the creators of the show are adamant about keeping that kind of juicy story content for the TV series itself.
No matter what your feelings regarding The Walking Dead: The Governor Special, I implore all fans of The Walking Dead TV series to take the time to read Kirkman’s amazing comic series. It’s one of the best comics out there and will open your eyes to what is possible within both the comic medium and the zombie/horror genre.
You can click on the following links to find out more about The Walking Dead comics series and the AMC TV series, as well as the creative teams behind both.
That’s all for now, comic book sniffers! Until next time, keep those walkers at bay and stay outta Woodbury!
‘Till the end of the world,
-Bryant the Comic Book Slayer
Bryant Dillon is the President of Fanboy Comics, an online conglomerate of geek media, providing its readers with daily reviews, interviews, and podcasts that span the pop culture spectrum. For more interviews, blogs, and reviews by Bryant and the FBC staff, check out the Fanboy Comics website at www.fanboycomics.net.