One of the greatest reads in comics right now is undoubtedly Image’s The Walking Dead written by Robert Kirkman. Art at the beginning of the series was done by Tony Moore, with Charlie Adlard working on the majority of the series. It’s a survival epic set in the zombie holocaust that any fan of the undead will appreciate. But even if you’re burnt out on the whole zombie thing, there is still much to love about this series, simply because it is like any good zombie movie: it’s really more about the people alive and how they cope with each other more than it is about brain eating ghouls.

The main character is Rick, a former police officer and leader of the survivors. Because of the nature of the book, the cast is frequently changing so it’s not wise to get attached to any one character, though there are still people present who have been there from the beginning. How these characters come to live together and deal with one another is a big part of the series, and (without giving too much away) issues of deceit, death, sex, love, friendship, values and trust. Crazy things happen. People die suddenly. And zombies, while almost just a backdrop to the true story, are ever present. That’s not to say there’s not some zombie killing action, with kick butt characters like sharpshooter Andrea or samurai sword wielding Michonne.

There has been sanctuary along the way, but zombies are not the only troubles the survivors will face—all of humanity is desperate and untrustworthy in this desolate wasteland. All of the challenges and losses endured by the group changes Rick, and as Kirkman promised at the outset of the book: “You guys are going to see Rick change and mature to the point when you look back on the book you won’t even recognize him.” This is already apparent, though it has happened so gradually, it’s been subtle.

That’s why it’s best to start at the beginning of the series. It’s a long, but action packed road from the outset of the story to the place where the group is now. There have been eleven volumes of The Walking Dead so far with a twelfth to ship this summer. Of course, we tend to keep all volumes in stock and if we’re missing the one you need, we’re happy to special order it. Each story arc of the series plays out like a zombie movie and each volume will leave you anxious to read the next part. Kirkman is a real master of the cliffhanger, and in this series, the stakes couldn’t be higher.

So check out the first volume and add The Walking Dead to your summer reading list!

Plus, The Walking Dead is coming to your television this fall, thanks to AMC (the channel that has brought you such modern classics as Mad Men and Breaking Bad). Produced by Frank Darabont (Shawshank Redemption, The Mist) the series promises to be as faithful (and as gory) as possible to the graphic novels while re-imagining it for the small screen. Here’s some info about the show: