The Walking Dead is one of the most popular comics of all-time. Robert Kirkman’s long-running zombie series is a grounded, emotionally-driven take on the zombie apocalypse, with themes of morality, leadership, and the immense psychological impact of survival.
The Walking Dead is among my favorite comic series ever. Robert Kirkman’s 193-issue zombie epic has very much become the golden standard by which all other post-apocalyptic comics are compared — at least for me, anyway. When the comics wrapped up in 2019, it left an enormous void, one that the beloved TV franchise can’t quite cover. Over the years, a few comics have come close to comparing; a couple have even bettered The Walking Dead in certain ways.
While you may think the 5 comics on this list are purely zombie-based, that isn’t exactly the case. They’re all post-apocalyptic takes that hold similar narrative and thematic traits with The Walking Dead. Let’s take a tour!
Crossed
Crossed is a dark comic series created by Garth Ennis (the mind behind The Boys and Preacher) with illustrations by Jacen Burrows. It’s easily the darkest, most brutal, disturbing and gruesome comic on this list. It’s not for the faint-hearted; consider yourself warned.
So what’s the premise? A virus infects humanity, but instead of turning them into brainless zombies, it brings out people’s demons. People become disturbingly sadistic and homicidal. The virus strips every bit of empathy out of those infected. The infected or “Crossed,” — as named because of the distinctive cross that appears on their faces — quickly take over the world.
The series has had much critical acclaim over the years, and it also merited various spinoff projects. Notably, comics legend Alan Moore wrote his own run set in the Crossed universe, titled Crossed +100, taking place a century after the outbreak.
When it comes to pure brutality and shock value, Crossed and The Walking Dead are very similar series. If you fancy reading Crossed, you can check it out on Amazon here.
Marvel Zombies
While less the grounded, realistic story The Walking Dead fans are used to, Marvel Zombies has one big thing on its side. It was written by Robert Kirkman, creator of The Walking Dead. A lot of Kirkman’s signature themes and styles carry over, too.
The story is pretty much exactly what the title suggests. In Marvel Zombies, all of the world’s greatest super heroes are turned into flesh-eating monsters by a mutated alien virus. Humanity is quickly wiped out of existence… but what happens when super-zombies no longer have any humans to eat? It’s beloved property for comic fans. And later this year, we’ll see an animated series from Marvel Studios.
You can check out Marvel Zombies on Amazon here.
Year Zero
Published by AWA Studios, Year Zero comes from Ben Percy (Wolverine) and Ramon Rosanas (Star Wars: Age of Resistance). The series offer up a unique, comprehensive global look at the impact of a zombie apocalypse, told from the perspectives of different survivors: a Japanese hitman, a Mexican street urchin, an Afghan military aide, a Polar research scientist, and a midwestern American survivalist
It’s one of those zombie stories that keeps you coming back. The wide range of stories are super engaging , offering up moral and theological questions. And the art is stunning throughout. I can’t recommend it enough. You can but volume 1 here.
Empire of the Dead
What initially drew me to Empire of the Dead was its author, George A. Romero, one of my all-time favorite filmmakers. Romero is the visionary director behind some of the most iconic zombie movies, including Night of the Living Dead and Dawn of the Dead. Naturally, when I discovered that he had penned his own graphic novel, I couldn’t contain my excitement.
My hype certainly paid off big time. Empire of the Dead is outstanding. Written by Romero and illustrated by Alex Maleev, it’s not just a zombie comic, but also a vampire saga. The story is set in a walled-off New York City, where humans try to survive the outbreak. But aside from zombies, there’s also a cunning society of vampires that lurk in the shadows.
The seamless blend of humans, zombies and vampires makes for a fascinating comic. It’s got plenty of action, of course, but it also dives into cultural issues and political intrigue, which is indicative of Romero’s work.
Empire of the Dead is the perfect gritty, post-apocalyptic novel for those seeking to dive a little deeper into the genre. It offers something unique, while still staying true to Romero’s signature style.
You can find Empire of the Dead on the Kindle store here.
Y: The Last Man
Unlike the other comics on this list, Y: The Last Man doesn’t have raged, flesh-eating monsters. But nevertheless, it’s a super unique post-apocalyptic saga, taking place on the back of a mysterious plague that’s brutally wiped out every single male on planet Earth… all but two: Yorick Brown and his pet monkey Ampersand.
Yorick and Ampersand’s immunity to the plague is the driving mystery if the series. Naturally, as the last living male, Yorick is needed to repopulate the Earth. Once he’s discovered, Yorick is put under the protection of Agent 355, an agent from the Culper Ring.
If it’s not zombies, why include it? Both series offer up a fascinating perspective on society, and how the world would evolve after a catastrophic event. The focus is on human conflict more than anything else. And moreover, they’re both unpredictable sagas. Nobody is truly safe.
As a Walking Dead fan who was desperate to find something to fill the void, I was very satisfied by Y: The Last Man. You can buy it here.
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