Book review: Miles Behind Us (The Walking Dead Vol. 2) by Robert Kirkman

The Walking Dead Vol. 2: Miles Behind Us by Robert Kirkman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm a massive fan of the TV series, and have read the first of The Walking Dead graphic novels, so I'm going in with a lot of preconceptions.
For a start, I love the characters, the idea (although not original, has been made fresh) and the story. However, I imagine a lot of that has come from the TV show. I imagine Rick in my head as Andrew Lincoln as I look at the pictures on the pages.
Miles Behind Us covers the second series of The Walking Dead, introduces us to Hershel, Maggie and Otis, and ends where they do. I won't say where in case you're catching up on the series. But for me, it's too quick a read. In the end, it always fall back on the same argument, that this would be brilliant if it was a normal book. It would also let my imagination run wild. There's no time scale in the graphic novel either, unless a character mentions that a couple of weeks have passed since a certain event.
Despite all my negativity, there are some good points. A section which revolves around a housing estate is particularly exciting, but I won't give it away. There are also relationships and characters that I wish were explored on the TV show.
This is still a brilliant, gripping book, that I read in less than an hour. You hold your breath all the time and feel for the characters and what they're going, wishing that you had this idea before Robert Kirkman. But my final note and possibly the most important as this is a graphic novel, is the illustrations. The drawings for Vol. 1 were clear, crisp and beautiful. Vol. 2 is a bit of a disappointment in comparison. Characters appear completely different and the drawings are slightly muddier and dirtier. Maybe I've been generous giving this four stars, but I can't wait to sink my teeth (in a zombie like manner) into Vol. 3.

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