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The Walking Dead reading order

Robert Kirkman's complete Walking Dead series from Image, #1–193, grouped by story arc. Start at #1 and read straight through: it is one continuous story with no fill-ins to skip.

  1. Start here

    Days Gone Bye and Miles Behind Us2003–2004

    12 issues · about 4 hours12 essential issues · about 4 hours

    Police officer Rick Grimes wakes from a coma into a world overrun by the dead and sets out to find his wife and son. The first arc sets up the survivors' camp outside Atlanta, then puts them on the road.

    Read this stretch in 1 book
    1. The Walking Dead Compendium Vol. 1 (2009)Covers The Walking Dead #1–12Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. The Walking Dead (2003)#1–1212 issues
      1. #1October 2003
      2. #2November 2003
      3. #3December 2003
      4. #4January 2004
      5. #5February 2004
      6. #6March 2004
      7. #7April 2004
      8. #8May 2004
      9. #9June 2004
      10. #10July 2004
      11. #11August 2004
      12. #12September 2004

      Tony Moore draws the first six issues; Charlie Adlard takes over from #7.

  2. The Prison: Safety Behind Bars and The Heart's Desire2004–2005

    12 issues · about 4 hours12 essential issues · about 4 hours

    The group finds a prison that could become a lasting home, if they can clear it and live alongside the inmates already inside.

    Read this stretch in 1 book
    1. The Walking Dead Compendium Vol. 1 (2009)Covers The Walking Dead #13–24Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. The Walking Dead (2003)#13–2412 issues
      1. #13October 2004
      2. #14November 2004
      3. #15January 2005
      4. #16February 2005
      5. #17March 2005
      6. #18April 2005
      7. #19June 2005
      8. #20July 2005
      9. #21August 2005
      10. #22October 2005
      11. #23November 2005
      12. #24November 2005

  3. Woodbury: The Best Defense to Made to Suffer2006–2008

    24 issues · about 8 hours24 essential issues · about 8 hours

    A crashed helicopter leads Rick to the town of Woodbury and its leader, the Governor. The prison's safety is tested from outside for the first time.

    Read this stretch in 1 book
    1. The Walking Dead Compendium Vol. 1 (2009)Covers The Walking Dead #25–48Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. The Walking Dead (2003)#25–4824 issues
      1. #25January 2006
      2. #26March 2006
      3. #27April 2006
      4. #28May 2006
      5. #29June 2006
      6. #30August 2006
      7. #31September 2006
      8. #32November 2006
      9. #33December 2006
      10. #34January 2007
      11. #35February 2007
      12. #36March 2007
      13. #37May 2007
      14. #38June 2007
      15. #39July 2007
      16. #40August 2007
      17. #41August 2007
      18. #42September 2007
      19. #43October 2007
      20. #44November 2007
      21. #45December 2007
      22. #46February 2008
      23. #47March 2008
      24. #48April 2008

      The Best Defense and This Sorrowful Life contain some of the series' harshest violence.

  4. On the Road: Here We Remain to Fear the Hunters2008–2009

    18 issues · about 6 hours18 essential issues · about 6 hours

    With no fixed home, the survivors meet new travellers who claim to know how to end the outbreak, and head for Washington DC.

    Read this stretch in 2 books
    1. The Walking Dead Vol. 5Covers The Walking Dead #49–60Find it
    2. The Walking Dead Vol. 11: Fear the HuntersCovers The Walking Dead #61–66Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. The Walking Dead (2003)#49–6618 issues
      1. #49May 2008
      2. #50June 2008
      3. #51July 2008
      4. #52September 2008
      5. #53October 2008
      6. #54October 2008
      7. #55November 2008
      8. #56December 2008
      9. #57January 2009
      10. #58February 2009
      11. #59March 2009
      12. #60April 2009
      13. #61May 2009
      14. #62June 2009
      15. #63July 2009
      16. #64August 2009
      17. #65September 2009
      18. #66October 2009

      #49–50 are quieter issues focused on Rick and Carl.

  5. Alexandria: Life Among Them to No Way Out2009–2011

    18 issues · about 6 hours18 essential issues · about 6 hours

    A recruiter invites the group into the Alexandria Safe-Zone, a walled community that seems untouched by the collapse. Rick has to decide whether these people can survive what is coming.

    Read this stretch in 2 books
    1. The Walking Dead Vol. 7Covers The Walking Dead #73–84Find it
    2. The Walking Dead Vol. 12: Life Among ThemCovers The Walking Dead #67–72Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. The Walking Dead (2003)#67–8418 issues
      1. #67November 2009
      2. #68December 2009
      3. #69January 2010
      4. #70February 2010
      5. #71April 2010
      6. #72May 2010
      7. #73June 2010
      8. #74July 2010
      9. #75July 2010
      10. #76August 2010
      11. #77September 2010
      12. #78October 2010
      13. #79November 2010
      14. #80December 2010
      15. #81February 2011
      16. #82March 2011
      17. #83March 2011
      18. #84April 2011

  6. Negan and All Out War: We Find Ourselves to All Out War2011–2014

    42 issues · about 14 hours42 essential issues · about 14 hours

    Alexandria makes contact with other settlements and learns they all pay tribute to the Saviors and their leader Negan. The arc builds to open war between the communities.

    Read this stretch in 2 books
    1. The Walking Dead Vol. 9 (2013)Covers The Walking Dead #97–108Find it
    2. The Walking Dead Vol. 8 (2012)Covers The Walking Dead #85–96Find it

    Not in these books: The Walking Dead #109–126. Look for the single issues.

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. The Walking Dead (2003)#85–11430 issues
      1. #85May 2011
      2. #86June 2011
      3. #87July 2011
      4. #88August 2011
      5. #89October 2011
      6. #90October 2011
      7. #91November 2011
      8. #92December 2011
      9. #93January 2012
      10. #94February 2012
      11. #95March 2012
      12. #96April 2012
      13. #97May 2012
      14. #98May 2012
      15. #99June 2012
      16. #100July 2012
      17. #101August 2012
      18. #102September 2012
      19. #103October 2012
      20. #104November 2012
      21. #105December 2012
      22. #106January 2013
      23. #107February 2013
      24. #108March 2013
      25. #109April 2013
      26. #110May 2013
      27. #111June 2013
      28. #112July 2013
      29. #113August 2013
      30. #114September 2013

      #100 introduces Negan and is a turning point for the series.

    2. #115–12612 issues
      1. #115October 2013
      2. #116November 2013
      3. #117November 2013
      4. #118December 2013
      5. #119January 2014
      6. #120January 2014
      7. #121February 2014
      8. #122February 2014
      9. #123March 2014
      10. #124March 2014
      11. #125April 2014
      12. #126April 2014

      All Out War ran twice-monthly; read it in one go.

  7. A New Beginning and the Whisperers2014–2015

    18 issues · about 6 hours18 essential issues · about 6 hours

    The story jumps forward roughly two years to a rebuilt network of communities. A new group that wears the skins of the dead appears on the edge of their territory.

    1. The Walking Dead (2003)#127–14418 issues
      1. #127May 2014
      2. #128June 2014
      3. #129July 2014
      4. #130August 2014
      5. #131September 2014
      6. #132October 2014
      7. #133October 2014
      8. #134November 2014
      9. #135December 2014
      10. #136January 2015
      11. #137February 2015
      12. #138March 2015
      13. #139March 2015
      14. #140April 2015
      15. #141May 2015
      16. #142June 2015
      17. #143June 2015
      18. #144July 2015

      #127 opens after a time skip and works as a second jumping-on point if you know the basics.

  8. The Whisperer War: No Turning Back to The Whisperer War2015–2017

    18 issues · about 6 hours18 essential issues · about 6 hours

    Tension with the Whisperers turns to conflict, and Rick's leadership faces challenges from inside the communities as well as outside.

    Read this stretch in 1 book
    1. The Walking Dead Compendium Vol. 4 (2019)Covers The Walking Dead #145–162Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. The Walking Dead (2003)#145–16218 issues
      1. #145August 2015
      2. #146September 2015
      3. #147October 2015
      4. #148November 2015
      5. #149December 2015
      6. #150January 2016
      7. #151February 2016
      8. #152March 2016
      9. #153April 2016
      10. #154May 2016
      11. #155June 2016
      12. #156July 2016
      13. #157August 2016
      14. #158September 2016
      15. #159October 2016
      16. #160November 2016
      17. #161December 2016
      18. #162January 2017

  9. The Commonwealth: A Certain Doom to The Rotten Core2017–2018

    24 issues · about 8 hours24 essential issues · about 8 hours

    The communities face the fallout of the Whisperer War, then a radio contact leads to the Commonwealth, a large and organised society with its own hierarchy. The question becomes what kind of world the survivors want to rebuild.

    Read this stretch in 1 book
    1. The Walking Dead Compendium Vol. 4 (2019)Covers The Walking Dead #163–186Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. The Walking Dead (2003)#163–18624 issues
      1. #163February 2017
      2. #164February 2017
      3. #165March 2017
      4. #166April 2017
      5. #167May 2017
      6. #168June 2017
      7. #169July 2017
      8. #170August 2017
      9. #171September 2017
      10. #172October 2017
      11. #173November 2017
      12. #174December 2017
      13. #175January 2018
      14. #176February 2018
      15. #177March 2018
      16. #178April 2018
      17. #179May 2018
      18. #180June 2018
      19. #181July 2018
      20. #182August 2018
      21. #183September 2018
      22. #184October 2018
      23. #185November 2018
      24. #186December 2018

      #171 was also sold as a Pink Signature edition with a few extra pages; the regular issue is all you need.

  10. Rest in Peace: the final arc2019

    7 issues · about 2.5 hours7 essential issues · about 2.5 hours

    The Commonwealth arc comes to a head and the series reaches its conclusion.

    Read this stretch in 1 book
    1. The Walking Dead Compendium Vol. 4 (2019)Covers The Walking Dead #187–193Find it

    Fewest books first; newer printings are preferred because they're likelier to be in stock.

    1. The Walking Dead (2003)#187–1926 issues
      1. #187January 2019
      2. #188February 2019
      3. #189March 2019
      4. #190April 2019
      5. #191May 2019
      6. #192June 2019
    2. #193July 2019

      The final issue; read it straight after #192.

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