It’s Christmas. That means snow, cookies, presents, family… anything BUT zombies. The producers of the Walking Dead agree, putting the show on its scheduled mid-season break until February sweeps. We should be thankful that we won’t be sharing parts of our minds (and brains?) with living corpses, but there’s a hole in our hearts that has appeared since this weekend’s shocking mid-season finale.
We want to help you survive this strange new, zombie-less world with a good collection of swag that you can pick up around the web. From books to toys to board games, there’s plenty to keep you occupied. Got anything you would suggest? Drop it in the comments.
[box_light]TV Shows[/box_light]
There’s no better place to start than by watching the first season of the Walking Dead in glorious HD. The Special 3-Disc Edition blu ray collection is the one to grab, and it’s on sale for under $30. GRAB IT HERE.
Don’t like hard copies? Watch the first season digitally on Netflix. Amazon has individual episodes for $2.99 [CLICK HERE FOR SEASON 1, HERE FOR SEASON 2], or you can grab the entire series [SEASON 1, SEASON 2] through iTunes for the same price. iTunes also has several “behind the scenes” featurettes for free.
[box_light]Books[/box_light]
The comic books started it all. This is for all intents THE PLACE to start the Walking Dead experience, especially if you’ve only seen the show. Start with the first excellent volume of the graphic novel for just $9.99 [CLICK HERE].
While there’s no actual “Art of” book, the closest thing available is a stunning collection of the comic book’s covers. The covers portray several striking themes of contrast: the color separation shows a soft, human half and a dark, grimy zombie half, and the focus on the humanity of the characters with surrounding shots of zombies reminding us of the world they live in. Grab the first collection for just over $16. [CLICK HERE]
The Governor is one of our favorite Walking Dead characters, and parts of his personae swirl about in the TV series’ version of Shane. He’s evil, demented, and may be one of the best modern villains in literature. Kirkman and crew have grabbed the best Governor story arcs and placed them into one collection, as well as the Governor’s back story, on sale for around $15. [CLICK HERE] Or, get it on your iPhone and iPad for $11.99 [CLICK HERE]
For people just getting into the books, but don’t want to start at the beginning, Image Comics have put together a “Survival Guide” detailing all of the main characters, their roles, and even their eventual deaths. Major spoilers, so only pick this up if you’re willing to pass up on years of build-up. Nonetheless, a great read for $9. [CLICK HERE]
If you manage to get all caught up, the next installment of the graphic novel (volume 15) will debut in just a couple of weeks, collecting issues 85-90 of the comic. Pre-order it now for 32% off at about $10. [CLICK HERE]
If you’re not looking to get into the books but still want to do some reading, AMC has created a full “companion” book to the series. Focusing on Season 1 (and a bit into the comics) the book goes way behind the scenes of the show. On sale for $13-ish. [CLICK HERE]
If you have a fancy iOS device, grab access to the full series digitally with the latest comiXology app that collects the entire series. The app is free, with individual books ranging from $1.99 on up. [CLICK HERE]
[box_light]Games[/box_light]
There’s a nifty official Walking Dead board game that plays companion to the TV show. Up to 4 people can play as survivors from the show, working together or alone to make it through Atlanta in a fast-paced game by picking up supplies, weapons, and more. Fail to survive and you become a walker, springing traps for and attacking the remaining survivors. The game lasts for about 60 minutes and runs for $35. [CLICK HERE]
A second board game has been released from Z Man games, focusing more on the comic books rather than the TV series, but with the same premise: survive or die. Up to 6 players can play this one. It retails for $29. [CLICK HERE]
[box_light]Collectibles[/box_light]
Official trading cards for pop culture phenomenons still exist, and the Walking Dead is no different. This is a very rare collectible card series, available in this 24-pack collection for a whopping $106. [CLICK HERE]
There are a few action figures available for the collectors, from McFarlane toys and San Diego Comic Con. They’re all at different amounts, but here are a few notables:
Count down the days until Season 2 returns with this 2012 calendar on sale for $10.19. Featuring artwork from the comics. [CLICK HERE]
Related
No Comments