The first appearance of a character in comic book form is often the most valuable issue featuring that character. It's a nice place to get started in The Walking Dead, if it's within your budget. A 5-page preview of The Walking Dead series appeared in two other Image series on the same day as the ongoing series. These issues have cover dates of Sep 2003, while WALKING DEAD [2003] #1 has a cover date of Oct 2003. It's debatable whether a preview fully qualifies as a technical '1st appearance,' and there will never be a definitive answer to that question that will satisfy all fans, especially since Diamond's database indicates they were all published on the same day. The relative prices of the issues in question will reveal the relative weight of each issues' claim. WALKING DEAD [2003] #1 greatly outvalues the other two right now. This could, of course, change over time, but it is more likely the two preview issues will always be more of a collector's curiosity. In the spirit of full disclosure, all three of the contenders are listed in the table below, in order of value.

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• WALKING DEAD [2003] #1  (1st issue, Oct 2003 cover date, published 8 Oct 2003)
• CAPES [2003] #1  (contains a 5-page preview, Sep 2003 cover date, published 8 Oct 2003)
• AGENTS [2003] #6  (contains a 5-page preview, Sep 2003 cover date, published 8 Oct 2003)

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• WALKING DEAD [2003] #1   
• WALKING DEAD [2003] #1 SPECIAL EDITION   (May 2008 reprint w/original script and proposal, including previously unpublished 5-page alternate story beginning)
• WALKING DEAD WEEKLY [2011] #1   (Jan 2011 reprint)

Series beginnings are always great places to get started in comic books. Here is the Main Publication History for The Walking Dead comic books. The Walking Dead is a long-running series and the early issues fetch very high prices on the back issue market. In 2011, Image reprinted the first 52 issues on a weekly schedule to assist new fans with entry into collecting individual issues. Today, even these reprints have fairly high price tags. The most cost effective way to begin at the beginning now is with any of the series that collect the individual issues (i.e. trade paperback, hardcover, or compendium). The trade paperbacks collects six issues at a time in nice, neat story arcs. Aside from the main series, The Walking Dead has had several ancillary issues. See the Secondary Publication History for a list of these specials which add depth to certain characters, but are not essential to enjoying the series.

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• WALKING DEAD [2003] #1-193
• WALKING DEAD WEEKLY [2011] #1-52  (reprinted #1-52 on a weekly schedule)

In addition to the main monthly series, The Walking Dead has had several specials with ancillary material. These short stories add to the overall depth of certain characters, but are by no means required to enjoy the series. See the Main Publication History for the main monthly series.

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• IMAGE COMICS HOLIDAY SPECIAL 2005 [2005]   (previously unpublished 6-page Morgan story)
• WALKING DEAD SCRIPT BOOK [2005] #1  (original scripts (no art) for WALKING DEAD [2003] #1-6)
• WALKING DEAD: MICHONNE SPECIAL [2012]   (reprints WALKING DEAD [2003] #19 (her 1st appearance) and the 6-page Michonne story from Playboy Magazine (Apr 2012))
• CBLDF PRESENTS LIBERTY ANNUAL [2010] #2012  (previously unpublished 6-page Governor story)
• WALKING DEAD: THE GOVERNOR SPECIAL [2013]   (reprints WALKING DEAD [2003] #27 (his 1st appearance) and the 6-page Governor story from CBLDF PRESENTS LIBERTY ANNUAL [2010] #2012)
• WALKING DEAD FCBD 2013 SPECIAL [2013]   (previously unpublished 6-page Tyreese story plus reprints two other 6-page stories: Michonne and Morgan)
• WALKING DEAD: TYREESE SPECIAL [2013] #1  (reprints WALKING DEAD [2003] #7 (his 1st appearance) and the 6-page Tyreese story from WALKING DEAD FCBD 2013 SPECIAL [2013])
• IMAGE+ [2016-MAG] #1-16  (serialized origin of Negan)
• WALKING DEAD: HERE'S NEGAN! [2017-HC]   (hardcover reprint of the serialized origin of Negan from IMAGE+ [2016-MAG])
• WALKING DEAD: THE ALIEN [2019]   (print release of an original, digital comic; only available via Local Comic Shop Day (LCSD) participation)

This section contains a curated list of some of the best storylines for The Walking Dead, any one of which can be a good place to get started. WALKING DEAD [2003] is a long-running series, and while it's not required to start at the beginning, it's not inadvisable. WALKING DEAD [2003] is written in 6-issue story arcs, conveniently perfect for collection into trade paperbacks.

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A key issue can be an acceptable place to get started with The Walking Dead, but they are more of a collector's checklist, as they can carry high price tags.

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• WALKING DEAD [2003] #1   (1st issue, Oct 2003 cover date, published 8 Oct 2003)
• CAPES [2003] #1   (contains a 5-page preview, Sep 2003 cover date, published 8 Oct 2003)
• AGENTS [2003] #6   (contains a 5-page preview, Sep 2003 cover date, published 8 Oct 2003)
• WALKING DEAD [2003] #19   (1st appearance of Michonne)
• WALKING DEAD [2003] #27   (1st appearance of The Governor)
• WALKING DEAD [2003] #35   (rare printing error version)
• WALKING DEAD [2003] #48   (death of Lori, Herschel)
• WALKING DEAD [2003] #50   (variant wraparound cover by Erik Larsen)
• WALKING DEAD [2003] #53   (1st appearances of Abraham, Eugene, Rosita)
• WALKING DEAD [2003] #61   (1st appearance of Gabriel)
• WALKING DEAD [2003] #92   (introduction of Paul Monroe (Jesus))
• WALKING DEAD [2003] #100   (1st appearance of Negan, death of Glenn)
• WALKING DEAD [2003] #115   (ALL OUT WAR begins)
• WALKING DEAD [2003] #127   (1st appearance of Magna)

In modern comic publishing, it's common (and expected) for individual comic book issues to be collected into compilations of trade paperbacks and/or hardcovers, as well as other special compilations. Unlike the individual source issues, the collected editions typically stay in print for long periods and are less 'collectible.' If individual issues are out of reach or are not of interest to you or if you just need reading copies, the following collected editions of The Walking Dead comic books are the most recent in-print editions and are the perfect alternative to get started right away with The Walking Dead. The following compilations are presented in a chronologically-based suggested reading order with softcover editions before any hardcover editions (unless the only in-print editions are hardcover--these are integrated into the softcover list).