Contains discussion of violence, including sexual violence and suicide.
While the gory post-apocalypse ofThe Walking Deadmay be too much for some people,the franchise’s creator insists that his series is"EXTREMELY tame"compared to one of its closest competitors - a series generally acknowledged as the most R-rated zombie series ever created. Sadly for those with a weak stomach, the series in question is soon to get its own big-screen adaptation.
InWalking Dead Deluxe #105(from artist Charlie Adlard, colorist Dave McCaig and letterer Rus Wooton), writer and franchise co-creator Robert Kirkman reflects on the introduction of Negan’s harem of ‘wives.’ Kirkman claims that despiteThe Walking Dead’s often horrifying violence, this was the detail that proved most controversial to fans. Kirkman insists that despite the gore of his series, he has a firm line for what he’ll depict, telling anyone who doubts the claim to check out Garth Ennis’Crossed.
Created with artist Jacen Burrows,Crossedis a franchise published by Avatar Press. Ennis and Burrows’Crossedtells the original story of a world fallen to a plague that brings humanity’s latent sadism to the surface, with series likeCrossed +100andCrossed: Wish Your Were Herefurther exploring the world via other characters and creative teams. Speaking about the difference betweenWalking DeadandCrossed, Kirkman says:
I certainly have a line I won’t cross. No pun intended, but you can look to Garth Ennis’sCrossedseries to see a far more brutal and unforgiving exploration of the apocalypse.Walking Deadis EXTREMELY tame by comparison, but that was by design. The harsh elements that did make it in, I always tried to make sure they were a reflection of real life.
A feature-length adaptation ofCrossedwas announced in 2024, coming from Six Studios. Ennis is expected to write the screenplay, nd the project is currently under development.
Walking Dead: The Exact Moment Rick Became a ‘Living Zombie’
One Walking Dead moment was always intended to turn Rick into a ‘living zombie,’ willing to set aside his humanity in a horrific moment of blood.
Fans ofThe Walking Deadmay raise an eyebrow at claims that the comic’s violence is tame.The comic is known for some truly horrifying scenes, including Negan beating Glenn to death with a baseball bat, the death of Rick’s wife and baby daughter, and killing between children. Indeed, part of the reasonThe Walking Deadwas originallypublished in black and whitewas so that the creators could get away with depicting extreme injuries (of course, it also made the comic cheaper, as well as acting as a tribute to George A. Romero’sDawn of the Dead.)
Walking Deadshows injuries in extreme detail - something that’s even more pronounced now thatWalking Dead Deluxeis reprinting the story in vivid color. Torture, rape and suicide all appear, and multiple children kill andarekilled over the course of the series.There’s no way to callWalking Deadtame by itself, however it’s also the case that the violence in the series rarely feels gratuitous on an emotional level.
Walking Dead Was Originally Created as a Tie-In to George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead
While The Walking Dead has become a major reviver for zombies in the 21st century, Robert Kirkman originally wanted it to tie into a classic film.
Essentiallyevery death inThe Walking Deadis treated as an extreme tragedy, with the series focusing on the mental state of its characters and how the zombie apocalypse is changing them on a fundamental level. Characters struggle with the dehumanizing effects of witnessing, carrying out and being subjected to violence, andeach death takes a heavy toll on even the most moral characters. WhileWalking Deadhas moments of intense gore and horrifying content, none of it is handled flippantly, which is a charge that some have laid at the door ofCrossed.
What Makes Crossed More Extreme Than Walking Dead?
On Paper, the Two Projects Sound Identical, But They’re Really Not
WhileWalking Deaduses shambling, undead zombies (despiteonly using the actual term ‘zombies’on a few sparse occasions),Crossed’s antagonists are still very much alive. In the comic, an unexplained but contagious force turns the majority of humans into sadists.Not only do the titular Crossed perform acts of horrifying violence, but they enjoy depravity and cruelty, living only in anticipation of their next victim.
The comic pulls no punches with its depictions of violence, rape and torture, and likeWalking Deadincludes serious violence committed against children.Crossed’s villains are imaginative and hateful, and their aim is to evoke the maximum amount of suffering.It’s certainly true that in terms of what’s visually depicted,Crossedisfarmore extreme than anything inThe Walking Dead, both in nature and quantity. WhatWalking Deadfans glimpse perhaps once every ten issues,Crossedfans see on page after page.
The Walking Dead’s Success Proves Its Creator’s Original Zombie Story Should Be Greenlit ASAP
The Walking Dead is a fairly realistic story about zombies set in the modern day, but it almost had a completely different setting and tone.
InThe Walking Dead Deluxe #76, Kirkman was asked what he thought ofCrossedvia fan letter, and replied,“I love Garth, but it’s a bit much for me, frankly.“It might be surprising for fans that the creator of one gory zombie horror comic would consider another too extreme to enjoy, but thereisa chasm between the two projects. Ultimately, Kirkman is right to say thatWalking Deadis tame in comparison to whatCrossedoffers readers… butdoes that meanCrossedgoes too far?
Is Crossed’s Violence Justified?
Writer Garth Ennis (The Boys,Preacher) is known for his irreverent, button-pushing approach to violence, and yetCrossedarguably isn’t the best example of his provocative style. While comics likePreacherdo use violence as a punchline,Crossedis outright horror, andthe constant violence communicates the claustrophobic, panicked state in which the protagonists spend the majority of the story. In the world ofWalking Dead, some characters accept death-by-zombie for the greater good, but no-one wouldeverlet the Crossed get ahold of them if they had any choice.
Because of this,Crossedallows Ennis and Burrows to explore human nature at its most extreme, asking what the average person would do if it meant surviving the unthinkable. Its fidelity to this core concept makes the original Ennis/BurrowsCrosseda worthy read for those who can stomach the viscera, howevermany of itsCrossed: Badlandsspin-off titles under other teamsdocross the line, reveling in voyeuristic sadism while lacking the same redeeming insight.
One place whereCrossed’s violence definitelyisexcessive is its cover art, with countless variant covers depicting violent tableaus in every conceivable location, from a fast food restaurant to an archeological dig.
The Walking Dead’s Ending Sets Up a Problem WAY Bigger Than Zombies
Walkers are well known to be a huge threat in the Walking Dead universe, but the series’ end presents a new problem that could destroy what’s left.
It’s interesting that in Kirkman’s comments aboutCrossed, he says thatWalking Dead’s violence is"a reflection of real life.“This is amajortheme in Ennis’Crossedstories, including the original series,with multiple characters observing that the Crossed aren’t doing anything humans haven’t done to each other before. Indeed,Ennis' story ‘The Thin Red Line’(fromCrossed: Badlands #50-56, with Christian Zanier) hints that theCrossed’virus' is actually bombarding its victims with visions of all the depravity and violence ever committed by humanity.
Crossed Has no ‘Line’ for the Human Depravity It Will Depict
WhileCrossedis inarguably more graphically violent and more frequently violent thanWalking Dead, the franchise also features some genuinely moving stories about humans under extreme pressure.BothWalking DeadandCrossedaren’t about their monsters, but about the people trying to survive in a world where every societal rule just vanished.Crossedis arguably the more cynical franchise, but this is partly because it goes even further in acknowledging the randomness, finality, and injustice of death.
Any fan ofThe Walking Deadinterested inCrossedwill find many of the same ideas and themes explored from a different perspective, and the series proudly sprints across the"line"thatWalking Deadwon’t cross. However, it’s not the case that Ennis and Burrows’Crossedis pure shock value, and both franchises are thoughtful and even empathetic, at least in their core works. Of course, horror fans looking to try outCrossedshould regard it as something of a warning that the creator ofThe Walking Deadconsiders the series to be so extreme that his own blood-spattered world is"tame"in comparison.
The Walking Dead
The Walking Deadis a massive multimedia franchise that began with a comic book series created by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. The franchise gained widespread popularity with the launch of the television seriesThe Walking Deadin 2010 on AMC, which chronicles the lives of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies, referred to as “walkers.” The success of the original show has led to numerous spin-offs, web series, video games, novels, and other media. The franchise explores themes of survival, human nature, and the breakdown of society in the face of an existential threat, making it one of the most successful and influential horror series of the 21st century.
