13 Essential Zombie Graphic Novels You Need to Read

Isn’t your essence defined by the endless quest for intellect? Engaged in a relentless, flesh-hungry competition with no clear finish line? Have you contemplated embracing something GREATER in this afterlife? Perhaps picking up gardening? Diving into spin classes? Or maybe diving into a captivating book? If you’re nodding along, here are some suggestions you’re bound to appreciate.

1. The Walking Dead

Robert Kirkman’s acclaimed The Walking Dead stands as the quintessential zombie graphic novel. It is widely recognized as the finest zombie narrative ever crafted and a benchmark in the genre. Before its transformation into a popular, long-lasting AMC series, it began its journey as a gripping graphic novel series featuring Rick Grimes, an ex-police officer who awakens in a hospital amidst a zombie apocalypse. If you found the show harrowing, brace yourself for the intense storytelling present in the comics.

2. The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks

Curious about how historical societies managed zombie threats? With The Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks, you can explore past encounters! Humanity has endured multiple zombie outbreaks, yet each time, civilization prevailed. Discover how Ancient Romans and African tribes, along with figures like Sir Francis Drake, faced these fears! Can a civilization call itself advanced if it hasn’t faced zombies? Certainly not!

3. Zombies: A Brief History of Decay

Zombies: A Brief History Of Decay narrates the tale of an irreversible zombie apocalypse. With two-thirds of the planet’s nine billion inhabitants turned into zombies, the last remaining population faces dire circumstances. Sam Coleman, a desperate father searching for his daughter whom he was forced to leave behind, relies only on his trust in an old ally, Sam Colt.

4. Night of the Living Dead

Night of the Living Dead revisits the iconic story that launched the zombie genre! Following siblings Lizbeth and Leland on a cemetery visit to their parents’ graves, they suddenly find themselves beset by the undead! Instead of seeking refuge in a creepy farmhouse, they lock themselves inside a hotel along with fellow survivors, leading to an unexpected continuation of the narrative.

5. The Walking Cat: A Cat’s-Eye-View of the Zombie Apocalypse

The Walking Cat: A Cat’s-Eye-View of the Zombie Apocalypse provides a unique lens on a zombie-infested world through the eyes of a cat. This feline companion, rescued from the clutches of zombies by a young hero named Jin, embarks on a quest to locate a mysterious island—hopefully where Jin’s wife awaits.

6. Marvel Zombies

Marvel Zombies marks Robert Kirkman’s grim foray into the Marvel universe. Following the outbreak of an alien virus that transforms superheroes into flesh-hungry monsters, these heroes turned villains wreak havoc across the globe. While most succumb to the madness, one being, Silver Surfer, remains uninfected and faces his own challenges.

7. The Hunger: A Marvel: Zombies Novel

Marvel Zombies The Hunger comic book cover. — (Aconyte)

The Hunger: A Marvel: Zombies Novel expands the zombie menace across the multiverse! Join Doctor Strange as he strives to prevent the undead heroes from spreading their plague to alternate realities, gathering a team of uninfected heroes for assistance—guided by the chaos-loving Deadpool who complicates matters significantly.

8. Zombie Fallout

Zombie Fallout comic book cover. — (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform)

Zombie Fallout revolves around a vaccine you should genuinely fear. Set against the backdrop of the H1N1 pandemic, individuals rushed to get shots, only for the rushed vaccine to lead to zombification! Now, a group of survivors must engage in the ultimate struggle for survival traditionally seen in zombie narratives.

9. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies book cover. — (From the King)

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies infuses undead hijinks into Jane Austen’s beloved romance. Dubbed “the strange plague,”this infection has turned England’s elite into zombie hunters, passing down lands, titles, and unique skills to their descendants. Elizabeth Bennet is among those skillful slayers, defending her realm from unmentionables.

10. Mississippi Zombie

Mississippi Zombie delivers an anthology of southern zombie encounters! A nationwide outbreak occurs as animal attacks turn humans into ravenous monsters! As Mississippi stands as the last bastion of uninfected life, the state’s citizens must band together to fend off the invading zombies that cross the Mississippi River.

11. Daybreak

Often described as a cross between The Road and Dawn of the Dead, Daybreak explores the journey of a quiet young boy shadowing his zombie-fighting guardian through a desolate world. Unlike the typical gore-laden narratives in this genre, it emphasizes suspense and atmosphere, crafting a poignant elegy for a world on the brink of destruction.

12. Hour of the Zombie

Hour of the Zombie narrates a unique apocalypse scenario that lasts only an hour in a Japanese high school. Students transform into zombies, indulging in a gruesome feast before returning to their lessons. Now, the institution divides between survivors and the undead, maintaining a fragile peace—until hunger strikes.

13. Pat the Zombie: A Cruel (Adult) Spoof

Cover art for Pat the Zombie. — (Ten Speed Press)

Pat the Zombie: A Cruel (Adult) Spoof humorously parodies the cherished children’s book, Pat the Bunny. Think back to the original’s cute tactile elements? Here, prepare for grotesque, bloody aspects instead! This spine-chilling twist will surely resonate with those familiar with the classic story.

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