"I think Walking Dead is one of the friendliest new reader type books in that every time a new trade is shipped out, a new issue is shipped out at the same time"
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Kirkman is selling logistics as hospitality, and it is sneakily smart. When he calls The Walking Dead "one of the friendliest new reader type books", he is really talking about a structural fix to one of comics' oldest problems: the intimidation factor. Long-running serialized universes are booby-trapped with continuity, in-jokes, renumberings, and a retail culture that quietly rewards the already-initiated. "Friendly" here means the opposite of gatekept.
The key move is the rhythm he describes: every time a new trade paperback lands, a new single issue hits shelves too. That pairing is a deliberate on-ramp. The trade gives newcomers a clean chunk of story and the sense of being caught up; the simultaneous new issue offers the thrill of immediacy, the feeling that you can join the live conversation rather than binge in isolation. It's reader experience design disguised as casual enthusiasm.
Context matters: The Walking Dead emerged in a period when bookstores, not just comic shops, were becoming crucial to comics' growth. Trades were the currency of that expansion, while monthly issues still anchored the direct market and fandom ritual. Kirkman is threading a needle between two audiences without sounding like he's doing commerce. Subtext: accessibility is not just a moral stance, it's a growth strategy. The series' apocalypse may be bleak, but the business model is inviting: come in through the big door, then stay for the weekly weather.
The key move is the rhythm he describes: every time a new trade paperback lands, a new single issue hits shelves too. That pairing is a deliberate on-ramp. The trade gives newcomers a clean chunk of story and the sense of being caught up; the simultaneous new issue offers the thrill of immediacy, the feeling that you can join the live conversation rather than binge in isolation. It's reader experience design disguised as casual enthusiasm.
Context matters: The Walking Dead emerged in a period when bookstores, not just comic shops, were becoming crucial to comics' growth. Trades were the currency of that expansion, while monthly issues still anchored the direct market and fandom ritual. Kirkman is threading a needle between two audiences without sounding like he's doing commerce. Subtext: accessibility is not just a moral stance, it's a growth strategy. The series' apocalypse may be bleak, but the business model is inviting: come in through the big door, then stay for the weekly weather.
Quote Details
| Topic | Writing |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
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