Rick Grimes became one of the most popular characters in The Walking Dead as the comic book character came to life in AMC's adaptation of the popular comic series. Now, Rick's brother Jeff is getting his own graphic novel, as The Walking Dead: The Alien is getting a new physical release.
The Walking Dead: The Alien by Brian K. Vaughan and Marcos Martin was originally released online on Panel Syndicate (and in extremely limited quantities physically). The story told the tale of Jeff, a man who wakes up in Spain and learns quickly about the zombie outbreak surrounding him. He runs into Claudia, who rides a Vespa in knight armor. She informs him she'll need his help to clear through the sewers and get onto a boat, so they can go to the United States. Jeff agrees, and the twist turns out he wants to go home and visit his brother Rick Grimes, a police officer who was in a coma before the outbreak.
On Tuesday, Skybound and Image Comics revealed The Walking Dead: The Alien is getting a hardcover release that will feature the 28-page story, as well as sketches by Martin. Robert Kirkman, the creator of The Walking Dead, admitted he was initially hesitant to allow anyone else to do a comic set in the world, but that he couldn't be happier with Vaughan and Martin's work. He said that he's extremely excited to see the book go to print - and that a wider audience can read the story.
I couldn't be a bigger fan of Vaughan and Martin's work,” said Kirkman. “I've been very hesitant to allow anyone to play in the Walking Dead sandbox in comic form but when the opportunity arose for these gents to show up what Charlie Adlard and I had been doing, I jumped at the chance. It's remarkable what Vaughan & Martin were able to accomplish in one self-contained story. A tale with so much heart and emotion told far more succinctly than I've ever been capable of. I'm so thrilled to finally be sharing this story with a wider audience in this spectacular hardcover edition.
Take a look at the sketches featured in the hardcover by Martin of Jeff Grimes and Claudia.
The spinoff is officially canon in The Walking Dead comics universe. There has been some hope that Jeff might appear in future seasons of the television series or one of its spinoffs. Even if that never happens, The Walking Dead: The Alien is an exciting addition to the world Kirkman created and a must-read for any fans of the comic or TV show. You can pre-order The Walking Dead: Alien now. The hardcover edition will be available on July, 29.