The Walking Dead 20th Anniversary Box Sets Collect the Complete Comics

On October 8th, 2003, Image Comics published The Walking Dead #1, the first issue of Robert Kirkman's zombie saga. Written by Kirkman with art by Tony Moore, the black-and-white comic book saw comatose cop Rick Grimes wake up after an epidemic of apocalyptic proportions swept the globe — causing the dead to rise and feed on the living. Originally conceived as "the zombie movie that never ends," The Walking Dead comic book spawned one-shots, specials, spin-offs, and a live-action AMC television series that launched its own ongoing TWD Universe. But in 2019, without warning, Kirkman and artist Charlie Adlard ended their long-running comic book after 193 issues.

To mark the 20th anniversary of The Walking Dead comic book this October, Image Comics and Skybound Entertainment will release four limited edition box sets collecting all 193 issues across 32 volumes. Each spanning eight trade paperback volumes of the original black-and-white comics — not the colorized reprintings in the ongoing Walking Dead Deluxe — the four box sets are sold separately and will retail for $125. Pre-orders are available on Amazon now. 

Below, we've detailed what's contained in the four individual box sets scheduled to release weekly throughout October.

The Walking Dead 20th Anniversary Box Set #1 (October 4th, 2023)

• Volume 1: Days Gone Bye (issues #1-6)
  
• Volume 2: Miles Behind Us (issues #7-12)
• Volume 3: Safety Behind Bars (issues #13-18)
  
• Volume 4: The Heart's Desire (issues #19-24)
  
• Volume 5: The Best Defense (issues #25-30)
  
• Volume 6: This Sorrowful Life (issues #31-36)
  
• Volume 7: The Calm Before (issues #37-42)
  
• Volume 8: Made to Suffer (issues #43-48)

The Walking Dead 20th Anniversary Box Set #2 (October 11th, 2023)

• Volume 9: Here We Remain (issues #49-54)
• Volume 10: What We Become (issues #55-60)
• Volume 11: Fear the Hunters (issues #61-66)
• Volume 12: Life Among Them (issues #67-72)
• Volume 13: Too Far Gone (issues #73-78)
• Volume 14: No Way Out (issues #79-84)
• Volume 15: We Find Ourselves (issues #85-90)
• Volume 16: A Larger World (issues #91-96)
  

The Walking Dead 20th Anniversary Box Set #3 (October 18th, 2023)

• Volume 17: Something to Fear (issues #97-102)
• Volume 18: What Comes After (issues #103-108)
• Volume 19: March to War (issues #109-114)
• Volume 20: All Out War – Part One (issues #115-120)
• Volume 21: All Out War – Part Two (issues #121-126)
  
• Volume 22: A New Beginning (issues #127-132)
• Volume 23: Whispers Into Screams (issues #133-138)
• Volume 24: Life and Death (issues #139-144)

The Walking Dead 20th Anniversary Box Set #4 (October 25th, 2023)

• Volume 25: No Turning Back (issues #145-150)
• Volume 26: Call to Arms (issues #151-156)
• Volume 27: The Whisperer War (issues #157-162)
• Volume 28: A Certain Doom (issues #163-168)
• Volume 29: Lines We Cross (issues #169-174)
• Volume 30: New World Order (issues #175-180)
• Volume 31: The Rotten Core (issues #181-186)
• Volume 32: Rest in Peace (issues #187-193)
  

The Walking Dead 20th Anniversary box sets will hit stores just as The Walking Dead Deluxe reaches the milestone issue #75 in October. Along with the limited-edition box sets, Image Comics will reprint The Walking Dead Deluxe #1 (2020) as a new Newsprint Edition. The Walking Dead Deluxe issues #72-75 and their variant covers will feature the "20 Years" emblem depicting the katana-wielding Michonne. 

"I can't believe we're already celebrating 20 years of The Walking Dead!" Kirkman exclusively told ComicBook in a statement. "What an insane benchmark for us to reach and to have the deluxe color reprint series reaching its 75th issue in this moment is just staggering. These are the greatest fans in the world and their support of this world is unprecedented. I'm so thankful for all the things they've allowed us to accomplish."

Added editor Amanda LaFranco, "We're thrilled to be bringing readers a packed month of The Walking Dead this October! For 20 years, the iconic series has been with us, and what better way to celebrate than with TWD Deluxe in your shop weekly and new iconic images to boot! Leading up to the explosive 75th issue, we're excited to feature a series of covers with grisly walkers and the high-stakes moments the series is beloved for." (See The Walking Dead 20th Anniversary variant covers here.)

Stay tuned to ComicBook/TWD and follow @CameronBonomolo and @NewsOfTheDead on Twitter for more TWD Universe coverage.