The Walking Dead Creator Reveals the Original Title That Would Have Changed Things Forever

Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead almost had a strikingly different title that would've painted a vastly different picture from the zombie story that fans have come to know and love. Image Comics co-founder Jim Valentino recently opened up about the creator's original plans for the series — and why they got the axe.

In an appearance on Rob Liefeld's Robservations podcast, Valentino opened up about his accomplishments and his impact on the comic book industry, which includes giving the green light to both The Walking Dead and Invincible. Valentino also opened up about Kirkman's original pitch, which needed some tweaking to be the success it is today. "He hit me with the — the first thing was: 'I want to call it Dawn of the Dead.' No, Robert, you can't do that. It's already a movie."

The Walking Dead Was Kirkman's Third Choice for the Series Title

It's been no secret over the years that Kirkman's original pitch was for the series to be a follow-up to George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead, with the series set in the 1960s. Valentino suggested a more original concept so that Kirkman and his co-creator, Tony Moore, would be able to own the rights to their work, leading to it being revised into a more modern zombie story.

Valentino went on to divulge Kirkman's second choice for the series, which felt equally frustrating to him. "You know what, what do you think of Planet of the Zombies?" Valentino said, pulling at his hair as he said so.

"How about The Walking Dead? Boom! That's it," Valentino continued. "Call it The Walking Dead. But I had told him, I said, 'Give me a hook. Give me something to grab onto.' [...] If Robert would have told me that the main characters at that time was the father and the son, you know, as a father, how that would affect you?"

Eventually, Kirkman's story managed to earn Valentino's approval, and it went on to become a massive success. "From the time it was published, it] had a positive sales slope," Valentino shared. "[Kirkman] loves to tell this story... I told them zombie books don't sell. They didn't sell! I would consider Walking Dead a zombie book. It's a survival book."

The Walking Dead Comics Launched a TV Series & Global Franchise

The Walking Dead comics date back all the way to 2003 when they began their run with Image, but the franchise continues to this day in different formats. The AMC television series of the same name, which ran from 2010-2022, has become a massive media empire that spawned six more series, video games, and novels. It continues to this day with recent series like Dead City and Daryl Dixon.

For Valentino, the franchise's success is due largely to Kirkman's ambition. "The thing about Walking Dead and Robert is, and why I loved Robert so much and would do pretty much anything he wanted to do, was because he was tenacious,' Valentino added. "He kept coming back. If I said no to something: 'What do you think about this? What do you think about that? How about this? You don't like that one...I got another one for you! I got a million of them.'"

The Walking Dead comics are now available from Image Comics.