The Walking Dead Almost Had A Way Different Title, And It Wouldn’t Have Worked

As a film and TV buff, I’ve always thought about how important a title is. It can really make or break something, you know? Take The Walking Dead – I mean, could there have been a better title for Robert Kirkman’s comic? It’s tough to say, but honestly, there definitely could have been worse ones. It just fit the whole zombie apocalypse vibe, and helped launch a massive TV show that’s still popular today.

Jim Valentino, a co-founder and former publisher of Image Comics, shared on Rob Liefeld’s Robservations podcast the initial titles Robert Kirkman proposed for The Walking Dead.

Both previous ideas didn’t quite work out, but thankfully, the author finally created Walking Dead, which became a huge success.

“The Walking Dead” Was Robert Kirkman’s Third Choice For A Title, According To Former Image Exec

The Publisher Behind The Iconic Comic Reveals Its Original Title Pitches

Everyone knows The Walking Dead was heavily inspired by the work of George Romero. The comic actually started as an attempt to continue the story begun in Romero’s Night of the Living Dead, which is widely considered the film that launched the modern zombie genre. It’s therefore not surprising that Jim Valentino, who approved the series in 2002, shared that Robert Kirkman originally wanted to name his comic after Romero.

Valentino remembers Kirkman first suggested calling the show Dawn of the Dead, but that was immediately rejected. They didn’t want to directly copy George Romero’s work, especially since the series was no longer connected to The Living Dead universe. Kirkman then proposed Planet of the Zombies, but Valentino turned that down just as quickly.

Valentino didn’t explain why, but it’s likely he felt the low-budget feel and similarities to Planet of the Apes meant the show, Planet, wouldn’t be successful on its own. Or maybe it just wasn’t memorable enough. Kirkman’s third idea, The Walking Dead, wasn’t entirely new, but it had a certain something that the previous pitches didn’t.

The Success Of Robert Kirkman’s Zombie Franchise Starts And Ends With “The Walking Dead” Title

What’s In A Name? Quite A Bit, It Turns Out

The success of The Walking Dead comes down to several factors, both in its comic book form and its television adaptation. Robert Kirkman is a leading creator of his generation, and the foundation he built with his comic – a compelling story of human drama set during a zombie outbreak – has powered over 20 seasons of television since the show first aired in 2010.

The story begins with the title itself: The Walking Dead immediately tells you what it’s about. The series focuses on both zombies and the humans who are still alive after the outbreak, though their survival is often uncertain. It’s about the literally and figuratively ‘walking dead’ – a concept that Robert Kirkman quickly realized was central to his story and expertly developed.

What sets The Walking Dead apart from Planet of the Zombies is its ability to create a strong sense of place. While Planet of the Zombies focuses on its characters – both living and undead – The Walking Dead truly brings its setting to life. The show implies movement and action, even though its zombies are the traditional, slow-moving type, unlike the faster zombies seen in more recent shows.

“The Walking Dead” Is One Of The 21st Century’s Most Successful Franchises; It All Starts With Three Words

The Walking Dead Became A Household Name

Jim Valentino pointed out to Rob Liefeld that the title The Walking Dead was crucial to the comic’s success – it was the very first thing that helped it stand out. Robert Kirkman’s independent comic became a huge cultural phenomenon, and the power of its name in achieving that success cannot be overstated.

What do you think? Was there a stronger title than The Walking Dead for the zombie franchise?

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2026-02-27 16:21