The Walking Dead (comic book)
The Walking Dead is a black-and-white comic book series created by writer Robert Kirkman with art by Tony Moore. It focuses on Rick Grimes, a Kentucky deputy who is shot in the line of duty and awakens from a coma in a zombie apocalypse that has resulted in a state-wide quarantine. After joining with other ones, he gradually takes on the role of leader of a community as it struggles to survive the zombie apocalypse.
Frank Darabont
Darabont developed and executive-produced the first season of "The Walking Dead", the AMC series based on Robert Kirkman's comic book of the same name. Darabont recalled first coming across the series in a comic book store in Burbank, California in 2005. When Darabont became interested, Kirkman called it "extremely flattering" and went on to say that "he definitely cares about the original source material, and you can tell that in the way he's adapting it." Darabont first initiated a deal with NBC for "The Walking Dead", but was later declined and eventually brought it to AMC, who picked it up based on the source material and Darabont's involvement. Darabont wrote and directed the pilot and was executive producer of the first season along with Gale Anne Hurd. The series features a number of actors who have regularly worked with Darabont in the past, including Jeffrey DeMunn, Laurie Holden and Melissa McBride. The series earned positive reviews upon release and the pilot received 5.3 million viewers, making it the most-watched series premiere episode of any AMC television series.