There’s no denying that zombies are portrayed in countless ways across pop culture, meaning the answer to the question,“Can zombies swim?“often depends on the interpretation; however, inThe Walking Deaduniverse, fans have a definitive answer to whether their favorite characters need to worry about getting chomped by a swimming zombie—and this answer comes straight fromThe Walking Deadcreator, Robert Kirkman.
…raises the question of whether the TV adaptation has adhered to the “no swimming zombies” rule of the comics…
The Walking Dead Deluxe#103, by Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard, Dave McCaig, and Rus Wooton, stands out as a particularly special issue. Not only does it showcase Negan’s complete takeover—forcing Rick Grimes out of leadership and drastically altering the group dynamics—but the deluxe edition also includes insights from Robert Kirkman himself, as he addresses fans' burning questions about zombies and other Walking Dead lore.
Among these inquiries is the age-old question:“Can zombies swim?”According to Kirkman,the short answer is no, but he had a bit more to elaborate on the topic.
Can Zombies Swim? The Simple Answer Is No (But Wait, There’s More)
Kirkman was specifically asked how zombies would handle water, with the questioner asking,“Do [zombies] float or sink? Would a river carry them away? Would they just walk into a river if someone was on a boat attracting them?”The Walking Dead creator explained that zombies and water don’t mix well, as prolonged submersion would cause them to decay rapidly. He also noted that since the undead would have expelled all their gases by that point, they would ultimately sink.
While this question was primarily directed atThe Walking Deadcomic series, it raises the question of whether the TV adaptation has adhered to the"no swimming zombies"rule and other water-related behaviors of the undead. For the most part, the mainWalking Deadseries appears to have stayed true to Kirkman’s canon. However, the spinoff seriesFear the Walking Deadseems to deviate from this rule. In the Season 2 premiere episode,“Monster,“zombies are shown swimming (or at least floating) as they are struck by a boat propeller. Still, inThe Walking Deadcanon overall, zombies are clearly unable to swim or float.
The Walking Dead Team Felt Negan Was Too Extreme for TV: “They’ll Never Be Able to Put This In the Show”
According to Robert Kirkman, the adaptation of his long-running Walking Dead comic series had an unexpected impact on the direction of the story.
The Walking Dead Deluxe #103is available now from IMAGE COMICS!
The Walking Dead
The Walking Deadis a massive multimedia franchise that began with a comic book series created by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard. The franchise gained widespread popularity with the launch of the television seriesThe Walking Deadin 2010 on AMC, which chronicles the lives of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies, referred to as “walkers.” The success of the original show has led to numerous spin-offs, web series, video games, novels, and other media. The franchise explores themes of survival, human nature, and the breakdown of society in the face of an existential threat, making it one of the most successful and influential horror series of the 21st century.
