Abrams Publishing Companion Books for The Walking Dead on AMC

You could probably argue successfully that the comics are companion books to The Walking Dead on AMC. Abrams disagrees slightly and have teamed up with AMC and Skybound to publish two books based on the TV series. The book, titled The Walking Dead Chronicles, will be edited by Eric Klopfer.

The Walking Dead Chronicles provides a behind the scenes look at the first season and includes over 200 photos. Amongst the photos is never-before-seen unit photography, storyboards, set designs, make-up and visual effects shots and page-to-screen comparisons of the comic and TV show. The book also features new interviews with Robert Kirkman, executive producer Frank Darabont, the series make-up artist, Greg Nicotero, and the cast and crew. It also includes sidebars that serve as a detailed episode guide and provide inside facts and trivia about the hit series.

Boegehold affirms, “ABRAMS is thrilled to be a part of the cultural phenomenon that is ‘The Walking Dead.’ What sets ABRAMS apart is our high standards of production and design that we lend to all the books that we publish. We can’t wait to apply these standards to zombies.”

ABRAMS will promote The Walking Dead Chronicles at San Diego Comic-Con this week. ABRAMS’s booth number is 1216 while AMC’s booth number is 3721. Full press release after the jump.

ABRAMS, the preeminent publisher of high-quality art and illustrated books, announced today that the company has signed a deal with AMC, the cable television network, and Robert Kirkman’s Skybound, an imprint of Image Comics, to publish two books based on AMC’s original series The Walking Dead. The first book will be published to coincide with AMC’s launch of season two of “The Walking Dead,” premiering in the fall of 2011, and is the only authorized behind-the-scenes guide to season one. The book is titled The Walking Dead Chronicles and will be edited by Eric Klopfer at ABRAMS.

The deal was negotiated by ABRAMS’s Lindley Boegehold, editorial director of licenses and calendars, Dave Alpert from Skybound, and Marci Wiseman, AMC’s SVP of business affairs for AMC, and gives ABRAMS world publishing rights. The Walking Dead Chronicles focuses on the making of the first season of AMC’s original television series and the bestselling comic book on which the series is based. There are over 200 photos including never-before-seen unit photography, storyboards, set designs, make-up and visual effects shots, and page-to-screen comparisons of the comic and TV show. The book features new interviews with series creator Robert Kirkman, executive producer Frank Darabont, the series make-up artist, Greg Nicotero, and the cast and crew. It also includes sidebars that serve as a detailed episode guide and provide inside facts and trivia about the hit series.

Boegehold affirms, “ABRAMS is thrilled to be a part of the cultural phenomenon that is ‘The Walking Dead.’ What sets ABRAMS apart is our high standards of production and design that we lend to all the books that we publish. We can’t wait to apply these standards to zombies.”

“’The Walking Dead’ is that rare piece of material that lends itself to be experienced on many levels,” says Wiseman. “The series brilliantly captures the social commentary and ongoing human drama of the zombie apocalypse; and The Walking Dead Chronicles is a beautiful extension of the series.”

AMC's hit “The Walking Dead,” which broke ratings records in its first season reaching more Adults 18–49 than any other drama series in the history of basic cable television,* returns for its second season this fall. The series is based on the comic book series written by Robert Kirkman and tells the story of the months and years that follow after a zombie apocalypse. It follows a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes, played by Andrew Lincoln (“Teachers,” Love Actually), who travel in search of a safe and secure home. Shot on location in Atlanta, the series also stars Jon Bernthal (“The Pacific,” The Ghost Writer) as Shane Walsh, Sarah Wayne Callies (“Prison Break”) as Lori Grimes, Laurie Holden (“The Shield,” Stephen King's The Mist) as Andrea, Jeffrey DeMunn (Stephen King's The Mist, The Green Mile) as Dale, Norman Reedus (“The Conspirator”) as Daryl, Steven Yeun (“The Big Bang Theory”) as Glen, Emma Bell (The Bedford Diaries) as Amy, and Chandler Riggs (Get Low) as Carl Grimes. Season two of “The Walking Dead” is executive produced by three-time Academy Award nominee Frank Darabont, Gale Anne Hurd, Kirkman, David Alpert, and Glen Mazzara and AMC Studios.

ABRAMS will promote The Walking Dead Chronicles at San Diego Comic-Con this week. ABRAMS’s booth number is 1216. AMC’s booth number is 3721.

*Source: The Nielsen Company. Live+SD. 1/1/93-12/5/10. A18-49, AA(000). M-Sa 8P-11P, Su 7P-12A. General Drama. Ad Supported Cable. Entire Series Original Premiere Series Airings Only.

About ABRAMS
Founded by Harry N. Abrams in 1949, ABRAMS is the preeminent publisher of high quality art and illustrated books. Now a subsidiary of La Martinière Groupe, ABRAMS is the publisher of bestsellers such as the wildly popular The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney, the award-winning cookbooks of Alton Brown, and the stunning photography of Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s Earth from Above. ABRAMS publishes books in the areas of art, photography, cooking, interior design, craft, fashion, sports, pop culture, as well as children’s books and general interest. The company’s imprints include Abrams; Abrams ComicArts; Abrams Books for Young Readers; Amulet Books; Appleseed; Stewart, Tabori & Chang; and STC Craft/Melanie Falick Books. www.abramsbooks.com

About AMC
AMC reigns as the only cable network in history to ever win the Emmy® Award for Outstanding Drama Series three years in a row, as well as the Golden Globe® Award for Best Television Series - Drama for three consecutive years. Whether commemorating favorite films from every genre and decade or creating acclaimed original programming, the AMC experience is an uncompromising celebration of great stories. AMC's original stories include “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad,” “The Walking Dead,” “The Killing,” and “Hell on Wheels.” AMC further demonstrates its commitment to the art of storytelling with AMC’s Docu-Stories, a slate of unscripted original series, as well as curated movie franchises like AMC’s Can’t Get Enough and AMC’s Crazy About. Available in more than 97 million homes (Source: Nielsen Media Research), AMC is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc., and its sister networks include IFC, Sundance Channel, and WE tv. AMC is available across all platforms, including on-air, online, on demand, and mobile. AMC: Story Matters HereSM. For more information log onto to amctv.com.