The Walking Dead Deluxe is a full-color reprint of the original comics, not a previously untold sequel. Image Comics began revisiting the story in 2020 with colors by Dave McCaig, variant covers, and behind-the-scenes material. As of October 23, 2026, issue #147 was listed as published on October 21, while #148 was scheduled for November 4 on the publisher's US release calendar.
This distinction matters because the original comic series, which began in 2003, ended with issue #193 in 2019. The Deluxe issue count tracks how much of that story has received the new presentation, not how many new chapters have been written. The listed schedule does not confirm translation, sales, or distribution in Brazil.
What changes between the black-and-white original and Deluxe?
The interior pages of the original The Walking Dead comics were printed in black and white. Deluxe presents that same narrative in color by Dave McCaig, applied to artwork from a series whose artists include Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard. In its July 2020 announcement, Image itself described the project as a new full-color presentation of existing material.
Accordingly, Deluxe #1 returns to the beginning of Rick Grimes's journey. Readers looking for events set after the original comic's ending, or a retelling of the television series, will not find either here. The key change is visual and editorial, rather than a new continuity.
What is Cutting Room Floor, and what extras are included?
Cutting Room Floor is the behind-the-scenes feature announced for Deluxe. It presents Robert Kirkman's original handwritten plots and commentary about abandoned storylines, writing choices, and plot points that might have developed differently. These are records of the creative process, not new story chapters inserted into the main narrative.
The publisher also promotes variant covers by different artists. These offer different covers for the same issue, not a separate storyline for each edition. The listing for Deluxe #148 continues to advertise Cutting Room Floor and creator commentary, although the exact bonus pages in a particular copy should be checked in that issue itself.
How far had Deluxe reached by October 2026?
- October 7, 2020: Deluxe #1 was published in the United States, launching the full-color edition.
- October 21, 2026: Image Comics lists Deluxe #147 as published. It was the latest issue with a past publication date when checked on October 23.
- November 4, 2026: Deluxe #148 is listed as an upcoming release, not one already published on the review date.
- Beyond #148: the catalog also lists #149 for November 18, #150 for December 2, and #151 for December 16, 2026. Those are scheduled dates, not completed releases.
The Grand Comics Database identifies Deluxe as a color reprint of the series that began in 2003. To establish the latest released issue, however, it is essential to distinguish published listings from Image's schedule for future issues.
Original issues, Deluxe, or compendiums: what does each contain?
| Edition | Presentation | Contents and status |
|---|---|---|
| Original series | Black-and-white interior comic issues | Complete story, ending with #193 in 2019. |
| The Walking Dead Deluxe | Color reprint with variant covers and editorial extras | Ongoing reprint; #147 released and #148 scheduled as of October 23, 2026. |
| Original-series compendiums | Large black-and-white collected editions | Four volumes cover issues #1 through #193, making the full story available. |
Image's catalog breaks down the four compendiums: Compendium One contains #1-48; Two, #49-96; Three, #97-144; and Four, #145-193. The fourth volume was published in 2019, and its corresponding solicitation labels it black and white. That means #147 is already part of the material collected in the fourth original compendium, while the colored version of the chapter appears in the Deluxe single issue.
Will Deluxe receive full-color collected editions?
In its 2020 announcement, Image said the Deluxe issues would not be collected into trade paperbacks any time soon. That was a statement about the plans at launch, not a permanent promise that collections would never exist. The pages reviewed for this update do not establish a complete full-color Deluxe collection or a confirmed release timetable for one.
The Collected Editions section on individual issue pages also requires care: it may link to older collections of the original series. Those links alone do not establish the existence of a newly collected color Deluxe compendium.
Which version should readers choose?
Anyone wanting Kirkman's complete story without waiting for the reprint can read all 193 issues across the four original black-and-white compendiums. Readers interested in McCaig's coloring, the variant covers, and the creative-process extras will find a different editorial experience in Deluxe single issues, although the project was still incomplete on October 23, 2026.
The release information above refers to Image Comics' US publishing schedule. Any Brazilian edition, local pricing, digital subscription, or bookstore availability needs separate verification; the records reviewed here do not establish identical availability across territories.
Sources and references
- Image Comics: full-color edition announcement (2020)
- Image Comics: The Walking Dead Deluxe #1
- Image Comics: The Walking Dead Deluxe #147
- Image Comics: The Walking Dead Deluxe #148
- Image Comics: issue release calendar
- Image Comics: Compendium One
- Image Comics: Compendium Two
- Image Comics: Compendium Three
- Image Comics: Compendium Four
- Image Comics: October 2019 solicitations
- Grand Comics Database: Deluxe series record
