The Walking Dead doesn't star Rick Grimes so it would 'matter' to fans

The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman has said TellTale's successful episodic adventure adaptation moves away from comics protagonist Rick Grimes so the series has something to offer existing fans.

"In the very early stages, it was very important to me that this game would be something that mattered to the fans. So this game very much takes place in the world of The Walking Dead comic book, and it deals with things that exist there," Kirkman told the US PS Blog.

"You can’t really tell a story like that if Rick Grimes is the main character. Because [the implication would be], 'if this story is so important, how come we never saw it or talked about it in the comic? This is clearly a side thing!'"

"So very early on we decided to focus on a different character and a different story that would weave in and out of the comic book story in interesting and meaningful ways. But we also wanted it to be a standalone story so that the comic and game can complement each other without contradicting each other. We wanted you to experience them both and get a fuller, richer experience."

The Walking Dead is available on iOS, Mac, PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The first episode shifted 1 million copies in record time.