Can Zombies Swim? The Walking Dead Creator Has a Compelling Answer to the Debate.

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, in The Walking Dead universe, 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 from The Walking Dead creator, Robert Kirkman.

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...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)

Cover B Variant by Charlie Adlard for The Walking Dead Deluxe #103 (2024)

The Walking Dead Deluxe #103 variant cover

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.

Kirkman further elaborated that whether a river would carry zombies away depends on the strength of the current. If it’s strong enough, it absolutely could. Perhaps the most intriguing part of his response, however, was his comment on a zombie’s “drive.” He stated, “...while I do not subscribe to the idea of smart or evolving zombies, I would say that there can be some zombies that are more intelligent, or rather, more driven than others… so some might, some might not [try to cross the river].” This idea of varying levels of intelligence or drive among zombies is particularly thought-provoking, extending far beyond just their interactions with water.

Has The Walking Dead TV Series Stayed True to the Comics’ No Swim Rule?

Cover C Connecting Variant by Nate Bellegarde for The Walking Dead Deluxe #103 (2024)

The Walking Dead Deluxe #103 Variant cover 2

While this question was primarily directed at The Walking Dead comic 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 main Walking Dead series appears to have stayed true to Kirkman’s canon. However, the spinoff series Fear the Walking Dead seems 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, in The Walking Dead canon overall, zombies are clearly unable to swim or float.