The Walking Dead (TWDG) is an episodic graphic adventure video game released in 2012, developed and published by Telltale Games. It begins on the first day of the zombie outbreak and follows former university professor and ex-convict Lee Everett as he navigates the world, finding comfort in his camaraderie with other strangers and with Clementine, a young girl he rescues at the start of the game. The game focuses on player choices and character-driven storytelling – the relationships you choose to nurture versus the ones you don’t impact the story.
In this post, I’ll be looking at the designs of two characters from the first season: Lee and Kenny (and his other appearances) as well as a few characters from the final season.
Lee
Lee Everett is the protagonist of the first instalment of The Walking Dead: Telltale Series. As a former History professor at the University of Georgia, his style gives us a glimpse into his lifestyle. He wears a blue button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, layered over a white long-sleeved shirt and a silver watch. Lee also appears to wear leather or suede shoes. These items of clothing connote Lee’s comfortable lifestyle before the apocalypse, as button-up shirts and leather/suede shoes are usually worn in more formal settings or when wanting to look presentable, and watches are considered an investment.
Early concept art of Lee from The Walking Dead: The Definitive Series ranges from casual to more polished. I believe the two images on the right in the image below (button-up shirts) match his character more, as he has an air of maturity. During the events of the game, Lee becomes Clementine’s protector and surrogate father figure as well as the de facto leader of the group. This would make his age/maturity more important for the context of the game, as he would likely have more worldly experience.
The first concept art with the zip-up hoodie and jacket is a lot more casual and makes him seem younger/more immature. Although the dishevelled look fits more with the apocalyptic setting of the game, he looks less like a leader. Moreover, the simplicity of his clothing and silhouette in the other concept art makes his design much more memorable.
Kenny
For this character study, I will be analysing Kenny’s wardrobe and appearance in seasons one and two of TWDG. Before the apocalypse, Kenny worked as a commercial fisherman with knowledge in mechanical engineering, which extended to his love of boats and sailing (https://walkingdead.fandom.com/wiki/Kenny_(Telltale). Kenny’s appearance is much more of the stereotypical American, with fuller facial hair, a trucker cap, surfer necklace, as well as lace-up boots. When researching his character, I knew I wanted to include him in Arnold’s moodboard as they were similar in that they were stubborn yet caring and had an interest/hobby that they were deeply invested in.
Just like Lee, Kenny’s accessories and wardrobe give us an insight into his interests and lifestyle. Originally, trucker caps were worn by farmers, truck drivers, and blue-collar workers (https://naturalman.uk.com/blogs/quality-gear-for-life/stetson-and-the-rise-of-the-trucker-cap-from-working-class-staple-to-cultural-icon), which links back to Kenny’s career in commercial fishing. It is obvious that Kenny does a lot of manual labour, which is clear through his well-worn jeans and work boots.
Violet
Introduced in the fourth instalment of TWDG, Violet’s character is cold, sarcastic and a loner type. This is evident through her sharp features, slouchy posture, and angular silhouette. Her role in the group is one of the fishers and supply runners (https://walkingdead.fandom.com/wiki/Violet_(Telltale)). Although it’s not obvious that she is one of the fishers, the distressing and dirt on her clothes suggest that she spends a lot of time outside the walls of the Ericson’s Boarding School where they reside. Violet’s style is grungy and vaguely punk, which is achieved through the frayed hems (intentional or not) on the sleeves of her jacket, the pin badge, and choppy haircut.
Louis
Also making an appearance in the fourth instalment, Louis is more upbeat, easy-going, and in tune with his emotions compared to Violet. Before the apocalypse, he came from a wealthy family, but after creating a rift between his parents out of anger, he was sent to the Ericson’s Boarding School. Louis serves as a hunter and supply runner for the group (https://walkingdead.fandom.com/wiki/Louis_(Telltale)), which is evident through his combat boots and heavy leather trench coat. Although Violet is also a supply runner, players can tell that Louis’ wardrobe is of much higher quality due to his privileged background pre-apocalypse. Furthermore, his colour palette is brighter in comparison to Violet’s and his facial features are rounder, which suggests a more caring and emotional personality.
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