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The Walking Dead #15-16
The Walking Dead, Book Eight
Rick and his group rebuild from the events of "NO WAY OUT," and learn that maybe they can take part in "A LARGER WORLD."
Collects THE WALKING DEAD # 85-96
Collects THE WALKING DEAD # 85-96
336 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2012
36 people are currently reading
2301 people want to read
About the author
Robert Kirkman
2,741 books6,938 followersRobert Kirkman is an American comic book writer best known for his work on The Walking Dead, Invincible for Image Comics, as well as Ultimate X-Men and Marvel Zombies for Marvel Comics. He has also collaborated with Image Comics co-founder Todd McFarlane on the series Haunt. He is one of the five partners of Image Comics, and the only one of the five who was not one of the original co-founders of that publisher.
Robert Kirkman's first comic books were self-published under his own Funk-o-Tron label. Along with childhood friend Tony Moore, Kirkman created Battle Pope which was published in late 2001. Battle Pope ran for over 2 years along with other Funk-o-Tron published books such as InkPunks and Double Take.
In July of 2002, Robert's first work for another company began, with a 4-part SuperPatriot series for Image, along with Battle Pope backup story artist Cory Walker. Robert's creator-owned projects followed shortly thereafter, including Tech Jacket, Invincible and Walking Dead.
Robert Kirkman's first comic books were self-published under his own Funk-o-Tron label. Along with childhood friend Tony Moore, Kirkman created Battle Pope which was published in late 2001. Battle Pope ran for over 2 years along with other Funk-o-Tron published books such as InkPunks and Double Take.
In July of 2002, Robert's first work for another company began, with a 4-part SuperPatriot series for Image, along with Battle Pope backup story artist Cory Walker. Robert's creator-owned projects followed shortly thereafter, including Tech Jacket, Invincible and Walking Dead.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 188 reviews
October 20, 2015
3.5 stars
Weeeell, not much happens in this one. Comparatively speaking, anyway.
Warning: Spoilers!
Sorry, but I'm trying to keep track of what's happening in each book.
So, Baby One-Eye pulls through, but he's maybe a bit fucked up. Imagine that! And Rick is getting kind of worried that Carl might not be able to 'go back to normal'.
*rolls eyes, slaps Rick across the face*
Andrea & Rick follow the Call of the Wild. FINALLY!
But now Rick is worried that if he loves her, she'll die...just like everyone else.
*rolls eyes, slaps Rick upside the head*
Just when you thought things couldn't get weirder, Rick & the Group meet Jesus!
Ok, so Jesus is actually a scout looking for other groups to trade with, but Rick doesn't trust him.
Mainly, because Jesus is a ninja!
There's a small rebellion (basically, headed by one guy) at the subdivision, and when Glen stumbles into the middle of their meeting, things get hairy.
But Rick & Co. manage to quell the revolution rather easily, and (shockingly) with no bloodshed.
Badass!
The most annoying thing in this volume was Rick and his wishy-washy attitude about...well, everything.
I've started to notice this guy contradicts himself a lot.
We can't trust these new guys!
Maybe We CAN trust them.
Nah, let's beat this guy's ass and tie him up!
OK, let's trust them!
Or maybe we should...
Fuuuuck! Make a decision already!
I guess the biggest surprise is that no one died in this one!
Well, there was that one guy, but he was only in, like, 5 panels before he bit it. *shrugs*
Overall, good stuff! Looking forward to the next book!
Weeeell, not much happens in this one. Comparatively speaking, anyway.
Warning: Spoilers!
Sorry, but I'm trying to keep track of what's happening in each book.
So, Baby One-Eye pulls through, but he's maybe a bit fucked up. Imagine that! And Rick is getting kind of worried that Carl might not be able to 'go back to normal'.
*rolls eyes, slaps Rick across the face*
Andrea & Rick follow the Call of the Wild. FINALLY!
But now Rick is worried that if he loves her, she'll die...just like everyone else.
*rolls eyes, slaps Rick upside the head*
Just when you thought things couldn't get weirder, Rick & the Group meet Jesus!
Ok, so Jesus is actually a scout looking for other groups to trade with, but Rick doesn't trust him.
Mainly, because Jesus is a ninja!
There's a small rebellion (basically, headed by one guy) at the subdivision, and when Glen stumbles into the middle of their meeting, things get hairy.
But Rick & Co. manage to quell the revolution rather easily, and (shockingly) with no bloodshed.
Badass!
The most annoying thing in this volume was Rick and his wishy-washy attitude about...well, everything.
I've started to notice this guy contradicts himself a lot.
We can't trust these new guys!
Maybe We CAN trust them.
Nah, let's beat this guy's ass and tie him up!
OK, let's trust them!
Or maybe we should...
Fuuuuck! Make a decision already!
I guess the biggest surprise is that no one died in this one!
Well, there was that one guy, but he was only in, like, 5 panels before he bit it. *shrugs*
Overall, good stuff! Looking forward to the next book!
April 1, 2016
This instalment of TWD was relatively quite and anticlimactic compared to the previous graphic novels, but there's a build-up of tension and suspense so I'm sure Kirkman is getting ready to spring on us an epic showdown soon. I'm too desperate to know what happens next, so I'm off to read volume 9 of TWD.
February 22, 2013
Very, very disappointing entry in what has always been a fast-paced, surprising series. This is a HUGE letdown for me. This volume collects 12 issues of the series, which essentially means that the poor bastards who were reading this as it came out were dealing with an entire year of absolutely nothing happening. We pick up in the little town outside Washington, D.C. where "the gang" has been holing up for quite some time now. They've mostly survived a massive influx of zombies, and are rebuilding the town and taking measures to make it safer. This would be a great single issue. But it is not. It is six issues. They spend what amounts to six solid issues planning, arguing, lamenting their shortcomings, and generally just monologging for page after page while absolutely no tension is built. There are little spats here and there, but this is the same group of people that had to defend a prison from an army of insane people. I'm not cool with just reading about people bickering.
Once Kirkman ran out of ideas for characters sniping at each other (not literally, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN GREAT), he throws in a new character to upset the status quo, because clearly we couldn't just deal with internal struggles and find ways to heighten the stakes without tossing a new character into the mix to stir things up artificially. Then we get another six issues of "Can we trust this guy?" "I don't know, I don't think we can trust this guy." "Maybe we SHOULD trust this guy." Who cares! Make a decision and push the plot forward!
And man oh man at the splash pages. There's a splash page or a full page panel like every 3 pages. This is usually used to really hammer home an image of importance, something heavy the artists really want you to feel. Instead, we'll get a full page image of Rick's face and he'll go "Dinner's ready." It's like they're not even trying to hide the fact that they're just filling pages.
The very end of this volume is slightly interesting, but I'm getting to a point where I kind of just want this series to end. The TV show is extremely hit and miss (mostly miss) and it seems Kirkman is finding it hard to split time between the two. I'd rather this series that I once loved end than see it fall flat on its face for another 10 years.
Once Kirkman ran out of ideas for characters sniping at each other (not literally, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN GREAT), he throws in a new character to upset the status quo, because clearly we couldn't just deal with internal struggles and find ways to heighten the stakes without tossing a new character into the mix to stir things up artificially. Then we get another six issues of "Can we trust this guy?" "I don't know, I don't think we can trust this guy." "Maybe we SHOULD trust this guy." Who cares! Make a decision and push the plot forward!
And man oh man at the splash pages. There's a splash page or a full page panel like every 3 pages. This is usually used to really hammer home an image of importance, something heavy the artists really want you to feel. Instead, we'll get a full page image of Rick's face and he'll go "Dinner's ready." It's like they're not even trying to hide the fact that they're just filling pages.
The very end of this volume is slightly interesting, but I'm getting to a point where I kind of just want this series to end. The TV show is extremely hit and miss (mostly miss) and it seems Kirkman is finding it hard to split time between the two. I'd rather this series that I once loved end than see it fall flat on its face for another 10 years.
May 6, 2016
LOVED this one! I'm so excited to read the next one (although I don't know when that will be because my boyfriend hasn't ordered it yet!) because I know that Negan will be in it and I will be catching up to the show and omg I am so freakin' keen!!
March 27, 2014
Some of these hardbacks were really hard to put down. This one was better in the first half, and the second was mostly set up. Not a whole lot going on and not a great deal of terror. I wonder if the graphic novel medium just isn't as scary at this point. I am interested in seeing what will happen in the next book, but I'm liking the show version a lot more.
This guy, Aaron, did a much better job elaborating on the downfalls of this volume: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This guy, Aaron, did a much better job elaborating on the downfalls of this volume: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
April 4, 2017
Kahdeksas albumi kattaa ajanjakson, joka tv-sarjassa jakaantuu kuudennen kauden jaksoihin 9-11. Keskeinen joukko selviytyjiä kohtaa uuden hahmon, Jeesuksen ja heidän maailmansa avartuu hieman. Viimeisen sivun puhekuplassa Rick tiivistää albumin teeman hienosti: "This changes everything. Can't you see that? We can finally stop surviving... ...and start living." Seuraavalta albumilta odotan paljon, sillä uskon vihdoin pääseväni tapahtumiin, joita ei tv-sarjassa ole vielä ollut.
July 1, 2017
I don't know how Kirkman does it, but this series just keeps getting better. No repetitions, great mix of tension and intimacy, real personal drama, continuous evolution of all characters, and always a new focus. This time they are getting out of survival mode and looking to the future, establishing contact with other communities. Continues to be brilliant.
November 2, 2012
Another fantastic installment of The Walking Dead. I just love the raw human emotion here and the desperation for survival. It has a different feeling from the TV series, seems to be more ruthless, dark and grittier somehow.
Rick is trying to manage the community in order to survive, but realises the more people you are letting in, the more problems you have to deal with. While dealing with Carl's injury, he has an emotional breakdown behind the scenes and bonds with a certain someone.
The survivors also learn that they aren't the only community out there, and that there may be hope in getting more food and supplies after all...
I wish there was more, once per year is not enough to get my Walking Dead fix! Of course, I could start reading the seperate issues but the hardcover books are definitely worth it. They have neat artwork bonuses at the end too.
Check out my blog for my Walking Dead TV vs graphic novels comparison.
Rick is trying to manage the community in order to survive, but realises the more people you are letting in, the more problems you have to deal with. While dealing with Carl's injury, he has an emotional breakdown behind the scenes and bonds with a certain someone.
The survivors also learn that they aren't the only community out there, and that there may be hope in getting more food and supplies after all...
I wish there was more, once per year is not enough to get my Walking Dead fix! Of course, I could start reading the seperate issues but the hardcover books are definitely worth it. They have neat artwork bonuses at the end too.
Check out my blog for my Walking Dead TV vs graphic novels comparison.
October 9, 2012
Once again a Walking Dead hardcover has come out and I've finished it all in one sitting and am left only wanting more! The series is STILL amazingly good and STILL leaves me wanting to read the next volume right now.
And I'm enjoying that as the story goes on longer and longer it feels like it's less about the zombies and more about the people. Not the specific characters, it was always about that, but the people as in a larger sense of civilization. With this volume the zombies really start to feel like a background thing, like they are just part of the environment.
And I'm enjoying that as the story goes on longer and longer it feels like it's less about the zombies and more about the people. Not the specific characters, it was always about that, but the people as in a larger sense of civilization. With this volume the zombies really start to feel like a background thing, like they are just part of the environment.
August 31, 2012
bitch, this is flawless
January 15, 2015
How he keeps this fresh is beyond me. Love me some Walking Dead.
December 17, 2017
WOW!!! That started out slow and dreary...but got really exciting around the second half of the book!
This one seemed longer than the rest.
Five stars!!!! I have to admit, this whole theme of morality versus survival can get to be a little repetitive after a while. But like I said before, it makes sense in a situation like this.
It's basically events in season six of the TV show. I thought the first half was a bit slow and even a downer. But the second half where Jesus finally shows up is really refreshing and exciting. Jesus is such a badass. He knows martial arts and can take on anyone....including multiple zombies with his hands tied behind his back...LITERALLY! I started to really get into it when he showed up. I love his character on the show and in the comic book.
Of course . Those of us who saw that episode of season seven of the TV show know what's coming next in book nine.
I thought I was desensitized to violence in film, television and comic books. It never bothered me even when I was a kid (well, maybe not until the age of nine or ten). But that season seven premiere was so fucked up that I said I would never watch it ever again after the first and only time watching it. I still watch the show and read the comics but can't watch that episode again. So, now I'm going to see that ordeal of the Evil Negan with the baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire and his sadistic night of terror all over again in comic book format. I'm going to read it but it'll be hard.
I love to hate Negan, but you at least have to give Kirkman credit for creating such a clever villain. He's almost as demented as The Joker.
I love this book I really do. And I plan on reading books nine, ten and eleven next cause I do want to see Negan show up...even though I hate him and what he does. And I also want to see ALL OUT WAR.
But I'm going to take a little break from The Walking Dead books for a while before getting to that. I need to read other stuff for at least a few months. Just need a break.
But I will read books nine, ten and eleven.
Like I said....FIVE STARS and I love this series!!!
This one seemed longer than the rest.
Five stars!!!! I have to admit, this whole theme of morality versus survival can get to be a little repetitive after a while. But like I said before, it makes sense in a situation like this.
It's basically events in season six of the TV show. I thought the first half was a bit slow and even a downer. But the second half where Jesus finally shows up is really refreshing and exciting. Jesus is such a badass. He knows martial arts and can take on anyone....including multiple zombies with his hands tied behind his back...LITERALLY! I started to really get into it when he showed up. I love his character on the show and in the comic book.
Of course . Those of us who saw that episode of season seven of the TV show know what's coming next in book nine.
I thought I was desensitized to violence in film, television and comic books. It never bothered me even when I was a kid (well, maybe not until the age of nine or ten). But that season seven premiere was so fucked up that I said I would never watch it ever again after the first and only time watching it. I still watch the show and read the comics but can't watch that episode again. So, now I'm going to see that ordeal of the Evil Negan with the baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire and his sadistic night of terror all over again in comic book format. I'm going to read it but it'll be hard.
I love to hate Negan, but you at least have to give Kirkman credit for creating such a clever villain. He's almost as demented as The Joker.
I love this book I really do. And I plan on reading books nine, ten and eleven next cause I do want to see Negan show up...even though I hate him and what he does. And I also want to see ALL OUT WAR.
But I'm going to take a little break from The Walking Dead books for a while before getting to that. I need to read other stuff for at least a few months. Just need a break.
But I will read books nine, ten and eleven.
Like I said....FIVE STARS and I love this series!!!
February 24, 2018
Цю книжку й відповідні випуски можна вважати ключовою ланкою між попередніми й прийдешніми подіями. Ідея Кіркмана, як на мене, у тому, щоб розповісти свою версію еволюції суспільства від невеличких груп до повноцінних соціальних спільнот на фоні зомбі апокаліпсису, враховуючи усі виклики й перешкоди для повноцінного існування людей. Зрештою, якщо замінити зомбі на усі природні небезпеки у дусі архаїчного життя, то справді маємо потужну теорію генези усього людства. Що тут казати, перед нами боротьба не стільки із зовнішніми, а внутрішніми викликами, які спокійно редукуються до еросу й танатосу або інстинктів. Захист своїх дітей теж можна розцінювати у дусі оберегу майбутнього покоління, тільки у цьому разі залежить доля не одного племені, а людства як такого.
Утім, що мається на увазі під людством? І чи навчилися ми справді бути людьми? Рік як Прометей гордо несе вогонь людяності крізь усі скорботи й печалі (у цьому томі був епізод, який просто змусив мене підскочити з дивану), очолюючи інших, допомагаючи спраглим і десь гублячи самого себе. Далі - ще цікавіше, бо наша команда підійшла до межі географічної і соціальної, коли мало тільки шукати пристанища, а вже варто його закріплювати. Ймовірно, це відбуватиметься дорогою ціною, тому попереду ще багато втрат і не менш зомбі.
Утім, що мається на увазі під людством? І чи навчилися ми справді бути людьми? Рік як Прометей гордо несе вогонь людяності крізь усі скорботи й печалі (у цьому томі був епізод, який просто змусив мене підскочити з дивану), очолюючи інших, допомагаючи спраглим і десь гублячи самого себе. Далі - ще цікавіше, бо наша команда підійшла до межі географічної і соціальної, коли мало тільки шукати пристанища, а вже варто його закріплювати. Ймовірно, це відбуватиметься дорогою ціною, тому попереду ще багато втрат і не менш зомбі.
March 10, 2023
Is this the chance? Most likely not.
I am all in. I have loved every second of this series, and I was a “tv” fan first. These novels are 10x better than tv, in my opinion. This is a human social experiment. I’m intrigued.
I love Andrea.
I am all in. I have loved every second of this series, and I was a “tv” fan first. These novels are 10x better than tv, in my opinion. This is a human social experiment. I’m intrigued.
I love Andrea.
August 2, 2020
Rick got really into the preachy monologues in this one. But other than that, satisfying storyline(s), walker gore, and character development. Just felt quick and short, which was pretty disappointing.
October 18, 2017
Violence, mixed feelings, death, despair, kissing, zombies, mistakes, repeat.
Pages: 336
Pages: 336
February 14, 2018
Really enjoy the television show and am enjoying the differences from the original series.
Ready for number nine.
Ready for number nine.
December 23, 2024
This volume holds issues 85 to 96 of the Walking Dead series and finds our survivors trying to re-establish their community after the carnage wrought by the events of the last book. This time Kirkman focuses on the human element of the story (don't worry there is still plenty of action and gore) with tensions developing between the survivors, both old and new, and a fight for supremacy and the right of leadership. We also discover the existence of other communities in the area with delicious hints at what is to come as our own band of survivors decides whether to reach out or to hide away. With Rick taking a more pro-active long term stance in his decision making, this series is not through yet and Kirkman has set the scene for some epic stories to come and I can't wait. Once again the illustrations were utterly superb capturing both the in-your-face gore and the subtley of the emotions played out during this volume. An excellent series that I cannot wait to continue with.
October 16, 2012
Sometimes I wonder how long this series can continue without becoming stale, but Kirkman and company constantly find ways to surprise me. Like the last volume, the first half of this one is a little slow and quiet since it mainly grapples with the fallout from the previous edition's thrilling cliffhanger, but the second half contains intriguing plot twists and further widens the comic's world. I am hoping that the direction the series is moving toward isn't a complete retread of the nasty, unpleasant groups in previous editions, but have faith that Kirkman will keep it fresh due to the many unexpected tricks up his sleeve.
February 1, 2014
This is somewhat of a transition volume after all the action of the previous book.
Things settle down, new neighbors and potential enemies are discovered.
Edit : Now that I have read the next book, I realize that this book is the perfect point to hop on the walking dead for those wanting to jump on the serie midway as the peoeple introduced in this book become more important in the next ones.
The first seven walking dead were about zombies, from now on, things are bout humans...
Things settle down, new neighbors and potential enemies are discovered.
Edit : Now that I have read the next book, I realize that this book is the perfect point to hop on the walking dead for those wanting to jump on the serie midway as the peoeple introduced in this book become more important in the next ones.
The first seven walking dead were about zombies, from now on, things are bout humans...
July 8, 2020
Being a huge fan of the show, I wanted to see how the original writing started and how the show writers followed and deviated from the comics. My dislikes were that the comics are much more crude, crass, and unnecessarily violent. I did like the change in relationships and how people worked together differently, and the comics have a different creepiness feel than you get watching it on TV. Overall, I prefer the show, and probably will not finish out the comic book series.
July 21, 2013
In honor of Comic Con, I decided to read another installment of Walking Dead. I wish I was there. Another fantastic addition to the saga. I loved the drawings, the story and the way it ended. I can't wait to see what happens next. Could it be that Rick and his band of survivors have something more to do than just get by?????
October 2, 2012
Flawless, even on issue 85 an onward Kirkman manages to keep the story feeling fresh, the character conflicts interesting and not retreading old ground, two decomposing thumbs up :)
October 13, 2012
The tale of survival terror continues in a world overrun by zombies. Who is the bigger threat, the walking dead or the living?
October 22, 2012
Really enjoyed this. This series is 10x better than AMC's show and that show is great!
February 17, 2014
Kinda can't believe how great this story continues to be!
December 16, 2016
First mention of Negan...
September 10, 2020
This is a review of the entire series.
Rick Grimes is a strong-willed deputy who missed the end of the world because he was in a coma for a month after getting shot in the line of duty. Shaken, starving and confused, Rick escapes the horror of the abandoned hospital only to be met with something far more terrible. Not only has the world ended, but the dead have learned to walk and to kill without mercy. After learning that his wife and son have fled to Atlanta from a single survivor and his son, Rick goes on a journey to reunite with his family and search for more survivors.
Rick quickly has to come to terms with the fact that the world has ended and only a select few survived. The dead have risen from their graves and they prey on the living. In a world where every minute feels like hours, where there's no such thing as law and order, where finding a small meal is a tremendous task, the walking dead are quite possibly the least threatening thing for the survivors to have on their breaking minds. Humanity is pushed to the brink of destruction, forcing them to embrace their cruel and primal nature in order to survive. Sometimes you have to be more concerned about who you let into your community so they don't kill you in your sleep and steal everything you once cared about. Rick has no choice but to abandon the ways of law and order that he's upheld as an officer for so long in order to protect the few loved ones he has left. He has to become a monster to protect his crew or risk being devoured by those who became more monstrous than him and even the walking dead.
Despite zombies running the world and having the series named after them, what really sets this series apart from the average zombie apocalypse tale is the focus on realism and the daily struggles, flaws and depth of the characters. There's plenty of badass zombie killing action, but the action often takes a back seat to give the characters plenty of times to share their extremely tragic yet endearing stories, grow through mutual suffering and learn to adapt to a world that has left them to die. Even after the world has ended, many people still can't see eye to eye. They turn on each other and kill each other when they should come together. Others form alliances in spite of their differences and try to rebuild over the corpse of everything that was lost. The daily human drama and conflict is more intense than any monster apocalypse could hope to be.
We watch Rick struggle to balance his old moral code with the many necessary evils he has to commit in order to survive and make the world a better place for the ones he holds close. We watch people like Glen, Dale and Maggie attempt to find love in spite of having every reason to be filled with fear, hate and self-loathing. Characters like Michonne have to learn how to forgive themselves and convince themselves they deserve to be loved despite all the blood on their hands. We watch the weak like Carl and Andrea become strong and sometimes the strong become evil like The Governor. Even monsters like the wicked yet oddly lovable Negan are given the chance to find new ways of redeeming themselves by struggling alongside the other survivors that have all been changed by the horrors of the fallen world.
The pacing is extremely slow and I can understand why that may be a turnoff for a lot of people, but I eventually learned to enjoy watching the characters grow, overcome their trauma, find meaning in life and learn to love again. The characters are forced to do many terrible things to survive and it haunts them every waking moment. The ways they overcome these regrets is very realistic, human and hopeful. The slow pacing really gives the feeling that we're living beside these people. The way every tiny detail of their lives and who they are is explored makes them feel very real and believable.
When I first starting reading the series, I wasn't expecting it to have such an uplifting ending. It seemed so bleak and nihilistic for a long time and things would go horribly wrong even when they seemed to be going so well, but the finale channels all the pain, suffering and betrayal of the previous volumes and tops it off with a very touching and inspiring finish. This was never a story about hopelessness. It's about learning to appreciate the little things, learning to forgive yourself and learning to move on even when it's hard. When everything seems lost there's always more to be found, even when we believe otherwise because we convince ourselves that we don't deserve to be happy ever again. Instead of dwelling on what was lost, strive to try and make things better than they were before.
I've never been a huge fan of zombie apocalypse stories, but The Walking Dead had enough heart and strong social commentary to make me stick by the characters until the end and I enjoyed every moment of their long trial.
Rick Grimes is a strong-willed deputy who missed the end of the world because he was in a coma for a month after getting shot in the line of duty. Shaken, starving and confused, Rick escapes the horror of the abandoned hospital only to be met with something far more terrible. Not only has the world ended, but the dead have learned to walk and to kill without mercy. After learning that his wife and son have fled to Atlanta from a single survivor and his son, Rick goes on a journey to reunite with his family and search for more survivors.
Rick quickly has to come to terms with the fact that the world has ended and only a select few survived. The dead have risen from their graves and they prey on the living. In a world where every minute feels like hours, where there's no such thing as law and order, where finding a small meal is a tremendous task, the walking dead are quite possibly the least threatening thing for the survivors to have on their breaking minds. Humanity is pushed to the brink of destruction, forcing them to embrace their cruel and primal nature in order to survive. Sometimes you have to be more concerned about who you let into your community so they don't kill you in your sleep and steal everything you once cared about. Rick has no choice but to abandon the ways of law and order that he's upheld as an officer for so long in order to protect the few loved ones he has left. He has to become a monster to protect his crew or risk being devoured by those who became more monstrous than him and even the walking dead.
Despite zombies running the world and having the series named after them, what really sets this series apart from the average zombie apocalypse tale is the focus on realism and the daily struggles, flaws and depth of the characters. There's plenty of badass zombie killing action, but the action often takes a back seat to give the characters plenty of times to share their extremely tragic yet endearing stories, grow through mutual suffering and learn to adapt to a world that has left them to die. Even after the world has ended, many people still can't see eye to eye. They turn on each other and kill each other when they should come together. Others form alliances in spite of their differences and try to rebuild over the corpse of everything that was lost. The daily human drama and conflict is more intense than any monster apocalypse could hope to be.
We watch Rick struggle to balance his old moral code with the many necessary evils he has to commit in order to survive and make the world a better place for the ones he holds close. We watch people like Glen, Dale and Maggie attempt to find love in spite of having every reason to be filled with fear, hate and self-loathing. Characters like Michonne have to learn how to forgive themselves and convince themselves they deserve to be loved despite all the blood on their hands. We watch the weak like Carl and Andrea become strong and sometimes the strong become evil like The Governor. Even monsters like the wicked yet oddly lovable Negan are given the chance to find new ways of redeeming themselves by struggling alongside the other survivors that have all been changed by the horrors of the fallen world.
The pacing is extremely slow and I can understand why that may be a turnoff for a lot of people, but I eventually learned to enjoy watching the characters grow, overcome their trauma, find meaning in life and learn to love again. The characters are forced to do many terrible things to survive and it haunts them every waking moment. The ways they overcome these regrets is very realistic, human and hopeful. The slow pacing really gives the feeling that we're living beside these people. The way every tiny detail of their lives and who they are is explored makes them feel very real and believable.
When I first starting reading the series, I wasn't expecting it to have such an uplifting ending. It seemed so bleak and nihilistic for a long time and things would go horribly wrong even when they seemed to be going so well, but the finale channels all the pain, suffering and betrayal of the previous volumes and tops it off with a very touching and inspiring finish. This was never a story about hopelessness. It's about learning to appreciate the little things, learning to forgive yourself and learning to move on even when it's hard. When everything seems lost there's always more to be found, even when we believe otherwise because we convince ourselves that we don't deserve to be happy ever again. Instead of dwelling on what was lost, strive to try and make things better than they were before.
I've never been a huge fan of zombie apocalypse stories, but The Walking Dead had enough heart and strong social commentary to make me stick by the characters until the end and I enjoyed every moment of their long trial.
June 2, 2022
AFTER ALEXANDRIA HAS BEEN RE-SECURED. Memory-jogging summaries, comparisons to the show, and zombie apocalypse lessons learned...
VOLUME 15: We Find Ourselves (Issues 85-90).
VOLUME 16: A Larger World (Issues 91-96).
ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE LESSONS LEARNED:
✅Long-term, trade with other communities is a MUST.
✅Learn to grow your own food!
✅Have the whole team stay current on CPR and First Aid training; medical skills are crucial!
VOLUME 15: We Find Ourselves (Issues 85-90).
85: The Survivors clean up Alexandria and mourn for those who have died. They start to discuss measures and actions that have to be taken for the future. Carl shows signs of recovery.
86: Carl's actions were false alarm, but he is still alive. Rick states that he believed in the potential of the community to give them the power to survive in the future.
87: Rick mourns for the Anderson family, and tries again to talk to Lori, who is mad about what happened to Carl. Carl wakes up and asks where his mother is.
88: Rick tells Carl what happened to Lori and Judith. Nicholas plans to take over Alexandria.
89: Rick makes clear how wrong Nicholas' actions are.
90: Nicholas calms down and retreats to his house. Carl is released from the hospital. Rick and Andrea kiss.
☣☣☣ Carl's injury is more extensive in the book than show, and I liked Nicholas' character in the show better (and his relationship with Glenn). Obviously Andrea's character is quite a bit different between the books and shows. Judith too.
VOLUME 16: A Larger World (Issues 91-96).
91: Survivors are running out of food. Someone is watching Alexandria.
92: Survivors encounter the unknown observer, Paul, who reveals he came from a big community, where almost two hundred other survivors live.
93: Rick stuns Paul fearing they might have been targeted by hostile survivors. Rick swears he is going to take everything the new community has if Paul is lying.
94: Survivors take a trip to Hilltop Colony, and Rick slowly starts to trust Jesus.
95: Rick tackles a man after he stabs the leader, and kills him immediately with his own knife.
96: The Hilltop Colony residents are shocked about the murder of Ethan. Paul starts to explain the situation regarding 'The Saviors,' who keep the area clean from zombies but require half of Hilltops supplies as payment. Everyone agrees that Rick's group is able to defeat them. On the way back to the Safe-Zone Rick states they can finally start living.
☣☣☣ I'm not sure that there is a Paul character in the show, but Jesus is definitely in both. The size of Hilltop is bigger in the book by far. These storylines were more exciting on the show: Maggie's role was better and Rick was cockier.
ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE LESSONS LEARNED:
✅Long-term, trade with other communities is a MUST.
✅Learn to grow your own food!
✅Have the whole team stay current on CPR and First Aid training; medical skills are crucial!
January 31, 2018
Kahdeksannen kirjan kohdalla täytyi pompata englanninkielisten versioiden maailmaan, koska tästä eteenpäin näitä ei ole ainakaan vielä suomennettu. Ensin ajattelin, että piirtäjän on täytynyt vaihtua tässä välin, mutta asian tarkastettuani, näin ei ollut. Aivan sama tekijätiimi kuin aikaisemminkin. Olisikohan enkkuversioiden kiiltävällä paperilla ollut tekemistä harhan kanssa.
Juonellisesti mennään siinä, että edellisessä kirjassa tapahtunut zombieaallon pääsy sisälle selviytyneiden ihmisten aidottamalle alueelle on saaty pysäytettyä. Raivaukset ovat käynnissä, aitausta vahvistetaan ja pyritään keksimään uusia keinoja turvata alue. Rickin poika sai edellisessä kirjassa osuman päähänsä ja on koomassa. Ensimmäinen puolisko onkin enemmän tai vähemmän edellisessä kirjassa tapahtuneiden fyysisten ja henkisten tuhojen paikkailua.
Toinen puolisko on enemmän tulevaisuusorientoitunut. Rick herää ensimmäisen kerran ajatukseen, että pakeneminen saa riittää ja nyt on aika ja mahdollisuus siihen, että aletaan elää. Tähän auttaa yhteys muihin selviytyneitten yhteisöihin. Vaan kehenkään on vaikea luottaa aikaisempien tapahtumien valossa. Ihmiset kun tuntuvat sekoavan. Diktaattorimaiset ja sadistiset piirteet tuntuvat olevan tyypillisiä uusien yhteisöjen johtohenkilöissä.
Kahdeksas kirja etenee ensipuoliskolla rauhalliseen tahtiin ja kiihtyen jälkimmäisellä. Hyvin rytmitetty kokonaisuus, jossa kuvioihin astuu erittäin mielenkiintoinen uusi henkilö, Jesus. Ihmissuhteiden tasolla tämänkertainen opus on myös mielenkiintoinen. Suuret pisteet siitä, että joukon strateginen ajattelu on edennyt siihen pisteeseen, että etsitään uusia vaihtoehtoja käsitellä muuttunutta maailmaa.
Juonellisesti mennään siinä, että edellisessä kirjassa tapahtunut zombieaallon pääsy sisälle selviytyneiden ihmisten aidottamalle alueelle on saaty pysäytettyä. Raivaukset ovat käynnissä, aitausta vahvistetaan ja pyritään keksimään uusia keinoja turvata alue. Rickin poika sai edellisessä kirjassa osuman päähänsä ja on koomassa. Ensimmäinen puolisko onkin enemmän tai vähemmän edellisessä kirjassa tapahtuneiden fyysisten ja henkisten tuhojen paikkailua.
Toinen puolisko on enemmän tulevaisuusorientoitunut. Rick herää ensimmäisen kerran ajatukseen, että pakeneminen saa riittää ja nyt on aika ja mahdollisuus siihen, että aletaan elää. Tähän auttaa yhteys muihin selviytyneitten yhteisöihin. Vaan kehenkään on vaikea luottaa aikaisempien tapahtumien valossa. Ihmiset kun tuntuvat sekoavan. Diktaattorimaiset ja sadistiset piirteet tuntuvat olevan tyypillisiä uusien yhteisöjen johtohenkilöissä.
Kahdeksas kirja etenee ensipuoliskolla rauhalliseen tahtiin ja kiihtyen jälkimmäisellä. Hyvin rytmitetty kokonaisuus, jossa kuvioihin astuu erittäin mielenkiintoinen uusi henkilö, Jesus. Ihmissuhteiden tasolla tämänkertainen opus on myös mielenkiintoinen. Suuret pisteet siitä, että joukon strateginen ajattelu on edennyt siihen pisteeseen, että etsitään uusia vaihtoehtoja käsitellä muuttunutta maailmaa.
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