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The Walking Dead
This Sorrowful Life
Collects issues #31-36.
Trapped in a town surrounded by madmen, Rick must find a way out or die trying. Meanwhile, back at the prison, the rest of the survivors come to grips with the fact Rick may be dead. A major turning point in the series is reached.
Trapped in a town surrounded by madmen, Rick must find a way out or die trying. Meanwhile, back at the prison, the rest of the survivors come to grips with the fact Rick may be dead. A major turning point in the series is reached.
134 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 11, 2007
417 people are currently reading
7559 people want to read
About the author
Robert Kirkman
2,745 books6,933 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.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,006 reviews
May 31, 2023
Will Michonne perform in the arena for The Governor? Still utterly in shock, Glenn and Rick see an opportunity to escape Woodbury, will they seize it? Can they free Michonne? Can they escape The Governor?
Kirkman and Adlard hone, what's becoming another recurring theme in this series - all hope is lost, and suddenly a way out is found. Some of the artwork is so good, as testified by the limited use of text on many of the pages. The scene is set and the land of The Walking Dead is one I can't leave, I'm just dying to know what happens next. How will it all end? 9 out of 12, yep another Four Star volume.
2019, 2017, 2013 and 2011 read
Kirkman and Adlard hone, what's becoming another recurring theme in this series - all hope is lost, and suddenly a way out is found. Some of the artwork is so good, as testified by the limited use of text on many of the pages. The scene is set and the land of The Walking Dead is one I can't leave, I'm just dying to know what happens next. How will it all end? 9 out of 12, yep another Four Star volume.
2019, 2017, 2013 and 2011 read
June 16, 2016
Every time a write a review for one of these comics, I seem to mention that another level has been breached. And that’s because it’s completely true. This one descended even further into depravity.
In the past we’ve had lots of violence, mutilation, torture and even rape. These have become almost casual things, trademarks of everyday life. In this crazy world this stuff happens every day. I hesitate to say that it’s normal, it’s not normal, but in a zombie apocalypse anything goes. There are no rules anymore. There’s nobody to tell you that you are wrong and to punish you for your deeds. All that’s left is opportunity and those who are willing to take advantage of others. Simply put, they will take what they want when they want it. There’s very little to stop them. I’m of course referring to the Governor and his foolish following.
And Michonne, his latest victim, didn’t let herself be defeated by such a brutaliser. What she did to the Governor was brutal poetic justice. The worrying thing about the whole situation is how easily she survives. She’s obviously a strong woman, but such a decree of fortitude could only have been born from a life of hardship. Before the apocalypse, she must have had a real hard life; it’s the only logical reasoning for how easily she picks herself back up. There’s a lot more to her character, and I hope eventually we will find out exactly what keeps her going. This was another good volume.
In the past we’ve had lots of violence, mutilation, torture and even rape. These have become almost casual things, trademarks of everyday life. In this crazy world this stuff happens every day. I hesitate to say that it’s normal, it’s not normal, but in a zombie apocalypse anything goes. There are no rules anymore. There’s nobody to tell you that you are wrong and to punish you for your deeds. All that’s left is opportunity and those who are willing to take advantage of others. Simply put, they will take what they want when they want it. There’s very little to stop them. I’m of course referring to the Governor and his foolish following.
And Michonne, his latest victim, didn’t let herself be defeated by such a brutaliser. What she did to the Governor was brutal poetic justice. The worrying thing about the whole situation is how easily she survives. She’s obviously a strong woman, but such a decree of fortitude could only have been born from a life of hardship. Before the apocalypse, she must have had a real hard life; it’s the only logical reasoning for how easily she picks herself back up. There’s a lot more to her character, and I hope eventually we will find out exactly what keeps her going. This was another good volume.
March 10, 2017
Woodbury is all around us!
This is the fifth volume of the softcover editions of "The Walking Dead", collecting the comic book issues from #31 to #36.
Creative Team:
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Illustrators: Charlie Adlard
Additional gray tones to inking: Cliff Rathburn
Chapter Six
THIS SORROWFUL LIFE
Don’t you know what people is capable of?!
Rick, Michonne and Glenn are trapped in Woodbury.
And each one of them...
...they never would be the same anymore!
Woodbury will leave scars too deep to heal, outside and inside.
The Governor is giving his special kind of personal attention to his newest guests in the town of Woodbury.
Zombies are merciful, they kill you quick and you aren’t aware of a single thing anymore. You cease of thinking, hearing and feeling.
Men aren’t merciful at all.
However, both, zombies and men, are similar in an aspect...
...they need to deal with them in the same way if you wish that they won't bother you anymore.
This is the fifth volume of the softcover editions of "The Walking Dead", collecting the comic book issues from #31 to #36.
Creative Team:
Writer: Robert Kirkman
Illustrators: Charlie Adlard
Additional gray tones to inking: Cliff Rathburn
Chapter Six
THIS SORROWFUL LIFE
Don’t you know what people is capable of?!
Rick, Michonne and Glenn are trapped in Woodbury.
And each one of them...
...they never would be the same anymore!
Woodbury will leave scars too deep to heal, outside and inside.
The Governor is giving his special kind of personal attention to his newest guests in the town of Woodbury.
Zombies are merciful, they kill you quick and you aren’t aware of a single thing anymore. You cease of thinking, hearing and feeling.
Men aren’t merciful at all.
However, both, zombies and men, are similar in an aspect...
...they need to deal with them in the same way if you wish that they won't bother you anymore.
November 16, 2011
There is a redress going on in modern popular culture with which I am fascinated. Rape tales, tales of torturing women, tales of violence against women have been told for years with graphic detail. Many of these tales have been saying (either explicitly or implicitly) that these brands of violence are wrong or even evil, but many of them still offer up the vision of this violence to illustrate the wrongs and evils.
Now a redress has come, and we have Lisbeth Salander avenging herself on her tormentor, and The Walking Dead's Michonne brutalising her brutalizer. It's the latter I am concerned with here.
The extended sequence of Michonne's revenge is, perhaps, the most disturbing thing I've seen since I read the Habitrail sequence in American Psycho (though it is still a shade behind). It is an illustrated torture session with most of the tortures happening right there in front of us, happening "on camera." There is a genital mutilation, an anal rape with a spoon, power drilling, pliers ripping parts away from the Governor's body, an amputation and cauterization, a half-blinding. It is up there with the killings of Patrick Bateman for sheer brutality, but it was perpetrated by a woman wronged, not a man doing the wronging, and it would be awfully hard to suggest (and I am not) that the Governor didn't deserve what he got.
But even though the Governor deserved it, I am not sure that showing us images of Michonne's vengeance does anything to really redress the injustices of the past. I imagine that is the reason we accept such images today -- the hope or possibility of redress.
I am not angry at Kirkman for showing Michonne's vengeance. I don't even really know what I am trying to say. I think American Psycho is a masterpiece, and I appreciate Stieg Larsson's books, and what Michonne did is precisely what her character -- as offered to us -- would do. And I would defend any author's right to self-expression, even in cases of brutality. I guess it is just that what I got from Robert Kirkman here was totally unexpected. I expected ultra-violence on Zombies, former humans shambling about in a state of perma-rot, not ultra-violence on humans by humans. But then why should I be okay watching brutal fantasy creatures be brutalized and not brutal humans being brutalized? Where th fuck do we draw the line? Can any violence stop so long as any violence is accepted and acceptable? Or do we need violence like we need air?
I dunno what to say about the brutality. I am just rambling now, so it's time to stop. But I will read on, even though the series has taken a much more serious turn than I ever expected. How on earth will they incorporate this into the TV series? I'm guessing it will all be off screen -- or most of it will.
Now a redress has come, and we have Lisbeth Salander avenging herself on her tormentor, and The Walking Dead's Michonne brutalising her brutalizer. It's the latter I am concerned with here.
The extended sequence of Michonne's revenge is, perhaps, the most disturbing thing I've seen since I read the Habitrail sequence in American Psycho (though it is still a shade behind). It is an illustrated torture session with most of the tortures happening right there in front of us, happening "on camera." There is a genital mutilation, an anal rape with a spoon, power drilling, pliers ripping parts away from the Governor's body, an amputation and cauterization, a half-blinding. It is up there with the killings of Patrick Bateman for sheer brutality, but it was perpetrated by a woman wronged, not a man doing the wronging, and it would be awfully hard to suggest (and I am not) that the Governor didn't deserve what he got.
But even though the Governor deserved it, I am not sure that showing us images of Michonne's vengeance does anything to really redress the injustices of the past. I imagine that is the reason we accept such images today -- the hope or possibility of redress.
I am not angry at Kirkman for showing Michonne's vengeance. I don't even really know what I am trying to say. I think American Psycho is a masterpiece, and I appreciate Stieg Larsson's books, and what Michonne did is precisely what her character -- as offered to us -- would do. And I would defend any author's right to self-expression, even in cases of brutality. I guess it is just that what I got from Robert Kirkman here was totally unexpected. I expected ultra-violence on Zombies, former humans shambling about in a state of perma-rot, not ultra-violence on humans by humans. But then why should I be okay watching brutal fantasy creatures be brutalized and not brutal humans being brutalized? Where th fuck do we draw the line? Can any violence stop so long as any violence is accepted and acceptable? Or do we need violence like we need air?
I dunno what to say about the brutality. I am just rambling now, so it's time to stop. But I will read on, even though the series has taken a much more serious turn than I ever expected. How on earth will they incorporate this into the TV series? I'm guessing it will all be off screen -- or most of it will.
January 22, 2025
Michonne no mintió cuando dijo esto en el tomo anterior: "No... No lloro por mí. Lloro por ti. Pienso en todo lo que voy a hacerte y eso me hace llorar. Me asusta."
Quizás lo más remarcable de este tomo precisamente sea eso, que al final Michonne cumple su promesa y da pie a la venganza de una forma tan cruda y por medio de una tortura lo bastante cruel.
Nuevamente el cómic superó a la serie en el nivel de violencia, pero me gusta. Y mucho. Porque lo que le hizo ese psicópata y violín debía ser castigado así, sin más ni menos.
Quizás lo más remarcable de este tomo precisamente sea eso, que al final Michonne cumple su promesa y da pie a la venganza de una forma tan cruda y por medio de una tortura lo bastante cruel.
Nuevamente el cómic superó a la serie en el nivel de violencia, pero me gusta. Y mucho. Porque lo que le hizo ese psicópata y violín debía ser castigado así, sin más ni menos.
November 17, 2025
Michonne doing anything but the things she was expected to do is so hilarious.
‘He's been slowly going over the edge for a while’, what you mean slowly?? I wouldn't really call what he did to Michonne a 'slow' process. That man's a madman!
And also what you mean you will be 'sleeping on this one.'?? You did all the things one could imagine to regret in one's life. There's no turning back anymore.
Why is this so gory out of nowhere. I went all 'ewww' in that one scene 'cause even though I like gory stuff and even body horror I can't stand one very specific thing. I know that the scene was adapted into the TV show, but it's still so brutal.
I'm so worried about Michonne, I would react just like Rick did. She's kinda hiding herself and doesn't really speak about what's on her mind anymore. Is this self-isolation perhaps? I know she looks lively and such, but I think she's just pretending.
The ending of issue 34 hits so hard. All of the things they achieved so far is gone now.
The Gameboy is kinda sick though, to be honest. The first time I got mine I was jumping around, full of joy. Nowadays when I ask kids if they have a Gameboy they ask me what that is. There's no way that this marvellous device is outdated now. I don't want to belive it!
Being safe is barely manageable now. Rick can't save everyone, just like he couldn't always save himself. I strongly belive that it was a stupid idea of the author to remove Rick's arm. He's disabled now. His survival chances split in half. Maybe he looks 'cool' or whatever, but that's really only temporarily. His arm though? That's permanent.
I feel sorry for Carl to feel unloved by his father. I totally get what he feels, but Rick is doing everything in his power to not only keep his family but this whole community safe and he can only do that when he isn't fixated at the same place. Rick might leave Carl, but it's temporarily. There is a great chance that Rick won't make it and never come back, but knowing that he would die as a good man, trying to protect his people, is very honourable. There will probably be times where Carl can spend more time with his father.
StoryGraph review
‘He's been slowly going over the edge for a while’, what you mean slowly?? I wouldn't really call what he did to Michonne a 'slow' process. That man's a madman!
And also what you mean you will be 'sleeping on this one.'?? You did all the things one could imagine to regret in one's life. There's no turning back anymore.
Why is this so gory out of nowhere. I went all 'ewww' in that one scene 'cause even though I like gory stuff and even body horror I can't stand one very specific thing. I know that the scene was adapted into the TV show, but it's still so brutal.
I'm so worried about Michonne, I would react just like Rick did. She's kinda hiding herself and doesn't really speak about what's on her mind anymore. Is this self-isolation perhaps? I know she looks lively and such, but I think she's just pretending.
The ending of issue 34 hits so hard. All of the things they achieved so far is gone now.
The Gameboy is kinda sick though, to be honest. The first time I got mine I was jumping around, full of joy. Nowadays when I ask kids if they have a Gameboy they ask me what that is. There's no way that this marvellous device is outdated now. I don't want to belive it!
Being safe is barely manageable now. Rick can't save everyone, just like he couldn't always save himself. I strongly belive that it was a stupid idea of the author to remove Rick's arm. He's disabled now. His survival chances split in half. Maybe he looks 'cool' or whatever, but that's really only temporarily. His arm though? That's permanent.
I feel sorry for Carl to feel unloved by his father. I totally get what he feels, but Rick is doing everything in his power to not only keep his family but this whole community safe and he can only do that when he isn't fixated at the same place. Rick might leave Carl, but it's temporarily. There is a great chance that Rick won't make it and never come back, but knowing that he would die as a good man, trying to protect his people, is very honourable. There will probably be times where Carl can spend more time with his father.
Killing him made me realize something, made me notice how much I've changed. I used to be a trained police officer, my job was to uphold the law. Now I feel more like a lawless savage — an animal. I killed a man today and I don't even care. I did it for what I think were the right reasons. I haven't even thought about it past that. [...] It made me realize how detached I've become. [...] I've seen so many die already, I have almost no attachment to these people at all anymore... and I could kill any one of them at any moment for the right reasons.
StoryGraph review
June 5, 2019
This volume was full of action and suspense. We got to see a whole different side to Michonne, someone new joined the group, and of course, there's some death. Honestly I think my favorite parts in these last few volumes (especially this one) is the lack of Rick wife's. She's makes a few appearances, but it's minimal, and I am ever so grateful. Considering this one wrapped up a story arc to begin a new one, I am curious what the next volume will bring.
February 23, 2023
Whew, okay! This one was better than the last one. Still a lot of content warnings, but not as rough.
Michonne kicks literally ass in this volume. She's finally gets the opportunity to get the Doctor back for all of the horrendous things that he's done to her. There's still some interesting character development pertaining to Michonne which I think is closely related to the theme of how we as humans process grief. This volume also captures the break down of Rick as a character. He begins the series on such a moral high ground and by the time readers get to this specific volume he's done a complete 180. He is willing to kill people in cold blood if it means that it gives his family a better chance at survival. This definitely says a lot about stress, their current circumstance, and how any one of the characters has the potential to evolve into something that readers won't recognize. While I'm still not a fan of how Kirkman portrays women, I did appreciate the fact that we got the addition of another woman as a main character. Overall, I will say that this was a step up from the last volume and it made me feel less anxious and/or traumatized from the content. This doesn't mean that it isn't without its flaws, but I am definitely happy that we got to see some character based revenge. The artwork is still on point. It's the one thing that I've consistently been happy with while reading each volume. It perfectly captures not only the landscape of this altered reality of our world, but also the emotions that come with fighting to survive in situations where the odds are stacked against you.
Michonne kicks literally ass in this volume. She's finally gets the opportunity to get the Doctor back for all of the horrendous things that he's done to her. There's still some interesting character development pertaining to Michonne which I think is closely related to the theme of how we as humans process grief. This volume also captures the break down of Rick as a character. He begins the series on such a moral high ground and by the time readers get to this specific volume he's done a complete 180. He is willing to kill people in cold blood if it means that it gives his family a better chance at survival. This definitely says a lot about stress, their current circumstance, and how any one of the characters has the potential to evolve into something that readers won't recognize. While I'm still not a fan of how Kirkman portrays women, I did appreciate the fact that we got the addition of another woman as a main character. Overall, I will say that this was a step up from the last volume and it made me feel less anxious and/or traumatized from the content. This doesn't mean that it isn't without its flaws, but I am definitely happy that we got to see some character based revenge. The artwork is still on point. It's the one thing that I've consistently been happy with while reading each volume. It perfectly captures not only the landscape of this altered reality of our world, but also the emotions that come with fighting to survive in situations where the odds are stacked against you.
March 5, 2017
"we just need to be sure that when they get here. We're ready for them."
Okay I'm liking this one, some scenes were gruesome but most were cool. I'm excited to see what will happen on the next TWD volume.
December 21, 2015
Wow, what a volume! Things got really crazy in these episodes! I loved it. I love how we are finally learning more about the characters as we're actually getting a great insight into them now. I've tried to not get too attached to anyone because I'm pretty sure Robert Kirkman will kill whoever he wants to but I can't help it!
I still have my concerns with this comic and it's representation of women but I hope Alice will be sane and that will make two sane women to TWD, yay! I still miss Tony Moore's artwork and I wish the comic was in colour (yes I will say this in EVERY review). The artwork just isn't up to it's previous standard. I love the bits about Carl and Sophia, they're so innocent and sweet. They pull you away from the madness and it's just really well done. I like the developments between Maggie and Glen too. It's nice to have some fluff in the midst of all this horror! I can't wait to see what happens next, this volume ended on such a high note! I can tell Kirkman is going to kill everyone I love eventually but bring it on Robert Kirkman!
I still have my concerns with this comic and it's representation of women but I hope Alice will be sane and that will make two sane women to TWD, yay! I still miss Tony Moore's artwork and I wish the comic was in colour (yes I will say this in EVERY review). The artwork just isn't up to it's previous standard. I love the bits about Carl and Sophia, they're so innocent and sweet. They pull you away from the madness and it's just really well done. I like the developments between Maggie and Glen too. It's nice to have some fluff in the midst of all this horror! I can't wait to see what happens next, this volume ended on such a high note! I can tell Kirkman is going to kill everyone I love eventually but bring it on Robert Kirkman!
July 14, 2019
STRESSSSSSS
January 4, 2016
Heh... Every time I see or hear the phrase "or die trying" (such as the one in the description for this volume) I can't help but think of The Boondocks and how the show makes fun of 50 Cent. Observe: "Mumble mumble something. ...Or die tryin'."
Not that that really has anything to do with this volume. It's just early, I haven't had coffee yet, and reading the description of this book to refresh my memory as to what happened (from sooooooooooooooo long ago - aka: last night), and it made me think of that. Because random.
Anywho... My oh my, was there some shit goin' down last night! I guess I got my wish from Volume 5, after all. Who'da thunk it?? It almost didn't happen. Almost. But Michonne is not one to fuck with, indeed. She will see your abuse, endure it, and when her time comes, she will FUCK. YOU. UP. With women, people like Michonne, it's better just to kill them than to try to break them. You can't break them, you'll only piss them off. And then they will rain fucking destruction down upon you.
It was awesome. It was actually a little humorous as well. Her little quips were, anyway. But the images... the EYE... That wasn't.
And then to find out that they'd been betrayed? I never saw that coming. I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I trusted. I assumed the best. I still did, even at the end, even though I knew that the betrayal was real - I just assumed that the betrayer had done it for his own reasons, not on orders. It's a gray area there. But, I can't say that I'd come to a different conclusion than Grimes did in the end. One has to be prepared.
Oh, shit. Now I have The Lion King stuck in my head instead.
Not that that really has anything to do with this volume. It's just early, I haven't had coffee yet, and reading the description of this book to refresh my memory as to what happened (from sooooooooooooooo long ago - aka: last night), and it made me think of that. Because random.
Anywho... My oh my, was there some shit goin' down last night! I guess I got my wish from Volume 5, after all. Who'da thunk it?? It almost didn't happen. Almost. But Michonne is not one to fuck with, indeed. She will see your abuse, endure it, and when her time comes, she will FUCK. YOU. UP. With women, people like Michonne, it's better just to kill them than to try to break them. You can't break them, you'll only piss them off. And then they will rain fucking destruction down upon you.
It was awesome. It was actually a little humorous as well. Her little quips were, anyway. But the images... the EYE... That wasn't.
And then to find out that they'd been betrayed? I never saw that coming. I'm still not sure how I feel about it. I trusted. I assumed the best. I still did, even at the end, even though I knew that the betrayal was real - I just assumed that the betrayer had done it for his own reasons, not on orders. It's a gray area there. But, I can't say that I'd come to a different conclusion than Grimes did in the end. One has to be prepared.
Oh, shit. Now I have The Lion King stuck in my head instead.
January 12, 2023
WHAT A COME BACK.
The last two issues have not been my cup of tea.. but this one slapped me across the face.
Remember The Governor?
And how he believes that he is the biggest bad in the world and things only go his way because he is boss man and he is god? Well, let's just say, he hasn't seen the goddess of war and destruction before. And she will make him rue the day
..and that isn't even the worst of it.
THIS ISSUE HAS THE MOST GORE AND TORTURE SO FAR, so please of please do not read it if you have a very soft stomach... I had to take a moment between strips because it was a little overwhelming.
I can say that we don't really get to see a lot from the women in this volume besides Michonne, a apocalypse-made-nurse Alice and a little of Lori, so I am not sure if the writing has gotten better, but the artistic aspect of it is still highly on point.
Give me the next volume!
The last two issues have not been my cup of tea.. but this one slapped me across the face.
Remember The Governor?
And how he believes that he is the biggest bad in the world and things only go his way because he is boss man and he is god? Well, let's just say, he hasn't seen the goddess of war and destruction before. And she will make him rue the day
..and that isn't even the worst of it.
THIS ISSUE HAS THE MOST GORE AND TORTURE SO FAR, so please of please do not read it if you have a very soft stomach... I had to take a moment between strips because it was a little overwhelming.
I can say that we don't really get to see a lot from the women in this volume besides Michonne, a apocalypse-made-nurse Alice and a little of Lori, so I am not sure if the writing has gotten better, but the artistic aspect of it is still highly on point.
Give me the next volume!
May 1, 2014
Rick, Glenn and Michonne remain the captives of the sadistic Governor, the leader of a small enclosed community. But help is on hand as one of the Governor’s guards helps them escape and head back home to the prison. Will they all make it back – or die trying?
I really, really enjoyed this one! I flew through it in one sitting, and it’s a cliché but the pages couldn’t turn fast enough. Everything from the lead-up to the breakout, the escape through the forest, the drive back to the prison, and finding out what’s happened there since they’ve been gone – wow, what a journey! Excitement and danger were there at every turn and made for a genuinely thrilling read. Robert Kirkman may not be much of a writer but he’s a really excellent storyteller.
That said, it wouldn’t be The Walking Dead without some questionable scenes thrown in to unnerve the reader. Last volume it was the repeated rape of Michonne – thankfully Kirkman and Charlie Adlard decided against showing us those images – and in this volume it’s a very graphic torture scene as Michonne gets her own back on the Governor.
While the Governor got what he deserved, did we really have to see every little thing Michonne did to him? I’m guessing Kirkman/Adlard are fans of the Saw series and were doing their own version of that in this book, but it’s more than a bit distasteful and gratuitous.
By far the biggest complaint about Kirkman’s writing is the way he writes – or, rather, can’t write – characters and it’s becoming very clear now that he only really cares about developing one or two over the rest of the extended cast. The main character Rick isn’t the greatest creation ever but he is developing and this volume shows how far he’s gone from the character we met in volume one and the character he’s become six volumes in.
So while characters like Otis get killed off-panel and make a brief appearance as a corpse on the floor of a panel, Rick gets a splash page while he looks out moodily at a field. Another character dies along the way but, like Tyreese wisely says here, introductions only if you survive. I also really like how Michonne’s character is slowly unravelling, especially after the trauma of Woodbury. She was already talking to herself when she first appeared but now the voices seem more insistent and desperate – when will she crack? What will happen when she does? I’m interested to find out!
Kirkman’s also not good at conveying time. It doesn’t seem that long since Lori revealed her pregnancy but in the space of 2-3 volumes she’s gone from flat stomach to massive baby bump. If I had to guess I’d say the series has taken in just a few weeks but by the looks of Lori’s belly it looks more like 7-8 months!
I assume the absence of marking time is to mirror the characters’ perceptions onto the reader’s – during the zombie apocalypse nobody’s sure what day of the week it is, what month, etc. – but still, are we supposed to believe they’ve been at the prison for months? They’ve barely begun searching the place and only just started planting vegetables – either they’re the laziest people ever or Lori’s going through a super-fast pregnancy!
Anyway, the series has come to life with this and the last volume, and I’m really getting swept up in the story now. I’m gonna guess the Governor’s not dead – they left that detail open-ended – because he’s too nasty a villain to do away with so quickly. I’m also looking forward to the impending fight between the prison and Woodbury, probably in the next couple volumes - by which time Lori will probably have given birth and their kid’ll be starting puberty!
I really, really enjoyed this one! I flew through it in one sitting, and it’s a cliché but the pages couldn’t turn fast enough. Everything from the lead-up to the breakout, the escape through the forest, the drive back to the prison, and finding out what’s happened there since they’ve been gone – wow, what a journey! Excitement and danger were there at every turn and made for a genuinely thrilling read. Robert Kirkman may not be much of a writer but he’s a really excellent storyteller.
That said, it wouldn’t be The Walking Dead without some questionable scenes thrown in to unnerve the reader. Last volume it was the repeated rape of Michonne – thankfully Kirkman and Charlie Adlard decided against showing us those images – and in this volume it’s a very graphic torture scene as Michonne gets her own back on the Governor.
While the Governor got what he deserved, did we really have to see every little thing Michonne did to him? I’m guessing Kirkman/Adlard are fans of the Saw series and were doing their own version of that in this book, but it’s more than a bit distasteful and gratuitous.
By far the biggest complaint about Kirkman’s writing is the way he writes – or, rather, can’t write – characters and it’s becoming very clear now that he only really cares about developing one or two over the rest of the extended cast. The main character Rick isn’t the greatest creation ever but he is developing and this volume shows how far he’s gone from the character we met in volume one and the character he’s become six volumes in.
So while characters like Otis get killed off-panel and make a brief appearance as a corpse on the floor of a panel, Rick gets a splash page while he looks out moodily at a field. Another character dies along the way but, like Tyreese wisely says here, introductions only if you survive. I also really like how Michonne’s character is slowly unravelling, especially after the trauma of Woodbury. She was already talking to herself when she first appeared but now the voices seem more insistent and desperate – when will she crack? What will happen when she does? I’m interested to find out!
Kirkman’s also not good at conveying time. It doesn’t seem that long since Lori revealed her pregnancy but in the space of 2-3 volumes she’s gone from flat stomach to massive baby bump. If I had to guess I’d say the series has taken in just a few weeks but by the looks of Lori’s belly it looks more like 7-8 months!
I assume the absence of marking time is to mirror the characters’ perceptions onto the reader’s – during the zombie apocalypse nobody’s sure what day of the week it is, what month, etc. – but still, are we supposed to believe they’ve been at the prison for months? They’ve barely begun searching the place and only just started planting vegetables – either they’re the laziest people ever or Lori’s going through a super-fast pregnancy!
Anyway, the series has come to life with this and the last volume, and I’m really getting swept up in the story now. I’m gonna guess the Governor’s not dead – they left that detail open-ended – because he’s too nasty a villain to do away with so quickly. I’m also looking forward to the impending fight between the prison and Woodbury, probably in the next couple volumes - by which time Lori will probably have given birth and their kid’ll be starting puberty!
November 8, 2019
A continuation of the prison vs. Woodbury. At this point, the fight is still in its earliest chapters.
I'm keeping running notes on the differences between the books and AMC's show. Don't read on if you don't want spoilers.
Stop reading.
Now.
Seriously.
• Michonne fights in Woodbury's arena.
• Rick, Glenn, and Michonne escape with the help of an ex-gym teacher named Martinez.
• A doctor and his apprentice try to escape with them. The doctor is killed immediately. Enter Alice: a new character to the series and the doctor's past apprentice.
• Michonne leaves them to go back and fight The Governor. She employs a series of creative torture techniques including hacking off his hand, gouging out an eye, and some tricky things with a hammer and nail. As she escapes out the window, she turns back for one last second to slash his femoral artery.
• They return to the prison to find it overrun with zombies.
• Martinez betrays them by running, his intent to return to Woodbury and tell them about the prison. With a vehicle, Rick runs him down to stop him.
I'd rate this book an M for barely concealed nudity, swearing, gore and violence.
I'm keeping running notes on the differences between the books and AMC's show. Don't read on if you don't want spoilers.
Stop reading.
Now.
Seriously.
• Michonne fights in Woodbury's arena.
• Rick, Glenn, and Michonne escape with the help of an ex-gym teacher named Martinez.
• A doctor and his apprentice try to escape with them. The doctor is killed immediately. Enter Alice: a new character to the series and the doctor's past apprentice.
• Michonne leaves them to go back and fight The Governor. She employs a series of creative torture techniques including hacking off his hand, gouging out an eye, and some tricky things with a hammer and nail. As she escapes out the window, she turns back for one last second to slash his femoral artery.
• They return to the prison to find it overrun with zombies.
• Martinez betrays them by running, his intent to return to Woodbury and tell them about the prison. With a vehicle, Rick runs him down to stop him.
I'd rate this book an M for barely concealed nudity, swearing, gore and violence.
March 16, 2016
This volume was really good and alittle bit crazy xD but i loved it
- Michonne took her revenge " revenge is a dish best served cold " she was sadist but he deserve it anyway and it teach us never make a girl with a sword mad or u probably will regret it xD :)
- Rick start to lose his humanity and feels like a savage but well thats the kind of world he live into now
- Glenn that was my fav part even with this shit crazy stuff happening we can see romance that makes us believe that life should go on and keep living so Maggie said YES to his proposal <3
anyway things are gonna be spicy next volumes so like what rick said ....
- Michonne took her revenge " revenge is a dish best served cold " she was sadist but he deserve it anyway and it teach us never make a girl with a sword mad or u probably will regret it xD :)
- Rick start to lose his humanity and feels like a savage but well thats the kind of world he live into now
- Glenn that was my fav part even with this shit crazy stuff happening we can see romance that makes us believe that life should go on and keep living so Maggie said YES to his proposal <3
anyway things are gonna be spicy next volumes so like what rick said ....
May 29, 2019
First Read: February 28th 2016
Re-read: May 29th 2019
so violent! i love the comics but jesus this issue was the most violent one yet but i can just imagine it will get worse from here on.
But this comic i can finally see a nice rhythm going on, i'm starting to learn more about each character individually and these characters are starting to mean something to me it feels like they're new friends.
the pace of the comics is going very well, this volume seemed shorter than the other ones
Re-read: May 29th 2019
so violent! i love the comics but jesus this issue was the most violent one yet but i can just imagine it will get worse from here on.
But this comic i can finally see a nice rhythm going on, i'm starting to learn more about each character individually and these characters are starting to mean something to me it feels like they're new friends.
the pace of the comics is going very well, this volume seemed shorter than the other ones
December 22, 2023
The beef between the Governor and Michonne is some of the most gruesome comic strips I have ever seen, wow. The story of the escape from Woodbury and return to the prison is great, this episode introduces Martinez, but not for long. Rick is truly making some messed up decisions and seems to be headed for a breakdown.
March 31, 2020
Bloody hell, I am not even sure what to say to that. Intense, incredibly violent and way too graphic. I could not put it down and at the same time I wanted to run screaming. Unreal.
More like welcome to hell! I considered to stop reading, because it was just too much. Disturbing is a good word for it. Still, I continued and read the whole thing in one sitting. If you think that volume 5 was gruesome, hold on to your hat.
More like welcome to hell! I considered to stop reading, because it was just too much. Disturbing is a good word for it. Still, I continued and read the whole thing in one sitting. If you think that volume 5 was gruesome, hold on to your hat.
May 19, 2020
Another trigger warning volume, this time for the meting out of serious payback in the form of brutal revenge torture. I'm actually kind of missing all that angsty pining and manufactured emotional drama of earlier days.
Rick realises how far gone he is, and Michonne...well maybe she was already out there, but it seems recent events have pushed her to the limit of her humanity. This is a turning point in the story. Both characters are disturbed at what they have become. The question is where will they go from here?
Rick realises how far gone he is, and Michonne...well maybe she was already out there, but it seems recent events have pushed her to the limit of her humanity. This is a turning point in the story. Both characters are disturbed at what they have become. The question is where will they go from here?
March 9, 2012
I’m starting to realize that Walking Dead is one of those series that boasts a large number of fans that are oblivious to or are willing to look past its flaws. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, but it is what it is. The universal acclaim that these books get seems to be at odds with some of the problems it has, especially by this point in the series. This volume, simply put, isn’t put together very well, and isn’t much fun to read. Spoilers ahead.
The issues in this collection continue to chronicle the ordeals of Rick, Michonne, and Glenn at Woodbury, including their harrowing escape and return to the prison. The centerpiece of the volume is a long, graphic section of torture porn, as Michonne enacts her foreshadowed revenge on the Governor for raping and brutalizing her in the preceding days. They make it out of the city with the help of a few defectors, but find the prison overrun by zombies when they return. Fortunately, most of the people at the prison are safely holed up (waiting for Rick to get back before doing anything about it, I guess?), and they get their sanctuary secured and cleaned up again in short order. However, an incident with one of the Woodbury defectors stands as a stark reminder that they now have living, breathing potential enemies right on their doorstep.
I read this volume faster than I usually do, but not because I was glued to the action. I was waiting for something profound or even interesting to happen, and it never really did. The extended torture vignette couldn’t end fast enough; it added exactly nothing to the story, since it didn’t seem to affect Michonne’s character in any way other than Rick noticing the crazy mannerisms she’s had since she was introduced. Also, I guess it’s perfectly fine to illustrate rape and torture in graphic detail, rather than simply implying it like before, if the victim is a man who deserves it. It’s a little weird to complain about violence in a zombie comic, I admit, but the whole thing seemed gratuitous. Anyway, we’re introduced to a few new characters, and in the space of a few pages, one dies, one is immediately slotted into an archetypical role (the person with vague medical knowledge that must find the courage to become The Group's Doctor), and one is inexplicably revealed as a traitor and even more inexplicably murdered by Rick. Hmm.
What story there was made very little sense, and really only served as connecting the plot point from the last volume (the existence of another, grittier group of survivors) with whatever the heroes are going to do next. It’s not a bad collection, really, but I wouldn’t really classify it as good, either. It doesn’t really add anything, and could have done without a lot of the supporting details (like, for instance, the ridiculous gladiator fight scenario). The AMC series seems to be getting a lot of flack lately for aimless writing and confusing character decisions, but that’s seems to be the hallmark of this volume.
Honestly, I think I would have liked it better if I had read it as individual issues, with a cooldown period between each. There are a lot of powerful, visceral moments in the volume that leave a lasting impression if taken on their own, but they come off as weak and even silly when lumped together as a story arc. Now that we’re past the long introduction of the Woodbury group, though, I’m interested to see what happens next.
In short, this isn’t a terrible book, but it’s easily the weakest of the series thus far.
The issues in this collection continue to chronicle the ordeals of Rick, Michonne, and Glenn at Woodbury, including their harrowing escape and return to the prison. The centerpiece of the volume is a long, graphic section of torture porn, as Michonne enacts her foreshadowed revenge on the Governor for raping and brutalizing her in the preceding days. They make it out of the city with the help of a few defectors, but find the prison overrun by zombies when they return. Fortunately, most of the people at the prison are safely holed up (waiting for Rick to get back before doing anything about it, I guess?), and they get their sanctuary secured and cleaned up again in short order. However, an incident with one of the Woodbury defectors stands as a stark reminder that they now have living, breathing potential enemies right on their doorstep.
I read this volume faster than I usually do, but not because I was glued to the action. I was waiting for something profound or even interesting to happen, and it never really did. The extended torture vignette couldn’t end fast enough; it added exactly nothing to the story, since it didn’t seem to affect Michonne’s character in any way other than Rick noticing the crazy mannerisms she’s had since she was introduced. Also, I guess it’s perfectly fine to illustrate rape and torture in graphic detail, rather than simply implying it like before, if the victim is a man who deserves it. It’s a little weird to complain about violence in a zombie comic, I admit, but the whole thing seemed gratuitous. Anyway, we’re introduced to a few new characters, and in the space of a few pages, one dies, one is immediately slotted into an archetypical role (the person with vague medical knowledge that must find the courage to become The Group's Doctor), and one is inexplicably revealed as a traitor and even more inexplicably murdered by Rick. Hmm.
What story there was made very little sense, and really only served as connecting the plot point from the last volume (the existence of another, grittier group of survivors) with whatever the heroes are going to do next. It’s not a bad collection, really, but I wouldn’t really classify it as good, either. It doesn’t really add anything, and could have done without a lot of the supporting details (like, for instance, the ridiculous gladiator fight scenario). The AMC series seems to be getting a lot of flack lately for aimless writing and confusing character decisions, but that’s seems to be the hallmark of this volume.
Honestly, I think I would have liked it better if I had read it as individual issues, with a cooldown period between each. There are a lot of powerful, visceral moments in the volume that leave a lasting impression if taken on their own, but they come off as weak and even silly when lumped together as a story arc. Now that we’re past the long introduction of the Woodbury group, though, I’m interested to see what happens next.
In short, this isn’t a terrible book, but it’s easily the weakest of the series thus far.
December 2, 2015
God damn, a lot of shit went down in this volume. A lot of graphic, gory shit. Rick is quickly losing his trust in humanity and I totally see why. I can feel Lori and Rick's relationship slowly getting worse and worse. I really loved most of this volume but there is one thing that kind of disappointed me and I can't really talk about that without giving spoilers. But damn, I am obsessed with these comics now. I'm hooked and I probably won't stop reading them until I'm caught up.
SPOILERS BELOW
So... Martinez helped Rick and the group escape from Woodbury, but Michonne decided to stay back and get revenge on the Governor for all the shit he did to her (abuse, rape, etc.) and when she went back she fucking drilled his dick to the floor, drilled a hole in his shoulder, pried off all of his finger nails, chopped off his arm with her sword, stuck a spoon up his ass and then used the same spoon afterwards to spoon out his eye. I mean, god damn Michonne definitely got her revenge. I don't know if this means the Governor is dead? I was 100% sure he was but the characters act like maybe he might not be so I don't know.. But if he is dead, that was fast... He was only in one volume before he was killed? That's so disappointing because the Governor is one of my favorite villains and he hadn't even gone to the prison yet. Michonne probably just killed him. But, if he is dead, I like this death of the governor even better than the one in the show. I know obviously in the show they can't show graphic shit like that as they do in the comics, but wow. That was kind of epic and the Governor deserved it. Also, I loved seeing Rick realize that Martinez betrayed them and he went after him with the RV, he slammed into him with it and then he killed him with his bare hands. I think this is only the beginning of Rick losing his trust and losing his mind a little bit. Also, what is up with Michonne constantly talking to herself? It's so weird. Is she supposed to be insane? Or delusional? I don't know what's up with that. Also, when Glenn asked for Hershel's blessing to purpose to Maggie I was squealing! And then he actually proposed to her and it was so cute! I ship it so hard.
Overall this was a really exciting volume and I can't wait to get to the next one! Here's to hoping the Governor isn't already dead!
SPOILERS BELOW
So... Martinez helped Rick and the group escape from Woodbury, but Michonne decided to stay back and get revenge on the Governor for all the shit he did to her (abuse, rape, etc.) and when she went back she fucking drilled his dick to the floor, drilled a hole in his shoulder, pried off all of his finger nails, chopped off his arm with her sword, stuck a spoon up his ass and then used the same spoon afterwards to spoon out his eye. I mean, god damn Michonne definitely got her revenge. I don't know if this means the Governor is dead? I was 100% sure he was but the characters act like maybe he might not be so I don't know.. But if he is dead, that was fast... He was only in one volume before he was killed? That's so disappointing because the Governor is one of my favorite villains and he hadn't even gone to the prison yet. Michonne probably just killed him. But, if he is dead, I like this death of the governor even better than the one in the show. I know obviously in the show they can't show graphic shit like that as they do in the comics, but wow. That was kind of epic and the Governor deserved it. Also, I loved seeing Rick realize that Martinez betrayed them and he went after him with the RV, he slammed into him with it and then he killed him with his bare hands. I think this is only the beginning of Rick losing his trust and losing his mind a little bit. Also, what is up with Michonne constantly talking to herself? It's so weird. Is she supposed to be insane? Or delusional? I don't know what's up with that. Also, when Glenn asked for Hershel's blessing to purpose to Maggie I was squealing! And then he actually proposed to her and it was so cute! I ship it so hard.
Overall this was a really exciting volume and I can't wait to get to the next one! Here's to hoping the Governor isn't already dead!
January 29, 2022
michonne being justifiably unhinged is the moment
August 29, 2011
HUGE turning point in the story here, from volume 5 to volume 6 so much happens to change the groups dynamic at the prison.
Glenn, Rick, and Michonne were locked up at Woodbury when they find a few sympathizers who don't like "The Governor" and his crazy ways either. So they decide when everybody is distracted to get outta Dodge and escape. Without giving too much away they make it back to their prison safehouse only to find things vastly different from how they left AND that one of them isn't who they made themselves out to be (cue creepy music). Haha.
It's a very good volume with a lot more detail and focus on the individual characters in the group. You learn a lot about them and delve deeper into the survivalist mentality. I look forward to seeing where things go from here. Is Woodbury going to find them? Are they going to try to make it to a National Guard station to get more ammo/weapons? How is their new medical student plan on delivering this new baby that's coming? All these questions will be answered AND MORE on the next volume of The Walking Dead! Same dead time, same dead channel!!!
Glenn, Rick, and Michonne were locked up at Woodbury when they find a few sympathizers who don't like "The Governor" and his crazy ways either. So they decide when everybody is distracted to get outta Dodge and escape. Without giving too much away they make it back to their prison safehouse only to find things vastly different from how they left AND that one of them isn't who they made themselves out to be (cue creepy music). Haha.
It's a very good volume with a lot more detail and focus on the individual characters in the group. You learn a lot about them and delve deeper into the survivalist mentality. I look forward to seeing where things go from here. Is Woodbury going to find them? Are they going to try to make it to a National Guard station to get more ammo/weapons? How is their new medical student plan on delivering this new baby that's coming? All these questions will be answered AND MORE on the next volume of The Walking Dead! Same dead time, same dead channel!!!
October 2, 2007
If you're like me, one of your deeply-held beliefs is that the only problem with zombie movies is that they come to an end. With that in mind, Robert Kirkman has given us "The Walking Dead", a series which tells the ongoing story of an eclectic group of people trying to live in a world now ruled by the dead.
Kirkman's introduction says it best:
"How many hours are in a day when you don't spend half of them watching television? When is the last time any of us REALLY worked to get something we wanted? How long has it been since any of us really NEEDED something that we wanted?
The world we knew is gone. The world of comfort and frivolous necessity has been replaced by a world of survival and responsibility. An epidemic of apocalyptic proportions has swept the globe causing the dead to rise and feed on the living. In a matter of months society has crumbled, no government, no grocery stores, no mail delivery, no cable TV.
In a world ruled by the dead, we are forced to finally start living."
Groovy.
Kirkman's introduction says it best:
"How many hours are in a day when you don't spend half of them watching television? When is the last time any of us REALLY worked to get something we wanted? How long has it been since any of us really NEEDED something that we wanted?
The world we knew is gone. The world of comfort and frivolous necessity has been replaced by a world of survival and responsibility. An epidemic of apocalyptic proportions has swept the globe causing the dead to rise and feed on the living. In a matter of months society has crumbled, no government, no grocery stores, no mail delivery, no cable TV.
In a world ruled by the dead, we are forced to finally start living."
Groovy.
March 10, 2015
this one seemed shorter then the rest.
December 21, 2015
BRUUUUTAL :') Moral of the story: do not piss off a woman who knows how to wield a sword haha.
January 7, 2017
Las escenas entre Michonne y el Gobernador han sido mucho más violentas de lo que me esperaba. En este volumen se profundiza más en lo que somos capaces de hacer por sobrevivir aunque no se considere lo mejor desde el punto de vista moral. Tengo mucha curiosidad por saber cómo continúa.
May 26, 2019
This is the most brutal and violent entry in the series so far, which is saying a lot considering the subject matter. Rick and two survivors venture out and find another community run by a sadistic “Governor” who tortures them to find out about the whereabouts of their prison so they can take over the dwellings and all it has to offer including food, weapons and reasonable safety from the zombies. The violence this man is capable of and the retribution it inspires is worse than anything we’ve seen from the zombies, but in a world where there are no laws and no civilization, madness and cruelty can easily take over in the desperate effort to survive in a hopeless situation.
Don’t know if I’d enjoy these so much at another time but for now this series is fulfilling a need for escape to a dystopia that is measurably worse than the one we are living in and which makes these difficult and dysfunctional times for me. I can look around me and see how well ordered my life is despite all the chaos in my mind, which, compared to what these people trying to survive a zombie apocalypse are going through, well, is actually pretty much on par, but at least makes for a change of scenery. If I’m still making any sense at this point it’s only a mere coincidence.
Don’t know if I’d enjoy these so much at another time but for now this series is fulfilling a need for escape to a dystopia that is measurably worse than the one we are living in and which makes these difficult and dysfunctional times for me. I can look around me and see how well ordered my life is despite all the chaos in my mind, which, compared to what these people trying to survive a zombie apocalypse are going through, well, is actually pretty much on par, but at least makes for a change of scenery. If I’m still making any sense at this point it’s only a mere coincidence.
March 15, 2016
But mostly just this:
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