Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book
Rate this book
“OPPORTUNITY” When Alexandria is at its weakest... they strike.

30 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 1, 2017

Loading...
Loading...

About the author

Robert Kirkman

2,616 books7,138 followers
Robert 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.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
248 (52%)
4 stars
158 (33%)
3 stars
53 (11%)
2 stars
7 (1%)
1 star
2 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
Profile Image for Diana.
2,023 reviews308 followers
March 1, 2017
That. ending.

'Nuff said.
Profile Image for Trav Rockwell.
100 reviews7 followers
February 28, 2017
Action packed! Dwight and Heath in a bit of trouble! Rick and Negans friendship is growing, working as a team now. Ends on a cliff hanger, what kind of a wound is that Andrea?
Profile Image for Poria Da.
151 reviews13 followers
August 31, 2017
No mystery! no new story! everything just happens again and again and again...
July 22, 2026
The moment the Whisperer conflict finally seemed to be shifting in the survivors' favor, another threat emerged from the shadows. After everything Alexandria had already endured—the collapsing walls, the endless waves of walkers, the destruction of the Hilltop, and the exhausting battle against Beta's forces—I honestly thought the worst was almost behind them. Instead, this issue reminded me that in The Walking Dead, surviving one catastrophe usually means another is already waiting around the corner. The arrival of the Saviors at such a critical moment only added another layer of tension to an already desperate situation. What truly worried me, however, wasn't only the return of old enemies—it was seeing everyone stretched beyond their physical and emotional limits. Every single character looked exhausted, yet none of them had the luxury of stopping.

The issue opens with Rick watching Negan from inside a house as Negan continues clearing walkers outside. Their uneasy partnership remains one of the most fascinating aspects of this story. Even while surrounded by death, Negan cannot stop making jokes, sarcastically pointing out that "nobody gets bit these days." Almost immediately, fate proves him wrong when a walker sneaks up behind him. Thankfully, Rick reacts quickly and shoots the walker before it can attack Negan. The moment is surprisingly symbolic. Earlier in the series it would have been unimaginable for Rick to willingly save Negan's life, yet here they are repeatedly protecting one another. Negan returns inside after Rick covers him with gunfire, teasing him once again by asking if they are finally becoming friends. Rick, remaining as emotionally guarded as ever, ignores the joke and simply suggests they find another way out. Their conversations continue to blur the line between enemies and reluctant allies, making every interaction feel unpredictable.

Inside Eugene's house, Siddiq continues trying to use Eugene's radio equipment in hopes of contacting someone. Suddenly, he believes he hears a woman's voice over the radio. Annie, however, reminds him that gunfire is erupting outside and survival has to come first. This small scene finally convinced me that Stephanie is real. For several issues I questioned whether Eugene's mysterious conversations were simply another coping mechanism born from grief, much like Rick's hallucinations with the telephone years ago. Now that Siddiq independently hears a woman's voice, it becomes much harder to dismiss the possibility. It makes me even more curious about where Stephanie is, how large her community might be, and whether they could eventually become allies—or even another dangerous unknown waiting beyond the horizon.

Outside Alexandria, the battle continues from every possible direction. Kelly prepares to join the fight, but Connie refuses to remain behind despite still recovering from losing her hand. Their relationship continues to be one of quiet loyalty and unconditional support. Kelly desperately wants to protect Connie from any more pain, yet Connie refuses to let her disability define her or stop her from helping everyone else. Their bond feels incredibly genuine because neither sibling wants to become a burden on the other, even though both are carrying tremendous emotional weight.

Dwight, Laura, and Heath continue eliminating walkers outside Alexandria while Maggie, Michonne, Jesus, and Dante work tirelessly to redirect sections of the massive herd. The scale of the operation is honestly impressive. Rather than defeating the walkers through brute force alone, the survivors are using intelligence, positioning, geography, and teamwork. It feels like watching an enormous military operation unfold across multiple battlefields simultaneously. Everyone has a specific responsibility, and if even one group fails, the entire strategy could collapse. It perfectly demonstrates how much these communities have evolved since the early days when simply surviving a handful of walkers felt nearly impossible.

Meanwhile, Andrea, Magna, Yumiko, and Eugene continue leading another section of the herd toward the coastline. The imagery of thousands of walkers mindlessly marching toward the cliffs almost feels surreal. Eugene comments that the area will probably be ruined afterward and jokes that Pete should probably avoid fishing there for a while. Even during such overwhelming circumstances, Robert Kirkman still manages to insert moments of humor that feel natural instead of forced. Those brief exchanges give the characters room to breathe before the tension immediately returns.

Back inside Alexandria, the remaining residents continue desperately clearing walkers that slipped through the broken defenses. Vincent leads one group while Julia asks if he is frightened. His response, saying he is "too scared to be scared," perfectly captures the emotional state of nearly everyone still fighting. At some point, fear becomes so overwhelming that there is simply no room left to process it. They continue moving forward because stopping means dying.

Carl also continues proving his maturity by organizing the Hilltop residents stationed outside Alexandria. Instead of charging recklessly into danger like he often did earlier in the series, he carefully instructs everyone to let the walkers come toward them before attacking. Watching Carl develop from an impulsive child into someone capable of leading others has been incredibly satisfying. Lydia, standing beside him, quietly tells him she feels alive while fighting. That line says so much about her character. For most of her life she survived under Alpha's twisted ideology where violence defined existence. Now, ironically, fighting to protect innocent people finally gives her a sense of purpose rather than fear.

Just when everything appears to be slowly turning in Alexandria's favor, the story delivers another devastating twist. Dwight suddenly realizes Heath has disappeared. Moments later, Heath is violently thrown to the ground as John and the Saviors reveal themselves. Sherry sarcastically remarks that Dwight and Laura seem to need some "Saviors" before ordering her people to open fire. John quickly attacks Dwight, grabbing him by the throat while reminding everyone that Dwight made his choice when he sided with Rick. I absolutely cannot stand the Saviors anymore. Their timing is unbelievably selfish. Rather than helping stop the greatest threat humanity has faced in years, they choose this exact moment to settle personal grudges and attempt another power grab. It proves they have learned almost nothing from the previous war. Sherry genuinely believes Rick's communities will emerge weakened enough for them to take over afterward, but she completely ignores how dangerous that gamble is. If Rick defeats the Whisperers, history has already shown exactly what happens to those who threaten his people.

Elsewhere, Maggie and Dante regroup with Michonne and Jesus after successfully redirecting more walkers. Dante makes a lighthearted comment about hoping Alexandria is still standing because otherwise they won't have a place to sleep. Maggie quickly reminds him that the people matter more than the buildings. I appreciated this exchange because it highlights Maggie's priorities as a leader. Home has never simply been walls or houses—it has always been the people inside them. Buildings can always be rebuilt, but lives cannot.

The issue reaches its emotional climax with Andrea, Eugene, Magna, and Yumiko becoming trapped by another large cluster of walkers. Eugene, despite being physically exhausted after everything he has already done, volunteers to take Andrea's horn and distract part of the herd himself. This moment genuinely made me proud of Eugene. The man who once survived almost entirely through deception has transformed into someone willing to sacrifice himself for everyone else's safety. His courage no longer comes from pretending to be someone important; it comes from genuinely believing his life has value because he can help others survive. That character development has been one of the most rewarding journeys in the entire series.

Unfortunately, Eugene's horse throws him directly into the middle of the walkers. Andrea refuses to abandon him despite him begging her to leave. She rides directly into overwhelming danger, shooting walkers at point-blank range before pulling Eugene back onto her horse. For a brief second I thought they had escaped safely. Then Magna notices the look on Andrea's face. Andrea has been bitten on the neck.

That final page absolutely devastated me.

Out of everyone in Alexandria, Andrea has consistently been one of the strongest, smartest, and most dependable survivors. She has stood beside Rick through impossible situations, defended Alexandria countless times, and repeatedly risked her own life for others without hesitation. The cruel irony is that her greatest strength—her refusal to abandon someone in need—is exactly what leads to her being bitten. She could have listened to Eugene and escaped, but that simply isn't who Andrea is. She chose someone else's life over her own without even hesitating.

This ending honestly left me speechless. Throughout the Whisperer War I kept expecting major casualties because the stakes were simply too high, but I never truly prepared myself for Andrea being the one to fall. After surviving so many years, so many battles, and countless near-death experiences, seeing her bitten feels almost impossible to accept. I am still hoping there is somehow another explanation, even though deep down I know exactly what a bite on the neck means in The Walking Dead. If this truly is the beginning of Andrea's final chapter, then it is one of the most heartbreaking moments the series has delivered. She didn't fall because she made a foolish decision or underestimated the enemy. She fell because she chose to save a friend. In a world where survival often demands selfishness, Andrea remained selfless until the very end, and somehow that makes this moment hurt even more.

Profile Image for Spencer.
1,494 reviews43 followers
March 3, 2017
Exciting and action packed would definitely describe this issue, it's relentless as this story arc looks to be nearing its end!
Profile Image for Laina.
237 reviews2 followers
October 2, 2018
On the one hand, I'm glad that Negan saved Rick's life from the walkers. But on the other hand, I don't like that it gives Rick a reason not to kill Negan. I just really wish that Maggie or Rick would kill Negan to get revenge for him killing Glenn.

I don't know how I feel about Annie and Siddiq finding Eugene's radio and other equipment in his home. I know that they don't know what it means exactly, but I'm pretty sure that they're going to tell Rick, and it's going to cause problems between Rick and Eugene. I just hope Rick listens and has an open mind.

Kelly and whoever the woman is, I think they should split up. Give the woman some weapons to defend herself, and then have Kelly go out and help the others. This way, they'd both be doing something useful.

Negan's just having way too much fun killing the walkers. Though truth be told, if he decided to turn his attention to killing walkers and decided to actually help out Rick and Alexandria, I wouldn't be too angry about it. But that doesn't mean he's forgiven for killing Glenn and etc..

I'm glad that Dwight's out there with the others and trying to take out as many walkers as possible, so that there's less for Rick and the others at Alexandria to have to deal with. I just have a feeling that things are about to get worse.

Damn it Sherry, can't you just fucking die already? Nobody likes you or feels sorry for you. You're just a psychotic bitch that needs to be put down. And I'd really like for Dwight or Rick to be the one that kills her. I won't miss her at all.

It looks like it's working to me. Look at all those damn walkers falling in that, what? I think it's an ocean, right? Whatever, just as long as those fuckers get taken care of.

Eh, Andrea, be quiet for once. I agree with Eugene that it's pretty damn awesome that the oceans taking care of the walkers.

Well, hopefully Magna, Eugene, Andrea and the others will be able to get the stragglers back to following the others to the cove and getting them away from Alexandria.

I'm glad that Negan and Rick, and Siddiq and some of the others are taking a stand and fighting the walkers off at Alexandria. If they keep it up, hopefully they'll be able to clear the place out.

I kind of think that they should have had someone take Eugene's place. When he admitted to feeling so tired that he felt like he'd fall off his horse any moment, that should have been a sign to Andrea, that he should go back. I have a feeling something bad's about to happen.

Michonne make a point in what she said to Jesus. I just hope that none of the main characters get caught in the middle of them doing this, because if that happens, it won't end well for whatever character that happens to.

I still don't like Lydia, and I especially don't like her with Carl. But for now I'll concede that she's doing a good job when she acts like she cares about him. We'll have to see how it plays out, in the long run, though.

Oh crap, Sherry and her merry band of assholes just arrived and that means all hell is going to continue to break loose. There's no trusting those dirt bags. Hopefully someone from Alexandria will see those assholes and will take them out with a few well placed shots to the head. Well, one can hope.

Aww, no! They can't kill Dwight! He's supposed to be Rick's new right hand man after Eugene! Come on, don't kill the fucking guy! He was just starting to be likable! Kill that bitch Sherry instead!

Hopefully things will continue to go well for Michonne, Jesus and the others as they drive as many walkers away from Alexandria as possible. I also hope that they're able to get back to Alexandria soon, and give them help there, too.

Maggie's right, sure, but she doesn't have to be a jerk about it. And I feel like she's taking things too far with the way she treats Dante. So what if the guy has a crush on her or whatever, it doesn't mean that she should treat him like crap.

I don't like the look on Jesus's face when he's talking to Michonne. That makes me think something even more bad is about to happen and that's the last thing that anyone needs, especially right now with what's going on.

I like that Eugene was trying to help Andrea get away safely so that she could help some of the others and manage the huge herd. Hopefully she'll be able to get away and do just that. And hopefully Eugene won't get killed for trying to help her. That's a lot of walkers.

Oh crap! Eugene just fell off his horse! Wonder if he's gonna be a goner, as that's a lot of damn walkers and there's almost no chance that they'd let him get away without taking a chunk of them out as he tried to escape.

Go Andrea! Glad that she didn't leave Eugene behind, and decided to get the others and they all decided to help him instead. Hopefully this is going to work. I can't believe that Andrea just got off her horse.

I get that she was trying to give them another target, but that's just stupid. She's practically setting herself up to become walker food. I'm really not going to be surprised if we end up losing one or both of them, especially with a herd this large.

I like that Magna and the others were able to create a distraction so that Andrea and Eugene could get back on the horse and get out of there. But looking at the little circle of blood, I'm sure that she got bit somehow.

Damn you, Kirkman! You can't end it there! We need to know if Andrea was bitten or shot! Anyway, good issue and can't wait to start the next one in a few mins.
Profile Image for Michael Sorbello.
Author 2 books323 followers
November 19, 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 started 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.

***

My Social Media

My YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPPs...

My Instagram Account: https://www.instagram.com/michael_sor...

My Wattpad Account: https://www.wattpad.com/user/Michael-...

My Twitter Account: https://twitter.com/SorbelloHorror

My Facebook Account: https://www.facebook.com/michael.sorb...
Profile Image for Charlee.
359 reviews21 followers
March 3, 2017
Alexandria is still under attack by walkers and the group has split up to fight them and try to move the herd away from their home.

Wow! The intensity is still there. With all the walkers invading their community and our group split up to fight them, we still don't really know what kind of shape Alexandria is in. They are trying to steer them towards the water. Only time will tell if Alexandria will still be inhabitable. In the meantime, are Rick and Negan becoming friends? It's possible. But the main thing in this issue is the ending. Just unreal! What does it mean for Andrea? I cannot wait to find out....unfortunately I have to....until the next issue.
Profile Image for Carol.
889 reviews32 followers
May 13, 2017
Oh Baby!It's like I'm the last man on Earth tasked with getting all the women pregnant!
But instead of rapidly putting my penis into a million vaginas...I'm pushing this knife into rotted fucking skulls!

Classic Negan! Also, oh God!
Profile Image for Dario Vaccaro.
205 reviews5 followers
January 23, 2019
It has been a while since I last gasped in worry that one of my favorite characters might die. It happened again this issue, and A LOT more than that. Hopefully, after we are done with the residue Saviors, this "problem" will spark a new direction for the series.
Profile Image for Rachel Helberg.
7 reviews
May 8, 2017
Love it

Loved the show first and I had to see what created it...outstanding,!! Just makes me hungry for more, woo too!!
Profile Image for john hoxie.
135 reviews1 follower
September 26, 2017
Far from dead

The series continues .
It keeps you wanting more.
Hopefully far from ending.
Love it from the beginning.
Don't stop writing.
Profile Image for Steven Shinder.
Author 5 books20 followers
October 5, 2018
I'm really loving how this is progressing. Negan's dynamic with Rick still cracks me up. Bummed out about the ending, though. But I understand that there needs to be more conflict.
1 review
March 10, 2020
Perfect

I really don't know what to say the comic was perfect and Eugene was selfless and like the beginning of red neck was good too
Profile Image for Ehab Fathy.
460 reviews217 followers
April 27, 2023
if the scoundrel rules you , you should obey him . but if you take over his neck you must cut it without hesitate .
71 reviews
March 20, 2017
Crazy action. This is the only series I know where you truly don't know if someone is going to die. Crazy and agonizing cliff hanger
Profile Image for John Keegan.
177 reviews5 followers
March 9, 2017
I thought that one of the turnabouts in the middle of the issue would be the devastating moment, but that final panel is heartbreaking...!
Profile Image for Joshua.
395 reviews1 follower
March 11, 2017
Rick and Negan both had a chance to kill each other, didn't. Dwight runs into the Saviors that didn't join Rick's world. And could this be the end for Andrea?
Profile Image for Katherine.
105 reviews
March 6, 2017
Damnit Eugene!

I love having two different versions to bounce back and forth with - the comics and the show. This comic just got real as hell and I cannot wait to see what Rick is going to do when he finds out about Andrea!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews