The Walking Dead, Vol. 30: New World Order

The Walking Dead

by Robert Kirkman (Story), Charlie Adlard (Art), Stefano Gaudiano (Art)

New friends. New enemies. New threats. It's a whole new world. Collects THE WALKING DEAD #175-180.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Horror, Zombies, Fiction, Dystopia, Graphic Novels Comics

136 pages, Comics

First published September 11, 2018

About the author

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.

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 4 out of 5]

New World Order didn't work that well for President Bush, but our Rick's going to have a go? And us readers get to find out what's Stephanie's community really like! Wowsers... this creative team tho! A brand new community like nothing you've seen before. The ideas just keep on coming. Always a struggle to characterise new characters, but they always seem to do a better than fair job... and there's Princess who is a barrel of fun. New World Order, does the volume deserve such an ominous title. Yes it does. Almost Five Stars, Four Star, 9.5 out of 12 amazing good read for one of the final volumes of such a long series!

2019 read

[Sam Quixote · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rick and his jolly band come across a new group: the Commonwealth! And so begins the same old story – can they trust them or is they nutballs?

What a boring book! The Commonwealth aren’t that bad a bunch despite having Stormtroopers and a Joffrey-esque shithead second-in-line to power, so the characters spend the entire volume looking about this large (by Walking Dead standards) town and bugger-all else! Princess is still hanging around, up in Hilltop Sophia’s having some pointless drama with Maggie… eh.

The “conflict” seems to be the class-centric viewpoint of the Commonwealth which clashes with Rick and co.’s more egalitarian society. It doesn’t seem to be much of a big deal though. I get the feeling that Robert Kirkman’s writing a microcosm of the Revolutionary War, the Commonwealth being Europe, specifically Brit-land, and Rick and co. as the colony-soon-to-be-‘murica. Maybe that’s foreshadowing…?

Something really nice happens to Michonne. The shit she’s been through, I was happy for her catching a helluva break like that. And Charlie Adlard’s Walking Dead version of the Stormtrooper design looked cool. ‘Tisn’t much though and I found it very easy to keep putting this book down in favour of household chores!

I know it’s insanely profitable but, if Kirkman’s run out of story, maybe he should put a pin in the series until he’s got something worth telling? As it is, The Walking Dead, Volume 30: New World Order is another sleepy addition to this increasingly tedious and played-out title.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let the allegory of Capitalism vs. Socialism begin!



Not a whole lot of zombie action in this volume. Mostly just a lot of introductions that have a strong resemblance to the many other times we have met new people in this series. Getting a bit repetitive, perhaps?



At this point, I cannot tell if there are truly bad guys, or if the next step in the series will just be political debates and arguments over whose post zombie apocalypse ideas are the best. There are a few edgy characters and some palpable tension which gives me hope that this volume is not just the beginning of a long fizzle.



Casual Walking Dead fans, there is no great need to rush out and read this. Hardcore WD fans, I am not really sure if you will like or loathe this volume. Or, maybe like me you will be right in the middle!

[Michael Finocchiaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story. Love the Michonne subplot and the new intrigue. We are now meeting the final group of unknowns in the Commonwealth and despite the progress they have made, they have some retrograde ideas that don't coincide very well with those of Team Rick. Will they succeed in building a New World Order?
Can’t wait for 31!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this volume. There wasn’t a lot of zombie action but quite a bit happened for a few different characters. Kirkman also introduced a few new characters and I’m glad he’s actually fleshing new characters out because in the past, new characters were coming and going and none of them were standing out to me. I’m really interested to see what happens next with the new story that was introduced. It’s something quite different and I’m impressed that the TWD team are still coming up with new and exciting things for this comic. I would definitely recommend this series to others.

*Minor spoiler ahead*

I can’t believe what happened with Michonne. I cried like a baby at that development!!! I love Michonne!

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, we meet the new group in Ohio called the Commonwealth. Kirkman seems to be going out of his way to make everyone we meet a huge a-hole. This whole class system thing they've set up is set up really poorly, where they just set you up with what you were in the past. It almost feels like they are talking to people from another planet where they can't even understand how people live without a ladder to climb. Yes, class systems would probably naturally develop as the size of their city increased, but to artificially create one and that people would go along with it just seems dumb. The redeeming quality for this volume was the revelation that popped up midway through. I definitely got a case of the feels. Princess is a nice dose of unbridled joy in a dour world.

[Gianfranco Mancini · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rick & company's communist community meets the Commonwealth's network of capitalist communities building back the world as a caste system: we all know this is not going to end well, new sub-plots and despicable characters are introduced as usual in another Kirkmam's filler volume using the downtime to build up the stage for following action/major characters deaths following ones as usual.



Nothing new at all if you are a veteran reader of these series, but the Michonne's storyline was really well done and after 30 volumes TWD (the comic, not the tv one) is still alive and kicking, leaving me wanting to read the next part as soon as possible.

[Jim C · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another collection in this long running series and if you have made it this far you pretty much know what you are going to get. This is the start of a new story arc but we have seen this before. A new group enters the picture and chances are that our group will have some kind of conflict with this new group.

As you can tell by my opening paragraph that I might be a little tired of the proceedings of this series. But I am so close to the end that I will see it through. This time we meet a new society that is strong in numbers and their society is based on classes of humans. They determine the classes by your job before the world changed. Like many reviewers have stated it looks like this story arc will be capitalism against socialism. I am not sold on this concept. I know we have had other societies contain symbolism. I am just having a hard time believing we are going to have a political conflict on which is a better system during a zombie apocalypse. It just seems like a little too much of a stretch for me. In this collection, there was a terrific subplot with Michonne that easily outshined the main plot. This plot was the reason I did end up liking this collection.

Like I said I will continue with this series but I am not overly enthusiastic at the moment. The debate over systems of government does nothing for me. But this is the opening of a new arc so there is time to change my mind.

[Mika (Hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The New World Order. Sounds like The Commonwealth of Nations for the poor.

I was a bit skeptical about introducing a new survivours group near the end of the comic series but I'm definitely hooked on Michonne's past now.

Pamela Milton's first appearance. Not sure how this will turn out.

The end of issue 176 makes me tear up. It's so wholesome!!

StoryGraph review

[Ryan Buckby · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Read: December 2nd 2018
Re-read: June 11th 2020

A whole new world is opening up and this issue we see a group travel to Ohio which is the biggest distance anyone has traveled to in this world this far.

Plot: Robert Kirkman has once again expanded on this world and i'm happy that we are now moving into another part of the country and with a whole new group thats the biggest one to ever be introduced in the walking dead world. The Commonwealth is the new massive community that we are finally introduced to in this issue as we have been teased to in previous issues and i was completely shocked on how many people live inside these walls and it's impressive.

Right of the bat i have an issue with a couple of the people within the commonwealth's walls and firs and for most is the leader Pamela Milton, there is something off about her and in this series i've come not to trust any of the new additions because a lot of them have turned out to be bad. I think she is hiding a lot from her own community with how she came to power i could be wrong but i think she's hiding a few things under that perfect manner. Pamela's son Sebastian Milton is a self-absorbed and lazy teenager who is protected under his mothers rule and i think this could be a problem moving forward for the group. George is another one i don't like right off and i can't get a read on him and i don't like that at all and i think he will turn out to be a huge problem.


One of my favourite Michonne moments happens in this volume and it's her finding out one of her daughters is still alive and living in the commonwealth. Elodie and Michonne's reunion is a happy and sad one at that because Elodie informs her that her sister did not make it after she refused to perform sexual favours on the group they were staying with resulting in her being killed. I think the moment these two shared was so wonderfully done because they understand what they had to do to survive.


Siddiq overhears George and Mercer talking about how they want to overthrow Pamela and take over the community. I honestly knew this was coming because there is always someone who doesn't like how things are run but in this instant i feel like this would be justified. I say this because social class is a massive issue in this comic and how Kirkman tackled it was done really well and after world ends you think the different social classes would be gone right? nope not in this community.


There is a social ladder from the top with the upper class right to the bottom with the poorer class and Pamela feels like those who are more important and have a bigger role to play deserve to be the wealthy ones. The people in this community literally have to work there way if they want to live in better conditions etc and i feel like this is wrong but Pamela doesn't see it this way.


The prime example of this is when Pamela takes the group back to Alexandria and she asks rick where he's staying and he goes in a normal house like everyone else and she's confused by this and tells rick he should be living better then everyone else because hes the leader but Rick ultimately shuts this down.


One last thing i love the new character Juanita 'Princess' Sanchez she has been such a wonderful addition to this world. Princess doesn't take things so seriously and brings so many light hearted moments which is something that hasn't be introduced to this world in a very long time.


This volume is bringing back that uncertainty because there is a whole new community coming into the mix and they are bigger then anything the group has come into contact with and this new community could possibly destroy what Rick and the others have built.

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

On a page by page basis, this is a strong volume in a long-running series. My only reservation is that Walking Dead story cycles are sort of turning into Star Trek episodes with our core group constantly seeking out new life and new civilizations, and when first contact is made we discover new problems or flawed leaders that cause conflict with our heroes. This time the flaw seems to be a creepy/timely class system with privileged elites. I'm sure the story arc will play out well, but I'm sort of ready for more of a change of pace or a new direction or focus for the series.

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, I'm still reading this. I have given up on the show, though I'm carrying on with the comic for a bit longer. Though it does feel a bit repetitive now...

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first thing my husband says when he sees this: "Why are there Stormtroopers?" Hah! That was great. But why ARE there Stormtroopers? This volume picks up right where the previous one left off: an encounter with a new community that Eugene had been communicating with. The majority of this novel focuses on the Commonwealth, a community of over fifty thousand people. They basically have their own army, hence the armored outfits, and people live life similar to the way things were before. The governor of the Commonwealth, Pamela, finds that it is more fair to establish society based on jobs before everything happened. People can work to get a better job, and there are class systems. Michonne finds someone in the Commonwealth she once thought dead, and she finds that living there might be the best place for her. When Pamela aims to reach out to Rick, Michonne sends Eugene back with her sword, showing her trust of this new community. But Rick doesn't really think Pamela's class system set-up is very fair.

I was so darn close to giving this volume a 5/5. But I reassessed what really goes on in this volume: a lot of talk and very little action. Despite this, I couldn't give the volume less than a 4/5 because I still really enjoyed some of the events in this novel. Characters reunite, there's more development with my new favorite, Princess, and we get to see a whole new thriving community of 50k+ people. I feel like this new plot line has a lot of potential, but could easily go downhill. I can't help admiring the development of the art over the course of this series, and how the people look much more defined and detailed, which is excellent. The one true thing that makes this volume a 4/5 for me is...no Negan in this one. :(

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eugene and Michonne's group finally arrives in Ohio to meet the woman Stephanie that Eugene has been communicating by ham radio with. Instead they are met by a large group of soldiers, decked out in Stormtrooper type of gear, and taken to meet Lance who wishes to interrogate the group. Turns out they are on the outskirts of The Commonwealth, a group of survivors 50K strong. We then meet Pamela, the governor, and find out this large group has based their new society on a class system built upon what you did before the outbreak. While the city seems to be thriving, there is an underlying issue of the haves vs the have nots. Michonne is shocked to meet someone from her past, and decides to stay in the Commonwealth, while Eugene escorts Pam to Alexandria to meet Rick.

This is a promising arc that could turn the series in a new direction. Now years out from the outbreak, how does civilization rebuild? How do scattered settlements of survivors unite when each group has had different types of leaders and coping strategies? I enjoyed this book, that had no Negan and way less zombie attacks than usual, plus the art was crisper with some great layouts.

[Cale · Rating 4 out of 5]

As many people have noted, Walking Dead is very cyclical. But it's an additive cycle - each time the survivors run into another group, it seems the newcomers are another step up the ladder of civilization. That's very true with this volume, as Michonne and Eugene lead a group to meet Stephanie. The initial interactions feel very realistic, as neither group is willing to trust the other, but eventually the interactions reach friendlier terms. It seems the new group is going to raise a number of class-based issues, which is a little distracting, and the governor's son is an overly-easy-to-hate stereotype in many ways. But all of that is forgiven due to Michonne's story here, which is extremely potent. Rick is only seen in more than passing in the final issue, when governor Milton comes to Alexandria, and the philosophical conflict is laid bare.
There's a little bit of zombie action, but it's become a minor background detail to the world again, now that the Alphas are gone. So overall, it's an average volume with the exception of Michonne, whose story elevates it by a whole star.

[Shadowdenizen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this series continues to be a conondrum for me. There are elements of this arc I really loved (Michonnes reunion, Maggie beginning to move on and the fallout from that), and some moments that seem like we've seen before (ANOTHER outpost of survivors met, only to be potentially alienated by Rick.)

While this series still has no visible end-point in sight, at least I finally have the feeling they are finally beginning to show progress in the beginning of rebuikding civilization. Maybe?

And? I'm actually really digging Princess as a a character. It's nice to have a fresh, optimistic character. Her meeting Rick for the first time actually made me crack a smile. Between that, and the reunion sequence between Michonne and her daughter means that I'm still at least marginally invested in this title.

[Subham · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was quite good!

As they arrive in Commonwealth we find out how advanced this society is and we meets its governor Pamela and we see the class system here and the unity of Michonne and her daughter Elodie and its such a welcome sight in this apocalypse. Loved this part. Plus we find the way of life here and while there are questionable characters its good to see. Plus I like how Kirkman meta-comments on the way of life of people here and questions social hierarchy. And then the meeting of the two leaders in Alexandria and the ideological differences and all to follow.

Great volume and it has its fair share of good moments, reunions, philosophical debates, Rick getting a new enemy, new characters and new "challenges" in this world and the art is pretty good for the most part and I am loving what Kirkman is doing with the book and the directions he is swinging at.

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story arc allows the survivors to meet a new civilization, a large scale civilization run on the idea that whatever class system existed before should be reconstituted with exams allowing people to move up. Instead of another desperate cannibalistic society, this is one advanced beyond where Rick and company are and so large that if it comes to a battle -and it usually does - Rick simply can't compete in the numbers game.

[Melki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Red flags should be shooting up all over as Rick's group visits another Governor in a town that might as well be called This-Ain't-Gonna-End-Well.

I actually found this one pretty interesting: lots of possibly juicy storylines begin, there's a delicious sense of foreboding, and then . . . there's the Governor's asshole son.

Who's gonna do him in, and when's it gonna happen?

Hey, what else do you have to look forward to with this series?

[Brendan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

So the new villains have arrived and it has a very meh moment. I am starting to debate if I should continue this series, if the arc fails to deliver it might be bye bye. The long running series is looping storylines and I must admit the ambigious reason for the plague should be engaged soon. The arcs are just war after war and it would be nice to have the characters finding purpose other than living.

Robert Kirkman delivers a new setting and answers a question for one of the characters, I was pleasantly surprised by this moment. The whole should we trust them and should we not is all here again. The new township are corrupt with power and will find Rick a very tough person to deal with. Does this not sound familiar?

Why the 3.5?

I found this on par with the other volume 29. It is just world building for the next conflict and I have a feeling it will be ending in bloodshed all over again. Negan is probably the most interesting character at this moment and point. He is unpredictable and one of those characters that deserve more focus. A big shake up is needed, the Tv show is just about to lose Rick so that will be an interesting twist. I'm unsure if they can do it within the books, he is the backbone to the series and to have him killed or leave would be very different. Maybe they could have him exiled, I'll give you that for free Robert Kirkman. This long running series has recycled plot points and it is starting to wear thin. I hope Kirkman can bounce back and stop this from falling into the melodramatic series it seems to be at the moment.

My next book is the Saga Volume 1 and 2

[Cori · Rating 3 out of 5]

We are in COMPLETELY uncharted territory now, people. COMPLETELY UNCHARTED! Let's crank this up to eleven and rip the knob off.

If you don't want spoilers, stop reading now.

Stop
Reading
Now

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.
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Eugene and Michonne's group meet soldiers and a representative from Radio Stephanie's settlement (called The Commonwealth). Tense at first, they're eventually dazzled by the sheer size and advancement of the settlement. Michonne finds a herself on a picture board of missing people, complete with a note to bring any information about her to her daughter.

They are taken to see Governor Milton. Michonne and her daughter, Elodie, are reunited.

Back at Hilltop, Maggie and Dante get bizzay.

We then open on a scene where the governor's son, Sebastian, and a random girl are getting hot and heavy in a field. They are nearly attacked by two zombies, but are rescued by the captain of the guard, Mercer. Milton rips into Mercer for allowing her child to come so close to danger.

Mercer and George commiserate about the burden of protecting The Commonwealth spoiled elite when Siddiq walks in and overhears them make a comment about wanting the elite dead. They tell him they're just venting.

Sophia has a meltdown and asks Maggie if Maggie loves her anymore since she has clearly stopped loving Glen. Maggie talks with her. They make up.

Elodie gets real with Maggie about how angry she's been with her for a long time. They make up.

Eugene and Stephanie meet and hit it off.

Sebastian meets, and makes a move on, Yumiko. He essentially forces his sleazy affections on her and when Magna intervenes, shoves Magna to the ground. This results in a chain reaction that ends with Princess knocking a half dozen soldiers on their butts with her (spear) butt. Mercer stops her. Sebastian backhands Elodie. When Michonne protests, Elodie asks her not to react because it's important they know their place. Sebastian proves his point by back handing Mercer, who is not amused but doesn't physically react. Sebastian scuttles away like a coward.

The group learns that The Commonwealth has a lower and upper class system all based on what class people were in before the end of the world. The upper class is essentially a ruling class.

The group takes Governor Milton back to meet Rick. Michonne stays in The Commonwealth with her daughter and accepts a swanky house for being a lawyer.

Dwight talks with Laura and seems to be coming around to reason after his temper flareup and anger at Rick. When he hears new people are on the way, he preps their military.

Rick and Governor Milton meet. Things go amiably at first. Rick tells Dwight to stand down with his militia and tells Milton he wants her soldiers to wait outside of town.

By the end of the book, Milton and Rick are not seeing eye to eye over leadership and ruling classes.

By the by, I love Princess.

I'd rate this a PG-13 for some swearing, adult themes, sexual scenes although no nudity, and violence and gore.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite up to the same level as some of the previous, recent volumes, but still this promises a nice, new direction for the series. I really appreciate that we've gotten to the point where the focus is more on the rebuilding of civilization than it is on fighting/killing zombies and there's more of that in this collection, as Eugene and his group meet the Commonwealth. At first, things look a bit menacing--the soldiers are all dressed in Stormtrooper-like gear and there's a bit of sizing each other up--but then we're treated to a glimpse of perhaps the largest and most civilized settlement we've seen yet (I wonder if there are horrors lurking underneath the surface?). And Michonne gets one of the best moments yet in this series. Still, things aren't perfect. It looks like the Commonwealth works via class system and when the Governor returns with the group to meet Rick and see Alexandria, there's some friction there that suggests what the next arc of this story is going to be: a clash between an egalitarian society and one modeled on the old order. I don't think, as some have suggested, that Kirkman is running out of story. I'm actually quite excited/interested to see where this is going.

[Mathias Villafañe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gran volumen de TWD. Le falto quizas un poco de accion.Aun asi estuvo muy bien logrado la trama de este tomo.Se nos introdujo a la commonwealth, aquella comunidad que hizo contacto eugene, y se nos mostro como viven. La lider de esta nueva comunidad es Pamela y luego de presentarles a los integrantes del grupo de rick la comunidad ,quiere conocer Alexandria. Pamela y su caravana van a alexandria y conoce a rick.Ambos lideres tienen grandes diferencias en cuanto a la forma de vida de sus respectivas comunidades y parece haber chispas y cierto conflicto entre ambos lideres.
Veremos como sigue el siguiente volumen...

[Etienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5/5. Not sure I care much for those characters and that story anymore. It feel so stretch and some parts of it are really repetitive. The only good point in this one is the beginning of a new «complex» civilization and that's intriguing. I will probably continue until I reach issue #200, to see if sometimes happen at this point, and it will also be easier to remember when I quit, but it would probably be the end of it for ma after that!

[Alondra Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

We meet a new "group"; Michonne meets someone from her past, and New World Order.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

New groups, new possibilities, and new potentials for trouble.... to be continued

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not much takes place in this volume in terms of action. It mostly acts as a pivot and beginning into a new arc that’s looking to be interesting.

One thing I think the comics do better than the show (which has lost the plot for the third year in a row) is that they are constantly evolving the story of rebuilding society. That’s the interesting part in this type of ongoing concept. Here we see the seeds planted of opposing ideologies over how societies should be rebuilt. Is Ricks ideal society of “fairness” enough to rebuild? Is a hierarchical system a natural building block in the evolution of society? Is Ricks society really fair? There’s a lot here to develop and I’m still in for the ride.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's amazing to me how a zombie comic with very little action can still be so compelling. This volume is short on the fighting but very deep on the human interaction. Rick's group has found a group that truly seems to be recreating society, but as is always the case there are still problems. In this case it's nothing as sinister as cannibalism, but more a case of civilization going back to the haves and have-nots. Also there's a pretty huge revelation regarding Michonne.

I suppose my investment in the characters is one reason I enjoyed this so much, as it's really more a bunch of talking heads than anything. Just a very good read for reasons you wouldn't expect from a horror comic.

[Gavin Hetherington]

To celebrate the series finale of the TV show, one of my favourite shows of all-time, I decided to read through the graphic novel series for the first time. You can check out my thoughts in a nearly 4-hour video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/iJkZPl2ANOU

[Eric Novello]

Tradução.
Qualquer comentário seria spoiler. Mas...
Momentos felizes para alguns personagens, pequenas tensões com outros e um tanto de reflexão sobre nosso sistema atual com classes sociais, desigualdade e privilégios vs. o esquema mais igualitário provocado pela epidemia de zumbis.