The Walking Dead, Book Sixteen

The Walking Dead #31-32

by Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard (Artist), Stefano Gaudiano (Artist)

This hardcover features twelve issues of the hit comic book series, along with covers and a sketchbook, in one oversized hardcover volume. Perfect for long-time readers and fans of the AMC TV show.

Rick leads the Commonwealth's Governor, Pamela Milton, on a tour of the various communities Alexandria is aligned with. Naturally... terrible things begin to happen very quickly, and what's done can't be undone.

Collects THE WALKING DEAD #181-193

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

376 pages, Hardcover

First published September 10, 2019

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

[Noelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been reading The Walking Dead since I had heard there was a show coming out based off of the comics. I’ve collected all of the larger bindings of the issues. I’ve followed Rick and Carl Grimes from the beginning to the end of their story. I am privileged to have been one of the many fans to have delved into this world and been richly paid off by its ending

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, that's it. "The End" on the first graphic novel series I've ever read. I loved the whole series. I think I enjoyed the fact that this was completely different from the t.v. show. It contained some different characters and some have lived, some have died compared to the t.v. series. It ended well. It was time.

[Rafael Arroyo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Issue #192 was gut wrenching, it's incredible how invested we can get on made up characters and the world they inhabit, the end of an era...

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book of the series!!!!!!

I did a reread of the last book in preparation of the final season of Walking Dead on the small screen

[Ádám Juhász · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Walking Dead

Befejeztem, vagyis már egy ideje, de most jutottam Kirkman utószavának a végére és gondoltam így teljes. Nehéz is lenne erről értékelést vagy véleményt írni hisz akkora monstrum, így meg se kísérlem.

Hatalmas kaland volt ezt végigolvasni 193 részen keresztül. Egyértelműen ez a leghosszabb képregény sorozat amit olvastam. Jó későn kezdtem bele, de a filmsorozatot elejétől néztem. Ugyanakkor az utolsó két könyv erejéig átérezhettem az "újra várakozás" élményét is így minden megvolt. Lehet 16 év alatt vontatva nem tetszett volna ennyire. Így a sorozat után illetve mellett óriási élményt nyújtott. Imádom azt a típusú adaptációt amikor hűek maradunk az eredeti műhöz de mégis más a sztori. Na ennek köszönhetően a képregény utólag egy percig sem volt unalmas, és amikor túlhaladtam a tévén ott vártam és várni fogom hogy oldják meg azt amit itt a képregényben... nagyon jó móka ez a párhuzam keresés, számomra legalábbis.

Hogy miért érdemes ezt elolvasni? Nem jövök ilyesmikkel, hogy ez alapmű, meg híres és meghatározó... annyi ilyen van, és egy csomó nem tetszik valakinek, egy csomó másik meg igen. A Walking dead annak való aki szereti az emberi sorsokat, aki szereti a jó karakterábrázolást és a csavarokkal teli drámát. Ez nem egy zombis sztori, a zombik kb marginálisan szerepelnek. Ez egy sima dráma emberekről, hogyan viselkednek poszt-apokaliptikus környezetben. Képregényesek közül azoknak ajánlom akik olvassák a szuperhős sztorikat és imádják amikor kicsit végre karakterépítés van. Ez a sorozat kb. végig karakterek építése, lerombolása, újraépítése, a halálok miatt cserélése, stb.

Úgy érzem Kirkman minden fontosabb poszt-apokaliptikus állomást érint a sztori során, mint a korai káosz, a számkivetett utazás, az ideiglenes otthonok, a permanens otthonok, a zombik a nagy ellenség, az emberek a nagy ellenség, na most ki is az igazi ellenség illetve az igazi poszt-apokaliptikus világképp, hogy mi lesz ebből a jövőben.

Az az igazság, hogy a közepe annyira erős volt ennek a sorozatnak, hogy a vége számomra nem lett annyira jó. Kicsit úgy érzem elkapkodták az utolsó story arc-ot, nem éreztem a katarzist mint a korábbi kettő során. Cserébe az epilógus történetszál jó, nagyon jó, látszik hogy ez volt az álma. Pedig be akarta fejezni a 72. résszel és negatív mondanivalóval. Mind örülhetünk, hogy nem tette, mert akkor nem lett volna Negan, Ezekiel, a Whispererek, a Commonwealth...

Kirkman az utószavában hatalmas arc, a rajongókhoz ír közvetlenül, megért mindenkit, aki szomorú, aki dühös, aki csalódott... ő kicsit mindegyik, mert 16 évig ez volt az élete. Véleményem szerint hatalmas munka volt, óriási kalandot adott a képregény olvasók számára amit érdemes egyszer elolvasni ha valakit kicsit is érdekel az emberi dráma műfaja.
10/10

[Erin Cataldi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly.... I wasn't disappointed. I had NO IDEA how this series was ever going to end, but Robert Kirkman pulled it off very well. It wasn't what I was necessarily expecting, but that's a good thing. I wanted something off the beaten path, that still felt fitting for a series that I have been invested in for nearly a decade. I really enjoyed the author's note at the end as well. Overall I am glad I stuck by this series. I really got invested in the characters and their journey to find life instead of just survival. One of a kind and I'm sad to see it end, but it's time. Great job Robert Kirkman, that ending got me a little choked up!!

[Kelly Lyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like this was rushed and I only got one shock out of the while thing.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't care what anyone says.


SPOILERS:

That was the perfect way to end a series.

[Earl C · Rating 4 out of 5]

The series ending was a bit of surprise for me. Overall I think fans will enjoy this volume. Of particular note are a fuller epilogue than most series include and some very interesting insights on the entire series and the journey from Kirkman's perspective.

On the whole, I am satisfied.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kirkman and company bring The Walking Dead series to a satisfying conclusion in this final hardcover volume of the dystopian zombie series. As we find out in Kirkman's closing words at the end of the book he never played his cards announcing an actual final issue so he had mock future issue covers and blurbs out months ahead of the actual final monthly issue. Very clever.
I was in a local comic shop when that last issue came out and over heard a phone call received about that issue and was also wondering why only one copy was allowed per person. I didn't follow the monthly series, but put two and two together and bought a copy without looking through it knowing it had to be an important piece of the Walking Dead puzzle having watched and kept up with the AMC series and reading these hardcover collections.
I was correct and wasn't too disappointed though I was shocked.
This collection details Rick and the groups adjustment to The Commonwealth and its governing and people. Naturally, not everything runs too nicely or it would make for a boring chapter.
Without getting into specifics for those that are planning on reading this I just have to say that Kirkman does the series justice and I thought it was not only a good way to bid it a bon voyage, but to close it out before it gets too repetitive and perhaps predictable.

[Ander Mombiela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Puessss llegó el final.

Qué contento estoy de haber recuperado esta historia después de todos estos años. El ritmo de la narración es perfecto: no se siente apresurado ni se extiende hasta volverse aburrido, como sí le pasaba a la serie de televisión. La ilustración va mejorando poco a poco y cuando se recrean en los paisajes durante los últimos volúmenes, ofrecen algunos de los mejores dibujos de toda la colección.

Con los últimos capítulos se han cumplido mis peores sospechas y lo he pasado mal, pero el 193 me ha sorprendido mucho. La nota de Kirkman del penúltimo episodio es toda una ironía teniendo en cuenta lo que sucede al final, y esa ha sido otra de las cosas que tanto me han gustado: la conclusión no llega de forma abrupta, con un simple The End y un "aquí te quedas". Mientras baja el telón, Kirkman te agradece que le hayas acompañado en este viaje contándote cómo surgió ese final y muchos otros secretos del desarrollo de la historia. Muy, muy interesante.

Al final resulta que The Walking Dead sí que era la historia sobre la capacidad de los ideales de una persona para cambiar el mundo y no sobre que los que sobreviben son los auténticos muertos vivientes.

[Liesl · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was, for the most part, a good run; the series showed its age toward the end and occasionally storylines started to feel repetitive, but overall I found reading this story from start to finish to be a rewarding experience. Although this final volume has a little too much Rick Grimes worship for my taste and the Commonwealth storyline ends up feeling rushed, the epilogue provides a satisfying wrap-up for the characters while concluding on a welcome optimistic note. The closing letter from Kirkman to readers contains his reasoning for ending the story when he did and a revelation that it could have ended sooner on a much bleaker note. I'm glad that he chose not to take that particular path, and I enjoyed the time that I got to spend with these individuals.

[Myron John · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful and perfect way to end this incredible series.
It is without question, one of the best books on leadership I have ever read.
Robert Kirkman’s letter to the readers at the end of it all brought a little tear to my eye as it was so nice and intimate to read such a candid and personal note about what this series has meant to him.
This is Harry Potter level storytelling and it deserves to be read, and reread again and again.

[Sonic · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I am being honest, I did not LOVE the ending of this Epic series, but maybe it's because of just the simple fact that it ended, and I did LOVE almost every bit along the way.
So, since this series was on the whole just so damn good, I am going to have to give this final book five stars out of respect for the whole adventure.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars - satisfied with the way things played out.

[Michael Mcdaid · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great way to end this series. I was sad to read the last one. I started reading these shortly after Season 1 of the show ended. Enjoyed this a lot. And glad to see it end the way it did. I don't think another graphic Novel will have much of an impact as this one did on me.

[Laurent Gauthier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellente fin pour la série!, je suis très satisfait, merci Robert Kirkman!

[Terry Comer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good conclusion to an excellent series.

[Soteralzobooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.2

[Charlocked (Bookish-Charlie) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow !! What an ending !
I can't deny Rick's fate made me angry but God, this man made it all possible.
I didn't realise it was over even as I was reading Robert Kirkman's final letter to the reader.
And then I started crying like a child when I read the simplest post-scriptum ever : "Negan Lives".
Even though I knew it, F**k, that was good news !

[Harrison Haug · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite possibly one of the best endings to a stories I have ever read.

[Aildiin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fitting end for an overall good serie.

[Eduardo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy shit. I didn't know and it caught me off guard.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m sad that it had to end. But it ended perfectly- it felt right. Kirkman, Adlard et al, well done. It was perfect.

[Joshua Sloan · Rating 4 out of 5]

After bingeing the entire series over the course of two weeks, I'm finally done. It's impressive that the series never dragged for more than a couple issues at a time. I understand the reason for the ending, even if I don't love it, but I also don't know what else could have been done. It's the challenge of any writer to end something in a satisfying way, and as a whole I think Kirkman was successful.

[JR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blew through this so fast. Was excited to see how the series ended and it did not disappoint! I loved this so much and this was how the tv series should have ended. Started with Rick and essentially end it with Rick/Carl. I like the flash forward at the end. Great end to a great series!

[Michael Sorbello · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a review of the entire series.

Rick Grimes is a strong-willed deputy who missed the end of the world because he was in a coma for a month after getting shot in the line of duty. Shaken, starving and confused, Rick escapes the horror of the abandoned hospital only to be met with something far more terrible. Not only has the world ended, but the dead have learned to walk and to kill without mercy. After learning that his wife and son have fled to Atlanta from a single survivor and his son, Rick goes on a journey to reunite with his family and search for more survivors.

Rick quickly has to come to terms with the fact that the world has ended and only a select few survived. The dead have risen from their graves and they prey on the living. In a world where every minute feels like hours, where there's no such thing as law and order, where finding a small meal is a tremendous task, the walking dead are quite possibly the least threatening thing for the survivors to have on their breaking minds. Humanity is pushed to the brink of destruction, forcing them to embrace their cruel and primal nature in order to survive. Sometimes you have to be more concerned about who you let into your community so they don't kill you in your sleep and steal everything you once cared about. Rick has no choice but to abandon the ways of law and order that he's upheld as an officer for so long in order to protect the few loved ones he has left. He has to become a monster to protect his crew or risk being devoured by those who became more monstrous than him and even the walking dead.

Despite zombies running the world and having the series named after them, what really sets this series apart from the average zombie apocalypse tale is the focus on realism and the daily struggles, flaws and depth of the characters. There's plenty of badass zombie killing action, but the action often takes a back seat to give the characters plenty of times to share their extremely tragic yet endearing stories, grow through mutual suffering and learn to adapt to a world that has left them to die. Even after the world has ended, many people still can't see eye to eye. They turn on each other and kill each other when they should come together. Others form alliances in spite of their differences and try to rebuild over the corpse of everything that was lost. The daily human drama and conflict is more intense than any monster apocalypse could hope to be.

We watch Rick struggle to balance his old moral code with the many necessary evils he has to commit in order to survive and make the world a better place for the ones he holds close. We watch people like Glen, Dale and Maggie attempt to find love in spite of having every reason to be filled with fear, hate and self-loathing. Characters like Michonne have to learn how to forgive themselves and convince themselves they deserve to be loved despite all the blood on their hands. We watch the weak like Carl and Andrea become strong and sometimes the strong become evil like The Governor. Even monsters like the wicked yet oddly lovable Negan are given the chance to find new ways of redeeming themselves by struggling alongside the other survivors that have all been changed by the horrors of the fallen world.

The pacing is extremely slow and I can understand why that may be a turnoff for a lot of people, but I eventually learned to enjoy watching the characters grow, overcome their trauma, find meaning in life and learn to love again. The characters are forced to do many terrible things to survive and it haunts them every waking moment. The ways they overcome these regrets is very realistic, human and hopeful. The slow pacing really gives the feeling that we're living beside these people. The way every tiny detail of their lives and who they are is explored makes them feel very real and believable.

When I first starting reading the series, I wasn't expecting it to have such an uplifting ending. It seemed so bleak and nihilistic for a long time and things would go horribly wrong even when they seemed to be going so well, but the finale channels all the pain, suffering and betrayal of the previous volumes and tops it off with a very touching and inspiring finish. This was never a story about hopelessness. It's about learning to appreciate the little things, learning to forgive yourself and learning to move on even when it's hard. When everything seems lost there's always more to be found, even when we believe otherwise because we convince ourselves that we don't deserve to be happy ever again. Instead of dwelling on what was lost, strive to try and make things better than they were before.

I've never been a huge fan of zombie apocalypse stories, but The Walking Dead had enough heart and strong social commentary to make me stick by the characters until the end and I enjoyed every moment of their long trial.

[Adam Stone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading the whole Walking Dead series in a row gives you a different perspective than reading the story piecemeal. In many ways, it feels less repetitive, and makes for a more satisfying experience. It's super interesting to watch the story turn from one of survival to one of recreating the world, to one of making sure the new world is better than the previous one. But the final turn, the one where Kirkman examines the political structures in the new world is super shakey. Volumes fourteen and fifteen give the impression that Kirkman isn't capable of handling it. The character beats feel off, the plot feels rushed, and the villainy is cartoonish. Especially after how well he crafted Negan.

Truth be told, the first half of this volume isn't great, either. It feels choppy, and like Kirkman is so desperate to reach certain points in the story that he forgets how to make moments land. The "WE ARE NOT THE WALKING DEAD" speech is as corny and overwritten as the "WE ARE THE WALKING DEAD" speech from the early days of the comic. It doesn't feel earned.

All that said, the final issue in this comic is as close to perfect as the series has ever been. A flash forward to see how the world has moved on, checking in with all the important surviving characters. And the plot, showing how the people who helped the world move on feel in the new world, is incredibly effective and affecting. It definitely validates the bumpy ride to the finish line.

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

In all honesty it is a bit surreal to close a volume of The Walking Dead and see "The End" grace the final page. This was of the first "indie" comics I ever started reading and it was an incredible adventure from start to finish. Much like Robert Kirkman's other lengthy series Invincible, it was so rewarding to be able to stick with a relatively consistent cast of characters across a rich and varied storyline.

Twists and turns certainly abounded in the initial volumes with grisly character deaths and a sense that the apocalypse was nigh but gradually the narrative expanded to show how the world kept on turning albeit in a different fashion.

The sudden ending of this series came as a surprise but upon further reflection (and having read Kirkman's concluding essay) I think things wrapped up in a way that effectively concluded the Rick Grimes' saga while leaving the reader with a sense of hope. One of the few Image comics to actually finish it's run without excessive delays (huge kudos to Charlie Adlard) or format changes. Sadly I think this will prove to be the exception rather than the rule as the industry continues to find new footing in the 21st century.

Regardless, The Walking Dead serves as a hallmark of the type of world that can be created within the comic medium and demonstrates the storytelling potential when you successfully combine unforgettable characters, set pieces, human struggles and a little zombie violence.

[George Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

At this point, The Walking Dead, as a TV show, feels like it’s been on forever, but it’s easy to forget that the comic book series it was based on has been in print since way back in 2003! This final book in the series has clearly been a very long time coming, but I feel like the writers ended this story in the best way they could, with an ending that felt meaningful and true to the story that lead up to this point, whilst also not feeling rushed or drawn out. Over time, The Walking Dead has evolved from a simple zombie survival story to a complex and quite in-depth social commentary, which asks questions about how to reorganise society following an apocalyptic catastrophe. I’ve always loved this comic series for its fast pace and willingness to sacrifice major characters for the sake of story progression (which this final volume is certainly also not afraid to do), but I’ve really grown to appreciate how mature and nuanced this story has become over time! Without spoiling anything, I absolutely loved the bittersweet ending this series finally earned in this final volume, and I’m glad the writers were able to end it at a time that felt natural to them as opposed to dragging this story out for as long as they possibly could. I’d recommend this series to anyone who’s a fan of the long-running TV adaptation, or anyone who wants to see a well-developed take on the zombie horror story genre with some interesting points to make!