The Walking Dead #68 – Review

by Robert Kirkman (writer), Charlie Adlard (pencils & inks), Cliff Rathburn (gray tones), and Rus Wooton (letters)

The Story: A mysterious new character, Aaron, makes our group a utopian offer.  But can he be trusted?

What’s Good: With this issue, Kirkman begins his next big arc and it looks to be a great one, if only because it uses the series’ age to its advantage.

This entire book hinges on the emotional wear and tear that the group has seen.  They’ve suffered so much death and horror that trusting an outsider, or believing in the possibility of something good, is almost impossible.  Aaron’s reception by the group serves as a chilling reminder of everything Rick and company have gone through.   That said, while their trust issues are merited, Kirkman also does a good job of making Aaron seem just nice enough to highlight how broken and dysfunctional our group has become; justified or not, they’ve become a paranoid and violent bunch.

Perhaps Kirkman’s greatest achievement however, is that in making a “trust issue themed” installment that draws upon the series’ lengthy run, he also fully involves the reader.  While five years of comics means that our characters have suffered a lot, it also means that we have read just as much.  With Kirkman’s distinctively merciless style, full of shocks, sudden deaths, and twisted developments, it’s perhaps even harder for us to trust Aaron than it is for the characters themselves.  Throughout the Walking Dead, we’ve constantly been hit with evil from around the corner, so really, it’s hard not to look at Aaron with a sense of dread, waiting for the shoe to drop as we wonder what awful surprise Kirkman has in store for us this time.  Our suspicion and paranoia, created by Kirkman over 67 issues, is the same anxiety that has come to paralyze Rick.

Finally, Charlie Adlard does a fantastic job this month with his illustrations of Aaron. Adlard manages to draw a “nice guy,” but there definitely is something quietly sinister about his appearance.  His facial expressions are dead on.

The Walking Dead #49 – Review

By Robert Kirkman (writer), Charlie Adlard (art), Cliff Rathburn (colors)

After the cataclysmic events of last issue we’re given a dramatic change of pace. It’s a pace many may not enjoy, but it’s one that I feel is necessary. Let’s face it, going into this issue there was no way Kirkman was going to top last issue. So, like what many readers will have to do, the surviving characters in this book pick up the pieces of their shattered lives and move on.

It’s not entirely revealed who survived the massacre at the prison, but we know Rick, his son Carl, and Michonne have made it through. We get a small glimpse of Michonne as she makes her way through the aftermath of the battlefield. Seemingly unphased, she searches for survivors. She does share a poignant moment with a certain someone and for that brief period, we get a glimpse of what’s left of her humanity (could this be the moment where she loses it?). Meanwhile, Rick and his son begin their new life on the run. They desperately try to find a safe harbor to rest leaving no time for mourning. It’s a somber issue whose tragedy is multiplied with the involvement of a child.

Robert Kirkman’s silent for most of this issue, setting the stage for Charlie Adlard to do most of the storytelling. Adlard has grown as an artist with this series and the panel work he does for the bathroom scene involving Rick are a culmination of his storytelling skills. All this leads to yet another gut wrenching final page (that I think many will see coming a mile away). And though the conclusion is a bit predictable, it still left me wondering: How much more can one person take?

Next issue moves the series in yet another drastic direction, continuing Kirkman’s excellent trend of keeping the reader guessing. To the naysayers out there: This series hasn’t jumped the shark yet! (Grade: B)

– J. Montes

A Second Opinion

After issue 48, I think everyone could use a bit of a breather. That said, I was a bit disappointed with how little we actually learn after the long wait. A little bit more written storytelling would have been nice, but, that said, the visuals we are given to move the story along are incredibly engaging. There are quite a few scenes that pack a nice emotional punch, and the “bathroom scene” does a solid job setting the stage for the next issue.

Overall, there really isn’t much I can add to Jason’s review. This was a solid issue of The Walking Dead, but not a whole lot really happened. It was satisfying and the visual storytelling was great, but a tad more information regarding the aftermath of the previous issue would have been welcomed. (Grade: B)

-Kyle Posluszny

A Third Opinion

I have to agree with both Jason and Kyle about the excellent visual storytelling of this issue. Adlard does a nice job with the “bathroom scene” but also with the campfire scene with Rick and his son. I do agree with Kyle that this issue lacked any resolution or insight into the series. After such a long wait for #49, I was expecting a little bit more from Kirkman. However, this lack of resolution helps the series in the long run as it’s condensed to trade format, which, in my opinion, it is a much better read. The cliffhangers and whole the waiting for the newest issue to come out seems to be wearing on this Walking Dead fan. (Grade: B+)

– Robert Hyland

The Walking Dead #47 – Review

By Robert Kirkman (writer), Charlie Adlard (art) Cliff Rathburn (gray tones)

Instead of trying to up the stakes after last issue’s riveting climax, Robert Kirkman throws us into the battle we’ve been waiting for. Michonne fires an errant shot that grazes the Governor’s face and takes out a bunch of his men before fleeing into the woods. This brush with death prompts the Governor to launch a full scale assault on the prison. It’s a completely irrational response, too. His men are demoralized, he’s wounded, and the most dangerous woman he’s ever faced is on the lose. But he realizes he may never get another chance.

Back at the prison, Rick delivers the horrible news of last issue’s events to his wife and son. It doesn’t go well with Lori, but his son, ever the anchor of sanity and rationalism in this book, takes the news well, while preparing himself for the worst. Soon, the battle begins and the survivors begin to fall – but not without inflicting heavy casualties to the Governor’s numbers. Finally, in a move that I’m surprised wasn’t used before, the tank busts through the fence, penetrating the prison walls. With their defenses compromised, Rick runs to his wife and son’s rescue.

While this issue didn’t stun me, it did what it usually does: entertain. We’ve finally  got the battle we’ve been waiting for and while this is only the first half, there’s already plenty of ramifications in store for the survivors. It all happens so fast, too, that we’re barely given time to mourn the loss of those who die. But in true fashion, Kirkman reminds us that this is a war, and there’ll be time to mourn the dead later. Right now, it’s a desperate fight for survival (for both sides) and we’ve gotta wait another month to see who lives. Argh! (Grade: B+)

– J. Montes