Part of my 'Walking Dead' theme day is going to be a review of all the comics. I've read all of them so far, and will be reading them again to give my 'great' insights on them. I don't know how many comics I'll review in each post, but it most definitely won't be one per post. It would take nearly two years to finish. And that's if I ONLY talked about the comics every week. I plan on talking about the show, the new game, action figures, and whatever else comes to me. Without further ado, let's get into Issue Numero Uno.
In Issue One, we get introduced to Officer Rick Grimes, who wakes up from a coma to find everyone has apparently vanished. He runs into Morgan and Duane, a father and son who are holed up in Rick's neighbor's house. Other than a couple encounters with Walkers, nothing much happens. And very little is explained. Slow start, but it's just to introduce Rick to the audience.
In Issue Two, we see Rick get rescued in Atlanta by Glenn, the first regular 'cast' member added to the mix. At the end of the issue, Glenn takes Rick to their makeshift camp, where in a twist, Lori and Carl (Rick's wife and son) are staying.
Right off the bat, in Issue 3, I notice two things. There are LOTS of new characters, and I can't STAND the way the artist drew Lori's lips. The first read-through, all I could think of while reading was, 'Lori has a mustache...'. It's just distracting. Dale's second interaction brings him to bring up Shane and Lori's relationship, which was weird after seeing the show, because 'tv' Dale didn't meddle until later on, and wasn't that intrusive. And Donna is instantly my least favorite 'speaking' character, because of her 'holier than thou' attitude. And of course, the tension between Rick and Shane is seeded into our minds...
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| A preview of the slow change that's to come for little Carl... |
Numbers Four and Five has Glenn and Rick going to get guns in the city (#4). In No. 5, two weeks have passed, with the group learning how to shoot. Andrea is the breakout star of that exercise, and it will become absolutely necessary later (trust me). The first major attack occurs at the very unsafe camp, with Amy getting bit, and Andrea shooting her before she turns. Jim also gets bit, but thinks it's 'just a scratch'.
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| Just SIX issues in. It took two complete seasons for the show to kill him off... |
Amazingly, in the comics, Shane doesn't last too long. It all comes to a head when Shane looks like he's going to kill Rick, when Carl steps in and shoots him in the neck.
After six issues, there are a LOT of characters to keep up with, but luckily not all have lines in each issue. Three characters died, and there's a long road ahead for the rest of the survivors. Oh, and Carl is still a kid at heart. It's weird to see him frolic around after seeing his demeanor change so much in the future issues.
Characters introduced: (Those who died in this Volume are crossed out)
Rick
Morgan & Duane (Father/Son)
Amy & Andrea (Sisters)
Glenn
Shane
Lori & Carl (Rick's Wife and Son)
Allen, Donna, Twins Billy & Ben (Husband/Wife & Kids)
Dale
Jim
Carol & Sophia
Just in case it's confusing, I put a panel from an issue, then talk about THAT issue directly below it. Let me know if it should be the other way (panel underneath a synopsis).
Whew!! So Rick kills Shane in the SIXTH issue of the comics. There are plenty of characters to keep an eye on (sometimes, not often, getting overwhelming, thanks to superb writing), the art, even though black & white, is crisp and clear, and it keeps you wanting more. With Issue #100 being released in two days, the longevity is showing through.
The aftermath of Shane's death is immediately dealt with. The group decides that Rick is the leader, and really should have been since he got there. Tyreese, his daughter Julie, and her boyfriend Chris are introduced. Initially, as I read through the comics, I didn't know if Tyreese was 'good' or 'bad', and my first impression was to be as cautious as the others were trying to be. And of course, Tyreese is just as cautious, as he should be. Oh, and sssssshhhhhhhh, Lori's
pregnant...
So Rick & Co. find a subdivision called 'Wiltshire Estates'. Plenty of houses. Just a few 'dead' in the basement of the house everyone stays in the first night. 'We could start a new life here.' Not so fast my friend (thanks Lee Corso). All the canned pears and warm beds can't hide the fact that they're in EXTREME danger. Hence the sign hanging outside the gate (that was covered by snow). S***'s about to go down...
Poor Donna... Just when she was removing the stick, she gets bitten in the face. The first casualty of the new arc. Remember the above picture, 'All Dead, Do Not Enter'? Well, the group finds that out the hard way. No food was taken, Donna gets her eye eaten out, and Julie & Chris get caught trying to make a baby by her Dad. Aside from Donna, though, they all made it. Of course now Allen has to raise twin boys on his own. How will THAT go? Read on, my faithful readers... Oh, and Otis shoots Carl. Otis can't catch a break, really.
In Issue 10, we get introduced to Hershel Greene and family. Carl's not dead, as you can see. Andrea gets in Allen's face about being a pansy. The big cliffhanger this issue? Hershel reveals there are Walkers in the barn. The tv show covers in two seasons what the comics did in about 12 issues. The comics have had lots of stories that won't make it into the show, and that's a shame. Maggie and Glenn begin their 'relationship'.
So the barn door flies open!! In the very next issue. At least they didn't spend many, many issues getting to the point, like the show did. Oh, and two of Hershel's children get eaten, Hershel admits he was a dumb-ass, everyone learns to shoot, and Julie & Chris have something up their sleeve...
Rick and Hershel come to a head, leading to Rick & Co. to leave the farm. Well, except for Glenn, who stays because of Maggie. Hey, at least no one dies. The group has a hard time looking for food, but lo and behold, at the end of the second arc, they find The Prison. It's just starting to get good. The Prison is the setting for the third season of the tv show, and it begins the third arc of the comics. If only people knew what was about to happen...
So there it is, my second review of the comics. Twelve issues down, eighty seven to go. If you have any suggestions for what I could include in 'The Walking Dead' day, let me know. I have a lot of comics and tv show episodes to review, but eventually I'll run out. What would you like to see?
Character's Introduced:
Tyreese & Julie (Dad & daughter)
Chris (Julie's boyfriend)
Otis & his girlfriend Patricia
Hershel Green
Chip and Maggie (Hershel's kids)
Rachel and Susie (Hershel's twin girls)
Characters Killed:
Donna
Characters Introduced AND Killed:
Lacey & Arnold (Hershel's children)
They didn't spend much time on the farm, huh? On to the prison. Lots of interesting things happen while at the prison. And I'll go ahead and say this: The prison is the setting until the end of Issue #48. So after this review, there's still five more posts about their time at the prison, if I keep it to six issues per post. You ready to dive into it? If you want to catch up on my reviews, click the links below. If you're ready, then let's hit it.
In the first issue of the third story arc, Rick & Co. start cleaning out the prison. They're going to be there for a while, so they deal with the onslaught of the first wave of Walkers, then head into the prison, where they find out they are not alone. Four prisoners are in the cafeteria eating meatloaf...
Rick & Co. get a tour of the place. There's a room where all the prisoners used as a bathroom, but eventually shut for good because of no ventilation. That'll come in handy later. Rick decides to tell Hershel (who just tried to kill him) about the Prison. Lori does not like the fact that Dexter is in prison for murder.
Remember when I said that Julie and Chris were planning something? Well, as you can see by the scan above, it wasn't to go buy a kitten together. The two had sex, then, in a twist, decided to go through with a double-murder pact. Only Chris pulled his trigger first...
Not only does Chris shoot Julie first, he shoots her again when she turns. Needless to say, Chris is dead within the first couple of pages. Rick realizes people turn even without getting bitten, and decides to finish off Shane (since he was buried without getting shot in the head. Tyreese, still dealing with the loss of his daughter, goes deep into a room full of Walkers, getting surrounded by them. And in one of the most graphic shots of the series so far, Hershel finds his twin daughter's Rachel and Susie with their HEADS cut off in the barber room.
Dexter gets accused of killing Rachel and Susie, and everyone deals with the aftermath of Tyreese getting eaten. Carol, who's slowly losing her mind, kisses Lori. At the end, you find out THOMAS was the killer, not Dexter. And Andrea's in trouble...
Andrea's fending off Thomas while Dexter is locked up, making plans to take over Rick & Co. And hey, Carl FINALLY says he'll be Sophia's boyfriend. I mean, FINALLY, right?! Rick is still reeling from the discovery of the twin girls when Andrea practically busts the doors down, running from Thomas. Then Rick goes ballistic. He mangles his hand beating Thomas to a pulp, then decides alone that they're going to kill him for killing the girls. He finally puts Lori in her place, because apparently she still believes they're in the old world.
I wish the comics were in color sometimes, because you probably could see smaller details better. I would love to see what's actually wrong with Rick's hand. It looks like there's bone sticking out, but I do know it's mangled. After Dale patches Andrea up, they talk about leaving the Prison. That's going to be a huge decision later on. I'm talking life or death decision.
Oh, and remember the room that the prisoners used as a bathroom, then closed it off due to no ventilation? They throw Thomas in there. Rick quickly gets him out, since he would suffocate after a little while. Patricia's dumb-ass tries to save Thomas, then Thomas, without blinking, attacks her. Everyone comes to see what's happening, but Maggie blows a hole through his torso from the back before anyone can say anything.
The big arc-ender, after they throw Dead Thomas to the Walkers, is Dexter & Andrew showing Rick & Co. they now have the upper hand with all kinds of firepower and armor. Oh, and who's now with them?! Patricia's ungrateful, killer-helping self. What's going to happen next?
The Governor, Michonne, and more craziness is up next. It's going to get awesome.
Characters Introduced:
Prisoners (Alex, Dexter, & Andrew)
Characters Killed:
Chris & Julie
Rachel & Susie
Characters Introduced AND Killed:
Thomas (Prisoner)
I'm proud of myself for continuing to review the comics. Right now there are 102 issues, so we're still in the very beginning. Stay comfy, subscribe, tell your friends, and keep reading!!
What happens to Rick & Co.?! Will Lori EVER learn to shut up?! How many people die in the next six issues?! Read on to find out!!
Ah yes, the first appearance of Michonne. Immediately, she's known as a bad-ass because she's alone out in the madness. I'm not sure, but I think Michonne is the only character I didn't have any doubts that she was a 'good guy'. All the others, I had to wait and see. Another spoiler: Michonne, introduced in Issue #19, is still around, in Issue #102. Besides the original cast, I think she's lasted the longest.
Anyway, back to Dexter vs. Rick. Dumb-ass Patricia helped Dexter, and now everyone's at risk of dying. Luckily for Rick & Co., a horde of walkers attack from the area that Dexter got the guns from, so they all have to band together to come out on top.
But surprise!!, Rick takes the opportunity in the confusion and shooting to take an easy head-shot on Dexter. Only Tyreese sees what happened. That won't come back to haunt Rick. Riiiiight. Michonne gets herself a cell after offing her two Walker companions, and Andrew (Dexter's boyfriend) decides he'd rather run into the wilderness than to stay with the people he was about to kill. So bye-bye Andrew. So far, the only character, that I can remember anyway, that has left the comics any other way than dying.
Uh-ohhhhhh!!! Poor Allen.
After every major conflict in the comics, I find myself thinking "What else can they do?". Sure, the Dexter threat is over with, but there's SO much more to come. I will say this, though: After every conflict, it seems like everyone and their Mama all the sudden becomes comfortable again. I don't know why, but hey, they'll learn, right?
Let's get back to the above picture. Poor Allen FIIIINALLY decides to help out with something, and what happens? He gets bit. Poor bastard. But hey, in the other group, Tyreese and Dale find a huge generator. So maybe they can watch a movie or something. Who knows?
Oh, and in the early pages of #20, they show the skeleton of Thomas lying on the ground outside of the gate. Good stuff. And Andrea makes clothes for everyone out of the prisoners jumpsuits.
See that guy? That's Axel. It's probably the only scan that I'll show on the blog. Not because he's a useless or uninteresting character, but because he's usually not part of any major story. But here, Hershel cuts his hair to tie off... I'm getting ahead of myself.
Okay, so Allen gets bitten around the ankle/Achilles heel. Rick has the brilliant idea to cut off his leg to save him. It might actually be brilliant, because remember, the bite doesn't cause you to become a 'Walker', dying does. The bite just eventually kills you. So Rick cuts it off and ties it off with a belt, but then Hershel comes along and says he did it wrong. THAT'S when he cuts Axel's hair to tie off Allen's blood vessels.
Oh, and here's a bonus panel. I was going to try and describe it, but nothing can describe the second panel in this picture better than showing it.
It looks like Rick and Tyreese decide to play 'patty cake' before cutting off the leg. I just can't imagine what that panel is actually trying to show, so if you know, please enlighten me. I had to show it, though.
Carol tries to find Tyreese, and does, but he's getting...serviced...by Michonne in the weight room. Uh...oh... And at the end of the issue, Andrea catches Michonne talking to herself, though it seems as she's talking to another person. Maybe Michonne isn't all the way there...
Tyreese doesn't like Rick's decision to cut off Allen's leg, which leads us too...
Rick and Tyreese finally have a show down. And show down it is. Carol has slit her wrists, and Rick goes to tell Tyreese. Michonne is kissing Tyreese, and well, Rick takes offense to that.
It's about time they fight. Those two are pretty much the two 'alpha males' in the group, so something had to give. And since there hasn't been that much of a threat to the group in a while (not counting Dexter, since his threat lasted an entire what, two or three pages?), there needed to be some action.
The issue ends with the first punch Tyreese lands. That's a big dude. I can't say I envy Rick.
Tyreese tells what he did to Chris, which is pretty gruesome, and finally reveals that Rick shot Dexter. Carol's actually going to live, and poor Allen dies. Then Rick passes out.
Issue 23 is pretty much just the fight between the two. I think the whole situation is getting to Rick a little bit, which again, leads us to...
There's always someone losing their mind in this comic. Carol, who has kissed Lori at one point, kisses Rick after he wakes up from his 26 hour coma. Let's see how that goes...
Amazingly, everyone can't get over the fact that Rick killed Dexter. Not that he hacked Allen's leg off, not that he attacked Thomas, but that he killed Dexter. I'm sorry, but I feel the way Rick does on this. Dexter, if he hadn't been shot by Rick, would have kicked them all out or shot them after the Walker attack was over. He did what he had to do. For the group. Ungrateful bastards.
While he's out, the rest of the group decides to alleviate the pressure on him, and form a 'decision making' committee consisting of Rick, Tyreese, Dale, and Hershel. Maybe that'll help things. And Rick's speech at the end of this issue (and arc) sounds a lot like Rick's speech at the end of Season 2 of the show.
Characters Introduced:
Michonne
Characters Killed/Written Off:
Dexter
Andrew (Run away)
