Written by Robert Kirkman, with art by Charlie Adlard.
This volume of the hardcover collection
covers the survivor's new life in the prison. The symbolism of our survivors
choosing to live in such a location smacks the reader square in the head, but
the location also makes sense. There are fences, gates, separate rooms (cells),
an infirmary, a playground, and a dining hall. And there are already a few
people living there, our crew quickly discovers.
There are (of course) some deaths among our crew, but by
this point readers are used to that brutal fact of life. This volume is mostly known for the
addition of Michonne to the cast. Now that she has appeared on the TV show, the
comic that contains her first appearance (#19) has greatly appreciated in
value. She is helpful with battling the undead, as her sword skills are very
strong. How exactly she survived so long
without being in community is a mystery, but her solitary journey seems to have left
its marks on her. Like almost everyone (to varying degrees), she seems a little
bit crazy.
These issues see the departure of previous artist Tony Moore, and the arrival of Charlie Adlard. The black-and-white aspects of these books makes the artist's style and skill more noticeable than in books where color can be a distraction. By reading these many years after the fact, I know that Moore does not return, and this knowledge makes me more accepting of the change than some who were reading the books as it originally came out.
Kirkman is expert at balancing the gruesome nature of the
world and its violence with the necessary character moments to make us care about
what happens in the world. It's the psychology of the survivor that is on
display as much as the zombies are. And it makes for a riveting read.
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