The Walking Dead, issues 109-120. Robert Kirkman
& Charlie Adlard.
We are continuing to see the natural results of Rick’s bad
decisions and poor leadership skills. After the events of the last batch of issues, our crew finds themselves marching to war
against Negan, who is clearly more rational than Rick, and has probably been making
better decisions. Even his killings seem to have a point, and his reactions to
the death of his own people are more logical and reasonable that Rick’s
reactions are, which are far more emotional and irrational.
The first attack by Negan on Rick’s community is defeated by
the literary device of “tiger ex machina,” as the character of King Ezekiel
comes to the rescue. Ezekiel debuted in the prior volume (reviewed here), and
has turned into an important character.
Ezekiel and Rick are able to ally with Jesus’ people on the
hilltop, and the three communities organize a massive attack on Negan’s
stronghold. Here, Rick’s strategic skills come to the forefront, and their plan
is audacious and potentially successful. Casualties are had on both sides,
though at the end of this volume, decisive victory has not been achieved by
either side. But I imagine that this storyline can’t last much further into the
next batch of issues.
Amidst all of the excitement of war, Kirkman is able to
develop characters in these issues. Ezekiel and his tiger Shiva spend some
quality time with Michonne, as do Rick and Andrea. That relationship is
reasonable and has grown slowly, although she needs to talk more sense into
Rick. Carl’s journey to potential eventual leadership continues, as he is
tasked with more responsibility, and acts with more responsibility.
Again, this range of issues more resembles a suspense or
action tale more than a horror tale. This ongoing fight for survival is not
just a battle with zombies, but a battle against humans, in a fight to define
humanity.
Source: public library
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