What do you think?
Rate this book
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead, Vol. 25: No Turning Back
After a devastating act of war by the Whisperers, Rick must chart a path for his community. But when his leadership is questioned, how will he respond? Collects THE WALKING DEAD #145-150.
136 pages, Comics
First published April 5, 2016
About the author
Robert Kirkman
2,622 books6,546 followersRobert 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.
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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 520 reviews
October 7, 2016
Everyone needs to calm down.
Now just repeat that for 5 issues, and you have the gist of this volume's plot.
Warning: May be some spoilers!
shrugs
Even though there wasn't anything incredibly shocking going on, I still enjoyed reading it. I'm getting the distinct feeling that the zombie threat is something that's gonna remain background noise from here on out. The Whisperers are the Big Bad now, and while the dead are still a threat, the main enemy is always going to be the humans.
This may not be the most exciting title out there right now, but Kirkman knows how to keep an audience captivated with the more mundane (for a book about the zombie apocalypse!) aspects of things.
Things like: Fistfights with your best friend!
Mob brawls!
Conspiratorial whispering!
Apologies!
Making out with guys who are missing an eyelid!
Pulling a gun on your girlfriend when she tries to shoot your mom!
And chewing through your attackers neck!
So. That about sums up No Turning Back.
Oh, wait! One more thing!
Rick gets so desperate, that he actually asks Dr. Evil if he can give him any tips on how to run the place better...
So what happens when Rick starts taking advice from Negan?
Well, that's certainly not going to come back and bite him in the ass...
Now just repeat that for 5 issues, and you have the gist of this volume's plot.
Warning: May be some spoilers!
shrugs
Even though there wasn't anything incredibly shocking going on, I still enjoyed reading it. I'm getting the distinct feeling that the zombie threat is something that's gonna remain background noise from here on out. The Whisperers are the Big Bad now, and while the dead are still a threat, the main enemy is always going to be the humans.
This may not be the most exciting title out there right now, but Kirkman knows how to keep an audience captivated with the more mundane (for a book about the zombie apocalypse!) aspects of things.
Things like: Fistfights with your best friend!
Mob brawls!
Conspiratorial whispering!
Apologies!
Making out with guys who are missing an eyelid!
Pulling a gun on your girlfriend when she tries to shoot your mom!
And chewing through your attackers neck!
So. That about sums up No Turning Back.
Oh, wait! One more thing!
Rick gets so desperate, that he actually asks Dr. Evil if he can give him any tips on how to run the place better...
So what happens when Rick starts taking advice from Negan?
Well, that's certainly not going to come back and bite him in the ass...
June 22, 2016
In the zombie apocalypse, there will be no court-appointed anger management workshops.
Which is sad because the Whisperers set up a boundary and over-stepped their boundary all at once and everyone is enraged.
To suss out that statement, read the comic.
If you can’t read the caption or if you can and can’t understand Portuguese, Rick’s saying: “Calm down. Don’t do anything stupid. I’ll come up with a plan, but in the meantime Robert Kirkman needs five issues to come up with a way to advance the plot, so I’ll be repeating this mantra at least a dozen times. No worries!”
Rick’s in a quandary, he has to formulate a plan, but everyone’s mad at him because he’s doing it way to slow.
Way to put the smackdown on Rick, Maggie.
What’s Rick to do? Well, he seeks advice from a character far more interesting than himself – Negan.
When things get even more far gone, Rick also pulls an old play from the past to save his ass. .
But finally:
Anticlimactic, no?
Bottom Line: After reinvigorating this book with the whole Whisperers thing, Kirkman has invited Talky Von Talkerson to take over the writing chores.
Welcome back, Lucille!
Which is sad because the Whisperers set up a boundary and over-stepped their boundary all at once and everyone is enraged.
To suss out that statement, read the comic.
If you can’t read the caption or if you can and can’t understand Portuguese, Rick’s saying: “Calm down. Don’t do anything stupid. I’ll come up with a plan, but in the meantime Robert Kirkman needs five issues to come up with a way to advance the plot, so I’ll be repeating this mantra at least a dozen times. No worries!”
Rick’s in a quandary, he has to formulate a plan, but everyone’s mad at him because he’s doing it way to slow.
Way to put the smackdown on Rick, Maggie.
What’s Rick to do? Well, he seeks advice from a character far more interesting than himself – Negan.
When things get even more far gone, Rick also pulls an old play from the past to save his ass. .
But finally:
Anticlimactic, no?
Bottom Line: After reinvigorating this book with the whole Whisperers thing, Kirkman has invited Talky Von Talkerson to take over the writing chores.
Welcome back, Lucille!
April 6, 2016
Yayyyyyyyyyyyy more filler!
-No Reader Ever
Anyway- it's Robert Kirkman. It's the Walking Dead.
Will I complain about it?
No.
Will I stop reading them?
No.
Will I whine?
Probably a little.
He's building up again. And we all know what happens when he does this. Epic war scenes happen. People die brutally. Walkers get in the way and create more chaos.
It's great fun!
I like where Kirkman is taking us. I think he's steadily been leading us here the whole time. It's time to get serious about taking the world back. I'm all aboard.
Keep up the good work, Kirkman. Even the mediocre work. I'll keep sending you money.
August 12, 2016
This was more of a transitional volume. Seems like every few volumes there is one where our cast regroups and not much happens besides some social conflict, deep personal battles, or the reestablishment of order after major happenings in the volume before. This was one of those volumes.
For me, the most interesting part that whets my interest for the next volume is
For me, the most interesting part that whets my interest for the next volume is
February 8, 2020
First read: February 17th 2017
Re-read: February 8th 2020
actual rating: 3.5/5
This issue was a filler issue to get everyone ready for a war against the whisperers which is definitely going to happen in the next issue. A whole lot of nothing really happened in this issue and i'm not surprised as you need to tell a story and move it along and build it up to get to the climax of a certain story line.
The communities are reeling from the death of 12 of there own people after the whisperers killed them and put there heads on spikes. I'm surprised that it was the communities wanting to go to war with the whisperers and not Rick himself, it's like the story did a complete 180 because never in the whole series of the walking dead that i have read so far has the people in the community wanting to go and fight. Rick had to go through the motions to get himself to actually want to fight because he is scared and didn't want things to go back to the way they were which is understandable after the huge amount of people they've lost along the way.
One thing that i was surprised with is that Rick actually went to Negan for help and advice to get this thing going.. i just hope that Negan doesn't betray rick in any way.
as i said this issue was nothing more then a filler so not a lot happened but just story progression which was nice to see and i am excited to see what happens in issue 26.
Re-read: February 8th 2020
actual rating: 3.5/5
This issue was a filler issue to get everyone ready for a war against the whisperers which is definitely going to happen in the next issue. A whole lot of nothing really happened in this issue and i'm not surprised as you need to tell a story and move it along and build it up to get to the climax of a certain story line.
The communities are reeling from the death of 12 of there own people after the whisperers killed them and put there heads on spikes. I'm surprised that it was the communities wanting to go to war with the whisperers and not Rick himself, it's like the story did a complete 180 because never in the whole series of the walking dead that i have read so far has the people in the community wanting to go and fight. Rick had to go through the motions to get himself to actually want to fight because he is scared and didn't want things to go back to the way they were which is understandable after the huge amount of people they've lost along the way.
One thing that i was surprised with is that Rick actually went to Negan for help and advice to get this thing going.. i just hope that Negan doesn't betray rick in any way.
as i said this issue was nothing more then a filler so not a lot happened but just story progression which was nice to see and i am excited to see what happens in issue 26.
January 7, 2024
The threat of the Whisperers and their massacre of 12 people including Ezekiel puts all of Team Rick into a quandary: risk another all out war so close on the heels of the one against the Saviors or play it safe. Lydia barely gets out of Alexandria and Rick is nearly killed in the conflict, he saves himself by chewing through his adversaries jugular like he did way back against the cannibals if memory serves. A gruesome episode.
January 14, 2016
Oh, that bugger Negan and his sinister machinations from the safety of his prison cell...
Things are getting all twisty-turny in the three human settlements, with the balance of power shifting and general unrest and disapproval of the decisions made by the three leaders. Nobody knows who they can trust and the pressure of the Whisperers camp nearby is making the stress levels whistle like an old-fashioned tea kettle. I do believe things are going to kick off in a big way very soon, particularly after the events of the giant-sized #150.
I really, really, really hope Negan gets his comeuppance at some point and Kirkman & Co. don't bow to the desires of a vocal part of their audience that seems to see him as some kind of anti-hero! Why do some people elevate these evil bastards to folk hero status? It's completely beyond me...
Anyway, I'm very much looking forward to the next chapter. Bring it on!
Things are getting all twisty-turny in the three human settlements, with the balance of power shifting and general unrest and disapproval of the decisions made by the three leaders. Nobody knows who they can trust and the pressure of the Whisperers camp nearby is making the stress levels whistle like an old-fashioned tea kettle. I do believe things are going to kick off in a big way very soon, particularly after the events of the giant-sized #150.
I really, really, really hope Negan gets his comeuppance at some point and Kirkman & Co. don't bow to the desires of a vocal part of their audience that seems to see him as some kind of anti-hero! Why do some people elevate these evil bastards to folk hero status? It's completely beyond me...
Anyway, I'm very much looking forward to the next chapter. Bring it on!
November 23, 2021
Continually one of the best books out there. In this volume Rick must figure out what to do about the Whisperers and their red line in the sand they left at the end of the last book.
April 4, 2016
I don't know how I'm going to survive another 5-6 months without continuing this story. I think I have to start buying the individual issues.
So. Damn. Good. I don't want this to ever end!
So. Damn. Good. I don't want this to ever end!
January 10, 2017
Another great volume, even if a bit slow and light on the plot. Rick has grown so much as a character, from being an annoying and unlikeable douche who loves to give long speeches in early volumes, into a wise, strong and complicated person, who, yes, still loves to give long speeches. Eh, at least Kirkman has gotten better at writing those. An excellent addition to the series!
April 20, 2016
It should’ve been a time for celebration but Alpha and the Whisperers have brought tragedy and horror to the townspeople of Alexandria. Now, the friends and family of the victims demand action from their leader Rick Grimes - instant retaliation - especially against the one former Whisperer in their midst, Lydia, Alpha’s troubled teenage daughter. With pressure building each hour he doesn’t act, Rick turns to an unlikely advisor for answers.
I’m definitely not a Robert Kirkman fanboy who five stars everything he puts his name to and The Walking Dead has been a very uneven series with some seriously awesome and terrible books, the large majority being mediocre; BUT, all that said, credit where it’s due: he really hits a home-run with this one.
No Turning Back isn’t a plot-heavy book, it’s a character-driven episode specifically focused on Rick that’s never boring. Kirkman has in the past fumbled some crucial character moments and key speeches (he’ll never live down the “WE are the Walking Dead!” splash page) but he’s gotten much better over the years. More importantly he’s really gotten to know Rick inside and out - and it shows.
Rick faces some tough choices but Kirkman shows him working through his thought-processes and complicated feelings through some superb one-on-one conversations with Maggie, Andrea, Michonne, Eugene, and, yes, Negan. All are utterly compelling and convincingly-written and Negan is really becoming a likeable villain in his role as dark advisor to Rick - the voice giving substance to the hard decisions Rick has to make. Negan’s still an evil fuck though - never forget what he did to Glenn!
Though most of the book is The Rick Grimes Show, Kirkman doesn’t forget to show us the other plates he’s got spinning. We see Alpha’s reaction to losing Lydia, Carl and Lydia’s blossoming relationship (ah, to be in love during the zombie apocalypse!), Eugene’s tinkering with the radio (that you know is going to come into play big time soon), and even Dwight, Negan’s former lackey, continues his strange journey. When he’s on, he’s on, and Kirkman does a fantastic job of keeping all those storylines going strong.
There’s really no part of the book I’d say was weak or uninteresting - I was in for the whole thing and loved the finale and the direction the series is taking. The Walking Dead is at its best when it’s got an Us vs Them storyline and Rick’s people vs the Whisperers looks to be something special. And there wasn’t even a single freakin’ zombie in this one!
Kirkman’s got a great balance at the moment - tease out enough story, let it settle and show us the characters’ reactions, then let loose more story, then settle, and so on. It really builds up the tension well and keeps the reader fully engaged.
Against all odds, the series keeps going, better than ever. Unless you hate Rick Grimes (why are you still reading the series if you are?!), you’re gonna love this one.
I’m definitely not a Robert Kirkman fanboy who five stars everything he puts his name to and The Walking Dead has been a very uneven series with some seriously awesome and terrible books, the large majority being mediocre; BUT, all that said, credit where it’s due: he really hits a home-run with this one.
No Turning Back isn’t a plot-heavy book, it’s a character-driven episode specifically focused on Rick that’s never boring. Kirkman has in the past fumbled some crucial character moments and key speeches (he’ll never live down the “WE are the Walking Dead!” splash page) but he’s gotten much better over the years. More importantly he’s really gotten to know Rick inside and out - and it shows.
Rick faces some tough choices but Kirkman shows him working through his thought-processes and complicated feelings through some superb one-on-one conversations with Maggie, Andrea, Michonne, Eugene, and, yes, Negan. All are utterly compelling and convincingly-written and Negan is really becoming a likeable villain in his role as dark advisor to Rick - the voice giving substance to the hard decisions Rick has to make. Negan’s still an evil fuck though - never forget what he did to Glenn!
Though most of the book is The Rick Grimes Show, Kirkman doesn’t forget to show us the other plates he’s got spinning. We see Alpha’s reaction to losing Lydia, Carl and Lydia’s blossoming relationship (ah, to be in love during the zombie apocalypse!), Eugene’s tinkering with the radio (that you know is going to come into play big time soon), and even Dwight, Negan’s former lackey, continues his strange journey. When he’s on, he’s on, and Kirkman does a fantastic job of keeping all those storylines going strong.
There’s really no part of the book I’d say was weak or uninteresting - I was in for the whole thing and loved the finale and the direction the series is taking. The Walking Dead is at its best when it’s got an Us vs Them storyline and Rick’s people vs the Whisperers looks to be something special. And there wasn’t even a single freakin’ zombie in this one!
Kirkman’s got a great balance at the moment - tease out enough story, let it settle and show us the characters’ reactions, then let loose more story, then settle, and so on. It really builds up the tension well and keeps the reader fully engaged.
Against all odds, the series keeps going, better than ever. Unless you hate Rick Grimes (why are you still reading the series if you are?!), you’re gonna love this one.
October 1, 2016
Can't wait to read vol. 26
March 31, 2017
The aftermath of the Whisperers and "The Border" is pretty slow, a lot like the issues after we met Lucille and Negan. The similarities continue: Carl takes a field trip, Rick's leadership is questioned, and the plot continues to build towards what appears to be an inevitable conclusion. Can't wait for Vol. 26!
April 16, 2019
Not a single walker. Hmm...
Hmm?
Hmm?
June 24, 2020
WTF, last volume? So many gone? If a Whisperer whispers in the woods, and no one else is there, did they whisper? The people want to retaliate straight away, but Rick says no?
Dwight, Maggie, Rick and The Kingdom's people are all in shock from Alpha's message. And instead of working together the begin to turning on one another! The creative team play well in evolving the big four Carl, Maggie, Michonne and Rick's characters in this volume as we get even deeper into how they work and what they want. The Whisperers continue to be a mysterious and absorbing community... but it still feels like an imprisoned Negan is stealing the show. 9 out of 12.
Dwight, Maggie, Rick and The Kingdom's people are all in shock from Alpha's message. And instead of working together the begin to turning on one another! The creative team play well in evolving the big four Carl, Maggie, Michonne and Rick's characters in this volume as we get even deeper into how they work and what they want. The Whisperers continue to be a mysterious and absorbing community... but it still feels like an imprisoned Negan is stealing the show. 9 out of 12.
July 6, 2018
The overarching theme of the series, how to survive when civilization falls apart without becoming a savage yourself, is fairly prominent in this volume. The story continues in the bloody aftermath of the first meetup with the Whisperers. A lot of strong character development of secondary characters including Dwight and Eugene. And, of course, the weirdness of Negan as the philosopher-king giving Rick advice.
August 18, 2016
**No spoilers**
I didn't hate it but it was just basically talking nonstop. I know not every volume can't be constant action and death, but there was literally no zombies in it at all. I can't really think of much else to because not much happened. It was a good build up to the next big inevitable battle, just not mind blowing.
I didn't hate it but it was just basically talking nonstop. I know not every volume can't be constant action and death, but there was literally no zombies in it at all. I can't really think of much else to because not much happened. It was a good build up to the next big inevitable battle, just not mind blowing.
March 17, 2018
We needed to have a sort of cool down period after the horrifying events of the last volume, and this is it. That balance of ups and downs is needed in a series like this, something to tie you over, help you recuperate before it all becomes too much. The issues collected in this volume aren't necessarily "fluff" but development needed to tie it to the next series of events. After Negan and the Saviors I didn't know if the comic could keep up its pace or quality, but this whole story arc has been incredibly well written and has had some amazing moments of character growth and development. Can't wait to see what happens next, and THAT is a good thing . . .
February 23, 2020
This volume felt slower paced than the last few. All the content is important story progress, but still lagged a bit for me. Here's a side-by-side show and book comparison. If you don't want major spoilers, stop reading.
.
.
.
The community learns of the death of their loves ones by the hands of the Whisperers. The communities call for blood; Maggie and Rick fight, but make up.
Eugene proposes they use Lydia to pressure Alpha, even if it means they may kill her if necessary. Rick puts his foot down and says no, but the dissension and anger grows. As Rick continues to try to keep peace, the anger is directed towards him.
Andrea takes Lydia and Carl to another community to keep Lydia safe. Rick talks to Michonne about her misplaced blame in the death of her family and Ezekiel.
Alpha kills one of her Whisperers who finds her crying about Lydia.
Rick addresses the community and all hell breaks loose. Physical violence erupts and he shoots a gun to get everyone to calm down. At his lowest point, he goes to Negan for advance. Surprisingly, Negan gives some sound, albeit twisted, advice.
Dwight shares with Laura that he is planning on leaving the Saviors and stepping down as leader. She reveals that she cares for him. He does leave and she goes with him. (Show: Dwight never stepped in as leader; Darryl did this. Dwight actually left looking for Sherry and stepped out of the show.)
Rick reassures Eugene that they're going after the Whisperers. As he leaves Eugene's house, he is attacked by Morton and Vincent. Morton takes things too far, and Rick kills him to survive. He uses his classic Rick Move of ripping out Morton's jugular with his teeth. Vincent runs.
Rick addresses the community and works them into a frenzy, promising them they will go after the Whisperers. He grants mercy to Vincent. Negan hears them chanting Rick's name and is pleased.
Okay, I have to get this off my chest. In one of the panels, Maggie is tossing her toddler, Herschel, in the air and catching him. The one view of Herschel's face makes him look like he's about eighteen years old. It's creepy.
I'd rate this book an R for swearing, violence and gore, some sexual references, and other adult references.
.
.
.
The community learns of the death of their loves ones by the hands of the Whisperers. The communities call for blood; Maggie and Rick fight, but make up.
Eugene proposes they use Lydia to pressure Alpha, even if it means they may kill her if necessary. Rick puts his foot down and says no, but the dissension and anger grows. As Rick continues to try to keep peace, the anger is directed towards him.
Andrea takes Lydia and Carl to another community to keep Lydia safe. Rick talks to Michonne about her misplaced blame in the death of her family and Ezekiel.
Alpha kills one of her Whisperers who finds her crying about Lydia.
Rick addresses the community and all hell breaks loose. Physical violence erupts and he shoots a gun to get everyone to calm down. At his lowest point, he goes to Negan for advance. Surprisingly, Negan gives some sound, albeit twisted, advice.
Dwight shares with Laura that he is planning on leaving the Saviors and stepping down as leader. She reveals that she cares for him. He does leave and she goes with him. (Show: Dwight never stepped in as leader; Darryl did this. Dwight actually left looking for Sherry and stepped out of the show.)
Rick reassures Eugene that they're going after the Whisperers. As he leaves Eugene's house, he is attacked by Morton and Vincent. Morton takes things too far, and Rick kills him to survive. He uses his classic Rick Move of ripping out Morton's jugular with his teeth. Vincent runs.
Rick addresses the community and works them into a frenzy, promising them they will go after the Whisperers. He grants mercy to Vincent. Negan hears them chanting Rick's name and is pleased.
Okay, I have to get this off my chest. In one of the panels, Maggie is tossing her toddler, Herschel, in the air and catching him. The one view of Herschel's face makes him look like he's about eighteen years old. It's creepy.
I'd rate this book an R for swearing, violence and gore, some sexual references, and other adult references.
April 25, 2016
it was okay , slow events but come on guys a whole volume and u don't even start to kill those $%#^#@ sadist crazy whispers , payback fast :( , rick starting to make angel decisions and that's really messed up and ppl now are so angry :(
August 22, 2016
*3.5*
Al fin se están levantando. Seriously el Rick calmado no me agrada mucho...
Al fin se están levantando. Seriously el Rick calmado no me agrada mucho...
June 22, 2021
This was such a great volume. After the last volume so may people are dead and the survivors are angry but also take time for funeral and they want to strike back at the Whisperers and before they target Lydia, Rick sends her away with Andrea. While he continues to console people and has talks with Negan about the best possible course of action, he is attacked by others and decides to form a military. Somewhere else Dwight and Laura join them and things are getting dramatic, murder-y and intense.
The world has changed again for them and its great to see Kirkman explore the brutality and savagery that people have and the lengths they will go to for vengeance and I love the meta commentary about short term anger and about morals and ethics and all. This volume has deep philosophical thoughts and makes you think a lot and also the story moves at a quick pace and I love the ending especially with whats gonna happen next and the art is pretty good for the most part!
The world has changed again for them and its great to see Kirkman explore the brutality and savagery that people have and the lengths they will go to for vengeance and I love the meta commentary about short term anger and about morals and ethics and all. This volume has deep philosophical thoughts and makes you think a lot and also the story moves at a quick pace and I love the ending especially with whats gonna happen next and the art is pretty good for the most part!
August 31, 2016
2.5 stars
Dang it.
The art is swell, but the story is just getting a bit boring. I know that's probably hard to believe, given the way the last book ended. There were flashes of action in this volume, but also a whole lot of talking. And the Negan storyline continues to be vexing and dumb.
I hope more happens in the next book and that Rick maybe does more and says less.
Dang it.
The art is swell, but the story is just getting a bit boring. I know that's probably hard to believe, given the way the last book ended. There were flashes of action in this volume, but also a whole lot of talking. And the Negan storyline continues to be vexing and dumb.
I hope more happens in the next book and that Rick maybe does more and says less.
March 13, 2017
Oh man, I haven't been watching the show AND I'm not enjoying the books as much. Perhaps the love affair is over???
April 28, 2016
This series has been all over the map throughout it's run, with wildly erratic dips and rises in the quality of the storylines.
But ever since the "All Out War" storyline, I feel the comic has been on a tremendous upswing, story-wise. It's interesting to see our "heroes" trying to forge a new civilization across multiple areas, with all the attendant drama that brings.
And while the comic is still ostensibly about zombies, I feel that, while the Zombies are an omnipresent menace, the shift to them as being more of a "nuisance" than a threat allows the comic to tell more human-centric stories, and are a welcome change of pace in this series (at least for me).
And while I didn't like Negan as a character initially, I am enjoying the current portrayal seeing him as a sort of "Shadowy Mentor" to Rick.
But ever since the "All Out War" storyline, I feel the comic has been on a tremendous upswing, story-wise. It's interesting to see our "heroes" trying to forge a new civilization across multiple areas, with all the attendant drama that brings.
And while the comic is still ostensibly about zombies, I feel that, while the Zombies are an omnipresent menace, the shift to them as being more of a "nuisance" than a threat allows the comic to tell more human-centric stories, and are a welcome change of pace in this series (at least for me).
And while I didn't like Negan as a character initially, I am enjoying the current portrayal seeing him as a sort of "Shadowy Mentor" to Rick.
August 1, 2017
This volume of The Walking Dead shifts gears from previous story arcs. Instead of focusing on the characters vs external threats, we get a story that focuses on internal dynamics and conflict.
I was a bit worried that it would not be good...but it was in fact amazing! Not only was this some great story-telling, but it obviously served to set up the next phase of the saga. And I believe things are about to get even better.
Kirkman continues to impress and entertain. I can't wait for the next volume!
I was a bit worried that it would not be good...but it was in fact amazing! Not only was this some great story-telling, but it obviously served to set up the next phase of the saga. And I believe things are about to get even better.
Kirkman continues to impress and entertain. I can't wait for the next volume!
January 31, 2016
ORIGINALLY POSTED: http://bibliomantics.com/2016/01/31/m...
If you have fallen behind on The Walking Dead, now is the time to catch up. This trade (which collects issues 145 to 150) deals with the aftermath of the new big bad's recent attack, features some awesome character development and gives readers more of what they want: Negan!
If you have fallen behind on The Walking Dead, now is the time to catch up. This trade (which collects issues 145 to 150) deals with the aftermath of the new big bad's recent attack, features some awesome character development and gives readers more of what they want: Negan!
September 23, 2016
Nothing too interesting happened in this volume, but I'm just generally really worried about everyone. And I don't know how I feel about Carl having sex. To me he's still a little (but slightly scary) boy. How many years have I been reading The Walking Dead already? It seems like forever.
February 21, 2017
This one was slow... I hope the next one will be faster and more action packed.
September 10, 2020
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.
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.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 520 reviews