REVIEW: The Walking Dead - 50

Before I start, just so you know, I had to show off the brilliant Charlie Adlard wraparound cover in its entirety, rather than cutting it in half. The chilling picture of Carl surrounded by a horde of oncoming zombies was just crying out to be seen.

But anyway, I digress. On with issue 50...

***SPOILER ALERT***

So at the end of issue 49, Rick had passed out, leaving Carl alone in an abandoned house, having to fend for himself. Issue 50 picks up the beat immediately, and leaves the reader in a place he / she has never been before. Alone with Carl and his thoughts.

As you might expect any young kid to do - Carl goes through a mixture of emotions over being left alone, and having to fend for himself, and protect Rick from the dangers outside...

Initially, this issue was a bit of a mixed bag for me. It lacked the 'punch' of issue 48, or the 'dread' of issue 49, but was still interesting. I'm not going to lie though - right after reading it, I was a little torn, and swaying towards giving this issue three out of five.

But then I started to think about the issue a little. And I started to remember some of Carl's words as he was shouting at Rick's comatose body. Around here, I started to realise that Robert Kirkman had given us a rare insight into a character that most people had probably 'missed' or glossed over.

I sat down and began to think a little more about Carl as a character, and my opinion of him.

It became clear to me pretty quickly that I'd only ever seen him as a side-character. A character who I could do without, but a character that would continually be in Rick's thoughts. The only reason he was ever important to me, was because he was important to Rick.

I hadn't ever thought about all that Carl had lost, and how it might affect him. I'd only been thinking about how Rick would be affected. Issue 50 has made me do something pretty rare - see something that was underneath my nose all along.

An incredibly strong, but fragile character who is of equal importance to any other within the series.

Pete's Score: 4 out of 5
(a good issue - not quite the same as issue 48 or issue 49 but still thoroughly recommended)

And just before I sign off on this review - a quick extra for all of you Erik Larsen fans out there (yes - this one is partially for you mrATOMIC) - here's the alternative cover to issue 50...!

REVIEW: The Walking Dead - 1 (SE)

Those of you who read this blog on a regular basis will already know that I think The Walking Dead is pretty special. It's one of two comics to be given a five out of five rating - and a consistent 'best of show'.

So how cool is it to see a Special Edition of the first issue, now with added extras - the original script and the five page submission to Image Comics?

Pretty damn cool.

If you read my 'review' of issue 49, you'll know that I wasn't all that keen on Tony Moore's original take on the book, when compared to Charlie Adlard's later work. Looking back at this first issue however, you have to respect the way that he took Kirkman's story, and expanded upon it to create the horrific world that Rick inhabits today.

The original script is interesting to read (if you're into those kind of things), but even more interesting is the pre-comic submission.

A submission that was pretty far removed from what you see in today. And (as I was saying to my brother this evening) - is quite possibly something that neither of us would be reading today.

So is it worth buying issue 1 again?

Of course it is.

Pete's Score: 4 out of 5
(this comic ages wonderfully - and the extras make it a must - recommended to all)

REVIEW: The Walking Dead - 49

Right - I'll come out and say it. I wanted to give this book a 5. But - after I read it, and thought 'hell yeah', I remembered a couple of comments made by the guys in the comic book store.

"I thought it was a bit too much of a change of pace, from the past few issues. Could have been better."

This got me thinking.

I'll warn you now - this review isn't going to have any spoilers in it - it's just going to be some thoughts around issue 49, and where the book could be going in the future. So, having said that, there might be spoilers in here after all.

All by pure chance mind.

***MAJOR SPOILERS - POSSIBLY - ON THE OFF-CHANCE I'M RIGHT WITH ANY OF MY WILD GUESSES***

So here's the thing. The Walking Dead is consistently the best book I read every month, with no exception. I've been reading it since the late 20s (I can't remember exactly which issue - I know, I know) and off the top of my head, I really can't remember a bad book in its entire run.

And perhaps these opinions make me a little predisposed towards the comic.

Having said all those good words about the book - there is however a 'bad' point that springs to mind. Although it's one that was corrected a long time ago - Tony Moore's artwork. I much prefer Charlie Adlard's gritty artwork to Tony Moore's stylistic work in the first 7 issues.

But that's the only thing I can think of - and its really more of a personal preference than a bad point. And to be fair to him - Tony Moore's work is fantastic outside of The Walking Dead. Just not my cup of tea.

Now, because it's fairly obvious that I'm a teeny bit swayed towards the book, I decided that I needed a good mull over about how I see The Walking Dead, before giving my verdict on issue 49.

If I'm honest, I didn't do much of this. Instead I found myself thinking about the book's future, probably because of the interesting question looming over it currently. Not a question of 'will the book go on', but a different question that you'll already know and be asking fellow Kirk-fans about if you pickup the book consistently.

"Will Rick (The Walking Dead's main character) die?"

Well, throwing my ten pence into the arguement, I'm going to say yes.

I think Rick will die before the end of this series. In fact, I'm feeling pretty damn certain of it. And why?

Because Robert Kirkman is one of those rare breeds of writers.

He's a comic book writer with massive balls. I honestly think that he'd kill a main character off in any of his books, if it meant a better story for the reader.

Now, having said that Rick is a goner - I'd be surprised if he dies anytime soon (which, thinking about it, perhaps makes it all the more likely), instead, I'll be pitching my bet towards a death either in the final issue, or around the 100 mark.

But anyway, I digress.

Long story short - after lots of thoughts over Rick, the unexpected deaths in issue 48, and who might be next for the chopping block - I came to the conclusion that I could be in danger of being a little 'generous' with the reviewing of issue 49. Perhaps I'd end up over-emphasising how good it is, talking too much about the script by Robert Kirkman (especially in light of the above), or Charlie Adlard's top notch artwork.

So instead, I decided to be realistic, and rate the issue on how it stacks up to the other books I've recently reviewed. And after doing that...

Pete's Score: 4 out of 5
(Is Rick a goner? Leave a comment below to let me know to let me know what you think!)

REVIEW: The Walking Dead - 48

STOP.

This review won't give away this big surprise in this book - but it will spoil your enjoyment if you read on. You have been warned.

***MAJOR SPOILER ALERT***

I'm going to cut straight to the chase. This book reminds me why I read comic books, and what a powerful, wonderful, stunningly fantastic medium they are.

There is one moment in my life that I remember very clearly. Aged 12 - I lay in bed, reading Ben Elton's Gridlock. Not a comic book, just a regular book. Up until this night I had been laughing my little arse off over the misfortunes of the main character, and utterly loving the story. It couldn't get any funnier.

Ben Elton, midway through the book took the decision to kill the main character. This decision rocked me to the core. The character didn't die in a heroic manner, fighting off evil - he died running for his life, shot from behind.

I was so stunned by the power of this moment, that I couldn't read past the page for six months. It felt to me as though I had met and lost a wonderful friend in the space of a week - a memory, coupled with an emotion, that I will never forget.

Now, I have another moment I will never forget.

Robert Kirkman (in my humble opinion) is truly one of the great comic writers. Charlie Adlard (who I was fortunate enough to meet last year) is also, in my opinion, one of the most understated artists of his time.

The combination of these two, coming together in unison on The Walking Dead, is something we should savour - as it's far too good to last very long.

Those of you who have been reading The Walking Dead, will, over the past few months, have seen the deaths of many minor (or not so minor) loved characters within Kirkman's world.

This issue will surprise you, and if you a fan, rock you to your very core.

If I say any more than that - I'm ruining it for you.

Pete's Score: 5 out of 5

(this book will be remembered for a long time to come - and I have no doubt that the fallout will be felt for years within the book)