Robert Kirkman's writing for Marvel Comics has definitey been reaching more readers than his work for Image, but it's this title and Invincible that show his more innovative side. The greater freedom he has with the properties he's created really lets him cut loose and surprise his audience. With The Walking Dead, the ever-expanding cast is a natural element with the storytelling approach, but the sheer volume of characters can be a bit overwhelming. The strength of Kirkman's writing overcomes that obstacle, though. Once again, he offers a strong, grounded story full of emotion with plenty of more extreme horror elements to amp up the drama.
The excitement over the discovery of a possibly operable generator in the prison is replaced with horror as the group discovers that one of their own has been bitten by a zombie. Allen begs to die as his friends desperately try to figure out what to do. An exhausted and tense Rick takes matters into his own hands and takes drastic action, much to the horror of the others. Meanwhile, the young Carl and Sophia observe the zombies and get over their fears, while the grown-ups make some emotional and physical connections of their own inside.
Adlard's style seems tailor-made for a zombie book. His sketchy, rough approach makes the decaying, tattered look of the undead hordes really come to life, but it also serves to bring out the haggard and worn feelings of the human cast as well. Despite the simpler leanings in his art, there's a strong sense of reality to his work. The anatomy is spot on, and the characters move in a believable manner. I am pleased we still get a taste of the title's original artist's work with the covers. Tony Moore's cover for this issue not only sums up a touching moment in the issue, but it symbolizes the entire conflict and premise: of individuals coming together to survive in the face of an unimaginable horror.
Kirkman has obviously researched the material quite well -- so well that the reader doesn't really notice. The varying experience and knowledge of the characters makes them seem like real individuals rather than the collected output of one imagination. The kids sound like kids. Hershel's savvy and Rick's desperation make for a sharp contrast that really separate them as characters. We get the sense they're radically different people, and therefore, we get the sense of them as people, as opposed to fictional players.
What's most appealing about this series is the slow, deliberate pace. There's a much more realistic and natural feel to the story because Moore takes his time. But proceeding slowly doesn't mean little happens. The size of the cast offers plenty of interpersonal dynamics and drama, and the extreme nature of the threat is certainly something that lends itself to occasionally explosive and over-the-top developments. But there's a sense that this is unfolding in real time, allowing the quieter, conversational and relationship conflicts to hold the audience's interest just as well as those fleeting, bloody, supernatural moments. 9/10
