Structurally, The Walking Dead has problems. Each issue really doesn't have a core plot to hold it together. The cast is expansive, and it can be difficult to keep track of everyone. But the characterization, dialogue and ideas are so strong and compelling, those weaknesses are easily forgotten, replaced by the reader's fascination. It seems clear that this series, perhaps more than any other in the market right now, is bnetter off being read in the trade-paperback format, but the strength of Kirkman's writing makes it hard to wait months at a time for a dose.
As Allen struggles to survive in the face of a zombie bite and massive blood loss, Maggie and Glenn's relationship is finally exposed to the one person she worried about the most: her father. Elsewhere in their prison haven, Tyreese and Carol's relationships reaches a turning point, and it doesn't take long before someone else in the group learns about it and tries to take advantage of the development.
Adlard's sketchy style reinforces the ahrsh quality of the lives these people have been forced to lead. Even in the moments of normalcy, the dirty look of the characters and their surroundings makes it clear that anything remotely normal has been left far behind them. The prison setting is perfect for the black-and-white art; its stark, cold feel comes through in the art. Adlard also does a great job of conveying the emotions these characters are experiencing, be they subtle or explosive.
Kirkman's scripts for this series are pretty dense, as he's dealing with a lot of characters and therefore a lot of interpersonal dynamics, not to mention several subplots. That makes those moments that aren't dominated by dialogue all the more effective. Kirkman uses silence to add to the tension, or he pipes his characters down to make room for some exciting action sequences or quiet but powerful emotional ones.
The most compelling and interesting scenes are those in which the characters compare their lives before the zombies and their lives now. I loved the discussion in which one woman tries to make small talk but realizes how it just doesn't work anymore. Also, when one member of the group gets uncomfortable about another's reminiscences of life before, it demonstrates just how hard he's working to keep focused and together in the face of the horrors that have become part of the everyday. 8/10
