Rick Grimes is one poor bastard. Through 14 volumes of “The Walking Dead,” he’s been separated from his family, only to be eventually reunited and find out his best friend slept with his wife. If that wasn’t enough, he saw his own son kill his best bud, who ironically was trying to kill him.
Oh, and yeah, he was kidnapped by a group of crazed baddies who cut off his hand.
And for the record, we haven’t forgotten about the time in the prison and the hundreds of fights to the death with undead beasts either.
Things just get to a tipping point emotionally in “No Way Out” and Grimes doesn’t let up. It says so much about this character, a leader in the wake of disaster who should be the first person to get to smile.
That opportunity just never comes.
In this trade, writer Robert Kirkman continues his mind games with the reader. He makes them think, for a second, that Grimes may have found a small inkling of happiness. After starting over so many times, the dedication of the group is grounded in Grimes’ dedication and persistence. It’s something he’s never let up on. Even with the death of his wife and young daughter, he’s kept the group and his young son alive and safe.
This trade continues that effort, but for a short while, it appears Grimes has found love. It’s a bittersweet scene that shows Kirkman’s zombie apocalypse isn’t meant to destroy humanity, it’s made for them to adapt and grow in a way they couldn’t before. Things considered normal, such as a relationship and moments of clarity are rare commodities in this new world. Every second of them is important and for these characters to thrive emotionally and physically, they must make the most of them.
The art by Charlie Adlard continues to get the job done and caters to the emotional and thought-provoking style of Kirkman. The expressions on characters’ faces sometimes tell the story before the speech bubbles do. This harmony is what guides and drives the tale.
But harmony isn’t something you’ll find within the group right now. Things are bad and every character has their own problem to deal with. Hearts are on the line as well as souls. Anything can happen from here on out, and while the group continues to get smaller, the vital cogs are still here. “The Walking Dead” is still a great read.
If only the television show was as good as the books.
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