The world they knew is becoming a distant memory. The camp is adjusting to their new life inside the walls of the prison. Things are really starting to settle down. Could the dangers of this new world finally be behind them, or is this the calm before the storm?
Robert 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.
One of the better issues I have read. Had the right amounts of drama and edge of your seat feelings that have been lacking on other recent issues. Also really loved the scenes in this one and the way they were drawn.
Diving straight into The Walking Dead Issue #21 after the tense conclusion of Issue #20 was an absolute necessity. After the chaos of Allen’s tragic bite, my mind was racing with questions: Would they be able to save him? What would the fallout of such a dire situation be? The last issue was packed with emotion and action, so I was eager to see where the story would go next, especially with the characters already dealing with personal issues and the ever-looming threat of walkers.
The issue begins with an immediate and urgent tone, picking up where Issue #20 left off. Dale and Tyreese, after discovering the generator in the prison, hear Allen’s agonizing scream once again. This sets the stage for the drama that will unfold in this issue. The pacing of this part is tense and palpable—just the kind of nerve-wracking tension you expect from *The Walking Dead*. The panic, fear, and desperation are portrayed really well as the characters rush to Allen’s side.
Rick, in a state of urgency, tries to calm Allen, who is panicking, feeling the infection from his bite crawling up his leg. In typical Rick fashion, he steps up to make the hard decisions. You can feel the weight of the situation in Rick's dialogue—there’s no time for second-guessing. When Rick comes up with the drastic idea of cutting off Allen's leg, it's a clear sign of his evolving role as the group's leader—he's not afraid to do what needs to be done, no matter how brutal. Tyreese, on the other hand, doubts the decision, thinking it would only cause Allen more suffering. This conflict highlights the growing tension and differing approaches to leadership within the group.
Rick’s decision is tough and feels brutal, but in this world, survival often calls for extreme measures. You can sense the panic in the group as Rick proceeds to cut off Allen’s leg at the knee. This moment is one of the most intense and gritty in the issue, emphasizing just how far the survivors have come in terms of their capacity for violence and doing whatever it takes to survive. Hershel’s quick thinking in using Axel's hair to tie off Allen's arteries is equally important—without this, Allen would have surely bled out.
Amid the chaos, Allen passes out, and the group carries him to an empty cell to rest. This entire scene shows the gravity of the situation, highlighting the blend of horror and human struggle that defines The Walking Dead universe.
Meanwhile, the narrative shifts to a more serene, almost innocent moment between Carl and Sophia, who are watching the walkers outside the prison. The fact that the children are growing accustomed to seeing these horrors is sobering. Sophia's remark about not being scared of them anymore and feeling sorry for them instead because they look "sad" is a poignant reminder of how desensitized everyone, including the children, is becoming to the undead threat. It's a chilling reflection of how their reality has changed.
In the midst of all this, there’s a notable subplot involving Otis, who is seen praying in his cell, only to be interrupted by Allen's rush into the block. Otis, clearly annoyed, reluctantly helps, showing just how fragmented the group can feel at times. His bitterness is palpable and makes you wonder how much longer he can hold it together, especially considering how emotionally unstable some members of the group have become.
The tension rises again as Rick informs Lori and Carol about Allen’s injury. While Carol immediately rushes to his side, Lori’s indifference is striking. Lori's reaction, or lack thereof, illustrates just how desensitized she has become to the horrors around her. It's "nothing she hasn’t seen before," which speaks volumes about how life in this world has transformed her perspective.
One of the most shocking developments in this issue is Carol walking in on Tyreese and Michonne. Tyreese, still reeling from the day’s events, is approached by Michonne, who flirtatiously distracts him. The sexual tension between Tyreese and Michonne leads to a sudden and intimate encounter that Carol witnesses through the gym window. This betrayal is a gut punch, especially after Carol has already faced so much heartbreak and rejection. Her jealousy and the pain of seeing her partner involved with someone else is just another layer of emotional turmoil that threatens to unravel her completely.
The intimacy between Maggie and Glenn serves as a contrasting moment of tenderness in the issue. After a long session of lovemaking, they finally take a moment to talk, cuddle, and enjoy each other's company. It’s a brief but much-needed respite from the chaos. Glenn’s hesitance to immediately rejoin the group and Maggie’s insistence that they stay together shows the strong emotional bond between them, a stark contrast to the other relationships that are crumbling under the pressure of this apocalyptic world.
Later in the issue, we get a cryptic scene where Michonne is seen having a conversation... with herself. Andrea, noticing this, asks Michonne who she’s talking to, but Michonne brushes it off. This eerie moment is a sign of Michonne’s psychological fragility. Is she talking to someone she lost in the past? Or is she simply losing her grip on reality? This haunting scene adds depth to her character, showing that even the strongest survivors have their own mental battles to fight.
This issue stood out for me because of the intense, gut-wrenching decisions the group had to make. Rick’s decision to amputate Allen’s leg was a highlight—it was desperate, brutal, and a testament to the lengths these survivors will go to in order to cling to life. I do wonder, though, if they could have handled it better by going to Hershel first, as panic can often cloud better judgment. But in a world overrun by the undead, there’s rarely time for careful deliberation.
The emotional stakes are high in this issue. Carol witnessing Tyreese and Michonne together was heartbreaking. Carol’s emotional fragility has been hinted at in previous issues, and this moment seems like it might push her over the edge. Her storyline is shaping up to be one of the most tragic in the series, and this incident will likely have a ripple effect on her relationship with Tyreese.
Michonne’s character continues to intrigue me. Seeing her softer, more human side in her flirtation with Tyreese was unexpected, but it was her cryptic conversation with herself that really got under my skin. What is going on in her mind? Her stoic, badass exterior seems to be cracking, and it’s fascinating to see the layers of her character being peeled back.
Issue #21 is a raw, emotional rollercoaster filled with tough decisions, betrayals, and glimpses of human vulnerability. Rick’s brutal but necessary decision to amputate Allen’s leg, the breakdown of Carol and Tyreese’s relationship, and Michonne’s mysterious psychological state are all elements that make this issue stand out. The weight of leadership continues to push Rick to his limits, and the group’s mental and emotional state feels more fragile than ever. The introduction of the generator adds some hope for the future, but the survivors' personal conflicts seem to be building toward a breaking point.
The issue also gives us a lot to think about regarding human nature in times of crisis. How far are people willing to go to survive, and at what cost to their humanity? The Walking Dead continues to ask these hard questions, and Issue #21 is another brilliant, brutal exploration of these themes.
Wow, so yeah, I'm not getting any less angry at this story. Michonne gave Tyreese a blowjob, and guess who saw. Mother fucker. I wanted to like Michonne. I suppose this might appeal to your typical younger male, but I feel like even thinking THAT is stereotyping in a bad way. As if to say they couldn't like a better written Michonne. And Tyreese just lets it happen. Part of me thinks Kirkman went this way because both of the characters were black, so they "naturally" gravitated toward each other. I find this complete and utter bullshit.
Then we get to the last scene where Andrea walks in on Michonne talking to herself, practicing her "acceptance speech." I assume that is what she was doing. She wants to be trusted not to be locked in her cell at night, and to have her weapons back. After the conniving she did with Tyreese, I'm not ready to trust her.
I am also not pleased with the "feminine shaming" that goes on in the scene with Lori and Andrea while they're chatting about crafting. I'm not going to lie, I make fun of myself and others about our "old lady crafts," and I completely embrace the "weirdness" about it. There is no embracing here. It just seems like a cheep joke, and what makes it worse are the misogynistic undertones. Oh, how I miss the days when I didn't notice these things--though I would never wish to be without the knowledge. I'm starting to wonder if this story is going to ever turn around ... what happened after issue 15? Can we please get back to that awesomeness?
Being a huge fan of the show, I wanted to see how the original writing started and how the show writers followed and deviated from the comics. My dislikes were that the comics are much more crude, crass, and unnecessarily violent. I did like the change in relationships and how people worked together differently, and the comics have a different creepiness feel than you get watching it on TV. Overall, I prefer the show, and probably will not finish out the comic book 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 started 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.
This issue was a little dodgy. Like Michonne in the series is pretty bad-ass but this comic version seems a little selfish, I find it hard to warm up to her whilst I instantly warmed up to her in the show. I don't get her & Tyreese to be honest, because they swapped some sporting knowledge with each other they are ready to bang, seems like a typical teenage boy fantasy rather than reality. Allen did indeed get his leg cut off but all the bitching the rest of the crew did seem unwarranted, like if you get bit surely you'd try everything to stop yourself turning so why did the whole crew be like 'RICK CUT ALLEN'S LEG OFF??!!!' like yeah bitches, now shut up. Also #CarolDeservesBetter. x
This original version of her is very interesting so far. I can’t get a read on her but the end of this issue paints her as not all there in the head.
Also, she blows Tyreese? She’s already almost nothing like her TV series version. I like the variations but it’s…hm, we’ll see. I just…it’s really messed up that Tyreese didn’t stop her from letting her give him head.
Allen is most likely done for and its a shame, but maybe he’ll pull through.
I do not understand why there have to be that many sex scenes when they don’t add to the story at all. By now we KNOW that Maggie and Glenn are together, we KNOW that Tyreese and Carol are together, come on, I don’t need to see them having sex in every damn issue, especially when there is only 25 pages that could be used for the actual plot line.
As much as I love Michonne in the show and in the previous issue, I am not a fan of hers in this book. This story is full of intrigue and keeps you guessing.
Again, I have to say how much I love reading comics on Kindle, where you have control of the font and picture sizes.
Lots of drama in this issue. Seduction, Amputations, Suicide Attempts, and Fights. Action packed issue. Different than the TV series, but both are good.
Instead of all the time they wasted with Rick and Allen talking, they should have hurried the hell up and gotten Allen to the infirmary sooner. They could tell the others what happened to Allen later on.
Tyreese, shut the fuck up and let Rick do what he needs to do. Rick is not crazy and would not think about chopping off Allen's leg unless it was absolutely necessary. He is not getting a sick pleasure out of this.
Common sense says that as soon as Rick started hacking away at Allen's leg, that the other guys would have been holding him down, without Rick having to tell them to do so.
I'm with Axel, when Hershel chopped off that bit of Axel's hair to try and help close up Allen's wound I was like, WTF?! I was glad when Hershel explained a few minutes later. I just thought it was weird.
Otis is acting like a child. Like a bratty child who hates being told what to do. He should just go and get the supplies that Tyreese said they needed, and then go back to his own cell.
Lori and Carol talking about knitting and scrapbooking is boring the hell out of me. I am so glad that Rick interrupted them to tell them that Allen had bit. Another moment of their conversation and I would have fall asleep.
Lori is once again, pissing me off. She does not even pretend to act like she cares that Allen was bitten and is going to die. The only things she cares about are herself, the baby and Carl.
I do not understand why Carol was making such a big damn deal about them cutting off Allen's foot. It is not like it matters, anyway. She is not with Allen and never will be with Allen, so I just do not get all the drama.
Michonne is acting like a damn slut. She knows that Tyreese is with Carol, she walked in on them having sex or about to have sex in the gym not too long ago, and yet now she is coming onto him? Slut.
Tyreese had been one of my favorites in this series since they introduced him in the comics. Now I can barely stand to look at him. He is a weak individual, choosing to cheat on his girlfriend with Michonne, some woman he does not know much about.
Glenn and Maggie are cracking me up. Their obsession with sex is hilarious. They spent all day locked in a room having sex and tuning out the rest of the world. I bet when the others see them, they will wonder where Glenn and Maggie have been all day.
Oh, Glenn. You make me laugh, honey. Always concerned about how he presents himself to Hershel, which while it is a good thing, it will also get tiring after a while.
I agree with Andrea. Who the hell are you talking to, since you were alone before Andrea showed up. Are you crazy as shit, Michonne? Because it seems like you are, especially when you talk to yourself.
The world they knew is becoming a distant memory. The camp is adjusting to their new life inside the walls of the prison. Things are really starting to settle down. Could the dangers of this new world finally be behind them, or is this the calm before the storm?
Allen was bitten and drastic measures need to be taken before he turns into a zombie. And Carol will find out one heartbreaking truth.
The Best. Well everyone is getting laid still at least.... Rick's idea about cutting off Allen's leg before the bite could take a hold was a great idea in theory, I just don't think execution of the plan was the best. Those frames though of the actually cutting being done were brilliant! Carl and Sophia holding hands in front of the walker horde outside the gates.
The Worst. Allen getting his leg cut off, I mean come on, it looks like Rick was apply the belt after the fact of cutting it off. Everyone knows that when you go to cut something off, you need to put the tourniquet on before you do the cutting and hopefully just above when the cutting is being done. Michonne and Tyreese.... Carol is losing it! Ben and Billy are having to witness their father suffer first from the his leg being cut off and then secondly because of the bite from the walker. Michonne is a bit crazy, although, I honestly don't know how anyone can go through all of these events and not be a little off their rocker, either with talking to themselves or going on a rampage killing spree.
The Differences. As I stated before, Hershel was the one in the TV series that was bite while clearing out the prison and so it was Hershel that had his leg cut off. In the TV series, they but a tourniquet on before doing the cutting, but had no one there with any medical knowledge except Hershel himself having been raised on a farm and been around animals. Also, Tyreese was never with Carol on the show and Michonne never took an interest in Tyreese in more than a friend and survivor in the show.
Those Remembered. Allen's leg, having been chopped off by Rick with an ax after having a walker bite it while clearing Block A in the prison.
Recommend. To the fans of The Walking Dead Universe, zombies, horror dramas, prisons and apocalypse style stories.
Good news: the prison denizens have found a generator. Bad news: Allen has had a bite and I don’t mean prison grub. That equals drastic measures by Rick as we see what happens when Kirkman takes inspiration from Day of The Dead and get choppy with limbs. We’ve also got another iconic image this issue from Adlard when he depicts Carl & Sophia holding hands staring at a wall of the undead. Superb. There’s a lot going on issue and the Michonne bits feel both superfluous and very heavy handed, admittedly Kirkman comments on this in the cutting-room floor notes.
NB. I can’t get over bald-headed Glenn. Least we know that Charlie could easily draw Lex Luthor for DC if they ever wanted a guest artist.
El mundo que conocían se está convirtiendo en un recuerdo lejano. El campamento está ajustando a su nueva vida en el interior de los muros de la prisión. Las cosas están empezando a asentarse. ¿Podrían los peligros de este nuevo mundo por fin estar detrás de ellos, o se trata de la calma antes de la tormenta? Este cómic tiene bastantes "escenas" de sexo y no hay ni una sola escena de acción por eso no me ha gustado tanto ya que yo me imaginaba más acción y de momento la acción solo ha estado en un par de libros...¿Sabeis que? El final vuelve a ser intrigante...vamos que te obliga a leer el siguiente.
حقا لا أصدق ما أراه بعينى من وصول الرسوم الكاريكاترية إلى هذا المستوى كم هى رائعة بما تحتوى من تفاصيل مذهلة تشعرك وكأنك داخل المشهد بالإضافة أنه يروق لى أسلوب الحوار بين الأشخاص بشدة
قصة ذلك العمل تدور حول انتشار أحد الأوبئة التى جعلت البشر أشبه بالزومبى من آكلى لحوم البشر ويستعرض محاولات بعض الناجين البقاء على ظهر الأرض فى ظل عدم وجود أدنى أمل فى استمرار الحياة بقيادة الشرطى ريك
بالاستمرار فى القراءة أشعر بروعة متابعة الأحداث ، فالقصة مشوقة حقا لا عجب حين تكون الصورة الأصل مبهرة هكذا ، فتكون النسخة -العمل التليفزيونى- أكثر من رائع
Interesting developments. A solution is found for zombie bites. Relationship dramas abound and a certain character might be completely bonkers. A nice mix of action and drama.