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.
Rick still standing by his idea of just saving themselves and saying 'screw you' to the other people left in Alexandria, no wonder Maggie and Jessie look horrified, he's basically saying 'yeah I ain't saving your kids either' to their faces. Nice, Rick, really nice. Michonne and Morgan have a moment. I guess things ain't looking good for Morgan. Maggie isn't willing to leave the house but Rick has a plan on how to get them all out of there, by snatching the zombie that is currently out in the porch and you guessed it, covering themselves in its guts. Mmmm, tasty. Abraham, Eugene, Rosita, Gabriel, Eric, Aaron and Nicolas (who the hell is Nicolas? I've forgotten) are stuck in the church. Holly is hiding on, what looks like, a roof. And Douglas is holding a gun to his head. I mean same tbh. Andrea and the gang actually have a plan to herd the zombies away from Alexandra. Michonne ends Morgan, so bye Morgan (I will say the TV show did a much better version of Morgan, TV Morgan had much more depth and character, Comic Morgan was useless and kinda boring). Michonne is going to take Denise to the infirmary, and Maggie is refusing to wear the zombie poncho. So the rest head out into the herd of zombies whilst being covered in zombies. But Ron is literally wetting himself with fear, honestly same. But because of Ron's yaking he gets muched into (I will say TWD has balls for killing off children in both the comics and the show, and I respect that which sounds mean but like if we're being realistic, kids would not survive in a world like this), and Jessie basically goes the same way, I mean I don't blame her, I don't think you'd recover seeing your child getting eaten alive. But she's got a grip of Carl begging to not leave her & Ron but Rick essentially chops off her hand to make her let go of Carl. Douglas starts shooting at the zombies which is kinda a bad idea, noise will only attract more. Denise makes it to the infirmary but Michonne seems to be stuck in the middle of the herd, whilst ol' Dougie out here still firing his gun, but zombies soon take care of him. But as he goes down, he's still firing the gun off randomly and of course hits Carl in the eye (that's one hell of a coincidence but eh, whatever). And it ends with Rick carrying a lifeless Carl to Denise with Michonne not far behind surrounded by zombies. Fun times. This was a pretty exciting issue, not going to lie. x
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.
From the start, it’s clear this issue is going to be intense. The tone is grim, with Rick making hard decisions and chaos looming. The moment Rick admits he will always choose his son over others’ children sets a heavy emotional tone. There’s a raw honesty in Rick’s speech, showcasing the brutal reality of survival in a world overrun by the dead.
The issue opens with Rick coldly stating he will always prioritize Carl’s life over anyone else’s. His words are brutally honest, and Jessie’s shock is palpable. She questions his decision to leave others behind, especially the children, but Rick remains steadfast, instructing everyone to gather supplies quickly. His leadership may seem harsh, but it’s pragmatic, shaped by the brutal world they live in.
Upstairs, Michonne sits beside Morgan, who appears unconscious. Her quiet apology for her past coldness feels like a confession. She admires Morgan’s resilience despite his losses, but tragically, as she speaks, Morgan passes away. This moment is both tender and heartbreaking. When Michonne realizes he’s gone, her reaction is restrained but deeply emotional, embodying the harsh stoicism she’s developed over time.
Downstairs, Rick shocks the group by dragging a walker inside and hacking it apart to smear its guts on makeshift ponchos. It’s a grotesque but necessary act to mask their scent, and the others reluctantly agree. This is survival in its rawest form.
Meanwhile, various characters are shown struggling elsewhere: Gabriel, Eugene, and Nicholas trapped in the church, Abraham and Rosita in another house, and Andrea planning a diversion with Glenn and Spencer. Their fear and isolation emphasize how fragmented and vulnerable the group has become.
As Rick and his group step outside, cloaked in walker entrails, tension mounts. Ron’s fear overtakes him, causing him to cry and urinate, which attracts attention. Jessie’s maternal instincts kick in, trying to calm Ron, but tragedy strikes as walkers bite him. Rick’s heart-wrenching command for Jessie to let go is met with her desperate refusal, leading to a horrifying yet necessary moment—Rick hacks off Jessie’s hand to save Carl.
As Jessie is devoured, Douglas appears, wildly firing his gun, causing more chaos. His reckless shooting ends tragically when Carl is accidentally shot in the eye. The sight of Rick’s panic as he carries his wounded son, begging Denise to save him, is one of the most harrowing moments in the series.
This issue is pure, unfiltered chaos. The emotional weight is immense—watching Ron and Jessie’s gruesome deaths, Douglas’s erratic downfall, and Carl’s horrifying injury is gut-wrenching. Rick’s fear for Carl, amplified by his desperation, is perfectly conveyed.
Michonne’s scene with Morgan was powerful, a reminder of how fleeting life is in this world. Her swift execution of walker Morgan is both merciful and devastating.
Carl losing his eye is a shocking twist, and the adaptation in the TV series captured the same horror effectively. The raw fear in Rick’s eyes as he pleads for Denise to save his son is unforgettable. This issue brilliantly portrays the relentless brutality of the apocalypse.
This short bonus issue offers a darkly comedic recap of the chaos from the previous issue, blending horror with absurdity in a way that feels uniquely entertaining.
Rick gathers the group, delivering a speech about how their perceived safety within walls and locked doors is an illusion. His plan is dangerous: cover themselves in walker guts and walk through the herd. He warns that the rotting blood could kill them if it gets into their eyes, ears, or mouth. Despite the risks, Carl and Jessie seem eager to follow Rick’s lead, while Maggie and Ron are more skeptical.
What follows is a rapid, almost absurd recap of key events: Douglas, Ron, and Jessie are devoured, with Jessie’s hand being chopped off in the chaos. Carl’s eye is accidentally shot out by Douglas’s reckless gunfire. The pacing is fast, the horror amplified by the sheer absurdity of the escalating events.
This issue is a whirlwind of chaos, tragedy, and dark humor. The depiction of Rick’s leadership, Carl’s horrifying injury, and the gruesome deaths of Ron and Jessie is both terrifying and oddly entertaining. The balance between horror and humor is striking, making it a memorable addition to the series.
Carl’s detachment and Ron’s panicked breakdown provide a jarring contrast, while Rick’s desperation adds emotional depth. The frantic, fast-paced narrative mirrors the chaos of survival in a zombie apocalypse, making this issue both epic and darkly hilarious.
Both The Walking Dead Issue #83 and Small Bites Issue #13 masterfully showcase the brutal realities of survival, the weight of leadership, and the thin line between hope and despair. Issue #83 delivers emotional devastation, while Issue #13 adds a twisted sense of humor to the carnage. Together, they encapsulate the heart and horror of The Walking Dead.
I'm glad that Rick's got a plan for them and I'm glad that they're getting to it quickly. If they had stayed much longer in that house, they might have ended up trapped in there.
Yeah Michonne. NOW you apologize and think about the crazy shit you said. And all it took was having Morgan get bitten and being about to die. You should think about why you're a crazy bitch.
Michonne saying all this stuff is good and well, but I'm pretty sure it's way too late. You should have said all this shit while Morgan was healthy and could actually hear what you're saying.
I don't agree with Maggie wanting to stay in the house while Rick and the rest leave. It's pretty much like she's sentencing herself and Sophia to die, because that's what'll happen.
Oh, well, Rick's got a plan. I hope it's something good and I hope that it works. Oh, I know what he's going to do. Rick's going to cover them all in zombie guts, like he and Glenn did back in Atlanta.
Well, I'm glad that Gabriel, Eugene, Aaron and Eric are safe in the church. I'm also glad that the doors are strong enough to hold against all of those zombies. Now, they just need to get away from the church windows.
Douglas is such a damn wuss. I can't believe he was going to try and take the easy way out by killing himself. He doesn't deserve to have been the leader of Alexandria for as long as he was.
I'm glad that Glenn and the others are making a plan, but I'm not so sure it's going to work. I don't like the idea of them splitting up, especially since they're already in such a small group.
I feel bad for Michonne having to be the one to kill Morgan so that he doesn't come back as a zombie. I know that she really cared about him, even if she was horrible at showing it.
I have to admit, I'd be grossed out by putting the zombie guts on me. And then I'd be terrified to go walking out in the open with a bunch of zombies, even with the smell possibly masking my scent from them.
I'm glad that Michonne made herself useful and offered to help the doctor get back to her place. It's about time she did more than hack and slash and act like a bitch to people.
I think it's a stupid idea for Maggie and Sophia to stay behind in that house. I feel like they're just trapping themselves and when a zombie or more than one get it, it'll be all over for them.
Also, I feel like Jessie's a little TOO eager to do anything Rick says. I know she doesn't know what to do in this type of situation, but seriously, don't sound so eager, you idiot.
Denise is attracting their attention because she didn't put the zombie guts on herself. The zombies can tell when you're not one of them. They know the difference between how they smell, and how their food smells.
I KNEW that Ron was going to end up being a pain in the ass. The kid just doesn't know anything about anything. Geez. I hope that they kill him off soon. He's a liability to everyone.
Ron and Jessie need to SHUT THE FUCK UP. They're drawing attention to themselves by all the damn talking. The zombies don't talk, they moan. And even though they don't know what a moan is, they know the sounds they make, are different from the sounds Ron and Jessie are making.
If I were Michonne, I'd have told the doctor to run, too. The woman needs to hurry up and get to her house so that she'll be safe. Let Michonne stay behind so she can help take care of the zombies.
Jessie, I get that Ron's your kid, but he's already been bitten. There's NOTHING you can do for him. So you need to save yourself and let go of the damn kid's hand already.
Aw, shit. Now Jessie's been bitten, too. I'm sorry that Rick had to cut her hand off, but I'm not sorry that he did it to save Carl. Rick told them just recently that he'd do whatever it took to keep Carl safe.
I'm glad that Rick told them to stop shooting. You'd think that those people would know better already. All they're doing is attracting more zombies to the pile they already have.
Also, Maggie should have taken Sophia upstairs, and she should have tried to cover the little girl's ears at the very least. Sophia doesn't need to hear everything that's going on. She's just a kid.
I have to admit, I'm not TOO sad that the zombies got Douglas. I didn't like his character very much. I felt like he was useless and too old school to be in charge of Alexandria.
Oh shit! Carl's been shot in the eye! I hope that he makes it through. I don't think Rick would be able to cope if Carl died. After losing Lori, Shane, and Judith. I just don't think he'd be able to take it.