Walking Dead #124 Review

Part 10 of “All Out War” of the Walking Dead leaves you guessing and full of dread. I fear the end is near for many of our longtime survivors and a new era is about to begin.

Official description from IMAGE:
This war has begun to take a toll on us all.

In the aftermath of Negan’s full-on assault of Rick’s crew many are left dead and many simply just dying. Only they don’t know it yet. Eugene and his group are bugging out but like many in this war they barely see the danger that lies before them. Robert Kirkman has set things up to end with not just one big death but it looks like many, many big ones. As Rick is rushed in doors for treatment, Michonne, Ezekiel and Andrea have set one wicked trap for Negan and his men. And in the light of the next day Kirkman makes it abundantly clear that this story arc is going to completely shatter the very foundation of those we’ve come to love and those we love to hate.

It is Jesus and Michonne who are the ones that discover Negan’s groups weapons and the dirty, infected twist he put on the weapons of war. Now Rick will fully come to understand the devastating nature of his wound, while Negan and his men simply wait for the bodies to fall. It’s all very sad and a little deflating when you feel the mere possibility of major characters going out with a whimper instead in a blaze of glory. Or so, that’s how it feels. Kirkman can just as easily change course in the final two parts of “All Out War” and no one would be surprised if he did.

Charlie Adlard does most of the issue in the dark with plenty of surprises hidden in the shadows. He uses most of this to creepy horrific effect while making Negan seem even more frightening among the hard light and darkness. It really brings back the scares and the unknowns that made Walking Dead great from the beginning and seems a fitting way to set-up what horrors are still to come.

Even though the overall story has seemed to drag out at times this issue gets the sense of urgency back on course. This issue also feels like Kirkman saying goodbye to the old and moving forward with the new. I don’t know any of this to be true but Kirkman seems to be ready to move beyond Rick, Michonne, Andrea and Carl, as well as killing off the one seemingly unstoppable villain. We’ll see, but this is a great beginning to the end of this arc. I wouldn’t get my hopes up for some happy ending as Kirkman doesn’t seem wired that way and I would be shocked if any of the major players are around much longer tow issues form now.