The Riverdale gang (or what's left of them) are fighting their way to a (hopefully) safe place. But to get to "safety" it means leaving Lodge Manor andThe Riverdale gang (or what's left of them) are fighting their way to a (hopefully) safe place. But to get to "safety" it means leaving Lodge Manor and heading out into the zombie-infested wilds, and making Archie an even bigger enemy of Mr. Lodge.
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Betty starts a new diary and tries to write down her memories of the past - including the ones of her (now) missing sister Polly. It also appears that she and Archie are getting a little too close for comfort in Veronica's eyes.
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Speaking of reminiscing, we get a peek at the twisted family ties between Jason and Cheryl Blossom. Ewww.
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The issue ends on a cliffhanger after things come to a head with Betty & Veronica and Archie is forced to step in, only to have the moment derailed by Cheryl who appears to be over her twincestuous relationship with Jason.
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There is also a bonus story they pulled from the Chilling Adventures in Sorcery vault called The Gentlest Dog on the Block.
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A man has a loveable dog who is prone to jump on people. He takes him out one day and the dog jumps on a fortune teller after he chases her cat into her stall. Uh oh. She curses him to become DEATH to all who love him! First, he gives the guy's wife a shove down the stairs. And immediately following her funeral, he gives his owner the same treatment.
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The moral of the story? Teach your dog not to jump on strangers.
Gossip and Gorgons is another winner in the Manners and Monsters series!
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If you're looking for your next cozy mystery with a fun paranormal twisGossip and Gorgons is another winner in the Manners and Monsters series!
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If you're looking for your next cozy mystery with a fun paranormal twist, then look no further. There is a romance but it's such a slow burn that it doesn't hijack the story. Hannah & Wycliff become a bit more in this one, as their friendship and respect for each other deepens and becomes something that looks a little like...blossoming love?
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In the last book, Wycliff finds out from Hannah's mother that Hannah was also infected by the face powder that turned the powerful mage into a zombie. Fortunately, Hannah's mother was able to cast a spell on her that keeps her basically frozen in time, one heartbeat away from the infection taking over her body and the rot setting in. If her mother's spell ever fails, Hannah will become one of the undead and unable to claim her father's fortune. Yeah. Apparently, they aren't as poor as Hannah always thought! Anyway. Due to Doctor Miles' arrest (and eventual release) in Galvanism and Ghouls, her parents decide that she needs protection in the event that something were to happen to him. What sort of protection? Well, back in the day that meant the protection of a husband. And who did they have in mind? Yup. So a the end of the book, Hannah becomes Lady Wycliff. In name only! No hanky-panky is happening here as this is strictly a marriage of convenience for both of them.
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I said all that to explain why Lord and Lady Wycliff are invited to a posh house party with a bunch of assholes who just want to make fun of them. However, the goblin whose daughter is throwing the party is the very man (sort of) that Wycliff has been trying to get to see about backing some of his farming improvements. So off they go. And there they manage to land in the thick of yet another mystery when one of the more obnoxious members of the party is found turned into a garden statue.
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Ture to the title, this installment introduces gossip and gorgons. Angry gorgons whose lives were ruined by society's gossip. Really, I felt quite sorry for the gorgon, and so did Hannah. But you just can't go around killing folks. Or can you?
How have I never heard of these books? Interesting mash-up of several different genres that worked (shockingly!) well together.
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I'm going to be How have I never heard of these books? Interesting mash-up of several different genres that worked (shockingly!) well together.
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I'm going to be 100% honest, I really didn't think I was actually going to listen to this one when I downloaded it. It was one of those Hoopla Bonus Borrows that sort of caught my eye, so I went ahead and snagged it just in case I ran low on listening material. Which I inevitably did. So I started flipping through a few things I had, then stopped on Manners and Monsters after a few minutes of listening. It was throwing off this really good cozy mystery vibe while being set in an alternate Victorian England that had mages and werewolves and a really different take on zombies.
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So, the French sent infected face power over to England during the Napoleonic Wars and this stuff turned hundreds of women (and a few men) of the ton into brain craving undead. Now, as long as they get a steady diet of brains (from the already dead bodies whose family's have been financially compensated) these gently bred ladies can stave off the rot. It's a whole thing. <--but don't worry, it's all explained.
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The story picks up with our Plain Jane heroine at her BFF's engagement soiree. All is going well until... MURDER! A footman is murdered and all of his brains are scooped out!
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Hannah gets involved for REASONS that totally make sense and helps uncover the perpetrator with a very broody noble who works for the police department. <--he has reasons, as well. And there's a whole lot more to the story but I don't want to spoil the fun.
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An this was fun. Not change-your-life fun but fun nonetheless. I'm genuinely curious to listen to the next book in the series and see what secrets it reveals about our hero and heroine. Because a lot was hinted at that piqued my interest in finding out more about what these characters are hiding. I'm in, Ms. Wallace.
2019 DCeased didn't blow me away be2023 Re-read in preparation for the finale in DCeased: War of the Undead Gods. Better the second time around, I'd say!
2019 DCeased didn't blow me away because I felt like I'd seen this sort of thing before, but it managed to be an entertaining story anyway. It reminded me a bit of Earth 2 (where they took out the big 3) mashed up with Marvel Zombies (wacky infection!), and of course, Injustice with its crazy-shocking surprises & deaths.
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Why did that work? I personally feel it was Tom Taylor's skill as a writer that managed to pull it off and make it seem somewhat fresh. <--I say somewhat because I'm turning into one of those jaded a-holes who've read too many of the same comics, but even as that a-hole I know that there are only so many different ways to tell stories.
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Ok, here's the gist: Darkseid won. Ish. He downloaded the anti-life equation and sent it to Earth, using electronics to spread a disease that basically turns people into what we think of as zombies. This story doesn't take place in the main DC universe so Taylor gets to play with the characters and plot in ways that he would never be able to if this were a straight-up Justice League tale. Which is why a lot of us who have read way too many a fair amount of comics get a kick out of these kinds of things.
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For what it set out to do, I think it's a good comic. I'll be reading the next volume for sure....more
I thought it might be something fun or odd, but I didn't really think it would be boring. But it was. BorWell, this was a chore to get through.
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I thought it might be something fun or odd, but I didn't really think it would be boring. But it was. Boring and weird - and not in a good way. I don't understand how the zombie plague spread and I don't understand how it was ended.
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Now, maybe I missed out on some metaphorical shit because I've (shockingly) never read the original Dickens' story, but I kind of doubt it. I know crazy nonsense when I read it and that's exactly what the vast majority of this was. (view spoiler)[Scrooge McDuck gets bit by a horse when he's a young man and it gives him zombie-itis. Now, it doesn't actually hurt him, he just passes it along to everyone he meets, along with his new Grinchy attitude. Wait. What? He gets bit by a sick horse and that moment shows him that helping his fellow man (horse) isn't worth it. THEN, all he has to so to stop the Zombiepocalypse is stroll through town smiling and promising food and good cheer. A giant dust cloud of love and sunshine floating behind him to cure all the former flesh eaters. (hide spoiler)] What the actual fuck? I'm here to tell you, that makes zero sense even in some jacked-up Marvel zombie/Christmas Carol reality.
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I understand that the idea was to say that his greed and uncaring attitude spread like a disease. I get it, really. But it was still stupid. Art wasn't bad, though....more
We've gone through a lot of different incarnations of Scooby & Shaggy over the years, and this is one of the better2.5 stars
Scooby-Dooby-Doo!
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We've gone through a lot of different incarnations of Scooby & Shaggy over the years, and this is one of the better ones. <-- my opinion. I'm not sure how to describe what was done with them without spoiling too much of the storyline, but it fits with the original spirit of the characters.
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I'd like to say that I enjoyed the update given to the rest of Mystery Inc, but that would make me a big fat liar. Fred was a pathetic, groveling, hanger-on who kept trying to awkwardly ride the Daphne train to nowhere. Daphne was an annoying, holier than thou, rage monster half the time, and the other half she was a b-list journalist who was teetering on the verge of becoming an annoying, holier than thou, rage monster. She was fuckin' mean and accusatory to Velma, hurtful to Fred, and snarky to Shaggy and Scoob. I kept thinking that might translate as badass warrior woman at some point, but she was sadly just a royal bitch for the remainder of the comic. And Velma. Christ. Originally, Vema was analytical, super intelligent, and bookwormy. But. She was confident in herself and her place within her group of friends. This Velma? She wasn't just a tad socially inept, she was so detached from normal human emotions that she was a borderline sociopath.
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Then again, a lot of people loved this, so maybe I just read it wrong?
The story itself is interesting enough that I sort of want to come back and see what happens next. Maybe. Then again, the (quite overdone) evil Scrappy-Doo angle makes me want to back away from the whole comic as quickly as possible.
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I honestly really disliked so much of this that I feel like rating it lower, but I did enjoy Scooby & Shaggy. Plus, the art was quite nice. I don't know. I might have just have set my expectations too high for this one....more
I was honestly not interested in some sort of schlocky Zombies in Riverdale story. When I first heard of this one it just sounded like some corny cashI was honestly not interested in some sort of schlocky Zombies in Riverdale story. When I first heard of this one it just sounded like some corny cash grab that was trying to ride the coattails of The Walking Dead...and the other 10 bjillion zombie stories out there.
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But surprisingly, Afterlife managed to make it worthwhile for me to read one more story about the living dead. The first thing they did right was to utilize Riverdale's paranormal neighbor, Sabrina, as the catalyst of the infestation. Jughead's beloved pet Hot Dog gets hit by a car and dies. Overcome with grief, he turns to Sabrina and begs her to bring him back. Her aunts tell both of them no - some things are just not done.
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But after thinking about how she would feel if it were her & Salem, Sabrina decides to sneak out of the house and help Jughead anyway. Of course, her aunts were right, and it does not end well. And this is how the zombie plague starts. <--very cool!
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Sabrina ends up getting banished for her crime, so she isn't (as far as I know) aware of what happened...yet. I'm assuming we'll find out more of her story in volume 2. Ok, and just so you don't think I'm spoiling the plot for you, all of the above happens in the first few pages!
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The rest of the story is about the core group of Archie's friends and family realizing what happened, and then trying to survive.
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Maybe even freakier than the horde of zombies, the Blossoms show up and make a cringy appearance as the perviest related residents in Riverdale.
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There were several stand-out moments in Afterlife that really sucker punched me in the Feels. I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't read this yet, so don't click the spoiler tag if you haven't! (view spoiler)[Archie and his father? Brutal! But honestly, the scene with his dog was just heartbreaking! The way he sacrificed himself for Archie? Fuuuuck! PS - upon re-reading this years later, I can't believe I cried in the same spot. I thought it was just because I was feeling hormonal until I looked back on this old review. But no. Apparently, I'm just as sappy now as I was then.
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(hide spoiler)] I swear to god, I'm tearing up right now. Yes. Over an ARCHIE comic about ZOMBIES. <--I don't even... How did they pull that off?!
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This was so much better than I thought it would be! Loved it! But. I have no idea if it would be that good for someone who wasn't an Archie fan. For me, part of the fun was that the Riverdale in my childhood memory was always this perfect place, and this comic takes that memory and tosses it into an apocalyptic/horror setting. Now, I'm not sure if that will make everyone happy, but I enjoyed the hell out of it. Recommended....more
Even Negan's awesomeness couldn't quite drum up the usual amount excitement for me in this volume... [image] Which is odd because I normally love this tEven Negan's awesomeness couldn't quite drum up the usual amount excitement for me in this volume... [image] Which is odd because I normally love this title no matter how little action is happening on the pages, but this time around I just...eh. I don't know. It seemed (to me) that with a cast of characters this huge something got lost this time around. Instead of focusing on one or two plot threads, Kirkman kept hopping back and forth between random characters that I didn't even know to give me snippets of conversations that I didn't care one way or the other about. Who the fuck are these guys?!
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Just kidding. I know they're from that weird Kingdom place where they dress up like extras from Medival Times. But seriously? 10,000 of these little nobody I give a shit about panels really worked my nerves by the end of the book. Anyway.
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The group is now looking at a full-scale attack from the Whisperers, thanks to Negan. But with all the survivors spread out in the different communities, and all the infighting and backstabbing, banding together to fight the horde isn't as easy as it first looks. <--and it doesn't actually look easy at first!
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The gist of this volume is that these guys have to not only fight zombies but each other. And, let's be honest, that's the plot of every one of these volumes so far. If you're fine with that (and most days I am) then I think you'll love this installment. But if you were hoping for something different from Volume 27...?
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It's not bad, but I wish Kirkman would just stick to one (or three!) plotlines at a time....more
That ending! My world feels all topsy-turvy now... Ok. I will try to tag all of the major spoilers, but (as always) if you don't want to know anything That ending! My world feels all topsy-turvy now... Ok. I will try to tag all of the major spoilers, but (as always) if you don't want to know anything about the plot, then stop reading now. [image] TWD isn't exactly known for its breakneck speed in storytelling, and this volume is no exception. In between the Ooooooh! moments there's the everyday stuff that doesn't seem all that interesting. Maggie missing her kid, Carl settling in to Hilltop and feeling content, etc.. Nothing big, but I think things like that make the gotcha moments even better.
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Ok, 3 big things happen in this one, and the first has to do with Eugene. (view spoiler)[ Somebody finally answers him on that radio!
[image] (hide spoiler)] All that remains to be seen is whether or not this is a good thing...
Up next is something everyone's been waiting for, even if nobody really wants to admit it. (view spoiler)[ Negan escapes! Yep. Remember that a-hole redneck kid that was harassing Sophia & koshed Carl over the head? Well, even though Rick is willing (at first) to give him a second chance to behave himself, he decides to take his revenge on the group by letting Negan out.
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He assumes that Negan will be grateful, and help him get the Whisperers to attack the compound. OH. MY. GOD. That does not work out well for him!
Ok, now the last issue played out exactly like I thought it would. AND THEN IT WENT IN A TOTALLY DIFFERENT DIRECTION! (view spoiler)[
So, Negan swaggers into the Whisperer's camp, all blustery and pretty much pissing 'em off, but somehow he manages to not onlynot get eaten, but to win over Alpha. Because of course he does... [image] Alright. So, here I am thinking that his end game is to butter her up, take over that weirdo Beta's position, and then either take over, or pull the puppet strings. Meanwhile, Beta is foaming at the mouth...
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Ok. So far, this is living up to my expectations, right? But wait! Out of the blue, Negan tries to stop a woman from getting raped! [image] What the what?! Is this the same guy who smashed Glenn's head in with a bat? My mind simply can't comprehend Negan doing something decent! World spinning... Feel woozy...
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That was crazy enough, but everything sorta got back on track when he started talking to Alpha about...feelings. [image] I was like, "Maybe he means some of this spiel, but he's leading her down the garden path for his own nefarious purposes." And sure enough: Badda bing badda bang badda boom!
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So, I was patting myself on the back, feeling all smug-like, singing Who was right? Anne was right! Who was..., and then that last panel hit me upside the head. "Wait until Rick gets a look at you."
My mind is spinning with all of these questions now! I don't even know what to think, except it's amazing that Kirkman can still keep surprising me after 26 volumes of this shit.
Now just repeat that for 5 issues, and you have the gist of this volume's plot.
Warning: May be some spoilers!
[imaEveryone needs to calm down.
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Now just repeat that for 5 issues, and you have the gist of this volume's plot.
Warning: May be some spoilers!
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shrugs
Even though there wasn't anything incredibly shocking going on, I still enjoyed reading it. I'm getting the distinct feeling that the zombie threat is something that's gonna remain background noise from here on out. The Whisperers are the Big Bad now, and while the dead are still a threat, the main enemy is always going to be the humans. This may not be the most exciting title out there right now, but Kirkman knows how to keep an audience captivated with the more mundane (for a book about the zombie apocalypse!) aspects of things. Things like: Fistfights with your best friend!
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Mob brawls!
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Conspiratorial whispering!
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Apologies!
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Making out with guys who are missing an eyelid!
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Pulling a gun on your girlfriend when she tries to shoot your mom!
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And chewing through your attackers neck!
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So. That about sums up No Turning Back. Oh, wait! One more thing! Rick gets so desperate, that he actually asks Dr. Evil if he can give him any tips on how to run the place better...
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So what happens when Rick starts taking advice from Negan?
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Well, that's certainly not going to come back and bite him in the ass......more
These books are NEVER what I expect. Maybe that's why I'm not sick to death of this cast of characters, and their seemingly never ending journey? AnywayThese books are NEVER what I expect. Maybe that's why I'm not sick to death of this cast of characters, and their seemingly never ending journey? Anyway, what I expected was an epic battle between Negan and Rick.
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Warning: Spoilers I'll try to tag the biggest stuff, but no promises!
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So Negan has this totally Neganish plan to win against in the upcoming battle for supremacy: Taint the weapons. Yeah, dip the arrows, knives, and swords in zombie Walker goop, and every hit becomes lethal. I was honesty quite impressed.
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Now, this should have been a GASP! moment, but since you know that that dude with the iron-on face (view spoiler)[ You remember, Dwight? The one who is working with Rick from inside Negan's organization?
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(hide spoiler)] shot him, it just doesn't quite pack a punch. Still...Ack!
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But, like I said, at this point you're pretty confident that TWD isn't going to feature Rick leading the Group as a walker, you know? Besides, he swore vengeance for Glenn's death! I wanna see VENGEANCE! Oh! Oh! Oh! Here it comes! (view spoiler)[
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(hide spoiler)]
But then this happens! (view spoiler)[ The fuck!? How is he doing this with his throat cut?! Is he a MACHINE?!
Doesn't matter, because (view spoiler)[ even with his leg cracked like a crab, Rick still whups his ass, and before anything can escalate, Dwight takes control of the Saviors as their (<---benevolent? they don't show back up in this book, so I'm just assuming) new leader.
Heh. Ok, can't wait to see how this blows up in your face, buddy. (hide spoiler)]
I know what you're thinking. Something was wrong (besides the obvious!) with that picture. Very observant, my friend. Kirkman decided to Fast Forward a few years, and now everyone and everything looks a bit different!
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SURPRISE! <---That's what I'm talking about! Just when I think I've got the rhythm of this series down, Kirkman goes and shakes it all up on me. And it's not just the look that's changed. The characters themselves have changed. Remember Carl, the little sociopath? He's whittling unicorn statues for his friends!
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To be fair, you see a change in him towards the end of the battle with the Saviors. Instead of his normal psychotic rantings, he comforts a boy who just lost his father.
[image] I know! I know! The world is all upside down, now. But what about some of the others? Well, Maggie is the official leader of the people on the Hill, and we get a glimpse of baby Hershel... Dawwwww!
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This one is for those of you who like to play the tv show vs comics game with me... Anyone who watches the show remembers getting gut-punched by this, right?
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Well, not only is she still alive at this point int the books, but check out what a little badass Sophia has turned into! [image] Pretty cool, right? But what does Rick mean by this? (view spoiler)[ [image]
What?! What happened to Michonne? Did she go to live with Ezekiel at the Kingdom, or did something bad happen to her?! OMG! OMG! OMG! Don't leave me hangin' like that, Robert? (hide spoiler)]
So, what else has changed in the past few years? Ooooh! Now they have bread! Yum!
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Yeah, you're right...SKIP! Who gives a shit about bread, let's get to the good stuff. So what's next for our guys now that it looks like they are rebuilding a little chunk of society? First, we've got some new characters! And it looks like Magna is going to play the role of Jubliee (view spoiler)[<--as in, she asked the questions that new readers would ask about the X-men, and help them understand what had already happened in the past (hide spoiler)], so that we can maybe find out some of what's been happening during this time jump.
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I really like her so far! She wasn't afraid to question the Too Good To Be True feel of this community, and she wasn't stupid enough to get taken in by He Who Shall Not Be Named, either. (view spoiler)[ Oh shit! She's gonna open the door! [image] Bwahahaha! Yeah, IN YOUR FACE, Negan! Go back to your corner and crap in potty pot Rick gave you. [image] (hide spoiler)]
So, should she be questioning Rick & Co.? Ehhhhh...maybe? Rick has a rather extreme reaction to a guy who wasn't paying attention to his post, and I can't help but wonder if that was a foreshadowing of something rotten. At any rate, I'm curious to find out what's been going on for the past few years.
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But this wouldn't be a Walking Dead book if the dead weren't in it!
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Huh? The dead are whispering? Did I just read that? Or...maybe it's something else. (view spoiler)[
Oooooh! Interesting new chapter in TWD! Also, there will be SPOILERS. Still...
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So, not much of Rick in this one. And that's fine! He's b4.5 stars
Oooooh! Interesting new chapter in TWD! Also, there will be SPOILERS. Still...
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So, not much of Rick in this one. And that's fine! He's been replaced by the equally interesting Carl & Maggie. Plus a bit of Jesus... There can NEVER be too much Jesus.
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Ok, so Jesus runs into these Whisperers, and brings one back for questioning. shudder
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After he peels off the grody zombie skin they were using to blend in with the walkers, he finds out his captive is a teenage girl.
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A cute teenage girl.
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A cute teenage girl that Carl befriends. And by befriends, I mean she teaches him about the birds and bees. {insert 70's porn music here}
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But how do they end up becoming so close? Well, Carl ended up next to her in a cell for several hours, due to an altercation with some boys who were trying to hurt Sophie. <--These were the same boys that got their asses kicked by Sophie in the last volume, for trying to beat up/bully another kid. Yeah, so these little assholes were out for blood.
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Carl ran off, and poor Sophie thought she was done for...
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But...CARL. FUCK YEAH! CARL!
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In retrospect, he may have gone a bit overboard. Nah.
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No. No, you didn't kill them, Carl. But you did beat the ever-lovn' shit out of them, and their hillbilly parents are kinda pissed.
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Whatever, Mama June. Maggie doesn't give a shit what you and your trailer trash cronies think about the boy who saved her daughter's life. [image] BUT. Maggie does think Carl went too far, and maybe needs some therapy or something. In the meantime, she needs to keep him safe from those two redneck families. Annnnnd...now we're to the part where Carl is in the cell next to Lolita Lydia.
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Prison Pals are forever!<--I take no responsibility for the accuracy of that website. Also...no. Just don't. Anyway, Carl & Lydia become friends, bond over scars, and fall into a Romeo and Juliet sort of love. Which, historically, always turns out well! (view spoiler)[
Hahahahahaha! Ahahahhahaha! Ha! Hee-heee! snortsnortcoughsnort Bwahahahahahahahaha! wipes tear Heh...(hide spoiler)] Meanwhile, Maggie is dealing with the disgruntled losers in her community, who are being stirred into a frenzy by Gregory. Remember Gregory? The asshole that Maggie ousted in order to (accidentally) take over the role as Leader of her the Hilltop community? Yeah. Believe it or not, the dude still has delusions of grandeur. And he's willing to KILL Maggie to make his dreams come true. [image] Two problems with that plan: 1) JESUS! This dude really needs his own theme song, amirite?!
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2) He fucked up the poison...idiot.
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Shockingly, Maggie is pissed. I'm salivating right now! I just can't WAIT to find out what she does to this dickhead! However, that isn't the biggest problem! Nope. the BIGGEST problem is all of the Whisperers standing outside of the Hilltop communities gates. Guess who Lydia's mother is?
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Ewwwww! I mean, awwww! Er, so they are willing to trade the kid for several of Maggie's people. Easy decision, right? Well, Carl doesn't think so! Lydia has told him about a lot of rapey things that go on in that community, and he (rightly) isn't excited to see her head back into her mother's arms.
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But Lydia volunteers to leave, so there's not much he can do about it, right? [image] Or, you know, he could just take off on his own to rescue her...
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FUCK YEAH, CARL! sigh If I don't get my hands on the next volume soon, I'm going to explode. That last sentence is for my librarians.<--You know who you are, make it happen!...more
Warning: Spoilers! But this book isn't as intense as the last one, so...
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It starts off with Maggie mourning at THE GRAVE. <---I'm still dying insWarning: Spoilers! But this book isn't as intense as the last one, so...
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It starts off with Maggie mourning at THE GRAVE. <---I'm still dying inside a little bit from that one. [image] Alright, I said not much happens, but that's not entirely true. What I meant was that my heart didn't get pulled out of my asshole this time around. Thanks for the break, Kirkman! Things happen. The Group, still reeling from the previous book's events, are now gathering with the other communities to get a little payback, and hopefully take Negan completely out of the picture. BADASS STYLE!
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Except that's not how it went down the first time. The Group gets hit by Negan, and they're unprepared. He takes Rick and a few others hostage in an attempt to get them to open the gate. And then Carl... [image] That doesn't go over well. Negan cries over Lucille for a minute, then demands that they chuck the trigger-happy kid over the wall.
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But don't worry, guys! Andrea is in the bell tower with her sniper rifle!
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Again. Does not go the way they rehearsed it.
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I'm not gonna lie, I totally thought she was going to die. Like, no chance in hell is she walking away from this one. Bzzt! Wrong!
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What?! But don't worry, but the time this thing is over, there will be a nice little body count.
(view spoiler)[ First, Negan (literally) guts that skeezy guy who has been stalking Andrea since they showed up at the community. He tried to get Negan to make him the leader of the group, and Negan told him he was gutless. Heh. Can't say I was sad to see him go. [image] Remember Richard? Ezekiel's knight? Yeah, me neither. R.I.P, you weirdo.
Negan just can't seem to stop making enemies, can he?
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Oh! Michonne makes (yet another) Love Connection! My first thought was Ewwwwww!, but it's the End of the World, so who am I to judge?
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Unfortunately for Ezekiel, it appears that he's a bit of a crybaby, and she ain't gonna put up with no pussy shit like that! Hit him again, girl! [image] Hmmm. What else happens... Oh! Maggie grows a set of HUGE balls! Yeah, like they are dragging the ground when she walks now!
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Whoo-hoo! She punches that cowardly fucker right in the face, and then basically yanks the leadership role right out from under him. *spits* [image] And thank god she does, too! Because Rick and the Group are back in the community getting their asses handed to them by Negan and his cronies. Oops! Wait. Back up a minute... So, when Rick does attack Negan's compound (very cool what they do, by the way), Holly takes one for the team. Remember Holly? <-- Andrew's Lady Love? She wants revenge for this: (view spoiler)[
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(hide spoiler)]
She stays behind to make sure that the plan goes off without a hitch, which puts her in enemy territory. At first, Negan thinks she's Andrea, and starts cackling like a villainous witch.
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Now, for some reason Holly feels the need to set him straight.
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Annnnd now we're caught up to where Rick & Co. are getting their asses handed to them back in the suburbs. The Holly thing is important, because the Group decides to barter with Negan for her life. Holly? Did yo do something different with your hair? Nooooooooo! [image] And while Holly rummages around in the kitchen for a snack?
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Grenades!
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Lucky for our guys, they have Jesus on their side! [image] Maggie tucks her new found nuts into her pants, and rolls in with some much needed help, but this one ends on quite the cliffhanger. [image] Did they win? Did they lose? I don't know! I gotta go read the next one!
OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! What just happened here?! Did I just read that? Kirkman, you are killing me!
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Yes, Glenn. Yes, it was...
SPOILOH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! What just happened here?! Did I just read that? Kirkman, you are killing me!
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Yes, Glenn. Yes, it was...
SPOILER ALERT! I'm going to try to tag some of the bigger stuff, but I'm not making any promises, because I'm all emotional right now.
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So at first, we're lulled into a false sense of security here. Little things happen, like Carl finding out his daddy had an overnight guest. Standard zombie soap opera stuff...
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And then we get the happy news that Glenn isn't shooting blanks. Awww! Those two kids are gonna be together FOREVER!
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Plus, our resident liar/science teacher finds a way to make bullets, so it looks like our gang might be able to make good on their promise to take out this Negan guy. Whoever he is... And now he just needs Abraham to take him on a little stroll to find the supplies. Of course, that little jaunt goes off without a hitch! (view spoiler)[ Ack! Seriously!? I was just starting to really love that guy!
Never mind, I'm just gonna shake it off. Or so I thought... Because that brings us to this:
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Negan is the biggest ASSHOLE in the history of assholes! What did you do?! My heart! I think it stopped there for a second! Ok, I can't even talk about this. Just... (view spoiler)[
{insert ugly cry here} Oh yeah. I think a little piece of what was good in the world just died.
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And Rick, naturally, vows vengeance! If there is any justice in this fake world, Rick will make good on that promise. BUT THAT'S NOT ALL. After finding out that the Group is severely out-numbered, Rick has no choice but to cow down to Negan, and give in to his demands. He's doing it to save lives, but not everyone is happy with this new arrangement. Especially the little psycho Carl.
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And he decides to (view spoiler)[hide out in Negan's truck, then pop out like a homicidal rug rat, and start shooting the place up.
Which, works out well for him. Naturally. Because unbelievably the little shit survives his experience no worse for the wear. However, the same cannot be said for the dude who was fucking one of Negan's wives...
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You read that right. One of his wives. *shakes fist* Anyway, it all leads up to Rick meeting a very interesting new character. Ezekiel.
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THIS WAS SO GOOD! I loved every freaking minute of it, and I can't wait to read what happens next! *grabs box of Kleenex*
Weeeell, not much happens in this one. Comparatively speaking, anyway.
Warning: Spoilers! Sorry, but I'm trying to keep track of what's happeni3.5 stars
Weeeell, not much happens in this one. Comparatively speaking, anyway.
Warning: Spoilers! Sorry, but I'm trying to keep track of what's happening in each book.
So, Baby One-Eye pulls through, but he's maybe a bit fucked up. Imagine that! And Rick is getting kind of worried that Carl might not be able to 'go back to normal'. *rolls eyes, slaps Rick across the face* [image] Andrea & Rick follow the Call of the Wild. FINALLY! But now Rick is worried that if he loves her, she'll die...just like everyone else. *rolls eyes, slaps Rick upside the head*
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Just when you thought things couldn't get weirder, Rick & the Group meet Jesus!
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Ok, so Jesus is actually a scout looking for other groups to trade with, but Rick doesn't trust him. Mainly, because Jesus is a ninja!
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There's a small rebellion (basically, headed by one guy) at the subdivision, and when Glen stumbles into the middle of their meeting, things get hairy.
[image] But Rick & Co. manage to quell the revolution rather easily, and (shockingly) with no bloodshed. [image] Badass!
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The most annoying thing in this volume was Rick and his wishy-washy attitude about...well, everything. I've started to notice this guy contradicts himself a lot. We can't trust these new guys! Maybe We CAN trust them. Nah, let's beat this guy's ass and tie him up! OK, let's trust them! Or maybe we should... Fuuuuck! Make a decision already!
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I guess the biggest surprise is that no one died in this one! Well, there was that one guy, but he was only in, like, 5 panels before he bit it. *shrugs*
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Overall, good stuff! Looking forward to the next book!...more
Warning: Some Spoilers I'll try to tag anything really big, though.
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This is a pretty mild book, all things considered. Of course, there 3.5 stars
Warning: Some Spoilers I'll try to tag anything really big, though.
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This is a pretty mild book, all things considered. Of course, there are deaths, but it's nobody we care about. Not really. I mean, somebody's gotta go, but this time around it was mostly* just a few of the New Guys.
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And there are some Bad Guys, but they don't do any real damage. It's like they're there to just throw everyone off, shake up (maybe wake up) this blissfully unaware little community. Show them how much they need The Group, and all of their survival skills?
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Speaking of survival skills, Rick is edging closer and closer to becoming a bit of a dictator. A few more hard knocks, and I believe this dude is going to set himself up as the overlord of...well, whatever he can get his hands on. [image] And little Carl is turning into quite the little tyrant, himself. Unless something drastic happens, I don't think that kid has a shot in hell of turning out to be anything but a borderline sociopath. Plus, no matter how shocked Rick seems by his behavior, I think he's secretly proud of who Carl is becoming. [image] After a bit of a (view spoiler)[He killed her abusive husband after he went off the rails, and sliced Morgan's wife's throat. Yum! [image] (hide spoiler)]y skerfuffle, Rick ends up finally getting a little sumpin' sumpin'! Is it true love? Will it last?
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Hahahahahahaha! (view spoiler)[
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(hide spoiler)] Yeah, as if. Sadly, Rick seems doomed to make the same mistake over and over again. What mistake, you ask? Well, while the other members of The Group are mostly loyal, and continue to risk their lives for each other, Rick's only thought is (ultimately) for Carl. And when the chips are down, he cuts and runs. [image] It might sound like the smart thing to do, but if you're going to survive the zombie apocalypse, you gotta have friends. I think this may be where he learns that he needs The Group, as much as The Group needs him. Because, face it, shit happens. (view spoiler)[ [image] (hide spoiler)]
One notable thing about Book Seven? This is one of the few times that everyone is in danger from the actual zombies! In case you haven't noticed, most of the carnage in these is due to the living. Nice to see the dead get in on the slaughter for once!
The quality is still very good, and (like always) so much happens that it's hard to pin down the craziest thing that Kirkman puts these guys through. TThe quality is still very good, and (like always) so much happens that it's hard to pin down the craziest thing that Kirkman puts these guys through. This one is definitely still dark, though. And we lose several of the original members of The Group right off the bat.
WARNING: SPOILERS! Sorry, I'm trying to keep track of what's happening in these books.
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Ben, the creepy twin who was dismembering those animals in the last volume, finally goes full on psycho, and plays with his brother Billy's guts in the woods. Andrea, who along with Dale has been acting as a surrogate parent, stumbles upon the scene.
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This was particularly poignant, because while all of the adults (aside from Dale & Andrea) know that this kid is beyond help and needs to be put down, the idea of actually killing a child is horrifying. And while the adults debate the matter, one member takes matters into their own hands...
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Yeah, so it looks like little Carl may need some therapy when this whole Apocalypse thing is over. But they don't even get a chance to find out Who Shot JR Ben before another zombie attack has everyone all freaked out. Father Gabriel (new guy) says a few words over Ben, and these guys head out to find shelter at his church. So, 2 dead kids, and 1 child murderer should be the highlight of this one, right? Nope...up next, Cannibals!
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Definitely the gross out award winner so far! Ugh! They eat their victims alive, slicing off one chunk of delicious meat at a time. *shudder* Speaking of, where's Dale?!
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And in the best shocker of the book, Dale gets the last laugh when (view spoiler)[he reveals that he had been bitten by zombie in the last attack, and had purposely wandered off to die alone.
[image] (hide spoiler)] Awww, yeah! But the cannibals aren't done trying to get an easy meal yet, and in the hopes of panicking the rest of the group into making stupid decisions, they decide to haul him back to the church.
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It's the last mistake they'll ever make.
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Again, this is where Rick & Co. lose a little bit more of their ooey-gooey centers, and replace it with some good old-fashioned revenge. Let's just say, they don't kill them quickly.
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Everyone says their goodbyes, and another longtime member bites the dust. R.I.P Dale.
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In the aftermath, Carl finds out what Rick did to the Cannibals, and the two share a father/son bonding moment as Carl confesses that he was the one who shot Ben. Awwwww!
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Alrighty, last up is what I'm assuming will be a new story arc. These guys get recruited by (what seems to be) a settlement of really nice people.
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After they finally get to the community, it seems like they might finally be able to make a home for themselves, and perhaps even rebuild their lives.
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Although, after everything they've been through, it may be too nice for these guys. Or maybe they're just having a hard time trusting anyone? Whatever the reason, it doesn't look like everything is going to be unicorns and rainbows from here on out...
You want to know what I love about this series so far? Well, I'm telling you anyway. I love the way it looks like everything is headed in one directioYou want to know what I love about this series so far? Well, I'm telling you anyway. I love the way it looks like everything is headed in one direction, and then it takes off in entirely different direction. I feel like I'm always getting hit upside the head with the proverbial shovel!
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For example: Andrew & Rick. It looked like those two were going to kill each other by the middle of this sucker! And then {spoilery stuff happens}(view spoiler)[[image] OMG! I was so pissed for Michonne, but at least she was an adult. A kid? Even if they didn't get a chance to rape him, I'm glad Rick tore that dude's guts out. (hide spoiler)] and now it looks like they're BFF's.
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Those guys were a GREAT addition to the story, by the way. It finally looks like there may even be some answers forthcoming about the start of this Zombie Apocalypse. Yeah, yeah. I know. I'm not holding my breath or anything.
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Michonne made a nice entrance, as always.
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As for the rest of the group? Dale & Andrea are starting to show some cracks. Dale seems a little upset that Rick isn't back to his old self. So. Hmm. It seems as though feelings may be changing...
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And Maggie? Well. She certainly made quite the impression on me this time around! This may be one of the best panels I've seen in a long time: (view spoiler)[ [image] (hide spoiler)] Which was only made cooler by this one! Didn't see that coming!
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And not being able to pick up immediately on what Kirkman is going to do next is the reason I keep coming back to these books so quickly. Well, that and shit like this...
Sorry, couldn't help it! Ok, I could've, but...*snickersnortgiggle*
My tired corny jokes aside, I was shocked at the amount of carnage in this s[image]
Sorry, couldn't help it! Ok, I could've, but...*snickersnortgiggle*
My tired corny jokes aside, I was shocked at the amount of carnage in this sucker! Some of them I knew were coming, but the majority still took my breath away. Psst. I've worked really hard not to get spoiled...
Anyway, Kirkman kind of lulled me into a false sense of security when several things went wrong, and then still turned out all right.
Awwww! [image]
But this isn't that kind of comic, so the rest of it wasn't very fluffy.
Wait...What's she doing? Oh, a hug! How sweet! (view spoiler)[
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People keep asking me if it's different than the show, but since I haven't seen the show, I couldn't really say one way or another. Until now. I'm pretty positive that it's quite a bit different from the tv show, because everyone who watched the show seemed to hate Lori. I gotta say, I've never disliked her. I understand that she cheated on Rick, but that's not the worst thing someone can do during a zombie apocalypse, you know? Other than that (and she in the comics she feels bad about it), she's a pretty decent person. In my opinion, anyway. Also, Rick apparently has both hands in the tv show. So, yes...it's different.
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Lots of gory deaths, a few squeamish pedo/zombie panels, and a couple of miraculous recoveries. All in all good fun. Can't wait for book 5!...more
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