The Good

You can always count on things go from bad to worse in THE WALKING DEAD. Now that Rick and his community are at the mercy of Negan's demands (after the brutal death of one their own in issue #100), people are losing faith in him as a leader. Rick may have a plan but it's extremely painful to watch as his community is pillaged and they are helpless.

With the turn of each page, you can't help but hesitate. What we've learned from the first hundred issues is we should always expect the unexpected and things will always get worse than they are. The community Rick and the others have been living in has been too safe for too long.

I was skeptical of this new threat at first but you have to admit having a force to deal with other than zombies adds an element we haven't seen in a while. Surviving against zombies is one thing but facing a human threat is another issue. Throw in that fact that the human threat is completely cruel and vicious makes the story that much more intriguing and also adds to the sinking feeling of despair in the pit of your stomach as you read each page.

The Bad

This is the hard part. Seeing the way Rick has to lie down and take the abuse and torment from Negan is so extremely difficult. That's a sign of great writing and a connection to the characters. But it also makes it hard to enjoy the comic when you have a sick feeling. It's clear that we're biding time while whatever Rick has planned plays out. We must sit and suffer with him and the others until the time is right. That means we don't get as much actual action. It's a change of pace for the series. It's necessary but still makes you long for something to happen besides the painful scenes.

The Verdict

The game of survival in the zombie-infested post apocalyptic world is going in a different direction as Rick and the survivors are faced with a cruel and deadly human threat. It may seem as if Rick and the others are stuck lying down and taking their abuse but we know it's all building up to something big. Regardless, sitting back and watch everything unfold will leave you with a sick feeling in your stomach. It's hard to watch this sort of violation. It also means a little less action than what we're used to. It's more on a psychological level. It's a great change of pace but you'll be eagerly waiting for the action to be unleashed.