Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Walking Dead #109
Image Comics
Kirkman, Adlard & Rathburn
Walking Dead takes a turn in this issue as we pick up the plot thread with Maggie dealing with the loss of Glenn. This issue is definitely a slower issue. This isn't just because there is no physical confrontation or zombies, but because Kirkman takes the time to introduce three new characters. While this sets up things nicely for the future, it certainly makes for a slower, but still entertaining read.
It's very rare that we see plot developments that don't involve Rick and his immediate location but that is what we have a lot of here. Maggie is found mourning by Glenn's grave and a woman approaches her. The conversation stretches for a couple of pages, but through this we get an idea of the mindset of the some of the town's residents. Maggie appears to have made a friend.
The book moves along by following Maggie to her trip to the doctor and then to her apartment where her daughter appears to bug their neighbors. The book sounds dull but it picks up when Jesus arrives.
Jesus informs Maggie of Rick's plans and sets in motion Maggie's involvement. From here, Maggie meets the blacksmith and the fence guard, both of whom seem to be characters that will be leveraged by Jesus to keep tabs on the town and Maggie when he leaves again.
The book is a good comic but not a great one. This is okay because Kirkman is taking the time to introduce the characters and give them purpose. Some of them may play little or no role going forward and that's okay because at least there are options. Kirkman has avoided doing this for some time and it is nice to see him get back to the character work that makes this book matter when the characters die.
Adlard works the characters well. They have distinct looks and he is matching up expressions to the dialogue very well, especially with the eye roll. Adlard's layouts went with a few pages of nine panel grids which is an interesting change but a nice storytelling tactic (as any fan of the Watchman knows). I liked Adlard's story here.
I'm sure while reading this issue in trade format you won't even notice the slowness of it. However, as a single issue it definitely is a dialogue heavy comic that borders on boring. If you like character work and are for the expansion of the cast then I think there is a lot to like in here. Ultimately, the comic is an average Walking Dead book, but this positions the comic for good things down the road.
3 out of 5 Geek Goggles
