Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews

Walking Dead #63

Walking Dead #63
Image Comics
Kirkman, Adlard & Rathburn

The second issue of the “Fear the Hunters” arc is outstanding. You might expect a physical confrontation or more missing people or someone to die, but none of that is what makes this issue excellent. Instead we get a little introduction into the hunters, we get some terrific inner turmoil between Rick and company and the priest and we get some humorous moments. It’s a fun and tense issue. It just hits all the right notes. However, the last page is the real hook, which unfortunately I can’t spoil for you here.

This issue opens with plenty of tension as the group debates how to go about looking for Dale. The group is split. Some feel he’s missing while others think he took off on his own. The vast majority think it’s unlikely that the one-legged old man is actually alive. This creates an interesting dilemma and some nice arguing. There are a couple of panels that were funny as well.

Eventually the group calls of the search and heads to Gabriel’s church. Andrea spots another lurker in the woods. This leads everyone to assume that Gabriel is in on everything with the mysterious men in the woods watching them. Rick takes charge and confronts him. Gabriel launches into a horrifying origin story. It’s emotional but is it true? It seems Rick believes him. I’m not sure I do but Gabriel does paint a pretty gruesome picture of what happened to his parish which resulted in him being all alone now.

The issue ends with the reader finding out a little about the hunters and about the whereabouts of Dale. It’s a tremendous ending.

This issue explores an awful lot of ground. We learn a lot about Gabriel and just how far he’s fallen for a man of the cloth. On the other hand, what do we really know about Gabriel? And what about Rick’s history says that he really believes him? There’s an awful lot of depth getting explored here.

Another aspect of this issue that is very well done is the debate of how they handle the missing Dale. How long is too long to look for him? With the danger of zombies and who knows what else why would you bother venturing into the woods at all? On the other hand how can you not look for one of your own until you find something that gives you a clue about what happened to him?

The art captures all the right emotions. Whether is was Abe’s eye-rolling at Andrea screaming into the woods or the brutality of the ending when we find out what happened to Dale, the artwork drives its own tale home very well.

To round out this excellent issue we get a full reprint of the first issue of Chew. That’s right, two full size comics in one issue for the regular price of $3. It’s an amazing deal. Plus you get a letters page.

This comic is the best read month in and month out. While this issue might not provide the excitement of the prison invasion, it does give some great dialogue and some difficult morale decisions among the characters. This is a can’t miss issue.

5 out of 5 geek goggles