Robert Kirkman delivers his usual solid characterization, engaging story, and some unexpected plot twists in this installment of The Walking Dead. Readers of this series are accustomed to each graphic novel driving the plot along at a brisk clip, and this issue does not disappoint. Rick and company continue to make their way through the post-apocalyptic world of zombies and natural dangers, but as usual the most dangerous creature in the environment is man.

In this issue, Kirkman focusses on a fan-favorite character and provides some much-needed resolution, something that is sometimes lacking in issues of The Walking Dead. This character development makes this issue stand out among some of the recent ones. We are also introduced to some new characters, some of whom are likeable and some are utterly despicable, but all are entertaining. Fans of the series are likely to enjoy this part of the story.

Note: This is not a stand-alone graphic novel, and jumping in at the middle would be very confusing. If you have not read The Walking Dead, you should begin at Volume #1.

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  12 religious exclamations; 7 mild obscenities; 2 religious profanities; 4 derogatory names; 9 scatological words; 5 anatomical terms; 24 f-word derivatives.

Violence/Gore Rating:  A few verbal threats; characters point guns at each other a few times; report of a character covering himself in blood; report of a woman forced to give sexual favors; report of multiple murders; report of a character’s hand cut off; man pushes a woman down; a character beats others with a staff; characters slap each other a few times; a fight with zombies with knives and guns but no major human injuries; many dead bodies are shown in an illustration; a cleaver is buried in a zombie’s skull.

Sex/Nudity:  Characters flirt verbally a few times; characters cuddle; a man kisses a woman’s hand; characters hold hands; a woman refers to men’s crotches as “ding-dongs”; discussion of characters needing to have children to maintain the population, with one character encouraging another to “get to it”; mention of “shacking up”; two characters make out, and they are scantily clothed (no nudity is shown in the illustration); a couple starts to disrobe and are kissing (no nudity shown, the girl is in bra and panties); report that a woman was forced to give sexual favors.

Mature Subject Matter:

Class discrimination, murder.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

None