Weekly Comic Book Review

By Robert Kirkman (Creator & Writer), Charlie Adlard (Pencils & Inks), and Cliff Rathburn (Gray Tones & Cover Colors)

Some Thoughts Before The Review: A few months back, I started to get a bit worried that The Walking Dead might be stuck in neutral. After last issue, Robert Kirkman officially made it clear that it’s not. The return of some old faces and the introduction of a few new ones injected both life and a world of possibilities into what is, in my opinion, one of the best survival stories ever put to print. It will be interesting to see what happens with all these new plot parts now in play.

The Story: The crew of survivors come across an interesting zombie while on a supply stop. Also, Rick continues to battle his mental instability as he once again picks up the phone to speak to his dead wife. To be honest, that’s about all that happens outside of the surprise ending. The issue as a whole is more focused on character work and adding pieces to the zombie puzzle.

What’s Good: While some may find The Walking Dead #55 a bit slow (and lacking in forward plot motion), the incredible character work and interesting bit of information regarding the state of the zombie outbreak more than makes up for the lack of action. Particularly great is how Robert Kirkman handles Rick’s struggle with his deteriorating mental state. It’s next to impossible not to have an emotional investment in a character that has gone through (and lost) so much.

What’s Not So Good: Some may be put off by the lack of action in the issue. Then again, those reading the series solely for the zombie action are pretty much missing the point entirely. It has always been about the characters and will continue to be about the characters.

Conclusion: Another month, another great chapter of The Walking Dead. Fans of the characters will find a lot to like in this one.

Grade: A-

-Kyle Posluszny