The Walking Dead Delivers a Shock to the System (The Walking Dead #191 Review)

Unpredictability and quality tend to go hand in hand on The Walking Dead. This series often works best when we have no idea what’s going to happen next. The series shows just how unpredictable it can be in issue #191. Just when we thought we knew where the current storyline was headed, this issue comes along to bump the series in a completely different direction. The execution is a little muddled, but the fact that the status quo is now so uncertain and malleable is definitely a good thing.

All-out war between Alexandria and the Commonwealth seemed all but inevitable by the end of issue #190. That’s what the series has been building to since the Commonwealth story began so many months ago. But this issue manages to throw a wrench into the works as Rick makes one last-ditch attempt to make both sides see reason. By all rights this should be a huge momentum killer for the series. It’s taken so long for the Commonwealth storyline to get to this next critical phase, and now we’re not even going to get the big war that’s been brewing all this time?

Thankfully, this isn’t the case. If anything, the swerve writer Robert Kirkman and artist Charlie Adlard take in this issue feels more in line with what they’ve been trying to build for the past several years. We’ve seen multiple wars between pockets of survivors. We know how awful life can be in the post-apocalypse. Now the question is whether humanity can ever pull itself back from the brink and rebuild what was lost. Can civilization be restored? Is it possible even to build something better out of the ashes of the old world? The Commonwealth represents a return to normalcy, but Rick remains adamant that there’s a better way that doesn’t require the lucky few to lord it over the rest of society. This issue reads like a critical step along that journey.

Not that there aren’t some bumps along the way. The first half of this issue is dominated by a lengthy speech from Rick, who seems to be relishing his John Galt moment. This speech encapsulates the themes and goals that have been driving the book lately, but it’s also too long-winded and hokey for its own good. It’s hard to buy the notion that both sides of the conflict would be so utterly enamored with Rick’s words. It doesn’t help that one moment in particular is painfully on the nose, even if it is an intentional throwback to a similar moment from earlier in the series.

Fortunately, the issue moves past Rick’s awkward speech and immediately begins exploring the aftermath. This issue manages to inject a newfound sense of hope and optimism while also showing just how fragile this status quo truly is. The cliffhanger ending is delivers a welcome jolt to the system. It’s also a nice reminder that Kirkman and Adlard are willing to take big risks. Lately, the series has been playing it too safe where certain characters are concerned. No longer.

Adlard crafts some standout scenes in this new issue, including some that allow him to flex different muscles from the norm. With so much emphasis on crowd scenes lately, Adlard’s faces have tended to become interchangeable and generic. But several scenes in this issue allow him to hone in on specific characters and tackle detailed, striking facial work for a change. The final scene also strikes the right notes, as the emotionally charged figures and shadowy environment create a feeling of intensity and dread.

The Verdict

The Walking Dead #191 is just the sort of game-changing issue the series needed. Rather than derailing the book’s momentum, this issue manages to create a new sense of uncertainty and dread even as it brings hope into the conflict between Alexandria and the Commonwealth. The execution is a little bumpy during Rick’s overwrought speech, but the book picks up considerably after that point.

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