From Image Comics, Robert Kirkman and Charlie Adlard.

While I’m writing this review I’m listening to a podcast discussing the Walking Dead TV show.  Lots of people complaining, “where are the zombies?!”  Well there is only one zombie in this issue.  It isn’t once a threat.  Its only in maybe two panels and disposed of quickly.  Yet not for a moment could anyone say this issue is boring, or even worse “nothing happens”.

Huge spoilers ahead fans:

Rick and crew are brought into Jesus’s camp.  Its gorgeous.  It is a paradise.  Kids are playing, animals are being raised, there appears to be a small market.  It is hope and joy for the future.  After the prison and the Governor and the Community everyone is expecting some sort of evil to be inside.  Well, we’re half right.

Someone comes running in and says his party is gone.  Its becoming obvious that every character here has 95 issues of story behind them.  Kirkman could stop writing about Rick Grimes right now and spend the next few years telling Jesus’s story and it would be just as captivating.  I could give you the names of these characters, but I think its more dramatic not to.  Not knowing who is who gives more fright to the moment.  The returning survivor says that the other camp wants more.  He attempts to kill the leader as a sacrifice.  Rick puts him down, a fight ensues and Rick kills in order to save his life.  With two big members of Jesus’s community down its obvious that their status quo is gone.

Whatever I thought was going to happen in issue #100 this one destroys.  Rick has created a power vacuum.  Jesus could take over.  This other, apparently evil, camp could invade.  Rick must then protect his group and he may feel some sense of responsibility to this new group.  He created this problem and now he has to solve it.  Not only is Rick in charge of the Community, but at the end of this he could be leading Jesus’s group as well.  If they defeat this evil group next door then why not add them to the larger group?  Rick could end up being in charge of many different cities.  What do you call a guy who has power over multiple cities in the same geographic area?  I think its called a… governor?

Oh shit.