TPB Review: The Walking Dead vol. 8

Made To Suffer

by: Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard, and Cliff Rathburn

Collects: The Walking Dead #43-48

Premise: An apocalyptic zombie epidemic has swept the area, or the nation, maybe even the globe. Nobody knows how far and wide this epidemic reaches, why it started, or how to even stop it. This series follows a small band of survivors as they deal with the changing world around them. As the tag-line reads: "In a world of the dead, we are forced to finally start living."

Review:
This review contains very minor spoilers for many previous volumes, you have been warned!

As soon as Kirkman's premier comic book series The Walking Dead begins to get stale, Kirkman throws a wrench into the entire system, plot, and ongoing story changing the status quo. This volume is that wrench. Kirkman flips everything upside down in this fully-loaded volume.

The morality of the situation bleeds entirely into gray. Even though Rick's merry band of survivors are the ones we sympathize with, the other survivors are all really just regular people as well. The only one who transcends this grayness is the governor who is painted into a very by the numbers evil guy, he's THE bad guy and the cause for much of the pressing matters in this volume. There's a ton of symbolism towards the power of charisma, the power of fear, and the results of horrible dictatorship.

Speaking of pressing matters, this volume is gruesome, it's arguably the goriest it's ever been. But don't let that scare you, as Kirkman hide plenty of diamonds in this action-fest. Some of the bigger moments in here show you some very deep character developments. Also the whole thing shows you how involved the people are with each other, fighting each other, defending each other, and loving each other that they forget about the way of the world, the epicenter, the zombies. It's a really interesting strategy showing that that all these people are trying to escape but at the same time it's all they can possibly think about, but at the same time they become complicit in their salvation.

Kirkman still writes too much dialogue at times. But his plotting continues to be solid like a rock. His thematic relevance continues to be intriguing, this one showing the fight between people over resources, and the results of charismatic leadership (both good and evil). While the book's plot has shifted away from the horror of the zombies and towards the horror of human cruelty, it's still a horrific topic to deal with. War is still raw, bloody, and causes entirely too much strain on the human psyche, and Charlie continues to provide both the big bloody action set-pieces and his major strength in emotional reactions.

Final Thoughts: This is a must-have volume, it's got a ton of action, huge plot points, and a giant change in the status quo, if you're any type of fan you should pick this up. Although for newbies, I'd think the next volume would be a better start. Kirkman breathes new life into the concept and Charlie continues to bring the goods.

Final Grade: 8.5/10