
The Walking Dead is an American comic book series written by comic book author Robert Kirkman. With the first issue coming out in 2003, the comics follow apocalypse survivor Rick Grimes trying to lead a group of fellow survivors through the zombie apocalypse. The artist of the most recent issues, Charlie Adlard, uses plenty of thought and care to illustrate each issue, and enhances Kirkman’s story telling. The issues being focused on will be issues 97 and 98, or the first two issues of the volume known as “Something to Fear.” Even though The Walking Dead does rely on the writing to help tell the story, the art featured in the comic also helps tell the story in ways that writing can’t.

First, it is important to understand the comic as a whole. Originally, the comic focuses on the main characters surviving an onslaught of zombies. As the comic progresses, however, the focus begins to shift to the actual survivors in this world, and if the apocalypse has changed them for better, or for worse. Eventually, the main characters are fighting against other groups of people, rather than the undead. The Walking Dead was never meant to be part of the horror genre. Robert Kirkman even says so in the first issue: “I’m not trying to scare anybody… With The Walking Dead, I want to explore how people deal with extreme situations and how these events CHANGE them.” The art featured in the panels of the comic really makes this transition apparent. In the first issue, Rick Grimes appears to be in his mid twenties based on his appearance, and is later confirmed to be 29. In the most recent issues, even thought only four years have passed in the story, Rick currently looks to be in his late forties, which is a perfect representation of the characters are struggling to adapt to the ever changing world surrounding them. 

In issue 97, the first issue of the “Something to Fear” volume, the illustrations of the characters help show a shift in the tone. As the issue opens, it is apparent that no one is happy. For a majority of the chapter, no one expresses joy at all, whether visually or through speaking, other than a small grin. Rick and his fellow survivors are constantly on edge because they are facing a new threat, a group of people who call themselves the Saviors. While Rick, and a few other survivors are out looking for supplies, ]they are attacked by a group of Saviors, and have to kill most of them. Upon returning to their community, they are all still in shock, and are trying to figure out what to do next. This changes when Maggie, a character who stayed behind in their community, greets her husband Glenn, who had just returned with Rick. Maggie has a giant smile on her face as she tackles Glenn into a hug and tells him that she is pregnant. The two excitedly kiss, as their friends look and and seem genuinely happy for the first time in issue 97. The six panels displaying this exchange are a visual representation of hope. Things are looking bleak for Rick’s group. They are running low on supplies, there is lots of tension between members of their own community, and they are wondering if the even have what it takes to take on the Saviors. As soon as they see Glenn and Maggie together, their whole demeanor changes. For the last few pages of the issue, many of the characters who had been seen as tense and agitated previously, actually appear to be calm and relaxed. The group has got their confidence back, and it is made apparent by the art panels in this issue.

The following issue, issue 98, begins with one of the main characters, Abraham Ford, being murdered by a member of the Saviors. Even though it is a tragic event, the panel featuring his death actually has a bit of visual humor, and sums up his character in one image. Since his debut in issue 53, Abraham never lets anything get to him. Whenever he is faced with a problem, he usually remains calm, and even manages to stay upbeat during the worst of times. When Abraham is murdered, he is shot through the back of the head by a crossbow bolt, and it comes out of his right eye. However, Abraham doesn’t even react to it at first. In fact, he is in the middle a sentence when shot, and doesn’t even stutter. The final panel to feature Abraham alive shows him looking at his friend Eugene, with a stoic expression as blood drips down his face. It is almost as if the illustrator is trying to tell all of Abraham’s story in one image. Even in death, nothing gets to this man. After finishing what he has to say, he finally accepts his fate, and collapses to the ground.

The Walking Dead is much more than just a simple zombie story. It is a story about the survivors in this world and how they adapt to it. The art done by Charlie Adlard does an amazing job of assisting Robert Kirkman’s writing and story telling abilities. It is truly incredible how entire stories can be conveyed in The Walking Dead, just with a few images. Robert Kirkman’s series still continues today, currently with over 160 issues, and still continues to combine art and story telling in incredible ways.