‘All Out War’ kicks off as Rick attempts to rally his allies and eliminate the threat of Negan. Those allies include Ezekiel, the guy with the tiger and Jesus, representing Hilltop. Eugene, meanwhile, has made a lot of progress in his endeavor to manufacture ammunition, which will likely come in handy as this story progresses. Rick proceeds with caution, but it may be possible that Negan is a step ahead of him.
I’ve been complaining that this book has really been dragging lately, so I’m glad something finally happened. The titular ‘All Out War’ hasn’t exactly begun yet but it’s getting there and there were some twists. It’s important to set the stage, which was what a large chunk of this issue consisted of. Robert Kirkman establishes where most of the important characters are stationed, leading up to the conflict. (Michonne may want to grab a gun. That katana isn’t going to save her once bullets start flying.) Two characters seemingly get benched, but I figure that’s not going to actually be the case. The cast has ballooned. I get the feeling that’s about to be rectified. Oh and there are actually a couple of zombies in this issue.
Charlie Adlard’s pencils continue to serve the story well. Since the book is going bi-weekly, he is assisted by Stefano Gaudiano on inks, bringing some depth and gray-tones. It’s subtle, but nice.
It’s funny, but I actually noticed with this issue that Carl is growing up. Not just emotionally, but physically. He’s taller than he was before. With fiction, you don’t necessarily have to age your characters, but they have and it’s an interesting touch.
All in all, it’s a decent launch to this event, but still left me a little unsatisfied. Hopefully with the next issue, things will really hit the fan and we’ll get some real action.
THE WALKING DEAD #115
Written by Robert Kirkman
Pencils and Cover by Charlie Adlard
