This week a new one-shot set in the world of Robert Kirkman‘s ‘The Walking Dead‘ was released and in it, we’re shown two huge reveals. In a story that is fully canon, we’ve been given a story that feels to have been born from Kirkman’s pen but was given to us by writer Brian K. Vaughan with art by Marcos Martin. You might wonder what ‘The Walking Dead: The Alien’ could give us that is a game changer and it isn’t just one piece of information but two.
I have to warn you that there are a couple of major spoilers from the comic in store for you here so if you plan on reading it first you may want to turn back while you can.
Still with me? Well, the first of the major reveals is that the story takes place in Barcelona, Spain! Yes, for the first time we’re given a look at another part of the world and it just happens to be as zombie infested as the United States is. We follow an American tourist named Jeff who is trying to stay alive. He’s rescued by a woman named Claudia when it appears his fate is sealed and the rest of the tale is about how she plans to get to a boat and head to the United States.
They get through most of the way to safety though poor Jeff is bitten at the last moment and that is when we learn the second reveal. Jeff’s last name is Grimes. Yes. This is Rick’s brother who was mentioned way back in ‘The Walking Dead’ #3 and most fans have probably long forgotten about.
It’s fun that Vaughan says that:
“I’d been fascinated by the idea of Rick Grimes’ long-lost kid brother ever since he was first mentioned waaaaaay back in Walking Dead #3”
With that in mind, it was probably a thrill that he ended up being the one who was able to tell that story.
While a happy family reunion clearly isn’t in their future, Kirkman stresses that these events will come into play later in the series. I expect that this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Claudia.
He also points out that:
“In the comics, we’ve stayed in the continental United States; we haven’t really ever explained what’s happened outside of it. I used to joke that people are hanging out in Australia and they’re fine and it’s just the American continents that are all messed up — but that’s not the case.”
You can watch the full interview below:
The book is a great read and available from Panel Syndicate for a donation of your choice. It can be low as 0 cents but please don’t be that guy who stiffs the creator’s on what they’ve put their talent into creating. Especially when it is such a great read!
I suppose fans of the show aren’t going to forget that currently we have a huge story arc going on that involves being on a boat and have to be curious as to if it could be a way to tie the shows together.
Did you have a chance to read ‘The Walking Dead: The Alien’? What did you think?
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Stuart Conover is an author, blogger, and all around geek. When not busy being a father and husband he tries to spend as much time as possible immersed in comic books, science fiction, and horror! Would you like to know more? Follow him on Twitter!