Walking Dead Thread V.3

[nosebone]

Weak lil' zombie skull bones maybe..., but them jawbones are like pitbulls!

[Boceephus]

You'd think the eye sockets & temples would be the most reliable targets.

[dropforge]

You'd think the eye sockets & temples would be the most reliable targets.

They frequently are. Merle stabbed the disembodied head of his fallen Woodburyite in the eye socket with his pigsticker.

[nosebone]

The gunfight was confusing in last nights episode, but I'm glad the Gov has a glass eye.

And it looks like a black Rick is on the horizon...

[scags]

Pretty wild episode. Lots of set up for the next half, but enough action to enjoy.

[jeffo621]

and it looks like a black Rick is on the horizon...

Yeah, I just about fell off the couch when Tyrese appeared - he was a major part of the books, and I think a lot of fans were disappointed when he wasn't in the show - seemingly being replaced by the inconsequential T-Dog (not a bad thing - T was really just a "rank and file" character who brought nothing to the table). Tyrese was a great character in the books - and I actually think that his role was being filled by Daryl, even to the point where Daryl takes charge for a bit when Rick loses it.

Phenomenal episode last night. All eight of this season's episodes have been major hits.

One thing that is a bit of a concern - no announcements have been made for Season 4 yet. I'm sure the show is ridiculously expensive to produce, but it's ratings are off the charts (for a basic cable show), and have been improving each year. It should be a no-brainer for AMC to renew it.

[BobM]

I still can't believe that glass shard in the eye wasn't banged in a little deeper. The Governor would be better with a little "dain bramage" and a palsied zombie like limp. I have true faith that those 2 redneck brothers will be able to get out of that situation in the arena, even if they have to fight off the whole community to do so.

[dropforge]

Rippin' midseason finale. The Michonne-Governor tumble was the best part for me. The downer was getting rid of Oscar already. I don't think having him there meant they couldn't him and Tyrese both, but whuddevah.

One thing that is a bit of a concern - no announcements have been made for Season 4 yet. I'm sure the show is ridiculously expensive to produce, but it's ratings are off the charts (for a basic cable show), and have been improving each year. It should be a no-brainer for AMC to renew it.

Season 4 was greenlit before Season 3 started. Also, Talking Dead is going to one hour when it comes back in February, and Comic Book Men moves to a different night (I hope that doesn't hurt its viewership).

[dropforge]

I have true faith that those 2 redneck brothers will be able to get out of that situation in the arena, even if they have to fight off the whole community to do so.

I'd love for Daryl to kick the shit out of Merle. Merle is just no good for anybody. His two biggest qualities are beating people up (mainly when they can't fight back) and getting other people killed. Oh, wait, he makes for a great character, doesn't he? Go, Rooker!

[Brad to the Bone]

With the rate of main and recurring cast dying, they need to bring in more regulars to die. At this tempo, and the end there's only Rick.

Characters are constantly coming and going throughout the comic book series. I remember thinking the series must be winding down somewhere around volume 8 or 9 but now they're up to volume 17 with no end in sight. The hardest main character death to take (for me) just occurred in volume 17.

The TV show only appriximately follows the comic book continuity, but I guess would be somewhere in the range of volumes 6-8 now.

[jeffo621]

That sounds about right, but they really are only loosely following the comic - which is great in my opinion. I can read the comic (issues 49 - 72 will be heading my way for Christmas - a nice companion to the Larks Tongues Box Set) without worrying about spoilers but getting really excited when key moments from the book happen (e.g. someone who hasn't read the books will look at Tyreese and say, "I guess this is a new character" whereas I was practically high-fiving my cat Tigger)

Speaking of possible spoilers, I thought the brief surprise cameo of Shane was very cool - and properly done. I always hate when there is a surprise appearance from someone and the character is listed in the opening credits. Save it as a "Special Guest Star" at the end

[Jerjo]

This is a theory I've seen a couple places. Merle & The Governor are teaming up to trick Daryl and the prison gang? They got tossed into one of those "screamer pits" with the toothless zombies (unknown to Daryl). They escape by some miracle, and then Merle and Daryl go back to the prison. Merle tells of his betrayal, apologizes to Glenn, and then works as an inside man for governor?

[jeffo621]

That's a decent theory, but the way Merle has been portrayed I think that he legitimately cares for his brother and wouldn't turn on him. Still, Merle is "made for this world" (as Dale told Shane) and I don't think he would last long in Rick's group where there is some semblance of order.

[scags]

Don't forget that Merle came back and told the governor that Michonne was dead and eaten. The fact that she just hammered him won't do much for Merle's standing.

[Plasmatopia]

Not to be overly critical because I'm loving this whole series, but a couple of things that annoyed me:

Right at the beginning the new group of people running from the zombies in the woods comes upon a hole in the fence at the prison? I guess without knowing exactly how the prison is laid out it's possible no one knew the hole was there, but...personally? I'd want to be checking out the perimeter of the place to make sure I knew what I was dealing with.

Also the Governor knew about the prison, but simply never bothered to clear it out because he didn't want his people to have to live there. Somewhat understandable, but it might have made sense to clear it out simply to have a nearby fallback in case the town was overrun. Anyway, he makes the comment "let the biters have it" or something like that. When there were prisoners there it made sense that walkers would have been drawn there, but why would they necessarily congregate there after everyone is gone? Then again, the Governor is a fanatic...

But I try not to focus on this stuff and just enjoy the story.

[jeffo621]

Right at the beginning the new group of people running from the zombies in the woods comes upon a hole in the fence at the prison? I guess without knowing exactly how the prison is laid out it's possible no one knew the hole was there, but...personally? I'd want to be checking out the perimeter of the place to make sure I knew what I was dealing with.

I'll give them the benefit of the doubt - we don't know how much time has elapsed since they found the prison, it's a huge area to cover, and as long as they have one area/wing block secured (and access to the infirmary and cafeteria), what more do they need? Had all of the other stuff not come up - Tomas freaking out, Lori dying, Glen and Maggie being kidnapped - they may have spent more time clearing out the prison completely, but we really don't want to see four or five episodes of them walking around clearing the prison out with no real advancement of the story.

Also the Governor knew about the prison, but simply never bothered to clear it out because he didn't want his people to have to live there. Somewhat understandable, but it might have made sense to clear it out simply to have a nearby fallback in case the town was overrun. Anyway, he makes the comment "let the biters have it" or something like that. When there were prisoners there it made sense that walkers would have been drawn there, but why would they necessarily congregate there after everyone is gone? Then again, the Governor is a fanatic...

That was a bit clumsy... unless the Governor was lying about not wanting to move the people there. If he wants a fortified stronghold, then a prison is ideal - and we saw that there is a decent food supply, and I'm pretty sure that there is a nice ammo depot, lots of body armor, some vehicles (with a likely supply of gas) - all of those were in the books, which made it a very attractive place in addition to it being a pretty safe haven

[Plasmatopia]

I'll give them the benefit of the doubt - we don't know how much time has elapsed since they found the prison, it's a huge area to cover, and as long as they have one area/wing block secured (and access to the infirmary and cafeteria), what more do they need? Had all of the other stuff not come up - Tomas freaking out, Lori dying, Glen and Maggie being kidnapped - they may have spent more time clearing out the prison completely, but we really don't want to see four or five episodes of them walking around clearing the prison out with no real advancement of the story.

Yes, that makes sense of course, but as you said - it's hard to know how much time is passing and obviously they were dealing with a lot. I would just have expected them to check out the fence within the first couple of days. We wouldn't need to witness them doing it, it could be mentioned in passing that it was done. Another solution might have been to make the hole in the fence a bit less gaping and obvious. The new group could have ran along the fence searching for an entry point and found a less obvious spot where they could squeeze under. It would have been more believable. But of course the gaping hole could play an important part later on. Maybe I'd feel better about the (w)hole thing if they had earlier made a more direct reference to the fact that they'd only explored a fraction of the compound.

[Hal...]

Maybe I'd feel better about the (w)hole thing if they had earlier made a more direct reference to the fact that they'd only explored a fraction of the compound.

That was what I assumed based on comments made by Rick, et al, when they first took refuge in the prison. They purposely only cleared out a section large enough for them and left the majority of the prison as is. It follows, then, that they hadn't explored the rest of it.

[polmico]

I still can't believe that glass shard in the eye wasn't banged in a little deeper.

He's still got his dick. He's faring better than he did in the comics.

[The Red Masque]

I only have the first book of the graphic novel, which I enjoyed. Is the rest of the graphic novel series worth getting?

[polmico]

Yes. I'm around issue 75 or so. The second compendium has been released. It collects 51-99 (I think). Amazon has both compendiums listed for about 35 bucks.

[Hal...]

I asked this question of a friend who, I think, thought I was being a smart ass. But my question is genuine:

What's the difference between a comic and a graphic novel?

[Brad to the Bone]

I only have the first book of the graphic novel, which I enjoyed. Is the rest of the graphic novel series worth getting?

Yes, I started reading it about 5 years ago and got quickly hooked.

[Brad to the Bone]

What's the difference between a comic and a graphic novel?

"Graphic novel" was originally a marketing term coined by Marvel to describe a series of deluxe, oversized, squarebound one-shots.

It has since been used generically to describe any such squarebound comic, regardless of whether it contains an original story or collects and reprints multiple issues of standard monthly comics.

[dropforge]

"Graphic novel" was originally a marketing term coined by Marvel to describe a series of deluxe, oversized, squarebound one-shots.

It has since been used generically to describe any such squarebound comic, regardless of whether it contains an original story or collects and reprints multiple issues of standard monthly comics.

A graphic novel consists of original content and is marketed as a standalone all-in-one visual narrative.

A softcover or hardcover that collects previously published material (reprints) is an omnibus (this usually collects material tied together by a storyline or theme, or collects sequential runs), compendium, trade collection, etc.

When Amazon uses "Graphic Novel" to classify anything comics-oriented with a squarebound spine as such, it's to cross-promote and little else.