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Review: ‘The Walking Dead’ #113

Published

11 years ago

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In another stunning issue, Rick and his group feel the wrath of Negan. “The Walking Dead” has kicked into high gear and doesn’t show signs of letting up.

Negan’s wrath can is felt through the page. His huge ego and commanding presence tower over Rick both figuratively and literally. After the events last month he is pissed and seeks revenge. Kirkman has taken careful steps to illustrate that Negan is a special kind of maniac. He has a code of honor, and he is intelligent. He would have to have both things just to survive for as long as he has.

WRITTEN BY: Robert Kirkman
ART BY: Charlie Adlard
PUBLISHER: Image
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE: August 14, 2013

Naturally this bleeds into one of Negan’s key decisions in this issue. He knows Rick wants to kill him, hell, he tried last issue, but he is smarter than Rick. Negan doesn’t want to turn Rick into a martyr by killing him in front of his people. Instead he wants to murder Carl; he wants to make an example.

Meanwhile in the tower, looking out over everything is Andrea. At the beginning of the issue she is primed and ready. Just as things take a turn for the worse on the ground, so too does Andrea’s situation in the tower. Her struggle to stay alive is the driving force of the issue.

It is clear with this issue that Kirkman envisions Andrea and Rick as the central protagonists of the series. With such a cast of revolving characters throughout a multi year history Andrea, Rick, and Carl are the mainstays. Here we find the beginning of the end for them. If Negan has his way, one of our protagonists will be dead in the immediate future.

The beat that ends the issue is perfect. Rick is sure to be broken man when we return next month. Negan is in control, and things are dire.

Adlard has another strong month. His depiction of Andrea’s struggle for her life is tense and dynamic. I grit my teeth the entire time. Negan’s facial expressions are incredibly playful and almost demonic. Adlard draws him with such chaotic joy that his art jumps off the page. Most of the time Negan’s engaged in dramatic and over the top monologues. Adlard makes the talking moments an absolute joy.

The visual sense of space created in the end, allows us to fully feel Rick’s misunderstanding. Adlard’s final panel is fantastic and dramatic. Andrea’s final bit of dialogue is poignant and awesome. I love her more now than ever.

The pacing has hit total high gear, and I can only hope it doesn’t let up. Although this is “The Walking Dead” so things could fall off incredibly with the next issue. However, the pacing and the story finally feel like they are going somewhere.

Kirkman seems to have forgotten about Ezekiel and Jesus. The world of the book has become too expansive, and every character cannot be fully serviced with each issue. However, if the world of the forgotten characters clashes with the world we’re in here the book might hit its best stride in years.

4/5 Skulls

Reviewed by – Jimbus_Christ

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Comics

‘The Toxic Avenger’ Returns with Cover Artwork for First Issue of New Comic Book Series [Exclusive]

Published

5 days ago

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May 13, 2024

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With a remake on the way and a new 4K restoration of the original classic now streaming, it’s a good time to be a fan of Troma’s The Toxic Avenger. Additionally, Matt Bors — the founder of The Nib and a political cartoonist who has twice been named a Pulitzer Prize finalist —and acclaimed artist Fred Harper (Snelson) are collaborating on an all-new 5-issue comic book series starring the satirical superhero of the Troma Films cult classic films!

TOXIC AVENGER #1 will land in stores on October 9, 2024.

While you wait, you can exclusively check out the issue #1 cover art from Fred Harper below, along with a set of emojis designed by Harper for the extremely online teens of Tromaville.

“The Toxic Avenger delivers what Troma fans want,” said AHOY Comics Editor-in-Chief Tom Peyer. “The series has violent action, gross mutations, bursting pustules, eye-popping visuals, and trenchant humor.” 

“If there was ever a superhuman hero for these toxic, miserable times, Toxie is the one!” said Lloyd Kaufman. “Only AHOY Comics and Bors & Harper could pull this off…er…mop this up! Toxie and the Troma Team can’t wait ‘til you read -no, experience – the art and stories that the Toxic Avenger Comic Book will explode in your brain, your soul, and your heart. Above all, remember – Toxie loves you and so do I.”

“This series will combine elements of the original films with the Toxic Crusaders cartoon and characters in familiar ways, updated to tell a story of environmental devastation, corporate control, and social media mutation,” said Bors. “The Toxic Avenger is first and foremost an environmental satire, one about a small town and its unremarkable people trapped and transformed by circumstances they don’t control. The story Fred Harper and I are telling is about people frustrated by authorities telling them not to worry about their life, that things are fine, even as their dog mutates in front of their eyes. And at its core it is about a powerless boy, Melvin, who finds out he can be incredibly strong, hideously mutated, well-admired, and incredibly heroic… but still ultimately powerless over human behavior.”

In The Toxic Avenger, teenager Melvin Junko helps run his parent’s junkyard in Tromaville, a small town in New Jersey where nothing much ever happens — until an ill-timed train derailment of toxic waste transforms Melvin into a hideously deformed creature of superhuman size and strength: the Toxic Avenger!

Under a media blackout imposed by Biohazard Solutions (BS) and their PR-spewing Chairwoman Lindsay Flick, Melvin emerges as a hero fighting against BS and the mutated threats that keep popping up around Tromaville.

Eventually Melvin uncovers a vast conspiracy more far-reaching than he could have ever imagined — but he knows if everyone is simply made aware of the crisis, they’ll act to stop it. Right?

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