Comics
Review: ‘The Walking Dead’ # 115
‘The Walking Dead’ celebrates ten years by kicking off “All Out War.” The scope of the series has never felt larger. Rick has banded several communities together s in an effort to dethrone Negan’s rule. Kirkman doesn’t waste any time as the pieces are slid into place for the largest conflict in the series’ long history. War has started and it’s never been more fun.
WRITTEN BY: Robert Kirkman
ART BY: Charlie Adlard
PUBLISHER: Image
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE: October 9, 2013
There has been an interesting gradual shift in “The Walking Dead.” At first the fear was always of the walkers, other people were saviors in this destitute world, and Rick looked to them to survive. Now Kirkman has made us so afraid of other humans, there is really no safe haven in this world.
Perhaps Rick is stupid to think eliminating Negan will solve all of his problems. It is the path he has set for himself and now there is no going back. Kirkman mediates on this fact when he spends some time developing the home front. Which stands in stark contrast to Rick quickly preparing the others for what’s to come, and taking off with his army.
In these early pages we’re treated to a couple scenes with Ezekiel. These allow for a better understanding of his character. Although I cannot help but approach him with a greater sense of dread, we still don’t know much about him, or his motivations. I anticipate him becoming a bigger obstacle than an ally in the year to follow.
The early pages are nice and slow. The art by Adlard allows us to revel in small character moments. The opening panels with Andrea and Rick in bed show us the calm before the storm. His clean lines and fantastic use of white space serves as a great juxtaposition to the dark storm that lies at the end of the issue.
“All Out War” is shaping up to be something entirely different. Charlie Adlard’s large sweeping panels of the band of survivors give the book a huge sense of scope. The rallying cries pour through the page and invigorate you in their efforts. I felt a certain twinge of fear and regret by the end of the issue. It feels as if things are moving too far, too fast, but this isn’t our first date with Kirkman.
After a number of years of pulling us through misery Adlard and Kirkman are about to take us into the depths of hell. Rick is ignorant to think that killing Negan will provide the solution to his problems. There is always going to be a new series of obstacles in this world torn asunder. Instead he opts for the easy route, kill or be killed. Since the prison that has been Rick’s calling card, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it is ultimately his demise.
“The Walking Dead” is on a collision course. The narrative barrels ahead and promises to leave many in its wake. I can think of no better way to celebrate ten years of this fantastic series than the orgy of blood promised by this conflict.
To which I say bring it on!
Rating: 4/5 Skulls.
Comics
‘You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive’ – IDW Dark’s Next Horror Comic Will Make You Question Reality
Five friends. Four houses. One perfect life. Bloody Disgusting is excited to exclusively announce You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive, a brand new horror comic from IDW Dark.
From Eisner-Nominated writers Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly, and rising horror artist Heather Vaughan, You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is described as a “paranoia-laced, socially-conscious, horror mystery that will leave you questioning reality, and reveal that this crafted world is more of a nightmare than the idealistic dream they were expecting.”
Phoebe Joplin has never questioned the world her parents built: a secluded community where she and her friends were raised to be smarter, stronger, and better than anyone else. No distractions. No dangers. No secrets. Until the night of their graduation.
When one of them dies under impossible circumstances, Phee starts to pull at the edges of her perfect life—and what she finds is something far more terrifying than she ever imagined.
Because this place isn’t a sanctuary. It’s a cage. And no one who discovers the truth ever leaves it alive.
Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing (Batman – One Bad Day: Clayface, Star Trek: The Last Starship) co-write the upcoming IDW Dark horror comic, featuring art by Heather Vaughan.
Jackson Lanzing said in a statement to Bloody Disgusting, “You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive is in many ways a spiritual successor to our last creator-owned horror, The Principles of Necromancy – a dive into the promise and consequence of playing god with the blood of innocents. But the Hivemind book this reminds me of most is Clayface: One Bad Day. This is a deeply human story with intensely raw emotions – five best friends and their five mysterious parents, tearing one another apart for the promise of some impossible glory that’s waiting just beyond their darkest actions. We’re thrilled to be bringing this story to life with our long-time partner in crime, editor Heather Antos, at IDW Dark – and we’re particularly excited to give our Clayface fans a new, brutal and emotional horror made just for them.”
Adds Collin Kelly, “We’re deconstructing a feeling that seems universal these days; our elders have a death grip on their power, without any intention of giving it up to the generations that come next. YNLTPA is about growing up with the limitless potential of the future… and realizing how much it’s a lie we’ve been fed to keep us under the yoke of the past. Bringing this brutal experience to life is our artist and co-creator, Heather Vaughan, who brings an incredible amount of humanity to our cast. But it’s in our youthful leads that Heather’s art really shines – you are going to fall in love with these young people, even as they go through the worst experience of their lives. What we’ve all crafted together is going to be tragic, painful, but above all else, sincere – with a future so uncertain, there’s only one thing we can trust: you’ll never leave this place alive.”
“Some horror stories are about monsters in the dark. YNLTPA is about realizing the monsters raised you,” previews Senior Group Editor Heather Antos. “Working with Jackson Lanzing and Collin Kelly on this series has been a dream in the darkest possible way. They’ve built a story that’s layered, brutal, and deeply emotional, and every issue gives artist Heather Vaughan opportunities to push the art into places that feel both haunting and deeply personal. Some horror comics will keep you up at night…this is one that will stick with you for years to come.”
The first issue of You’ll Never Leave This Place Alive goes on sale October 14, 2026! Make sure to pre-order at your local comic shop by September to guarantee a copy.
Exclusively check out the various covers for Issue #1 down below.
IDW Publishing’s horror imprint IDW DARK features comics like A Quiet Place: Storm Warning, Smile: For the Camera, The Exorcism at 1600 Penn, Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees, The Twilight Zone, Event Horizon: Dark Descent & Event Horizon: Inferno, and more.
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