Comics
Review: ‘The Walking Dead’ # 116
All Out War continues in “The Walking Dead.” Rick and his forces push to make the first strike in an incredible issue that ratchets the pacing up to eleven. This is purely pulse pounding stuff that will have you contemplating the next move for everyone. Which is exactly why this year will be absolutely dizzying. Already things are moving faster than they ever have and there appears to be no end in sight.
WRITTEN BY: Robert Kirkman
ART BY: Charlie Adlard
PUBLISHER: Image
PRICE: $2.99
RELEASE: November 13, 2013
This issue took me around five minutes to complete cover to cover. There isn’t much dialogue, and not a lot of time is wasted. The result is an issue that never stops moving for better or worse.
All Out War kicked off with a resounding success. Negan’s threat feels large and disastrous but for once Rick actually feels prepared. I’m starting to believe in his leadership again. He brilliantly plans and executes an attack using his knowledge of Negan and the world around them.
Kirkman shines here. As it is clear he is developing a whole new type of warfare. Zombie warfare. Something we’ve never seen before. He aims to give us a full-scale war between these camps within a world gone to shit. It’s totally admirable and it’s working really well.
Adlard’s pencils are on point yet again. He is able to capture the frenzied pace with relative ease. I’ve had my times where I haven’t been his biggest fan. His unclean, hard lines seem to be at home within the flurry of battle. His work shines brightest when he takes a step back. Showing us the grand scheme of the war, pulling out from the intimacy of the frame and showing us the lumbering legions of the undead. Adlard dances this fine line between Rick and the walkers, and in the end it all comes beautifully crashing together.
Small character moments rise to the top of the script. Kirkman makes sure to stop in briefly with all his major players. Showing how they react under stress and how they stick to a plan. Some are more interesting than others.
Negan’s reaction to the events is typical. He is cool, calm, and completely unhinged. It works wonders for his character, but also shows that his sense of confidence may be a little unfounded. As he is not ready or aware of what Rick has just done to him. Ezekiel has a nice moment here as well. Showing him amidst the battle in complete control. He’s a phenomenal character who has only just begun to develop.
So far this arc is truly unlike anything Kirkman has done before. Which is no easy feat after writing the same series for ten years. With any luck the fantastic pacing will keep up and we’ll be treated to a new gold standard of zombie story by years end.
Let the good times roll.
Rating: 4/5 Skulls.
Comics
‘Curse of the Where Wolf’ Bites Into August Release With Trio of Werewolf Theatrical Screenings [Exclusive Preview]
Larry Chaney‘s hairy misadventures are continuing in the sequel graphic novel Curse of the Where Wolf from creative team Rob Saucedo, Debora Lancianese, and Jack Morelli, and its author is celebrating with a trio of horror’s greatest werewolf films.
The Curse of the Where Wolf hits shelves on August 7 from Encyclopocalypse Publications.
That coincides with the launch of a theatrical screening event in Houston, Texas, featuring a trio of seminal werewolf flicks turning 45 this year: The Howling on August 7, Wolfen on August 14, and An American Werewolf in London on August 21.
Each screening features a “werewolf in film” presentation as well as a book signing from Where Wolf author and River Oaks Theatre artistic director Rob Saucedo.
In the new graphic novel, “Being a werewolf sucks. Reporter Larry Chaney wanted to be a hero. Instead, he became a werewolf. Now, caught between incredible new powers and a desire to eat everything (and everyone) in sight, Larry must find a cure for his curse. Or die trying.”
“With Where Wolf, I wanted to tell a whodunit set in a furry convention, so the story was pretty contained within a very specific setting and genre. With Curse of the Where Wolf, I wanted to celebrate everything I love about the possibility of comic books. Curse of the Where Wolf is a funny book, in every sense of the phrase, but it’s also an earnest look at a person’s struggle to become a better version of themselves, especially when the alternative is to become a literal monster,” Saucedo says of Curse.
The original graphic novel was previously serialized as the first webcomic hosted on Fangoria before being collected by Encyclopocalypse Publications in 2023 and has already been optioned for film, podcast, and television development ahead of launch by producers James Fino (“The Freak Brothers” for Tubi, “Rick and Morty” for Adult Swim) and Charles Horak (First Date for Magnolia Pictures).
Expect Larry to find himself in even weirder situations in the 362-page full color sequel; Saucedo has provided Bloody Disgusting with exclusive art pages from the upcoming graphic novel that showcase lupine humor.
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