SPLICED STUFF /
COMICS / THE WALKING DEAD VOL 22: A NEW BEGINNING
ISSUE 06
The Walking Dead Vol 22:
A New Beginning
New beginnings bring new characters
by Pippa Tshabalala
PUBLISHER / Image Comics GENRE / Sci-Fi WRITER / Robert Kirkman ARTIST / Charlie Adlard
I
VERDICT / 9/10
This volume is set a few
years after the previous
one, and we see the
introduction of a new
group of characters,
who of course brings
with them a new set
of challenges. More
hopeful and optimistic
than some of the
previous volumes.
Highly recommended.
24
Much as the new group like the idea of living
t’s very difficult to write a review of this volume,
there, inevitably they feel mistrustful, as if the
(which collects issues 127, 128 and 129) without
community is simply too good to be true. With
giving away too much of the story. The world has
Negan, former psychotic leader of the Saviors
changed since the previous volume and the end
hidden away in the community jail, and Rick leaving
of the war. There is more hope, optimism and to a
on a trip to one of the other communities, you just
certain extent, more order to the society, however
know something is going to go wrong.
as we’ve seen time and again, there is still
mistrust and deceit. The story is set
This volume of The Walking
a few, indeterminate number of
Dead shows us that Kirkman
years later and we see an older
" Much as the
is not just about war and
Rick, overcoming his multiple
new group like the
destruction. Yes it’s a
injuries (man does this guy
idea of living there,
common theme that runs
get hurt a lot) with nary
through all the books, but
a complaint, as well as a
inevitably they feel
we see hope and optimism
slightly more annoying and
mistrustful, as if
blossom as well and the
older Carl.
the community is
willingness for people
to work together to build
I don’t know what it is
simply too good to
something new. Everyone has
about Carl in this volume, but
be true."
hopes, dreams and desires and
the headstrong boy has turned
even in this post-apocalyptic world
into a somewhat sulky teenager,
the same human emotions that we are
and although his complaints make a
all familiar with, are unchanging.
certain amount of sense, nevertheless he
grates on my nerves. It might be Adlard’s rendering
One thing I’ve always loved about this series,
of him with his one-eyed sunglasses, but it just
even when I’ve felt disappointed by certain
somehow doesn’t stack up to the image of Carl as
volumes in the past, was the ability of Kirkman
the gun-toting boy wearing the Stetson that sits in
to capture the characters’ emotions and forge
my memory.
connections between people. The Walking Dead
is not and has never really been a series about
We see the introduction of new characters, a
zombies, it’s a series about people, and the struggle
group led by Magna, who encounter Jesus and his
we all go through in order to survive.
team herding the zombies away from Alexandria.
Magna’s group are offered the chance to join the
A New Beginning is exactly that. It attempts
Alexandria community (provided they surrender
to put the trials and tribulations of the past
their weapons until they’re trusted of course), and
war behind it and forge ahead anew. Highly
they are welcomed by Rick, who of course leads
recommended, but if you’ve been neglecting
the community.
this series for a while, don’t forget to go back
and catch up in order to keep a handle on all the
characters.