Kirkman’s jokester, devil-may-care image belies his craft.  There is a lot of passion and talent in his comics that may not necessarily be literarily heavy but still weigh heavy with complex and believable human drama.

The Walking Dead is a study in human motivations and relationships.  It is the human condition on display as it decays under the pressure of survival. And it is endlessly fascinating to watch these characters as they attempt to evolve, devolve or just barely maintain their humanity.

Rick is currently devolving. After the incidents of issues 75 and 76, Rick has gone from desperate leader attempting to ensure the safety of his group to unquestioning follower and assassin.

The issue is not perfect. There is some clunky dialogue in the first half and the quick cut scenes that try to cover the developing relationships in the Community don’t all work; however, the second half drives up the tension and lays the foundation for Rick’s descent into a new character phase. He has lost himself to the Community.

I want to know when or if he will find his way back.