The Walking Dead: A Larger World, Vol. 16

Robert Kirkman has found himself in a little bit of a creative loop where Walking Dead is concerned, and while his talent is of such a magnitude that he's producing entertaining stories even when he's repeating himself, I certainly hope he finds some way to break out of it soon. Witness volume 16 of the Walking Dead.The basic problem with the stories collected here is that, since essentially the end of the prison saga, Kirkman has been writing the same plot over and over. Though thinly disguised with variations, the basic story of the series has been that, Rick and his group meet another group, or find what they believe is a safe haven, go through a period of apparent safety and some security, until eventually forces both within and outside cause the entrire collapse of the community the main characters are trying to build. This usually also results in some personal tragedy or loss for Rick himself. It was fundamentally what the prison plot was all about, the farm plot before that, and it's most definitely the plot of this volume and the two or three immediately preceding it. So Kirkman's in a rinse and repeat mode.In this volume in particular, Rick's group encounters yet another stranger who promises a community that could potentially provide safe haven, or at the very least, establish some reasonable trade opportunities for obtaining food. Rick's usual suspicious nature leads to some tense moments until a small group venture out to find this large community. Needless to say, things aren't all what they seem, but for the first time in a while, Rick sees a cause for some optimism, and that's where the volume ends. The problem is that there are loads of moments throughout this volume where the reader experiences a sense of deja vu. Conversations seem repeated almost word for word and the situations recall previous encounters Rick's group has gone through. Even the inevitable revelations remind the reader of previous challenges from earlier chapters, and there's a strong sense of having seen or been through all this before.Initially, Kirkman's real strengths as a writer were his exceptional characterization and his fearlessness. In previous volumes, Kirkman distinguished himself from his generation of writers with his almost unflinching ability to be cruel to the things and creatures he created. This quality made his comics unpredictable and gave his stories an urgency and vitality that many mainstream comics simply can not match. And to a considerable extent, that unpredictability is still very much alive in Kirkman's other genre defining book, Invincible. But it may be that Kirkman has gotten a bit too precious with Rick and his crew, or perhaps has fallen into a bit of a rut, because in addition to repeating basic plot lines, the series has also been striking for its lack of any real sense of peril for Kirkman's four "favorites," namely Rick himself, Michonne, Glenn and Andrea. And while I'm not insisting or even suggesting that Kikrman should kill one of these characters simply for shock value or in a vain attempt to restore a sense of unpredictability to the series, my main point is that some chances could be taken and some opportunities are available that Kirkman may be missing.For example, I wish the Walking Dead could explore Rick getting separated from the main group for an extended period, or the series could simply follow Rick alone, even without his son for a while. Kirkman has also limited himself dramatically for no good reason by restraining Rick and his group to the continental US. At some point in the future, it might be interesting to have Rick or perhaps even Rick and other characters, make an attempt to reach another countrty in the hope of discovering a place where the plague has not hit. Some issues with Rick and some new characters at sea for example, or confronted with survival challenges that were beyond merely the walkers, could open up some new possibilities for Kirkman which thus far have been foreclosed because of his narrow approach to his theme.Fundamentally, the Walking Dead has always been a story of survival - what happens to human beings when society literally collapses due to some apocolyptic event. Thus far, Kirkman has done an admirable job of exploring that theme. His problem seems to be at the moment that he's exploring that theme in the same way over and over, almost as if he subsconsciously believes he hasn't quite expressed the idea as fully or with as much impact as he would like. What's amazing about him as a writer is how, even in these circumstances, his stories continue to be compelling and his characters continue to be interesting, flawed and three-dimensional. With Walking Dead, the core concept is so strong that Kirman's ability to entertain never truly disappears, even while it wanes from time to time. Let's hope that Kirkman rediscovers his fearlessness and returns the Walking Dead to the groundbreaking series we all previously loved.

I just finished watching the series, getting ready for season 11 and wasn't prepared to let the TWD characters go. So I picked up the next in the comic series that I hadn't read yet. I can't believe how far behind I am in the reading.The Kindle version is my favorite, so I can open up each frame, see details, and read the dialogue. Maybe after cataract surgery, I will be able to reread books and comic books. Meanwhile, I'm glad this technology is out there for folks like me. And it doesn't take up room in my already stuffed bookshelves.This particular volume was about discovering Hilltop and meeting the character Jesus. I know this is the calm before the storm. But it was nice to have the reprieve, even if a little boring. Still, it was great to connect with the TWD family, even if it is different from the show's characters.

I read WD as TPB only, not issue-by-issue, so my experience with the series is intermittent. Although I do read other comics on a month-by-month basis, not this one. I prefer it in TPB. It's a little present I give myself once every few months. Unlike other comics I read, I can walk away from WD for weeks or months at a time, come back to the series, and never feel like I left it.The characterization is so solid and well-developed, it is like hanging out with old friends, albeit none of the people in WALKING DEAD are people you'd want to know. I've always thought Kirkman stepped up the zombie genre by making so clear that in a zombie apocalypse, it's the horrible things the survivors do to each other that truly make this genre "horrific".Now, we're at volume 16. What's astounding about this volume is that yes, it is slow and lacks the action you've seen in other volumes, but what's happening here is a major shift in the direction of the comic. Just as Rick starts seeing things in a bigger picture (i.e., moving from day-to-day to month-to-month), Kirkman too is envisioning a larger picture. This volume is great because he shows Rick moving beyond mere id and ego -- now Rick is superego, threatening to squash other little egos in this world. Finally, Rick is becoming the Governor, and he's wondering how he could do better than his arch-nemesis did. Kirkman, I believe, is going to take us from a play-by-play to something bigger -- the survivors are going to try to build a utopia. How they behave and treat each other will indicate whether it is a utopia, or, as we'll get the point of view of other characters, perhaps a dystopia.I read these TPBs usually at one go: a solid 30-45 minutes of the best, most consistently entertaining comics of the decade.

I've purchased all volumes up to 22 and the TV show has just about caught up to wear I am in the novels. These books are friggen awesome. I don't read much and my buddy lent me VOL 1 after he knew I liked the show. Well, I burned through the first one and then just went on a tear buying 4 volumes at a time...the price is pretty good for what you get out of these. $9-$15 is the range I've paid per novel, I'm not sure why they aren't the same but anyways, I keep buying them none the less. The story was written before the TV Show and the show follows the story but there is some differences. The written story is more violent and graphic then the tv show but the tv show does a decent job of sticking with main ideas. I've noticed that certain plot things that happen in the book also happen in the show but there is a unique twist like a different character it happens to or something like that. Which makes reading these volumes great cuz I have some idea of where the story is going (after having watched all tv episodes) but there are still surprises. If you like the TV show and haven't read these, give it a try and you will get a whole new experience of the Walking Dead story. I'm putting this same review under every volume I've purchased (1-22) so people can see it. go buy these!

Rick's community is ticking over, getting into a routine of killing zombies, improving their defences & foraging for supplies. Then a stranger nicknamed 'Jesus' turns up on their doorstep. He says he's from a community of over 200 survivors & is looking to trade. He also knows of at least a couple of other groups nearby who he already trades with. And so in just a few short pages, Rick's world is once again transformed. This could be the "historic" birth of a new civilisation - but can 'Jesus' be trusted? Or will Rick's paranoia earn them the wrath of a much larger group & deprive them of a chance to build a new world?Another great volume, which once again left me intrigued as to what will happen in volume 17. In some ways it covered old ground, with Rick & co. encountering a similar set of problems to when they met the Washington community, albeit on a larger scale. But there's also some nice new touches, like using the name Jesus & his community being a 'city' on a hill (Jerusalem?). And once again, there's questions as to just how many marbles Rick has lost & whether a new civilisation could ever hold a place for someone like him.16 volumes in, this series is still consistently great & gets more & more interesting the longer it goes on.

After acquiring the comics by other means in the past, I decided to buy some of the volumes for easier reading.The volumes are made very well with a soft paper coating (Feels like some magazines) and the paper inside is of a high enough GSM to make it seem like a quality made item.If you haven't' or don't want to purchase the individual comics these are a greay way to read this amazing series.

Not much in the way of action, but the story moves forward at a good pace nevertheless. This deals with trust and hope. Trust in strangers and hope for the future. It also sets up a possible confrontation for the future safety and well being of the community and its allies.The next issue promises a fight like no other, and this issue sets that up nicely.

Bought as gift

Excilent better then the tv show !!!im now up to date with the last issue waiting for the next with baited brethThe cliff hanger endings of each issue will drive u to whant the next at each issue i cant recomend this enough!!!