UPDATE
Our winner for this month’s comment contest is shopping4shooz! Loved your in-depth analysis of the issue and are now mad we didn’t tell Robert to make Gene Simmons Beta. What were we thinking?? And as far as The Princess, we’ll just have to wait and see how it plays out. ANYway, check your email for our message and for everyone else KEEP COMMENTING! We love all your responses (good or bad) and appreciate your love for the comic.
The Walking Dead Issue 173 is OUT NOW! What did you think of Beta’s brief return? Is Michonne and her crew screwed? And WHERE THE HELL IS NEGAN? Give us all of YOUR reactions to this issue in the comments below for a chance to win a Robert Kirkman-signed copy! Ready…GO!
Previously: As Michonne’s crew marches on toward Ohio, Princess demonstrates just how effective she can be with her spear against walkers. Meanwhile, the citizens of The Hilltop band together to rebuild their settlement even better than before, and Carl and Lydia rekindle their relationship. Jesus and Aaron head out to rejoin Hilltop, but when they rest for the night, Beta sneaks up on them…
This was an interesting issue! I was dead wrong about Beta and Negan swooping in to save Jesus, I feel bad now underestimating Aaron and Jesus, they will make a good Duo.
And Rick needs to man up! He was married to Lori and seemed to get over her pretty quickly. Oh well cant wait to see what happens in Ohio.
Well… at least I still have the graphic novel to enjoy. Despite the last couple of lackluster issues, it still has me entertained. I can;t say the same about the show, which I sadly have grown quite tired of. What works well in the series doesn’t necessarily work well in the show. Hope it can get back on track.
As for this issue. I found the fight to be cool but the reveal kind of meh. Oh… its that made up basketball star that only we know about. I mean, there was only so much they could do with it. I guess that’s better than nothing. Jesus still has it, which is good to know.
I really hope they don;t make unnecessary Carl/Lydia/Sophia tension. The last thing I need is teenage angst.
Rick is still hurting. Badly. Dwight on the other hand has gone full emo. Really don;t know where they are going with that.
I am really liking princess more and more. She’s like Stephan from Braveheart. The world is going down the tubes and she just happily insane. Or not so much as insane, just doesn’t give a… Also, I wonder if the crew found the storm troopers. I also wonder if we are ramping up to an end game so to speak. Obviously Kirkman doesn’t plan on doing this forever. Perhaps this is a new civilization and the beginning of the end.
Anyhow, better issue than last month, and much better than the month before.
I had two guesses on who beta was. Either a celebrity or Davidson.
I think everyone thought beta’s reveal was eh but… I kinda was expecting it to be eh y’know? Doesnt really matter i hope lydia doesnt do something stupid i love her and sophia i just want them to be fwiends 🙁 GREAT ISSUE THOUGH! The letter hacks really cleared up the rosita thing for me
Dude, Sophia and Lydia would make such a badass friend duo.
Yeeeeees
I don’t remember them spiking beta. So he should turn and probably will kill a few people that are distracted by seeing a celebrity.
I KNEW Beta was gay! Anyhow good issue. The drawing is rad as usual, the story surprising, fresh, well written. The more I see her the more I like Stephanie. I wonder what’s in store for us with the stormtroopers… a perfect wait till January.. Before that, we’ll be back to Negan (who’s straight).So much better than what the TV show has become (and now Morales… ). Let’s survive, let’s be crazy.
Who said beta was gay?
And where do they keep seeing Stephanie?
Lots going on. But honestly? My favorite bit, hands down, was Larua saying EXACTLY what needed to be said to Dwight. Thank God for Laura not dealing with his whiny bullshit.
Also, did anyone read Kirkman’s response to the reader who was “offended” by how Magna and Yumiko’s lesbian relationship was revealed? His response had me rolling. “I guess you are probably used to being offended.” Hell yeah, Kirkman. Take no prisoners.
Yeah, that was a great answer. The guy’s gonna be offended again by it.
KIRKMAN WHY?! So I was very worried about this issue because of the end of the last one. I love Jesus and Aaron and I was worried even though I know Jesus can kick some ass. When Beta was taken out I was leaping for joy! My stress went from level 193456 to 0. Also it did make me think, we have never really delved into the “celebrity” aspect of the apocolpse. I’m sure at first they would be protected but what happens when they lose that? It also questions the whole aspect of good and evil, does the apocalypse make you evil or were you always that way and the apocalypse brought it out. Of course we wouldn’t willinginly idolize a basketball player with evil tendencies right? Either way, I’m finally not stressed and you hit me with that ending ? guess I’ll just be stressed until next month *crawls in fetal position and quietly cries*
Aaron and Jesus’s dialogue felt a little cheesy to me during the Beta fight. Like they might as well have hi fived afterwords. Sorta reminded me of the SNL cartoon series, the ambiguously gay duo. Not because of any ambiguity but because of the cartoonish vibe to their dialogue.
In the letter hacks, Kirkman revealed that he made Magna and Yumiko gay due to fans requesting a lesbian character. That being said, I wonder if he also made Beta an athlete because he saw fans online discussing the possibility that he was one. Same thing with Morales in the TV show, fans joked around about Morales coming back, so they brought him back. I guess it’s cool to give the fans what they want but it starts to make me feel as though he’s just writing this thing without any idea where he’s going…
I am late to the party (just got my issue today) but I am right there with ya.
I am a bit sad about this issue, as I have expected a loved character getting ripped. But it’s great, as I got my dream battle of Beta vs Jesus, and hell yeah, Jesus is still kicking! That first move caught Beta completelly off guard, and then he was dead, shot by Aaron, whom he had failed to rip. Then Jesus switftly dealt with the rest of whispering psychos, saved some new guys and it was so much different from show’s Jesus. Those guys didn’t stand a chance. So, bye bye, Whisperers and … Dirk Nowitzki, you crazy beast (this name appeared here, and it kinda fits https://www.skybound.com/the-walking-dead/comic/what-is-betas-true-identity/
Also, props to Laura for chewing out Dwight, he should wake up, because another war is coming and he will be needed. Rick went to his bed, which is a good sign.
Beta’s death and face reveal was a little anti-climactic but I’ll be interested to see the remains of the whisperers absorbed into the group. It’s a shame the group are basically wiped out though as I would have been interested to see them as an ongoing danger. That said, I have a hunch that the skills these whisperers have to blend in with the dead will come in use at some point.
Lots of decent bits. Way to go, Laura. Poor Rick. Carl/Sophia/Lydia… we’ll see. Still haven’t warmed to Lydia after all this time but Sophia’s been so underdeveloped for so long that I’m not sure I have much of a grasp on her character either even though she’s been in it since #2.
And the cliffhanger felt very similar to the reveal of Woodbury. With that and the cover similarity I’m wondering how else the Governor will echo in this new plot… and doesn’t look like we’ll get to see what happens until next year.
But then next issue is Negan. It says solo but I really want Negan/Maggie to have it out as looks possible from the ending here. Got to wait 5 weeks now!! Urgh!
Honestly I was really disappointed with the issue. I’m a huge Walking Dead comic fan and this is one of the most underwhelming issues I can remember. There’s no way both Aaron and Jesus survive Beta’s attack. They’re sleeping and Beta and a herd of walkers get the jump on them, but somehow they both get out of the situation without a scratch. I really hated the Beta unmasking too. We’ve waited all this time to see Beta’s face and that was the best they could do? The dialogue between Jesus and Aaron is laughable as well.
By the way, Dante entered Maggie’s tent and she told him to wait. Is something going on?
I loved the issue. I like all of the diversity. I feel like I’m there fighting with Jesus. I feel the torment of Michonne and those hard decisions. Everyday when I’m out walking around with the public you can see humanity has changed. I can see the changes in this issuye of our walking dead world. Missing Megan though.
I held my breath and then sighed with relief that my fave new couple, Aaron and Jesus are okay. I’ve been so worried since the last issue. Kind of confused by the big Beta reveal. It seemed like it was headed to being someone we were familiar with – either someone from the past in the comic or, I don’t know, Gene Simmons from KISS, who surely could use an ass whoopin’ from Jesus. I don’t know, I guess it just wasn’t what I was expecting. I don’t like basketball either, so there’s that. New guy Josh made me laugh with his, do we have to wear dead people faces and not have names? Glad Aaron and Jesus saved him and his fam.
I am as heartbroken for Rick is he is over Andrea. Literally every time I see him at her grave (or sleeping on her grave) my heart hurts. I feel like he will never be the same. That being said, I am so happy Laura put Dwight in his place. I’m not saying that Dwight has no right to mourn Sherry, but Sherry was a terrible wife and kind of a bitch. She treated Dwight like crap, and actually seemed to hate him. Rick, who had no reason to trust Dwight initially, decided to trust him with everything and they have been mates for a long time. Why would Dwight even doubt that Sherry attacked Rick (that’s what the fuck she was there for!!) and he accidentally killed her? Dwight knows who Rick is and he knows who Sherry had become. He needs to sit the hell down and leave Rick alone.
I really love Princess. I am hoping she is not someone with ulterior motives. Kind of worried about this whole Ohio thing in general. I want to believe it’s not a trap and that it will lead to good things, but I know Kirkman, man. Bad things almost always happen. I’ll stay tuned…..
This issue was better than the last couple…..but thats not saying much.
What a great issue!! I haven’t liked an issue as much as this one in a long time. The Aaron and Jesus action was just what we needed. Finally Beta was unmasked and the Whispers storyline is done!! This is definitely my favorite issue in a long time!
I rather like it, it was a great issue! I fear it might be building up to the death of a fan favorite though, what are you plotting Maggie? The unmasking of Beta was great, I was beginning to think he might be someone from Rick’s group past but being someone famous from before that anyone will easily recognize was brilliant.
I’m not sure about Carl’s arc with the love triangle with possible Fatal Attraction Sophia. I don’t see it ending well. Can’t wait for next issue.
I really hope they get to this on the tv show. I want to see Tom Payne do all of those flips. I also hope they cast a former nba star as beta. That would be awesome
I knew that Beta was really Kevin Love all along, that bastard…
Was this a good issue? Sure. But…this is also the shittiest TWD issue I think I have ever read. What were you THINKING Kirkman? Beta and the Whisperers had SO MUCH potential. Is this going to be a predictable thing now in the TWD, where a big bad shows up, dies, and we repeat? Why kill off the Whisperers? You could have kept them around, and they not even be a big threat. Have a few sneaking around and stalking people. Make them go away for a while, show back up wearing an Alexandrian’s face. It makes sense why they got their asses kicked in the Whisperer War. The communities are way more equipped and organized compared to the Whisperers…but at the same time, with Beta dead now, what has this done for the story, besides kill off a few characters? And why would you kill a group that is THAT unique and interesting. Beta didn’t do shit for the story either. He was such an interesting character too. I understand we have the Commonwealth group showing up,,,but you can still keep Beta and the Whisperers around, or maybe even take a break from them. Absolute garbage writing, and I am still in shock that I am saying this about Robert Kirkman. Let’s just hope new things on the horizon are dealt with better…come on Kirkman…don’t do this again.
Well I certainly am glad that Beta wasn’t Mark Grayson or we would NEVER get rid of his sorry ass! I like how this issue was on the flippant, comical side. Yeah it is the zombie apocalypse but hey look on the sunny side LOL. That is why I appreciated the addition of the Princess. Carl/Lydia/Sophia: Well if looks could kill Sophia would be dead. Jesus, Aaron and Frowny McTwoknives: that whole thing went down pretty fast. I think Beta was my least favorite character in the whole dang series so I was HAPPY to see him depart without too much fanfare. Who cares what the beep he was BZA ( before zombie apocalypse). Hey maybe his walker self will come back and bite someone and he will get his revenge that way. Maybe he will go after Rick when he is laying on Andrea’s grave and bite him! Wishful thinking.. and the ultimate revenge for the last of the Whisperers. The W’s seem to be a dying breed though, can’t hang on to new recruits. Speaking of the newbies, it would be cool if they had some history with the Storm Troopers or whatever they are. I think by this time in the ZA most of the remaining people would have had to have been part of a larger group in order to still be alive. Maggie VS Negan is coming up! I hope it is in the December issue… Negan will learn it is best not to piss Maggie off, I just hope neither one of them get killed… yet.
Looking forward to December!
Weird humor in this issue. It wasn’t necessarily bad, just seemed a little too self aware. Between Beta’s weird death and the whisper corpse skin family sitcom it seemed like different writing than normal.
Seems to me they are just biding time until 175 hits. Probably going to be a story reset of sorts.
What an interesting issue. I loved seeing Jesus and Aaron take out Beta! It’s fascinating to see their developing relationship unfold on the pages.
The Bets reveal had me baffled, which was hilarious. I sat there rereading the pages to see if I missed something haha. I was like “Is that really how things went down!?” I think that’s an example of really capturing the audience. I was as surprised as Jesus/Aaron!
Huge fan of the tone The Walking Dead maintained over the last several issues. Looking forward to the next chapter!
I was so excited to see who Beta was that I totally forgot I was committing the blasphemous sin of thinking Jesus was going to die! (See what I did there?)
Great issue … Aaron and Jesus have become some of my favorite characters. Can’t wait to see what happens next. I hate waiting.
I’m So Far Behind.. Almost Done With Compendium 3.. Then Off To Get The Rest Of The Volumes Until I’m Caught Up!
Awesome issue I cant wait to see who Michonne and the others are up against but I hope they are ok. Jesus and Aaron are awesome together. Was kinda hoping beta would be someone we all recognized but still pretty cool. Cant wait for December
Leaving a comment for the freebies ?
When Michonne and co come to Ohio, I hope they visit the Ohio State Reformatory. It’s creepy and an awesome place to get lost in and fight zombies. Also the prison where the Shawshank Redemption was filmed.
Jesus is my favorite character, after Michinne, of course!
As much as I enjoy Negan as a villain character, and I do find him hilarious, I hope Maggie’s planning revenge. It’d be awesome if it came down to her killing him. It’d shut up all the fan girls of the Negan on the show. They get confused to the point of defending him, and they try to claim that Rick is just as bad. Negan is a rapist through coercion. The definition of consent is very simple, and fear, intimidation, blackmail, and coercion, make the consent invalid. Those that argue this fact are basically supporting rape culture. They can argue with Webster, because the definition of consent is simple.
Hey guys love the book and the show, did not like Beta getting killed off so quick, thought he’d be more involved in the future, by the way was that Kyle Korver, just thought Atlanta and all. Peace and keep up the great work
This new NWO arc better bring it up a notch.
That is all.