The Walking Dead #94 Review

In the newest issue of The Walking Dead, Rick is finally going to discover if Jesus is on the up and up or if he’s just blowing smoke up their collective asses.
The Walking Dead #94

Letting curiosity get the better of him, Carl discovers the captive Jesus. Meanwhile, Rick and his scout group learn that Jesus was at least telling one truth – he wasn’t being followed and there’s no immediate danger to Alexandria. Rick decides it’s time to get a team together to take a look at Jesus’ settlement, The Hilltop. He begins assembling his team, but realizes he hasn’t seen Carl all day. He finds Carl talking to Jesus and later, after Rick and the team head out, Carl has stowed away to go with them. Jesus helps the team finish off a pack of walkers and move a car out of the middle of the road, but when he shows Rick that he was able to escape from having his hands tied behind his back, he not only reveals the Rick has passed his “test” of trust, but they have arrived at the Hilltop.

This is an interesting issue.  Robert Kirkman has started a new arc that looks to take the series to its 100th issue.  Rick is, for a lack of a better term, starting to lose it a bit.  We’ve seen him change over the last few issues into more of a proactive leader.  While his motives, ultimately keeping Alexandria as safe as possible, are pure and for the good of everyone under his protection, he’s quicker to be judgmental and a lot less trusting.

And why should he be as reactive and trusting as he was before?  He’s been burned time and time again.  When you’re reacting to the death of those you’ve sworn to protect more often, you would be more likely questioning your own abilities.  Your moves to protect people may be sound, but after a while, those deaths start to weigh heavy on your conscious.  In a hostile situation, it’s tough to trust anyone.  The Governor not only took your right hand, but he also took your right hand man – violently and heartlessly.  Rick put himself in that situation and that situation led to the death of his baby and wife.

I said a couple issues ago that the series has certainly moved more toward a character study of Rick.  It’s moved away from looking at the world our main characters live in and zeroed in on Rick.  It had been a while since it had done that.  In fact, the last time the book focused on Rick’s mental well being was right after Lori was killed by the Governor’s raid on the prison.  Things were bleak then and Rick was grieving.  Now, there’s a real possibility of a silver lining.  If all works out as Jesus so explains, there’s an entire network of communities that is willing to help his group survive, but I’m not so sure Rick sees this entirely for what it is – that proverbial silver lining.  Instead, he’s looking at a hostile take over as his Plan A1/2.  Plan A would be the hope that Jesus is a good guy, but if not, kill him and take what was his.  That’s a pretty basic black and white view to have and others aren’t exactly sure they feel the same way.

That’s not saying the upcoming issues won’t take a shot at surprising us with a kill or two…  After all, Andrea talking about always being one that survives seems like heavy foreshadowing, but it very well could be a red herring.  Either way, this new point of view from Rick and the actual potential of other “good guys” out there could end up being an explosive mix this series hasn’t necessarily seen in a very long time.

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