After 15 years of continual publication, The Walking Dead comic book series came to a shocking ending back in June. After Rick Grimes was killed off in issue #192, the following issue was revealed to be the final installment of the long-running comic from Image. The surprise conclusion was probably the only way that TWD, which has always been known for its shock twists and deaths, could wrap up, but naturally, some were affronted at the sudden loss of the series.
Creator Robert Kirkman has now defended his decision to end the comic when he did, though. Kirkman recorded the latest episode of his In Conversation podcast at Comic-Con this week and told the gathered crowd that the move was done partly in response to the criticisms he was receiving online that the series had gone on too long. As he didn’t want his work to become “repetitious,” the writer knew he had to give the story a definitive end.
“I know people criticize the book for being repetitious sometimes. I go on the internet. I’m human, and I go on the internet and see things that make me sad. And then I go back on the internet to look for more things to make me sad. I feel like the story wasn’t repetitious. I felt like it escalated. But I was acutely aware of how it could become repetitious and I really wanted to avoid that. I wanted there to be a narrative flow, and in order to achieve that, I knew I would have to wrap it up.”
In the final issue, #193, Kirkman wrote a lengthy letter to the fans (see above) which fully explained his reasons for ending the comic, recapped his experience writing the series over the years and touched on his original bleak ending for the story. The actual conclusion was mostly hopeful, as it flashed forward to a world where civilization has been rebuilt and Carl has grown up and gotten married to Sophia.
Whereas the comic book is over and done with though, the TV series is still going strong. You can expect The Walking Dead season 10 to return to AMC this October and be sure to watch out for the first look trailer, arriving online later today.
