Review of "The Walking Dead: Volume 12," by Robert Kirkman et. al.

Review of

The Walking Dead: Volume 12, by Robert Kirkman et. al. 9781607062547

Five out of five stars

 The saga of the flawed hero Rick and the band he leads continues, they are now on a trek to the Washington, D. C. area. For some time they thought that there was still a functioning government and there would be safety when they arrived. Although that proved to be a major lie, they do encounter a normal human that tells them all about a walled sanctuary. He promises to guide them to it and that they would be allowed to join.

 It seems too good to be true, there is a functioning civilization there and the people appear to be happy to welcome new members to their group. They are slowly expanding their area and need more people if they are to take over, rebuild the new region while walling it off and then to consolidate and occupy the gain.

 While the members of Rick’s group are skeptical at first, the sudden lurch into the former normal changes their outlook and they begin to let their guard down. Sleeping in real beds, being able to take hot showers and eating regular meals starts dulling the skills that have kept them alive. The story seems to be moving towards a happy ending, yet Rick remains uncertain and he plots to get their guns back. The leader of the other group has insisted that all of the guns held by Rick and his band be confiscated and held at a central location.

 While I have not read volume 13 yet, I assume that it will contain some bombshells, as the cycle so far has been a volume where things are calm and ordered, only to be followed by dynamic and deadly changes. This volume clearly sets the stage for that.